Two tui, Pohangina valley

The start of the tree lucerne flowering has begun to attract more korimako and tui, and the harakeke seed-heads offer a good place to perch and sing. This harakeke's a long way from my verandah, but with careful technique and heavy cropping of the photograph I managed a photograph I think reflects the attitude of tui. They're wonderful birds. I love them.

[1/320 sec at f4, ISO 250]

All content © 2016 Pete McGregor

Late autumn, Pohangina valley

Less than a week to go until the official start of winter, and many of the deciduous trees have apparently not realised they're supposed to have shed their leaves. I don't mind, especially when a combination of an approaching thunderstorm and a little leftover sun produce this kind of picture. I was standing on my verandah when I photographed this.


[1/160 sec at f4, ISO 250]

All content © 2016 Pete McGregor

Piwakawaka butt

At Zhoen's request (see comments on the previous post), here's the butt of another fantail.

[1/400 sec at f4; ISO 250]

All content © 2016 Pete McGregor

Pohangina Valley piwakawaka

Piwakawaka again — this time from my place in the Pohangina Valley.

[1/160 sec at f4; ISO 640]

All content © 2016 Pete McGregor

Fantail/piwakawaka

On the Massey University campus this morning a little piwakawaka obligingly posed for me, holding still just long enough for a photograph.

[1/50 sec at f4; ISO 640]

All content © 2016 Pete McGregor

Happy hare at the hare-pin bend

The hare still lives near the hairpin bend on the No. 1 Line road. At  least, I'm guessing it's the same hare because it's hard to accept that a different one would have taken over exactly the same spot. I have been known to be wrong on a few occasions, though ;-)

The hillside had been lightly grazed, so the hare had less cover to hide in. Even so, if the evening light hadn't accentuated the hare's colour, I might not have seen it as I drove past. Clearly, it was enjoying the warmth, as several photographs show it with its eyes half closed. It seemed unperturbed, even when I got out of the car and crossed the road for a slightly closer photograph.

[1/160 sec at f8; ISO 100]

All content © 2016 Pete McGregor

Kakariki; Red-crowned parakeet (captive)

I'm not keen on photographing captive animals, and, as a rule, I'm not keen on animals being kept captive, although I accept that's sometimes desirable. Around here, however, the chances of even seeing one of Aotearoa's endemic parakeets, let alone managing a photograph, is on a par with winning Lotto. (I have actually seen kakariki in the Ruahine Range on several occasions, years ago. Unfortunately, I haven't won Lotto. Yet.)

However, the aviaries in the Palmerston North esplanade offer a chance to see kakariki up close, so I stopped by this morning and photographed this bird through the heavy mesh. Careful processing got rid of the inevitable, strong haziness caused by the out-of-focus mesh.

I hope one day a photograph like this will be possible in the wild around here. In the meantime, maybe I'll have to plan a trip to the Zealandia Sanctuary or Kapiti Island, or maybe even to Tiritiri Matangi.

[1/60 sec at f4; ISO 250]

All content © 2016 Pete McGregor

Torea pango, the Variable oystercatcher

Mainland Aotearoa has two species of oystercatchers: the South Island Pied oystercatcher, known to the bird nuts as SIPOs; and this one, Torea pango (literally, 'black oystercatcher'), which also goes by several other names. A third species is found only on New Zealand's Chatham Islands and is critically endangered, with a population of roughly 300 birds.

'Variable oystercatcher' might be the most accurate common name, because although many have entirely black plumage like this bird, others have varying amounts of white and some closely resemble SIPOs. They're found only in New Zealand, and the total population's likely to be about 4–5000 birds.

Because I live inland, I seldom get to see these delightful birds, and it's always a thrill to see them when I'm visiting the coast near Wellington. This one cooperated nicely as I photographed it from the car at Point Howard, at the head of the harbour.

[1/400 at f4; ISO 200]

All content © 2016 Pete McGregor