Rimu Walk and Mangawhero Forest Walk at Ohakune share a common entrance. I enjoyed both. Both are easy walks. On the Forest Walk I came face to face with a Ruru, usually only around at night. No photo of the bird, sadly, only the branch it was sitting on. I was too slow! 🐦

Side eye. (Kingfisher) 🐦

Waxeye stack. 🐦

This Eastern Rosella announced herself and then stuck around long enough for me to take some photos. 🐦

Updated with better quality photo.

This little Piwakawaka was flitting round me, then landed close enough for me to be able to take a couple of iPhone photos. 🐦

Hmmm, this video by Jan Wegener, mainly about bird photography, had some very useful info: Take SHARPER Images with ANY camera! No More BLURRY Photos! Tips for Success. One useful point — if the bird’s far away the mass of air between bird and camera reduces sharpness. 🐦📷

The sun was low behind me; the hawk circling high in front of me. 🐦

A couple of mornings ago I was making breakfast when I noticed the top half of the quail run door was open. I rushed out to check on the two girls, who fortunately were sitting happily minding their own business. I must have left the door open the previous afternoon! 🐦

I glimpsed this juvenile Kōtare, Sacred Kingfisher through the window, managed a couple of shots and then it took off. I love my 100–400 zoom camera lens. 🐦

It’s been a busy Sunday. Among other things, I cleaned out the old straw and sawdust from the quail run and topped up with a fresh coating. The quail were pretty stressed by the activity, but seem happy now, especially since they got an extra helping of dried mealworms. 🐦

Seen at the beach this morning: a juvenile Spoonbill with its parents. 🐦

When I didn’t leave quickly enough one of the adult swans warned me off. I left. 🐦

I think this little fantail lives in the bushes near our gate. 🐦

No-one on the lake was very happy about me emerging from behind a bush to take an iPhone photo of the two black swans and their remaining 3 cygnets. 🐦

At last! Eastern Rosellas have been taunting me. I’ve heard their chattering at various times recently, then they’d shoot past and my camera was nowhere nearby. Today though, one perched outside my window and my one press of the shutter before it flew away actually worked. 🐦

Toutouwai, North Island Robin at Bushy Park. These little birds are such cuties, and so tame! 🐦

The Tīrairaka, New Zealand fantail is a tricky bird to photograph and I’m still on a quest to get excellent photos. It flitters and flutters and is so fast! 🐦

I was trying to take photos of the elusive fantails who were flittering just outside the window. What I did get were these European Goldfinches, with their bright scarlet faces. 🐦

Striding. 🐦

Skating! This little New Zealand dotterel turns out to be banded, when I zoom in. They’re very small, fast birds: 25 cm and about 150 grams. Perfect on the beach: dark upper and white below so you think you’re just seeing shells on sand — till it moves. 🐦

Naughty little House sparrows sitting on the roof (pooping in the gutter that supplies our drinking water). 🐦

Update: the photo I exported at Medium resolution looked terrible. I’ve replaced it with a better version.

Meanwhile, the Australian coots were having a bit of a dust-up (volume up). 🐦

To my delight, this morning’s walk brought me two Kakīānau, Black swans with 4 cygnets, already swimming. 🐦

Touching. Pied Stilt. 🐦

This Karoro, Black-backed gull was keeping a close eye on me this morning. 🐦