New Zealand

THE absence of any recent blogging is due to the fact that we went off to NZ for a few weeks, via Singapore, which was great.  I took loads of images of landscapes, birds, dolphins and human family, but unfortunately my picture taking skills appear to have taken a step back, as many of them are blurred and frankly rubbish.  Probably the equipment...!

Here are a few that did get through the sift:

 

Praying Mantis

Kauri tree

Bottlenosed dolphin

 

We visited Tiritiri Matangi Island where intensive conservation work, including replanting of native bush and reintroductions of native (mainly endemic) birds species has yielded fabulous results.  The birds seen included: bellbirds, redcrowned parakeets, north-island robin, whiteheads, stitchbird, saddleback, tahaka and the ubiquitous tui.  They were all very confiding and frankly rather noisy.  We all quickly learnt their calls and names.  It was an excellent experience and well worth the cost.

Bellbird

Tahaka

Fantail

Fern

Common dolphin

 

Fullers shearwater

Fairy Terns

Red-billed gull

 

Waders with pied stilt in foreground