Adventure on Tiritiri Matangi Island in Auckland New Zealand

My wife and I just got back from New Zealand, where I was able to pick up almost a hundred life birds! We stayed overnight on an island bird sanctuary near Auckland called Tiritiri Matangi…there are several critically endangered species kept on the island, and we were even able to see a Little Spotted Kiwi at night! Many New Zealanders haven’t even seen a Kiwi in the wild, so that was a special treat for us.  Here are some photos of the many species we encountered during our stay on Tiritiri…

The critically endangered Takahe (pronounced TAH-KAH-HAY) was once thought to be extinct, but after a few were found 50 years ago, their numbers have grown to a couple hundred…efforts to breed them in captivity have been difficult.  Tiritiri is one of the only places you can still see this species. Large, and flightless, the Takahe is probably the closest thing you can see to a living Moa…

Brown Quail:  A cute, stout little bird that can be seen waddling on the ground in small groups…

Another critically endangered bird found on Tiritiri is the Brown Teal…once common in New Zealand, their numbers have plummeted due to hunting and habitat loss, and now they are fighting for survival…

A common, well-known, and respected bird in New Zealand is the Pukeko (Purple Swamphen)…They are related to the Takahe, but are smaller and more slender overall. Pukeko can be seen in most areas, and many are domesticated, often approaching people and stealing their lunches…

One of New Zealand’s most famous songsters is the Tui…

Red-crowned Parakeet:

One of our favorite birds we spotted on the island was the Spotless Crake…a small rail-type bird, Crakes are very secretive in their wetland habitat, and can be very tough to spot…we sat patiently for 20 minutes to get a good look at this one…

Whiteheads are common on the island, but are threatened on the mainland…

New Zealand Robins are curious birds that will come right up to you in hopes of finding stirred-up insects where you have recently trodden…

New Zealand Bellbirds got their name from the chiming chorus of their dawn-song…

The Stitchbird, or “Hihi” is an endangered bird that is being studied on the island…they were also once common, but have fallen on hard times…

The only native species of Kingfisher in New Zealand is the Sacred Kingfisher…

Another endangered bird being protected on the island is the Kokako…their populations have been decimated by invasive mammals like stoats, and possums…many people miss seeing a Kokako on Tiritiri, but this was one of three we were able to spot!…

Common on Tiritiri, but endangered in the rest of New Zealand, the Saddleback is related to the Kokako, and has had similar troubles with non-native predators…their name obviously comes from the saddle-like coloration on their back…

Fernbird: Another threatened species…

The New Zealand Pigeon is an enormous, and coloful pigeon with an impressive wingspan…

The Variable Oystercatcher is often seen on New Zealand’s coastlines, but is also a threatened bird…

White-faced Herons are common in New Zealand…

A Little Pied Shag is one of the New Zealand versions of what we call Cormorants in America…

The New Zealand Fantail is a friendly little bird that loves attention, and will fan its tail feathers and put on a great show for you…

At night we went on a bush-walk and heard some Moreporks (Owls) calling, and we also saw a Little Spotted Kiwi…unfortunately we weren’t able to photograph the Kiwi, but it was an awesome treat nonetheless! Among the other birds we spotted on the island: Swamp Harrier, Eastern Rosella, Rifleman, Little Blue Penguin, Pied Shag, Spotted Shag, Fluttering Shearwater, Australasian Gannet, Yellowhammer, Silvereye, Grey Warbler, Red-billed Gull, Black-billed Gull, and Kelp Gull

Common Redpolls – Finally!

Common Redpolls are nomadic, and their numbers vary from year to year…here where I live they only show up once every few years…this winter happens to be one of those years that they are around, and they finally started coming to my feeders.  I didn’t see any last year, so it was exciting to get some new visitors this year. Redpolls are a small finch with a bright red cap and a small yellow beak.  I got some snaps of one of the more rosy-colored males despite the dim, drizzly weather…

Barnstable Big Year 2014 – Current Count: 247

As of Today, December 24th, I have seen 247 bird species in Barnstable County, MA in 2014.  I got married this year, and had a full time job, and still managed to put up a pretty good number!  I did not expect to see so many…and there have definitely been a few challenges, and near-misses.  I still have the next week to fill out the list and perhaps hit 250, but most of the remaining birds can be tough to find.  I’ve been putting together a list of potential remaining birds for the year…some are more likely than others

…Some target species I need, and can still get with a little luck are:

-Dovekie

-Barred Owl

-Short-eared Owl

-Northern Shrike

-Glaucous Gull

-Forster’s Tern

-Common Murre

-Common Redpoll

Among the highlights of the year, all of which were lifers:

-American Bittern

-Cape May Warbler

-Lapland Longspur

-Bohemian Waxwing

-Roufus Hummingbird

Among the near-misses that eluded me despite my efforts:

-Clapper Rail

-Sandhill Crane

-Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

-Blackburnian Warbler

-Baird’s Sandpiper

Hairy and Red-Bellied Woodpecker Share A Meal

I don’t usually spend too much time taking pictures of birds at my feeders, but this was a cool moment outside my window I was happy to see.  A Hairy Woodpecker, and a Red-bellied Woodpecker came to one of my suets at the same time and made for an excellent two-for-one shot.  Hairy Woodpeckers are practically identical to the abundant Downy Woodpecker, but they are slightly larger and have a bigger bill.  In this case, the Red-bellied was more aggressive, and pushed the Hairy away for position on the suet.

Bufflehead Pair

I always like to see male/female bird pairs next to each other…especially ducks.  It makes for a nice image, and also shows the species plumage as a whole.  Buffleheads are undoubtedly the cutest ducks…they are diminutive, but the striking white males have a beautiful iridescent rainbow sheen on their heads that shines when the light hits them at the right angle.  I got a nice low-angle look and picture of this pair the other day.

Tufted Duck – Very Rare Visitor

This week, a male Tufted Duck has been seen among a raft of Scaup on a pond in my neighborhood.  These ducks are Eurasian, and only show up in the U.S. when single individuals get blown across the ocean by the weather…it is a pretty rare event.  A rare bird like this draws a lot of attention from birders, and many people travel hours just to get a glimpse of it.  Although the duck spends a lot of time sleeping with its head tucked away, I was able to get a distant snap of the duck that clearly shows the “tuft” on its head.  Other than the tuft, the main features that separates this duck from the rest of the Scaup are the black back and the sharp white flanks.  Fortunately, this pond is 5 minutes from my house, so I did not have to travel far to get a look!

Savannah Sparrow

I got a nice close look at this Savannah Sparrow recently…the hint of yellow on their lores is the only bit of color they have, but they have some very crisp lines and details, which makes them easier to ID from further away.  This particular bird turned its face into the morning light at just the right moment for me to catch this snap too!

American Crows – The Peak of Avian Intelligence

I can always appreciate Crows when I see them.  The detail in an entirely black bird can be hard to see, but when the light hits a Crow just right, they have a vibrant sheen that really sets them off.  Crows, and Ravens are also up there with the most intelligent species…they can recognize human faces in a crowd, and they have demonstrated problem-solving abilities that rival those of most human children.  Crows are also very social birds, and are often seen in groups.  These groups can be very domineering and aggressive, so it is not uncommon to see, or hear a pack of Crows mobbing a predator in a demonstration of their strength in numbers.

Hooded Mergansers – Breeding Displays

Some video I took recently of Hooded Mergansers doing mating rituals…the males enthusiastically chase the females and bob their heads up and down in an attempt to impress a mate.

Golden-Crowned Kinglet – Best Shot Yet

Last week I posted a blog about how difficult kinglets are to photograph…I was pretty happy with the photo I had, but this one from the other day is definitely my best one yet.  The biggest challenge is to get a clear photo of the bird that also displays the golden crown.  Kinglets are so quick and restless, it is almost impossible to get them to sit still…I am glad I caught this guy with his crown exposed.