Hawkes Bay sightings - 09/09/09 - great egret, bfdots, brown

[Brent Stephenson]

Another beaut day in the Bay, so out birding and photographing this afternoon. On the way into Waitangi/Ngaruroro Rivermouth I stopped to take a few shots of several pied stilts on a newly created wetland area just inside the gate and to my surprise found a black-fronted dotterel there also. Over the next hour or more got some pretty nice shots of this great little bird.

Headed back to the wetland that I'd seen the bittern at yesterday, hoping it might be back, but no luck. However, a great egret was present, probably the same bird I saw nearby about a month or so ago. I think a number of other HB locals have seen this bird around during the winter, and I guess it is likely to head south fairly soon.

Checked out Muddy Creek and Haumoana/Te Awanga as well. Found some nice confiding shoveler (for a change) at the pond in Te Awanga and a lone grey teal with a damaged wing (just gotta photograph it from the left aye!). A more brightly coloured teal jumped out of the veg and swam to some willow trees and I realised it was a lovely drake brown teal...one of the Cape Kidnappers released birds. The bird was banded and still had a transmitter aerial visible, and from talking with Tamsin (from the Cape Kidnappers Preserve) it sounds like this guy has been there a while.

All in all a good day to be out!
Cheers,

[Wayne & Marg Twydle]

Headed out to Te Awanga this afternoon to try and find the Brown Teal. Great views of it as it hopped out of the water and ran around the parking area right beside us. Checked out the Haumoana Lagoon on the way, and there was a Little Egret there. Had lovely breeding plumes. It was standing on a small platform fishing and being out of the water we were able to clearly see the yellow soles of it's feet. A pretty good afternoon.

Margaret & Wayne Twydle

[Brent Stephenson]

Ah! Good stuff Wayne. I looked for the little egret, but didn't see it there at the Haumoana lagoon or Muddy creek on 9 Sept. Nice to know it was back at the Haumoana Lagoon (Beach Road, beside St Francis' Church for those that don't know it) on 14 Sept. Never mind will catch up with it when I'm back in the country 7 Oct. Nice to know this bird is still present, presumably the same individual being a very long staying bird.

Cheers,