BirdingNZ.net

A pair of Black Stilt or Kaki were reported in the Arahura Valley near Hokitika on the South Island's West Coast yesterday, the first time the species has been recorded on the West Coast in 37 years.

The birds were identified by their colour leg bands and hatched during the 2014/15 breeding season as part of the captive breeding programme undertaken by the Kaki Recovery Programme - consisting of a facility in Twizel (Department of Conservation) and Christchurch (The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust).

Link: http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/rare-ka ... Y.facebook

Back in 2002 there was a single black stilt on a spring-fed stream on the dairy farm I was managing at the time in Whataroa, South Westland. It tried to socialise with (but wasn't welcomed by) the pied stilts who were breeding. Jet black, no rings, hung around a couple of weeks this time of year, liked whitebait, as do the pieds.

I've often wondered why doc haven't tried releasing black stilt I'm those expansive largely weed free south Westland riverbeds like the hast river. I reckon they'd have a good chance there.

Today 2.30 pm black stilt 50m upstream of Hokitika River bridge, low tide. Still there at 4pm on my return journey. At earlier sighting seemed to be with either black or red-billed gulls. Later it was definitely with 6 (or not many more) pied stilts. From the moving car it seemed very black and a much more robust creature than the pieds. John.

Awesome! I’ll have to look when I’m back working over on the coast. Thanks for the report

Black stilts or black oystercatchers? The latter often occur at the hokitika river bed near the bridge.

Stilt. Definitely. John.