Miranda Coast today

[David Lawrie]

Today Tony Habraken and I visited the west coast of the Firth of Thames.
At Whakatiwai sandspit there was the usual gathering of White Fronted Terns which Tony examined closely for any banded birds (only one today, about 22 years old) but of note was that there were at least 6 Arctic Skua working along the coast, these birds varied from light phase to dark phase birds but all were in good breeding plumage with pointed tail feathers.
We then visited the bird hides at Miranda looking for the transmitter carrying Godwit that returned from its migration from near New Caledonia and then the transmitter failed, so we wonder if the bird is still alive or if it is a transmitter fault. We did not find it but we did find a whole flock of Glossy Ibis in front of the Godwit hide!!! A flock of two!!!
Also a virtually black stilt.