We get away pretty early, and happily the traffic is not as busy as we had been expecting. Having decided as usual to take the scenic route, hugging the coast down to the Firth of Thames, you are obviously expecting to be subjected to the usual host of beach, coast and sea shots (which were amazing by the way).
Black backed Gull and Bar-tailed Godwits in the air.
The view from the hide - perhaps now you can understand why the closer shots are a bit blurry!
Oystercatchers, Bar-tailed Godwit and ? Red Knot
Can you make them out any better here?
They're in the air
Well, instead you get a collection of post boxes that struck us as a bit out of the ordinary. This isn't all of the strange ones, as some can't be photographed on the grounds of traffic safety when they appear too late as we approach, and an emergency stop seems inappropriate.
Eric enjoying the ride.
Fooled you - here's the obligatory shot of the coast line.
As we approach yet another bay we see what looks like a model yacht sailing along.
On further investigation it is apparently just a float with a sail??
Then, as we pull alongside we see that it is holding a line from the fishermen's vehicle and probably has a net attached. The guide at Cape Reinga had explained how they do this. Instead of someone swimming out with one end of the net (like they used to do for catching Pilchards in Cornwall in the late 1700s); they use a remote control torpedo to haul the net out into the bay rather than have to wade there themselves. Joyce told us that in Northland it is a big social occasion if someone goes fishing with a torpedo - they send it out while they all sit drinking a few beers and chatting on the beach.
This coast is renowned for it's seafood and a lot is collected off the beaches. Signs warn of not exceeding daily limits
We assume this guy with his big boat working on the oyster beds has a larger limit or is a Japanese fisherman as they seem to ignore all fishing rules.
They also provide a list of 'which fish to choose' on the basis of sustainable fishing and ecological rankings.
As we make our way down the coast this welcomes us to the coast.
Eric has to get in on the act..
We get to Miranda Shorebird Centre just after high tide. The day's bird list is on show in the centre.
We decide to hire a scope (bargain at only 10NZD), and set off for the hide. It's a 40 minute walk so we take the car so we don't miss the birding window. We are immediately greeted by views of several hundred Wrybill and many thousand Bar-tailed Godwit. It was tricky to see the Red Knot amongst the Godwit, even with the scope, but we're assured that they are in there. We can see some different sizes and shapes of birds but they are hunkered down against the wind. There are a fair few bird pictures before some more views, so for those not interested in birds - whiz through to nearer the end.
A bit blurry as a bit far away. Turnstone and Wrybill in front of Bar-tailed Godwit and Red Knot?
A bit more separation at one end.
Wrybill
Some Black-billed Gulls on the shell bank in the background
Turnstone and Wrybill
Wrybill and ??
Think it may (or might) be a Curlew Sandpiper - 2 pics.
Then a probable Pectoral Sandpiper (could be the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper but the demarcation line between the colours around the breast is fairly clear cut, and we are told that in the latter this line is far more untidy). 2 pics again.
There are three Caspian Tern sitting on the shell bank - you might just about be able to make them out!
View from just outside the hide.
View from the path across remnants of salt marsh.
A White-faced Heron
Our evening stroll - View across the Stilt Ponds - no Pied Stilits though!
One of the many many skylarks
Views from further along the path
Broomrape.
Near the Shorebird Centre
Road (both directions) in front of Shorebird Centre - not much else to see in the immediate vicinity!
After a session at the hide we need to find a grocery store as tonight's accommodation is very basic (no internet/WiFi and self-catering). Will we remember how to boil a kettle and pour milk after being catered for all these days? The Shorebird Centre is in the middle of nowhere so there area two reasonable options, a garage 10km one way, or a town called Ngatea about 20km the other way. We opt for the latter as hiring the scope has cleaned us out of cash and we figure the town may have a bank (if we're lucky). We'll have a few days blogging to catch up on when we leave here.
We return for a meal of eggs, baked beans and toast, and then decide to take an evening stroll towards the hide and the Stilt ponds. We might not see any waders but stretching our legs will be good for us. The grassland alongside the path is alive with Skylark and Yellowhammer. The wind is pretty fierce and necessitates a return to our 'suite', some reading and an early bedtime.