Seagulls, Herald Island Wharf, Auckland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie 2019
There are always a couple of renegades — wonder what they see?
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All lined up
birds
Distinguished
Hisan, an adolescent karearea or native falcon, seen at Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust, Rotorua, NZ. Image: Su Leslie 2017
Hisan, adolescent karearea, or NZ native falcon. Image: Su Leslie 2017
Karearea, like most native birds in Aotearoa New Zealand, evolved in the absence of humans and other mammal predators. These days, their survival is threatened by widespread habitat loss and degradation, cats, stoats and possums which eat their eggs, deliberate killings by humans, and electrocution, which happens when they land on un-insulated power lines.
Like so many species, the very survival of these beautiful, distinguished-looking birds is threatened, despite the work of several organisations dedicated to birds of prey preservation.
Posted to the Ragtag Daily Prompt | distinguished
References:
Regular Random: five minutes with some sparrows
I’m not a huge fan of sparrows, but it was quite entertaining watching a little posse of them brazenly trying to share my lunch recently.
Regular Random is a photo challenge hosted by Desley Jane at Musings of a Frequently Flying Scientist. Please pop over and take a look; and if you’d like to join in:
- choose a subject or a scene
- spend five minutes photographing it – no more!
- try to not interfere with the subject, instead see it from many angles, look through something at it, change the light that’s hitting it
- have fun!
- tag your post #regularrandom and ping back to Desley’s post.
“You have food? Seriously? We hadn’t noticed”
It may not look like it, but these guys were very busy trying to catch some crumbs of my lunch, while trying to look totally indifferent to it.
Posted to the Ragtag Daily Prompt | busy
Leisurely breakfast
Kereru (wood pigeon) in ti kouka (cabbage tree). Image: Su Leslie 2019
I almost didn’t reach for my camera when a kereru swooped down on our cabbage tree this morning.
Normally by the time I’ve got the lens cap off and focused the camera, the bird has flown.
But not today.
The fruit must have been very appetizing because I actually had time to swap lenses and capture a bunch of shots before I had to dash off to an appointment.
Quench
Thirsty seagull? Image: Su Leslie 2018
Bird-watching
Gannets, Muriwai Gannet Colony, Auckland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Despite an abundance of native birds (mainly tui, kereru and fantails) nesting around my neighbourhood, I’m generally not great at capturing photos of them.
The gannet colony at Muriwai is another story though. With many thousands of birds nesting on the cliffs, it’s inevitable that some will build their nests close to the walkway. They seem very relaxed about the hordes of humans who come to gawk at them, though I suspect that’s mainly because we flightless ones seem reasonably capable of staying behind the fence.
Gannet, Muriwai gannet colony, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2016
Nesting gannets, Muriwai gannet colony, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2016
Nesting gannets, Muriwai gannet colony, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2016
Perched on a rock above the Tasman Sea, one of the colony of gannets currently nesting at Muriwai, New Zealand. Image: Su Leslie, 2016
Breeding season has begun again for the gannets, and I will undoubtedly spend some early mornings clutching my camera and enjoying the sight of these majestic birds.
And I’m overdue for another visit to the wonderful Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust, which does such great work helping to ensure the survival of New Zealand’s native birds of prey. Hisan, the juvenile karearea, or falcon, shown above was photographed almost two years ago and will have flown off from his perch one day and not returned. Hopefully to make a home, and breed, somewhere in the forests nearby.
Hisan, a juvenile NZ falcon. Seen at the Wingspan Birds of Prey Centre, Rotorua, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2016
Hisan, juvenile Karearea, at Wingpsan Birds of Prey Centre, Rotorua. Image: Su Leslie
And explanation to the audience before Hisan was released. Image: Su Leslie, 2016
Making short work of it. Hisan the Karearea snacking on rabbit. Image: Su Leslie, 2016
Posted to the Ragtag Daily Promt | bird
DP Photo Challenge: ascend, take 2
Ready for take-off. Gannet at Muriwai gannet colony, Auckland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Gannets in flight, Muriwai, Auckland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Regular Random: five minutes at the gannet colony, Muriwai
Takapu, or Australasian gannet, Muriwai, Auckland, NZ. Image; Su Leslie, 2017
It’s breeding season at the Muriwai gannet colony, with many chicks already hatched. Most are still small enough to spend most of their time nestled under a parent bird, and are difficult to photograph.
But the adult birds are as magnificent as ever.
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Five Minutes of Random (the #RegularRandom challenge) is hosted by Desley Jane at Musings of a Frequently Flying Scientist.
If you’d like to join in:
- choose a subject or a scene
- spend five minutes photographing it – no more!
- try to see it from many angles, look through something at it, change the light that’s hitting it
- tag your post #regularrandom and ping back to Desley’s post
- have fun!
DP Photo Challenge: friend, take 2
Loving friendship. Image: Su Leslie, 2017
“And then she said …” Image: Su Leslie, 2017
“I know we’re friends, but …” Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Tested friendship? Image: Su Leslie, 2017
The Big T and I spent quite a lot of time this last summer at the Muriwai gannet colony. Although these gannets don’t necessarily mate for life, breeding pairs do share incubation and chick-care duties.
Watching the interactions between these magnificent birds, it is hard not to project human friendship traits onto their behaviour.
