(Photos) October around Auckland - Kotuku, Kokako, Koekoea..

[Oscar Thomas]

Warning: These photos contain rare and interesting birds, including but not limited to:

NI Kokako
NI Tieke
Spotless Crake (juvenile)
Fernbird (juvenile)
Long-tailed Cuckoo (release)
Orange-fronted Kakariki (captive)
Kookaburra (captive)
Bar-tailed Godwit (captive)
Kotuku
Takahe
NI Robin (Chicks)
Whitehead
Australasian Shoveller
Pied X Black Stilt
Eastern Rosella X Indian Ring-neck

Photos (please enjoy
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kokakola1 ... 9886475140

Locations:
Tiritiri Matangi
Shakespear Open Sanctuary
Tauwharanui Open Sanctuary
NZ Bird Rescue Trust
Mangere Foreshore
Wattle Farm Wetlands Reserve
Western Springs
Auckland Zoo

[SomesBirder]

Your photos are incredible.
I didn't think it was possible for a ring-neck and a rosella to mix; the result looks amazing.
Do you know whether or not the kookaburra was a permanent resident where it was being kept?

[Oscar Thomas]

Thanks Somes Birder The Indian Rosella's name is Rainbow.
I know they had 2 Kookaburra, one from Massey and one from Matakana. At least one is permanent as it can't fly (gunshot I think) and the other has a bung eye. They are currently at NZ Bird Rescue Trust in Green Bay, West Auckland.

[Amber Calman]

Nice shots!

[Paul G]

What a superb album. Thanks for sharing this, very much enjoyed!

Questions for you:
What camera/lens are you using? Please tell.
Where was the Orange-Fronted Kakariki?
What's your real name? (kokakola sounds African?)

Thanks again for 'spreading the joy' with your pics. It must have been a lot of work
editing and re-sizing them into a postable format for us to see.

cheers
Paul

[Byrd]

wow those are some brilliant photos, especially of the kokako. How many trips to Tiritiri did they encompasse?

For Paul G., the orange-fronted kakariki are at Auckland Zoo.

[Paul G]

For Paul G., the orange-fronted kakariki are at Auckland Zoo.

Oh bugger. Thought you'd found a local place to see them for a moment....
I've dipped on them up to now, so I guess I'll have to mount another full expedition.
(ouch!...>wallet pain<...)

[Oscar Thomas]

Paul,
My camera is a Canon PowerShot sx500 IS with a built in wide-angle 30x optical zoom lens equivalent to 24-720mm. Kokakola is a silly play on Kokako and I guess 'Coca Cola' my 11 yr old self came up with call me Oscar (Oscar Thomas).

Byrd, I went to Tiri 3 times in the last month and now have a pretty good idea of where to find the Kokako (Beginning my career as a guide, too!). Pictured is Poutama, Bandit, Cloudsley Shovell, Noel, Rehu, Chatters, Te Rae, and a pair we didn't see the bands of.

Thanks for the kind words, I love sharing my photos!

[Paul G]

Thanks Oscar. I'm heartened to know that it's possible to get such acceptable quality from a 'bridge' camera.
Canon always make the outstanding ones in most formats. I'm using a Fuji with a similar zoom size, but none
of mine are as good as yours, so I always leave it behind and only rarely carry a poxy $49 Nikon wide-angle
compact. It's rubbish! I thought a clonking big SLR system was essential until I saw your results. Nice job!
Paul

[Amber Calman]

I used to get ok shots with a superzoom. It is possible, though it can be quite hard! I've upgraded to a dslr now and find it much easier/better.