New Zealand 9

One early morning we drove to Ngurunguru. While Jaap ran a few km, I strolled along the beach.

Greenshanks, waiting for the sun to rise.

With their slightly up-curved bills they seem to look the same as ours

Paradise Shellducks flying overhead

  

Also on the beach: this bird that acts like a wagtail: New Zealand Pipit?

 

One of many wild flowers: Foxglove

  

On farmland at Kiripaka: Feral Geese and a Muscovian Duck

More ducks, in the town basin of Whangarei. I took this photo for the light on a bright sunny day. The ducks just happened to be there.

a nose-diving Welcome Swallow; nice name

An outburst of color in an all green Glenbervie Forest: Eastern Rosella

 

  

Beach kill: Left a shearwater, right a Little Blue Penguin.

What did they die of? Old age?

Too bad I could not see them alive.

New Zealand 8

A little bit of everything:

First the Song Thrush, my favorite.

Shining Cuckoos are difficult to distinguish with their green coloring

Another Shining Cuckoo in the bamboo

Finches of all kinds, here the Yellow Hammer

and a distant Goldfinch

  

Raptors of course, probably Australasian Harriers

Skylarks singing high up in the sky

  

 or scaling a steep mudwall, looking for insects.

And  –  another Pohutukawa, this majestious tree just one of many.

New Zealand 7

Always enticing me to follow them, the California Quails.

male

female

They seem to think the world belongs to them, muttering about in gardens, taking the chicks for a walk on the driveway

  

Fluttering up to take place on a post, treetop or L&M’s new sophisticated garden umbrella to get a better view.

Lining the road towards town, ever so pretty Agapanthus

  

The Spurred-winged Plovers are self-introduced Lapwings from Australia.

They use their nail-like spurs like weapons

It gives these birds an unfriendly, vicious image.

Extended spurs before landing

Another Pohutukawa shot, this time with a House Sparrow. 

New Zealand 6

No beach without a Dotterel

 

Once more at Mimiwhangata.

 

'hiding' between the pebbles

The question is: Are they all the New Zealand Dotterels?

the beach at Mimiwhangata. (see those mussles on the rocks? Scroll to the right)

 

The NZ White-eye is called Silver-eye

 

Marleen told me they hardly ever visit the Pohutukawa's, so I guess this is a lucky shot.

  

A piece of dried what? Kelp? Sjaak picked up from the beach.

Wild roses flowering in December