Pied Stilt family @ Tahuna Torea Reserve

[mikedm]

Spring is definitely in the air! Visit to the Tahuna Torea in Glendowie is well worth while at the moment. Lots to see and plenty of photo opportunities. Lots of chicks around including pied stilts in the silt ponds, Pukeko with small chicks. The Little Shags also nesting at present in the willow in the freshwater pond. So much activity that space is at a premium for raising young families. The photo below illustrates the consequences of a young Pukeko chick straying into the pied stilt territory. These normally delicate birds are not afraid to defend their patch! For more pictures follow the link:http://www.wildlifephotographer.co.nz/gallery/birds/waders/pied-stilt.html

[philbattley]

Mike, great images! I am curious about the Stilt with a crab - did it manage to swallow it? I've always thought they fed on microscopic things.

Cheers, Phil

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Phil, when I was last at Miranda chasing the semipalmated plover i shot a stilt catching crabs. I've sent them all to the trash already, but I can probably recover them when I get home if you don't believe me.

[mikedm]

Hi Phil / Neil
Yes both the adult birds were swallowing them as fast as they could catch them! The chicks were more content with smaller prey, I did not see them catching any mud crabs. The adult birds did spend a bit of time thrashing the larger crabs on the surface of the water before positioning it lengthwise in the bill prior to swallowing.

[philbattley]

Neil, I know you are a Canon user and therefore highly trustworthy. I do not doubt you at all.

Phil, when I was last at Miranda chasing the semipalmated plover i shot a stilt catching crabs. I've sent them all to the trash already, but I can probably recover them when I get home if you don't believe me.