Greetings people.
I live on the Awhitu Peninsular.
I have twice seen an odd looking bird around a wetland and in the drains on a low lying farm near the beach where I live. I first thought it was a juvenile heron of some sort just by the way it stalks. It does fly however low to the ground when it does take to the air.
The closest picture I can find is of an Australasian bittern.
Is this possible? I know other people who have seen it.
Odd looking heron - possible bittern - Awhitu
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Re: Odd looking heron - possible bittern - Awhitu
Yep Bittern - cool.
Unfortunately one of NZ's bird now on the edge.
cheers
Jim
Unfortunately one of NZ's bird now on the edge.
cheers
Jim
- RussCannings
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Re: Odd looking heron - possible bittern - Awhitu
Just to be clear, is this the bird you have been seeing or is it a photo from the internet? If it's brown and streaky than it is almost surely a bittern. If you can get a shot though we could help confirm it.
Cheers,
Russ C
Cheers,
Russ C
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Re: Odd looking heron - possible bittern - Awhitu
This is a photo off the internet.
When I first saw it with a neighbor I thought it was a weka. But I am in the north Island so I was wondering how it got here. The longer I looked at it (from about 50yards away) the more I observed how it stalked the swamp like a heron. Then I noticed it had a long neck and of course it eventually flew off. It was heron sized also.
When I first saw it with a neighbor I thought it was a weka. But I am in the north Island so I was wondering how it got here. The longer I looked at it (from about 50yards away) the more I observed how it stalked the swamp like a heron. Then I noticed it had a long neck and of course it eventually flew off. It was heron sized also.
- David Riddell
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Re: Odd looking heron - possible bittern - Awhitu
Definitely sounds like a bittern. I've seen one up the Awhitu Peninsula so they're certainly around there. There are a few weka in the North Island by the way, but none in that area.
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Re: Odd looking heron - possible bittern - Awhitu
Yes there are a number of Bittern in that area, so if it is brown then it is almost certainly that species.
the strange Heron I reported was nearly pure white so clearly a different bird.
Still a good sighting though, Bitterns are hard to find at the best of times.
the strange Heron I reported was nearly pure white so clearly a different bird.
Still a good sighting though, Bitterns are hard to find at the best of times.
- imogen
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Re: Odd looking heron - possible bittern - Awhitu
The photograph shown is mine of a bittern taken in April. Good luck with the search, they are hard to find!