Miraz Jordan Profile Photo

Miraz Jordan

I love simplicity and silence. I enjoy taking photos of birds, and strive to be an actively decent human being. In late August 2025 I moved from Waikawa Beach to Ruakākā near Whangārei in Aotearoa. 100% human (she / her). Now 70, 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. I joined the MB community on 05 January 2018. Follow me on Micro.Blog at https://micro.blog/miraz .

  • We see Kingfishers around here quite often — usually in the garden. I didn’t really expect to see this little one on the beach yesterday. 🐦 Kōtare, Sacred kingfisher

    Small bird with blue head and back, yellow underparts and a chunky black bill, on the sand.

  • These Rock pigeons, although common everywhere, are actually not that easy to find at Waikawa Beach. 🐦 I first spotted them a few months ago, but it was only yesterday things came together for a quick photo of one. It flew away immediately. 😒

    Rock Pigeon on a post.
    Rock Pigeon in flight.

  • These two annoyingly distant Spur-winged Plovers were at the beach this morning. I’ve been wanting to get photos of them, but am a bit disappointed with the results. 🐦

    Two medium size birds on the beach. They have brown backs, white underparts, black caps and yellow bills.

  • I was never really very fond of gulls, but I’m coming to quite like the ones at Waikawa Beach. Tarapunga, Red-billed gull. 🐦

    Two gulls seeming to chat as they walk by the sea.
    Lone gull walking.
    Lone gull looking down.
    Lone gull picking something up off the sand.
    Lone gull side on to the camera.
    Lone gull with lowered head.

  • This morning on the beach I was lucky enough to get a decent shot of this Tuturiwhatu, Banded dotterel 🐦:

    Length: 20 cm; Weight: 60 g
    A small compact brown and white plover with a short black bill, relatively long dark legs and large round dark eyes.

    Small bird on the beach, with brown above and white below.

  • Two photos from a couple of days ago of a Kawau, Pied Shag at the beach. 🐦

    Length: 65 - 85 cm; Weight: 1.3 - 2.1 kg; A large, relatively slim …shag … white face, black feet, blue eye-rings, yellow facial skin. Black back, nape and upperwings … white throat, breast and belly.

    Large black and white shag with wings stretched, on wet sand.
    Large black and white bird with wings folded, reflected in wet sand.

  • A new favourite photo: a Kuaka Godwit at the edge of the sea today. 🐦

    Brown speckled bird with very long beak at the edge of the sea.

  • Busy day but it started with a dawn beach walk and an encounter with Taranui, Caspian terns. 🐦

    Taranui Caspian terns on a low tide beach at dawn.
    Taranui Caspian tern in flight.
    Taranui Caspian tern in flight.
    Two Taranui Caspian terns in flight.
    Solitary Taranui Caspian tern on a low tide beach at dawn.

  • Love this: Scientists Attached Tracking Devices to Magpies 🐦:

    Within 10 minutes … we witnessed an adult female … trying to remove the harness off of a younger bird.

    … By day 3, even the dominant male of the group had its tracker successfully dismantled.

    // @jayeless

  • Finally refreshed the straw and shavings in the front part of the quail run. 🐦 Put the soiled straw round nearby vege garden. Trimmed back flax plant for easier access to quail run. The quail should love to scratch the straw around. It’s all in a hill at the moment.

    Quail run fresh straw.
    One white and one stripy quail in their run.

  • I tend to see ngutupapa, Royal Spoonbills on the beach solitary, in pairs or even three at a time. Today is the first time I’ve seen a flock of maybe 12 or 15 — I was unable to actually count because of distance and the big piece of driftwood. 🐦 See more…

    Flock of large white birds sheltering behnd driftwood.

  • When Canada Geese, Oystercatchers or Pied Stilts fly over you know all about it, thanks to the racket they make. 🐦 With other birds you hear the clatter of wings. You're lucky to spot the gorgeous Royal Spoonbills though as they glide over completely silently.

    Two Spoonbills in flight overhead.
    Two Spoonbills in flight overhead.
    Two Spoonbills in flight overhead.
    Two Spoonbills in flight - moving away.
    Two Spoonbills in flight - moving away.

  • The amazing Kuaka, Godwit flies between Aotearoa New Zealand and the Arctic every year to feed and breed. 🐦 They are a similar size to the more delicate Pied Stilt. These were on the shore this morning.

    Kuaka feeding, with wave behind.
    Two Kuaka and a Pied Stilt.
    Six Kuaka in flight.

  • The other day I took photos of a Karoro, Southern black-backed gull as it flew by. Hand held. Pretty pleased with the results. 🐦

    Black-backed gulls are often seen on the water’s edge where they scavenge corpses and fish frames washed up on the tide.

    Black backed gull in flight with wings stretched.
    Black backed gull in flight with wings bent.
    Black backed gull in flight with wings down.
    Black backed gull in flight, side on, with wings high.

  • I haven’t spotted any Pukeko at the lakes recently so was glad to see a couple at sunrise today. 🐦

    Striking large blue bird with red beak, walking on grass.

  • I borrowed on paper from the Library Backyard Bird Photography: How to Attract Birds to Your Home and Create Beautiful Photographs, 2014, by Mathew Tekulsky 🐦

    Not so much a “How-To” as a “How I did”. Disappointing and I was also concerned cameras have advanced a lot since then.

    Book cover: Backyard Bird Photography.

  • Wow, this 28 minute film is entrancing: Hargila 🐦 :

    Through the efforts of a remarkable conservation leader, Dr. Purnima Devi Barman … the [endangered Greater Adjutant storks] are now protected, celebrated, and increasing their numbers locally.

    Gorgeous photography.

    Hargila movie poster.

  • I’ve seen a few Spur-winged plovers around recently but haven’t had a chance to take a photo of them yet. This picture from October 2018 will have to do for now. 🐦

    Spur-winged plovers.

  • This photo from February 2020 turns out the be the only one I have of a Goldfinch. 😒 Poor little mite flew into our window and was stunned. 🐦 Need to look out for one to take photos of.

    SMall bird with bright yellow wing bar in palm of hand.

  • I’m learning a heap of useful info from the free videos from The Cornell Lab Bird Academy. Here’s one example: Inside Birding: Size & Shape.

    If you want to learn more about birds this is great stuff! 🐦

    Downy vs hairy woodpecker; screenshot.

  • I have a lot to learn about taking photos of shags in trees. Just look at this dork though! 😆 🐦 Try zooming in.

    Shag in a tree looking straight at the camera with googly eyes.
    Shag in a tree seeming to pose.

  • Word's out about the railing! Today a Warou, Welcome Swallow, opted for the full photo shoot, even including the over-the-shoulder pose! 🐦

    Swallow on the railing.
    Swallow on the railing 1
    Swallow on the railing 2
    Swallow on the railing 3
    Swallow on the railing 4
    Swallow on the railing 5
    Swallow on the railing 6

  • Because I was sitting quietly on a log, the Pied Stilt came closer, checking me out.

    Pied Stilt, closer.

  • Pied Stilt, strutting her stuff. 🐦

    Long legged black and white bird with legs crossed and neck at an angle.

  • Five quail eggs in a box. Four of them, as usual, weigh 11 grams. The other one weighs 15 grams! Last time this happened the larger one was a double-yolker. 🐦

    Quail eggs in a box, one much larger than the others.
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