Wellington City biodiversity

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ledzep
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Re: Inner city biodiversity

Postby ledzep » Wed Jun 12, 2013 2:01 pm

I counted 10 Kaka on Tue night in the Kinross St area by the Botanic Gardens on the way home from work. Also an Eastern Rosella calling from a tree above Lady Norwood Rose gardens. Kaka seen and heard each morning and evening on the way to and from work. This year we have seen NZ Pigeon flying over our house in Ngaio, and I am told that Kaka regularly visit properties in Crofton Downs less than a km away, so one day we may be able to add those to our home bird list.
Colin Miskelly
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Re: Inner city biodiversity

Postby Colin Miskelly » Sun Jun 16, 2013 12:21 pm

Hi all
A wet Sunday morning enlivened by a visit from a kaka gang. We hear kaka almost daily, and often see them flying over our property (in Mt Cook, 2 km from Zealandia). Today was the first time they had landed on our section, though they are often in the larger trees on neighbouring properties. There were at least six kaka in large pohutukawas across the street, and four landed on our house when I mimicked their calls, and came even closer when Kieran and Kate offered Brazil nuts.
Ka kite
Colin
Hargreaves kaka.JPG
Hargreaves kaka.JPG (50.53 KiB) Viewed 5596 times
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Michael Szabo
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Re: Inner city biodiversity

Postby Michael Szabo » Sun Jun 16, 2013 1:33 pm

Nice shot of a kaka imitating a kea as it is slides down the banister - I saw a single kaka flying over our house in Island Bay last week but no sign of it being part of such a gang!
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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: Inner city biodiversity

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Sun Jun 16, 2013 3:43 pm

Wow, what a treat!
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BJC
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Re: Inner city biodiversity

Postby BJC » Sun Jun 16, 2013 4:27 pm

Great photo indeed and gang is a good word for a bunch of kaka! This group, or a similar one, spends a lot of time around the pines behind the Karori Cemetery and keeps late hours - they commonly fly over a couple of hours after dark and we've been awakened at 2 am by them. A falcon appears to have recently taken a liking to the same area, although the only confrontation we've seen has been between the falcon and harrier.

On one day a couple of weeks ago we had red-crowned parakeets and eastern rosellas in our garden and kaka in a tree next door, although not all at the same time. It would be quite something to get all three species in the one photo - great city biodoversity indeed!!
Olwen
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Re: Inner city biodiversity

Postby Olwen » Sun Jun 16, 2013 11:42 pm

Did they eat the Brazil nuts?
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psychokiwi
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Re: Inner city biodiversity

Postby psychokiwi » Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:32 am

That photo is delightful Colin! LMAO!
BJC, last year, Zealandia's Alfie Kaka took a poll on the collective noun for kaka and his fans voted for "cacophony of kaka". Narena Olliver has a fantastic list of all the collective nouns for NZ birds at http://www.nzbirds.com/more/nounsk.html
Judi Lapsley Miller
https://www.artbyjlm.com for joyous birds, art, and bird art
Colin Miskelly
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Re: Inner city biodiversity

Postby Colin Miskelly » Tue Jun 18, 2013 8:14 am

Four kaka in the grounds of Massey University (Wellington)/Wellington High on my walk to work. About 800 m from where the gang were photographed 2 days ago.
Cheers
Colin
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ledzep
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Re: Inner city biodiversity

Postby ledzep » Fri Jun 21, 2013 1:37 pm

2 Gannets circling Wellington harbour today lunchtime between Queens Wharf and Marina outside Te Papa. Also a small number of Fluttering Shearwaters visible from Queens Wharf.
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Nikki McArthur
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Re: Inner city biodiversity

Postby Nikki McArthur » Wed Sep 18, 2013 12:41 pm

Large raft of fluttering shearwaters just off Wellington waterfront directly in front of Te Papa at the moment. Blue penguin, white-fronted tern, BBG and RBG also present. Great lunchtime treat!
Regards,
Nikki

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