Microbirdology

New Zealand Kaikoura, located on New Zealand's South Island, is a renowned hotspot for observing humpback whales , particularly during their annual migration. These majestic marine mammals can be spotted in the deep waters off Kaikoura’s coast, which are rich in nutrients thanks to the nearby Hikurangi Trench. Known for their spectacular breaches and long, melodic songs, humpback whales visit Kaikoura primarily between June and August as they migrate between their Antarctic feeding grounds and tropical breeding waters. Dusky dolphins ( Lagenorhynchus obscurus ) can be found all year round along the east coast of the South Island including Kaikoura, with some variation in location and habits between the summer and winter months. In the warmer months of October to May, the duskies will move inshore in the early morning each day to the southern side of the Kaikōura Peninsula. During the winter months of June to September the duskies are located further off shore and tend to range ove...

The Rainbow Bee-eater ( Merops ornatus ) is a vibrant, slender bird native to Australia and parts of Southeast Asia. Known for its dazzling plumage, it displays a spectrum of colors, including green, blue, gold, and orange, with a distinctive black eye stripe and a forked tail. These agile birds are often seen in open woodlands, sandy riverbanks, and grasslands, where they hunt flying insects, especially bees and wasps. Remarkably, they remove the stingers from their prey by striking them against a surface before consuming them. Rainbow Bee-eaters are migratory, breeding in Australia during spring and summer, often nesting in burrows dug into sandy soil. This colony of Bee-eaters was very obliging at Lake Gwelup. So much so, its location was marked on Google Maps, so it was very easy to find!

Osprey ( Pandion haliaetus ) nest along the coast of Western Australia, including the small town of Cervantes on an artificial nest platform.   Cervantes, with its pristine beaches and rocky outcrops, provides an ideal habitat for these birds, offering abundant fishing opportunities.   The nest platform is quite close to a recreational jetty and car park, which might help explain why the birds seem relatively relaxed about human encroachment.

  We were lucky enough to be able to take a family holiday in New Zealand, Tasmania and Western Australia in Oct and early Nov 2024. Birding was very much a secondary activity but I took the camera, so pictures were inevitable! Waterfowl were not a priority for me, but, when seen, many of them were 'lifers'.   The Musk Duck ( Biziura lobata ) is a unique, large diving duck native to Australia, found in freshwater lakes, swamps, and wetlands. Known for its musky oduor during breeding season, males have a distinctive leathery lobe under their bill. They are excellent swimmers and feed on aquatic invertebrates, plants, and small animals. Musk Ducks are solitary and secretive, often spotted gliding low in the water. The Pink-eared Duck ( Malacorhynchus membranaceus ) is a small, unique waterfowl native to Australia, named for the small pink patch near its ear. Its striking features include zebra-like black-and-white stripes and a distinctive spatula-shaped bill. Found in shallow...