Miraz Jordan Profile Photo

Miraz Jordan

I love simplicity and silence. On this blog I share bits and pieces from my daily life. In late 2025 I moved to Ruakākā near Whangārei in Aotearoa. 100% human (she / her). Since July 2024 I've been doing resistance training to help me maintain my independence as I age. Now 71, I'm super happy to be getting old — it means I'm not dead yet! I believe all beings have the right to clean water, nutritious food and adequate shelter, and that humans are simply one small part of the amazing life on this planet that supports us all: humans, animals, plants. My interests include reading cosy mysteries, things to do with language and linguistics, photos of birds, space opera scifi, especially Star Trek. I love learning things. I joined the MB community on 05 January 2018. Follow me on Micro.Blog at https://micro.blog/miraz .

  • Those are weird looking gulls, I thought yesterday as I wandered by Ruakākā Estuary. Then I realised the flock of 15 or so birds fishing, was in fact tākapu | gannets. 🐦

    Not-gull flying against a backdrop of patchy cloud.

     

    Gannet in flight above the sea.

     

    Closer view of gannet in flight.

     

    Gannet above the sea with dark hills behind.

  • The Pūkeko baby came back! 🐦

    What a cutie.

    An adult and a baby Pūkeko almost touch beaks — with grass all around.

     

    An baby Pūkeko with grass all around and mum's legs nearby.

  • A neighbour down the road has this flock of Cape Barren geese on his very large property. 🐦

    Half a dozen large grey geese n the ground, some with wings spread.

  • A pleasing trip to Ruakākā Estuary today, included watching this spoonbill fishing. 🐦

    Spoonbill with beak partly in water and splashes all around the beak.

  • A few minutes ago I was outside and spotted a couple of pukeko, in spite of the ongoing earthworks behind us. Then I saw a tiny chick pop into view before immediately taking fright and disappearing again. 🐦

    I'll be on the lookout now, and hope there's more than one.

  • Up by Kiwi North in Maunu, Whangārei, is the wild bird rescue centre where we can't go in. Next door though is a room full of bird information, especially taxidermied birds of all kinds. 🐦

    Hanging from the ceiling were numerous sea birds, including this enormous albatross.

    Taxidermied albatross and other birds hanging from the ceiling of a small room.

  • I walked briskly to the shops for a haircut: 20 minutes, 1.86 Km and back along the grassy riverbank: 29 minutes, 2.00 Km.

    On my way past the bakery I bought an Apple Turnover, which I ate by the river.

    There were gulls and a couple of Arctic Terns on the sand bank in the river. 🐦

    Terns and a gull.
    Apple turnover on a hand with river, grass and trees in the background.

  • It's the time of year for the Godwits to return from the northern hemisphere … and on today's visit to the beach I was delighted to find maybe a thousand of them resting up. 🐦

  • NZ dotterels really are my favourites. Usually they dart about. This one decided to have a more leisurely moment. 🐦

    As I left the beach I spotted this vibrant flower, perhaps a Cape Weed, in the dunes.

    A vibrant yellow flower blooms among green grass and blurred brown foliage.

  • It's a while since I entered the beach from the track opposite the racecourse. As I parked the car I startled a white-faced heron. I thought it was going to lead me all the way to the beach, but before long it flew over the fence and into the dunes. 🐦

    A white-faced heron walks along a sandy track ahead of me.
    A white-faced heron stands on beach grasses in the dunes.

    The track leads the eye to Hen Island.

    A white sandy track leads to the sea and a large island in the distance.

  • A delightful start to the day. At 0535 I was passing an open window when I heard a Ruru | Morepork call half a dozen times from nearby trees. 🐦

    This terrible photo from 2008 is the only one I've ever managed to take. I think it was at Zealandia in Wellington.

    Small owl in a tree.

  • Two birds caught my eye at the estuary today: a kingfisher and a New Zealand Dotterel. 🐦

    Kingfisher on a post.
    Orange breasted dotterel looks at the camera.

  • Congratulations to the Department of Conservation's Kākāpō Recovery Programme. This represents so much hard work by so many people — Kākāpō Population Soars to 325: 🐦

    The 2026 kākāpō breeding season, the biggest on record, has come to an end with a bumper number of kākāpō chicks produced. The youngest chick has just passed 150 days old, a milestone that marks its independence.

    We had 90 chicks reach that milestone," …

  • Matuku moana | White-faced heron: 🐦

    In flight the white-faced heron usually tucks its head back towards its shoulders in the characteristic heron posture

    Heron flying low above sand beside the water.

  • Taranui | Caspian tern: 🐦

    Caspian terns are silver-grey above and white below, with dark wing tips. The tail is relatively short and only slightly forked compared to other terns. The large bill is mostly bright red in adults, becoming dark near the tip…. Adults have black legs and a black cap to below the eye during the breeding season.

    Caspian terns on sand. One has its head lifted and wings outstretched.

  • I was the only human on the beach at Waipū Estuary this morning. There were gulls, Oystercatchers, and my favourites, the Dotterels. 🐦

    View across wet sand and sea to a distant island.
    View to the north across wet and dry sand to distant hills. The sun is just visible at top right and the sky is blue.
    NZ Dotterel.
    NZ Dotterel.

  • Yesterday I went to the estuary specifically take take photos of birds. It's been a while …

    View across river mouth with sandy banks to mountain beyond.

    Those posts in the sand are strung with wire to discourage folks from entering, so the birds have a chance to nest. 🐦

    Pied stilt, reflected in a puddle. One leg is raised.
    Pied Stilt.
    Black shag with white face on a branch.
    Shag.
    Kingfisher on an orange topped post.
    Kingfisher.
    Spoonbill sweeping the river for food.
    Spoonbill.

  • It was one of those days when the sun was shining from a blue sky, but the air just wasn't very clear.

    This tanker(?) was on its way to Northport.

    Hazy view of a ship on the horizon, caught between sea and sky.

    Meanwhile these Oystercatchers were puddling around. 🐦

    Oystercatchers wading in water near a patch of sand.

  • Hmm, I won't take my big camera on my bike ride to the estuary this morning

    …

    But if I had, then I might have caught a decent picture of the spoonbill fishing, rather than the 8x iPhone snap. 🐦

    A stream of water in the estuary with various birds, including a spoonbill.

  • I spotted a bunch of birds at the estuary today, not all in photos. I saw swallows, ducks, gulls, black-backed gulls. I also saw Oystercatchers, Dotterels, Arctic Terns, Godwits. 🐦

    A group of godwits is standing on sandy patches in a body of water near a grassy shoreline.
    Godwits.
    Arctic terns on the sandy beach near the shoreline, with trees in the background.
    Arctic terns.
    A dotterel with brown and white plumage is standing on sand with sparse vegetation in the background.
    Dotterel.
    A small, orange-breasted dotterel is standing on a sandy beach near a piece of driftwood.
    Dotterel.
    Two black birds with orange beaks are resting on sandy ground among sparse grass.
    Oystercatchers at rest.
    Two black birds with long red beaks and legs are interacting (fighting) on a sandy beach near a rock.
    Oystercatchers not at rest.

  • I went down to the protected area at the estuary today to see what birds I could spot. It was mid-tide and with the light wind coming from the west the water was very calm.

    Behind the beach the eroded dune face is higher than me.

    A couple of swallows cross the shot. 🐦

  • While I was looking out to sea at Waipū Cove, Deb spotted the dotterel sitting on the sand behind me. 🐦

    View from beach across the sea to some small islands, with large white and grey puffy clouds against a blue sky.
    Small bird with orange chest sitting on a sandy beach.

  • The goldfinches love the lawn after a spot of rain. 🐦

    A dozen or more goldfinches peck around on a bit of lawn.

  • I watched birds today for the annual garden bird survey. Not a great score. 🐦

    garden bird survey.png
    • Swallow 2
    • Magpie 2
    • Fantail 2
    • Gull 2

  • It's another gorgeous day and fairly warm for winter. I biked to the estuary at Princes Street — 5 Km / 20 minutes each way — and spotted this Royal Spoonbill sweeping for food in the river. 🐦

    Also spotted: gulls, dotterels, ducks, white-faced herons, Oystercatchers.

Older Posts →