RobClubley

I just went out in the garden to get the dog to come in and there's a Morepork calling from one of the trees.

I think that's really cool - they're beautiful little birds and I didn't expect to hear one in the wild!

http://www.wingspan.co.nz/morepork.html

I also didn't realise how rare they were!

Maz

They're so beautiful! I want to see one! I love owls in general and cannot wait to get immersed properly in all the native stuff.

ned

I can see that my Observers Book of Birds is going to be no good then

ned

happynz

Heard on the news that first Godwits have arrived. These champion little battlers leave Alaska and fly nonstop to New Zealand for their Antipodean summer feeding grounds. Then come March or April they turn around and fly off to Alaska.
These little birds aren't swimmers so there is no floating about on their trans-Pacific fight. Amazing creatures!

Maz

I was just reading about the godwit yesterday on the Beeb's website: Link. Amazing little birdies!

RobClubley

The Nga Manu nature reserve in Waikanae where we went last weekend has three. I freaked one of them out when I walked past its cage and it panicked and flew around in circles.

It soon settled down and gave me an owly stare!

dlmckay

I recommend the Native Encounters at Auckland Zoo about 2pm. They have a Morepork fly over the audience - gorgeous little bird.

We have one in our garden - they're very territorial, so if you hear it again in your garden, you can pretty much guarantee it's the same bird.

My personal favourite is the fantail - cheeky little birds that cannot fly in a straight line if their life depended on it and sound like polystyrene rubbed on glass.

kwprwn

We have one that sits near our house at night too

Jude J

Lucky you! I think the only time I've heard them is in the Bay of Islands.

Kiwiprincess

Did you see a morepork in tawa? Awesome! You know that you can also see native woodpigeon called kereru around Redwood and Tawa?
They are quite cool too. Big hulking birds and you wonder how in the world they get off the ground to fly.

But my favourite is the humble little fantail

RobClubley

We get kereu quite often. Loads of tuis and silvereyes (waxeyes)



I love the fantails too but the cats are a bit too fascinated by them.

Ted Logan

I love the tui. Its's song is beautiful

P2L

I saw a South Island fantail a couple of weeks ago.

I didn't realise there was a variation until I came home and looked it up. They are black all over.

The other one I think is cute is the New Zealand robin,; very tiny

happynz

They had a thing last night on the news about cyclists being attacked by magpies. One bloke has come up with a novel solution. He wears a mask of himself strapped on the back of his bike helmet. He claims the birds won't attack people that are looking at them.