Pureora Forest/Hawkes Bay

[Brent Stephenson]

Hi all,

Great day yesterday in Pureora (marred by the lack of bittern at Falls Road!). We had lots of kaka flying around, and fantastic 10min of long-tailed cuckoo in the scope. Not sure I've ever had one so co-operative, so very happy gang! Lots of tomtits, robins and rifleman around, and although we didn't see it a falcon apparently around the tower area also.

Today we had a blue duck from the Napier-Taupo road, caught out of the corner of my eye at 100km, and went back to the 'duck-shaped object' to find it actually was an adult blue duck. My first in the hundreds of trips I've done over this road. Then hit Boundary Stream and had great views of a male falcon, as well as all the usual bush birds in good numbers. Some fantastic spider orchids in flower also.

Then checked out a few spots in Napier - still no bittern, and couldn't find the little egret. Thought go for gold and pick up rook - and some moron had killed the colony! Was able to show them empty rook nests where just a few weeks ago I saw rooks! Oh well, did get the plumed whistling ducks at Anderson park. They were showing well and seemed settled, and we then had black-fronted dotterel at Westshore, and mute swan a little later. Wow!

Cheers,

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Was that blue duck on the Waipunga? The odd one is seen around there but certainly few and far between.

[Brent Stephenson]

Yep, on the Waipunga. I suspect they are more common there than people realise. Fishermen I have talked to have talked about them being there. Would be nice to get a bit of predator control along the river as I'm sure numbers would increase as they have in other places.
Cheers,