Crane, Matukituki Valley, Wanaka

[Kiwiclimber]

Has anyone else observed a crane-like bird (brolga or sarus crane) in the Wanaka area? On 31 December (just before the smoke cloud from Australia arrived in the area) I was driving up the Matukituki between the Treble Cone turn-off and Cattle Flat and saw a large, mostly pale bird with long neck and long, narrow black and white wings flying high (100m?) above the valley. I'm resident in N Sweden, so see cranes (grus grus) often - looked like a crane (or stork) but nothing like anything I'd expect to see in NZ. Unfortunately I couldn't find a safe place to park and glass the bird before it was out of sight.

[RussCannings]

Sounds intriguing for sure. Hopefully whatever it was is resighted in more fortuitous conditions.

[Ian Southey]

So Rick

Can you add anything to this? More words, a bad sketch? I think it sounds pretty intriguing too and I don't think much more needs to be known to identify it.

Ian

[Pat Miller]

White-faced heron ? Same colours as the cranes and often fly with neck outstretched and much the same shape in flight.
Pat

[boneywhitefoot]

Could be a young black swan.
they can appear grey with black and white wings

[Kiwiclimber]

Considered heron, but this looked larger, and shags - perhaps a darter, but I assume they also fly with rapid wingbeats. Swan seems unlikely - again, different type of flight. Actually even more like a European stork than a crane, but crane seems most likely. /Rick McGregor