Skylark or pipit, it can be hard to tell. They’re both streaky brown birds, roughly the same size, who like hanging out in the same habitats. Pipits are more strongly striped, and the dark stripe through the eye generally distinguishes it from the skylark. But how do you tell unless you have them side by [...]
Motueka
These pukeko (Porphyrio melanotus) were stalking a paddock on Staples Street. Pukeko are often said to have “complex social behaviours”.
This spur-winged plover (Vanellus miles) was determined to drive the harrier (Circus approximans) away from the paddock where the plover likely had eggs or chicks the harrier had been eyeing up. I like the way this photo shows the clear demarcation between the light and dark feathers on the undersides of the plover’s wings.
Male blackbirds (Turdus merula) are distinctive because of their really black plumage, but sometimes they have random white patches, which this male seems to have around his eye. The blackbird was introduced to New Zealand in the 19th century and they’ve spread pretty much everywhere. They’re common in gardens and parks, farms and forests. Female [...]
The green and yellow of the lichens on these fence posts are a gentle contrast to the black, dark brown, light brown and lighter brown of these sparrows (Passer domesticus). The chunky bill on the male in the foreground is black, indicating that he’s a breeding male.
From a distance, the extra-long bill of the shoveler (Anas rhynchotis) gives it away as not your usual grey/mallard duck. From the front (sorry, couldn’t get close enough), the bill has a strong spoon-like appearance. Not the soup spoon of the royal spoonbill, more like a dessert spoon. Anyway, these guys feed by filtering water [...]
Another pic of the Paradise duck (Tadorna variegata) babies we spotted along Staples Street last weekend. Paradise ducks are a real grassland-loving species, they’re happy with a bit of paddock and a stream running through it, a riverbank with plenty of grasses alongside or even just a park where too much rainwater has accumulated on [...]
Our quest for baby animal photos along Staples Street wasn’t entirely frustrating, as we spotted this pair of Paradise ducks (Tadorna variegata) with three brown and white striped babies. Technically, Paradise shelducks. Paradise shelducks are, obviously, sexually dimorphic, but it’s the female who sports the spectacular white head. Male, female or delicious-looking babies, their colours [...]
This horse (Equus ferus caballus) seemed determined to get our attention as we walked along Staples Street, zipping around her paddock, showing off her lovely coat and her flowing mane. But she went all shy when we crossed the road to her side and said hello, although she did stand still long enough for us [...]
Why did the duck cross the road? Well this particular duck was following a bunch of other ducks, but by the time we were close enough to take a photo, this one was the only one who hadn’t made it across.
