Apart from the distinctive plume, male California quail (Callipepla californica) have the most spectacular markings. There’s no difference between breeding and non-breeding plumage, so this guy looks this good throughout the year. Male quail can sound like a squeaky dog toy, though, which kind is of at odds with his feathery elegance.
Ruby Coast
California quail (Callipepla californica) are abundant in the Tasman District. These quail were part of a large group running along Horton Road, near Tasman. A really large group, probably close to two dozen. There’s a bit of a wetland at the end of the flat part of Horton Road and it provides shelter for a [...]
We have here my old nemesis, the Southern black-backed gull (Larus dominicanus dominicanus). Black-backed gulls are aggressive and predatory; I once saw two black-backed gulls hanging out near a duck with her ducklings, one gull had a duckling in its beak while the other gull and the mother duck were eyeing each other up. Black-backed [...]
These two harriers (Circus approximans) demonstrate how variable their colour can be. The birds start out a chocolate brown colour, like the one in the left, and each time they moult, they become lighter in colour. In Māori, the term kāhu-kōrako is used for older harriers. Kāhu is their Māori name and kōrako means white/albino.
Although neighbour Marlborough is better known for its wines, the part of the Tasman District that stretches from Riwaka over to Richmond and from Ruby Bay to the Moutere Hills is dotted with vineyards. This photo, taken late last year, shows vines near Kina Beach, on the Ruby Coast.
One thing the Tasman District isn’t short of is estuaries, and the largest of these is the Waimea Inlet. This photo was taken at Grossi Point, which is a small peninsula on the northern side of the Waimea Inlet, near the town of Mapua. Grossi Point has views across the inlet and over to Rabbit [...]
This photo was taken at the end of Tait Street in Ruby Bay, looking up the coast. This placid sea is the same one that swamped Ruby Bay and caused coastal erosion with the massive swell and storm surge from ex-Cyclones Fehi and Gita. Left of centre, an excavator repairs the seawall.
