Three Brown Teal adults and three BT ducklings at the pond near the entrance to Shakespear Regional Park at the end of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula this week.
There is a BT pair with three ducklings, and what may be the surviving youngster from this pair's spring nesting is also present. These ducklings are quite late in the season and look a few weeks old. Best time to see the ducklings is just after dawn, around 7am at present swimming on the pond with an adult. Otherwise, the adults can be seen in pairs or singly on the pond, reliably early morning and late afternoon/early evening. It's interesting to note how "assertive" these BT are around other ducks - they keep both the larger Mallard and Paradise Ducks in line
Also in this area were two Red-crowned Kakariki, most likely from Tiritiri Matangi Island where it is very dry at present. There are large flocks of Eastern Rosellas in the park, and the Kakariki were seen (and heard) on separate days near a flock of 12 Rosellas, and later quite separate from them.
Another early morning highlight was a Morepork/Ruru just up the path into Waterfall Gully where Fantails, Tui, and Kereru were also in abundance.
Other birds seen at the park this week include; White-faced Heron, Paradise Ducks, Mallards, Little Shag, Pukeko, Spotless Crake, Kingfisher, Welcome Swallow, Australasian Harrier, Pheasant, Turkey, Grey Warblers, Pied Stilts, Spur-wing Plover, California Quail, Goldfinch, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Black-backed Gull, Red-billed Gull, Caspian Tern.
Suzi
