Blog

now available

16/1/2026

The next book in the New Zealand bird views series is complete. It covers Australian coots, banded rails, pukeko and weka and is now available for purchase.
The pukeko and its cousins / Raewyn Adams.
New Zealand bird views series
ISBN : 978-0-473-76754-9
Available from Lulu at this link.

I had intended that it be made available through "global distribution" the same as the previous books, but the rules have changed and it wasn't eligible so is only available via the Lulu link above. The problem is the combination of quality paper to enhance the photos and paperback binding to keep the price down.

small wave, small curl

8/12/2025

meandering through the rock pool

8/12/2025

This was about 4cm long and is an unidentified polyclad flatworm.

feeding in the morning light

7/12/2025

An adult pied stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus) walked along the tide line of the lagoon picking worms, etc., from the mud.

sunlight through the waves

6/12/2025

juvenile pied stilt

5/12/2025

Parents were nearby but the young bird seemed fairly independent. Himantopus leucocephalus.

FIRST LOTUS OF THE SEASON

3/12/2025

This one was unusually early this year.

pink epiphyllum

1/12/2025

RANI INVESTIGATING THE ROOF

26/11/2025

RANI STALKING BLACKBIRDS IN THE FEIJOA TREE

24/11/2025

bioluminescence in the waves

23/11/2025

This is caused by a specific species of plankton, most likely the dinoflagellate known as sea sparkle (Noctiluca scintillans) although that wasn't confirmed.

baby fantail

22/11/2025

This juvenile fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) was waiting for its parent to feed it. It hopped about and tried snapping at insects itself, but was still too young to really feed itself well.

cool canopy

20/11/2025

pollinating the feijoas

17/11/2025

The blackbirds (Turdus merula) do a great job of pollinating the flowers that will provide our feijoa crop in autumn.

black-billed gulls

9/11/2025

Black-billed gulls (Chroicocephalus bulleri) are similar to the more common red-billed gull but have black legs and the black bill is a more refined shape than that of the red-bill.

red-billed gull and chick

9/11/2025

The high spring tide had washed away a number of red-billed gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) nests. The parents of the displaced chicks were trying to ward off attacks from other gulls in the colony.

white-fronted tern

8/11/2025

White-fronted tern (Sterna striata) nesting on an old bridge piling in the harbour. The location is next to a public walkway so the birds are used to people going by.

sampling leaves

5/11/2025

The kereru (New Zealand wood pigeon Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) showing its iridescent colour as it feeds..

inshore seabirds

27/10/2025

It was a windy, choppy, dreary day but a large number of seabirds were active close to shore.

sparrows flying together

24/10/2025

eggs appearing

20/10/2025

The nest from 12 October - now showing some eggs.

colour contrast

16/10/2025

The green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) contrasts against the deep pink of the cineraria flowers.

dinner

15/10/2025

This Asian paper wasp (Polistes chinensis) didn't get very far with nest-building. The South African mantis (Miomantis caffra) had a good meal.

a new season's nest

12/10/2025

Asian paper wasp queen starting out on the nest-building activity for the season. Polistes chinensis.

a family to feed

8/10/2025

The blackbird sat on a high perch while it checked for cats and waited for the perfect moment to take the food to its nest. Turdus merula.