Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Road kill 3-3
Road kill impacts on endangered native birds such as kea (juvenile bird in photo), bittern and blue penguins
Road kill series -2
Magpie- people must speed up to hit these birds. I haven't run one over in 20 years and have driven 100 000 kms. In a modified agricultural landscape magpies are ok- they are intelligent and elegant birds- why run them over ?
Road kill series
Morepork _ Fiordland- OK I hit this bird- it was a night and not possible to avoid !
Cook's Petrel- off Kaikoura
Photo taken several years ago. Cooks petrel are summer visitors off Kaikoura- just another magical sighting from an "Albatross Encounter" trip - no two trips are the same !!! Thanks Gary and Dennis
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Decisive moment
Australasian gannet preparing to dive- these birds are like missiles and you (as a fish) do not want to be on the pointy end of that bill. Cool birds and most common in Canterbury's waters now.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Wandering albatross -head detail
Such regal birds- never tire of seeing them- Kaikoura of course- the albatross capital of the world
Common skink- highly evolved camoflague
The skink hopped onto my tramping boot- making an interesting composition, while out in the field with skink researcher, Marieke Lettink. This photo was my first one published as a hotshot in Wilderness magazine.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
white winged black tern
I reckon the most elegant and strikingly coloured of all birds. This bird was photographed up the Harper River- Canterbury
One of our most cryptic birds - the marsh crake
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Recently heard lots of birds while camping out at Maori lakes. These birds have giant feet and when you hear them moving in the reed beds you really expect to see a larger bird.
This photo was published in the recent book "Wild Encounters"
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Scaup ( black teal) at rest
These would have to be the cutest ducks with their rounded bodies, golden eyes and over sized feet. They appear to have breed very successfully this season in urban Christchurch. A delight to have on our rivers.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Arctic Skua- the falcon of the southern ocean
It you are a tern you don't want to see these birds. Arctic skuas- one of the most agile birds. a summer visitor to NZ
Monday, January 11, 2010
tern landing
Went to Birdling's Flat on Sunday- flock of about 700 birds- but only one juvenile. Concerned that this species is not breeding successfully. Love the turquoise blue background- very Canterbury
Snow tussocks - Lake Clearwater Region
Really road verges are important reserves for native plants as high country landscapes become increasingly modified. Snow tussocks are as elegant as you can get I reckon. Somehow on overcast days their colours are so much more vibrant !!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Beech tree reflection
Flipped 90 degrees- original image published as a hotshot in Wilderness Magazine Dec 2006. Here looks like a moth's form. Photo taken at Lake Gunn in Fiordland
Friday, January 8, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
The Castle- Chathams
One of the lesser known islands in the Chathams Group- really it doesn't get much wilder than this.Just reflecting upon far flung places.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
bittern - in typical frozen pose
Studied this rare and declining bird over the winter for the Department of Conservation. Perhaps now less than a 1000 left nationally - and indications are that they are in serious decline.
Bittern- stuffed ?
- hope not
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