Miraz Jordan

Turns out I’ve been wrong for at least 5 days now in my belief that Fliss had stopped laying for the season. Quail only lay when there’s at least 12 hours of sunlight… 🐦

On the beach this morning was a sizeable flock of Tara | White-fronted Tern. The photo shows about 1/3 of the flock. Nearby was a pair of the much chunkier Taranui | Caspian Tern — I suspect an adult and a youngster. 🐦

I write a monthly newsletter for our local community. A kind resident made this wonderful cartoon on an extremely topical and important issue and I've had such a turbulent week I forgot to include it until just after I pressed Send. So annoyed. 🐦

Just out for a stroll. 🐦

Peihana | Pheasant.

And I say again: “Sea levels are rising. We gotta deal with climate change.” 🐦

A good read: Borrowed Time (A Cass Raines Mystery Book 2) by Tracy Clark. 🐦

It could be murder. But why would anyone kill a dying man? Cass’s persistence attracts unwanted attention, putting her life in danger and uncovering sinister secrets she may end up taking to her grave.

This is an extreme crop of a photo at nearby Lake Puna o te Ora: two birds shaking, with water droplets spraying around them. The birds are likely Rakiraki | Mallard, with a Kuruwhengi | Australasian shoveler enjoying a quiet moment in the background. 🐦

I was just getting nicely lined up on this Makipai | Australian Magpie at the beach — hoping it would sing — when it flew away! 🐦

I always enjoy a visit from the Eastern Rosellas. 🐦

I saved out half a dozen photos of the Wrybills I watched yesterday, but this one stood out as my favourite. 🐦

I haven’t looked through all ~150 photos I took of 3 Ngutuparore, Wrybill at the beach just now, but this shot clearly shows its bill curves to its right. 🐦

A relatively small pale plover with a long black bill curving to the right

I initially thought they were Tuturiwhatu, Banded dotterel.

RIP my Japanese Quail Glee, which leaves only one now, little Fliss, the striped one. Glee was full of zip, until she wasn't. 🐦

This Ring-Necked Dove was totally unfazed when Sasha and I walked past less than 2 metres away. They’re so friendly. 🐶 🐦

Now I understand why professionals have to stabilise their videos!

This mama pheasant was guarding a bevy of her babies. She stood her ground for a long time. 🐦

I always enjoy a visit from an Eastern Rosella. 🐦

This little green cutie is the Korimako | Bellbird 🐦 :

Bellbirds are green with a short, curved bill, slightly forked tail, and noisy whirring, fast and direct flight.

One of our more colourful birds, the Tīeke | North Island saddleback. 🐦

North Island saddlebacks have striking black plumage, a rufous chestnut saddle across their back, bright reddish-orange wattles … and a thin pale yellow band on the leading edge of the saddle.

Tuturiwhatu, Banded dotterels in the multiverse… 🐦

I’m pretty sure this is a female Kuruwhengi | Australasian shoveler with her 3 babies on our nearby lake. 🐦

A medium-sized dabbling duck with a large black spoon-shaped bill … females are mottled light brown with a dull brown bill and eyes, and brown-orange legs.

A pair of Eastern Rosellas has been taunting me for weeks now. Today I finally “caught” them. 🐦

A neighbour called and said she was watching the Matuku-hūrepo | Australasian bittern nearby so I rushed down to join her. My first time seeing this extremely rare and cryptic bird. 🐦

Status: Native, Nationally Critical

Bitterns are extremely cryptic and rarely seen.

This Matuku moana | White-faced heron saw me watching and kindly fished up something out of the lake for me. 🐦

I’m so ‘something’ that my neighbour has now seen the extremely cryptic and Nationally Critical Matuku-hūrepo, Australasian Bittern at our local lake 3 times, yet I haven’t seen it even once. She gave me permission to post her 2 iPhone photos from a couple of days ago. 🐦

I missed the focus on this but still wanted to post this adult and two baby Oystercatchers. 🐦

This rather ruffled looking baby bird stumbled across the deck and took refuge in the passionfruit. 🐦