Wellington City biodiversity

[Colin Miskelly]

Kārearea back on carillon 8:45

It returned about 11:00 and was perched there for at least 40 mins, getting swooped at by a pair of black-backed gulls, before diving out of site behind the Dominion Museum building at 12:20.

Ngā mihi
Colin

[Colin Miskelly]

The pair were both there at dusk, actively hunting birds flying past on their way to roost - the male targeting starlings, and the large female chasing feral pigeons.

The attached image was taken by Te Papa photographer Jean-Claude Stahl.

Ngā mihi
Colin

[CMKMStephens]

Reef Heron catching a Yellow-Eyed Mullet at Te Raekaihau rocks, Houghton Bay.

(220.64 KiB) Viewed 5200 times

(285.68 KiB) Viewed 5200 times

(208 KiB) Viewed 5200 times

[Colin Miskelly]

Kārearea pair using the carillon again, 10 am
Nā
Colin

[AlfieB77]

Stunning photos of the reef heron!

[CMKMStephens]

I wish there was a little bit more sunlight (was overcast with occasional spitting) out as I think I would have done even better.

[Michael Szabo]

Pair of Karearea on top of the Carillon again yesterday morning shortly before 11am.

[Colin Miskelly]

The male kārearea is back on the carillon at noon today.
Colin

[Michael Szabo]

Saw 3 Kaka flying around near Wellington Hospital in Newtown yesterday lunchtime including one of them landing in the big Phoenix Palms at the front and moving around inside the crowns of two of them for about ten minutes. This is a location where I haven't seen them before.

[Colin Miskelly]

The adult female kārearea is back on the carillon. That is 6 out of the last 9 days (and I was in Auckland for the weekend).

However, before 21 July they had not used this hunting perch for at least 6 months. Do they move between preferred hunting perches as the local prey species become too wary (or the unwary and infirm are locally depleted)?

Ngā mihi
Colin