Riroriro - There is always something interesting happening at The Riverbank.

Riroriro (Grey Warbler) have nested. The two in the slow motion video are quite stressed as we are too close to the nest which, although it can't be seen, is near the top left of the screen.
I recorded the sound later and added it to the video.
https://youtu.be/llPCTBDXbbM

A pair of Banded Rail in our wetland

Well, we hope they are a pair. We usually only see one at a time.
https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_referrer=watch&video_id=bkChptXgSNA

White Faced Heron in our Wetland

A white Faced Heron visited our wetland this week

https://youtu.be/bxZw4sfG0PI

There is always something happening in this wetland.

Eel in our wetland

This week our camera caught an eel feeding in our wetland pond.

Kiwi Keep Visiting

Kiwi Keep Visiting this burrow. This time both female and male. This seems to be a weekly occurrence.
View on YouTube at https://youtu.be/ff9Hw4LbcYU

Our darling Matata (Fernbirds)

 Here is a video of our Matata. There isn't much action to see tut there is lots of beak chattering and calling. This is taken from our wetland boardwalk.
https://youtu.be/2Fh0Wl7IvVs

Also every week we download videos from our camera in the bush. Every week we see kiwi. The following video has a male first then a female visiting the burrow.
https://youtu.be/2o3JU5HVC0Y

I love the symmetry and randomness of nature. Here an emerging fern frond displays its exactness while a nearby Towai trunk has white, orange and black lichen randomly growing on it.

Orchids

It is Orchid time of the year in the Hugh Crawford Reserve.. Here is  Spider Orchid - Corybas trilobus. There are many other native orchids in the Hugh Crawford Reserve.

Kiwi at Old Mill Ln

Every week we download videos from our camera in the bush. Every week we see kiwi. View on YouTube

Grey Faced Petrels at Taurawhata on the Tutukaka Coast

Today's video download at the Grey Faced Petrel colony at Taurawhata on the Tutukaka Coast showed a pair changeover at the burrow being monitored by trail camera.
Follow the link below.
https://youtu.be/RoPcC5_dzwo
This really is a beautiful spot.

Our Stunning Tutukaka Coast

Pictures tell the story. Loved getting up close to a New Zealand Fur Seal

The new Ngunguru School Wetland Classroom

We had a second wonderful day at Old Mill Lane at the new Ngunguru School Wetland Classroom where year 3 and 4 children explored the mysteries of, and importance of wetlands. They discovered what fish we have with Hilton, birds - their calls, tracks and recognition with Dayna Davies, wetland plants and their importance with Nan Pullman and sounds and smells of the bush with Melva. Matua Rod lead them into secrets and traditions, uses and mana of trees in the bush, and Loren Hope - Ngunguru School Earth Education teacher - introduced the children to the Giants of the bush. It was another big fun day.
Below is a Facebook comment from one of the parents:-
What an awesome day spent with Ngunguru School on our field trip - learning about wetlands from the most knowledgeable people! Fantastic, and the kids lapped it up ❤️👍

Thank you Malcolm Pullman for the following photos

The Wetland Boardwalk

Matua Rod in te ngahere

Loren Hope with a group

fabulous fish

Lunch break

Dayna - Birds are exciting

Thank you Emma Jelsma for the following photos👍

One of Hilton's groups viewing bird tracks in the mud.

Matua Rod preparing a Kawakawa / Manuka brew for the children to try.

Loren Hope and a group doing and exercise about trees in the bush.

Hilton and a group with fish caught in the fish traps.

A drink for everyone from the bush.

More fabulous fish.

New Zealand Preying Mantis

You have to like these fellows. New Zealand Preying Mantis. We have not seen one in our garden for a year or more. South African variety is has taken over even with squishing every one we see including the egg cases.
Note the purple spot and the short thorax. SA Variety - No purple spot and long thorax (8~10mm)

Pukeko ripping up our wetland

If you were wondering what Pukeko do at night apart from screeching and chasing one another about they could be ripping up your wetland.

Weta

Went for an evening walk with our headlamps looking for Geckos and found this lovely lady. Female Tree Weta.
Hidden away in holes in the Manuka and Kanuka during the day. Out at night to feed on foliage.

Alseuosmia Banksii (Toropapa)

The summer was great for Toropapa flowering in the Hugh Crawford Reserve. Now many are loaded with berries.

Something Has To Give - Combined Kiwi Video trying hole for size

Something has to give! This hole is at the base of a ponga. Except for the base which is clay the walls at the entrance are hard and fibrous. It looks like Kiwi will win out of sheer determination. No regard for the camera as it hurls clay at it.
https://www.facebook.com/Spindrift11/videos/a.10155007814483114.1073741834.539133113/10155007814528114/?type=3

Fernbirds at Old Mill Ln

Our dawn chorus is predominantly Matata. At 7:30this morning Matata (Fernbirds) were all up chirping in our wetland. This recording is from our boardwalk in Old Mill Ln. Ngunguru. Too many to count. We hear them every morning even from our house. There are so many that they have moved up the valley and can be found almost anywhere in Old Mill Ln. Click to listen

Weekend Entertainment at Old Mill Ln

Every Saturday I download the cards from our two motion sensing cameras. Always a new entertainment. This Kiwi is  hoot. Maybe lazy. It should just get digging harder.
View HERE

And then there are RATS! The Hugh Crawford DOC Reserve is a bird desert. Occasionally we hear Riroriro, Tui and Eastern Rosella. Any other time is is deathly silent. Here is why.
View HERE

Boatshed Company

This friendly fellow is keeping me company in the boat shed - Black Headed Jumping Spider (Trite planiceps) It is about 20mm long

Kiwi - Darn, the hole is too small!

It looks like this female Kiwi needs to do more digging. The male, with the shorter bill wasn't interested.

Ruru

Today while Dr Karen Verdurmen was exploring The Hugh Crawford Reserve looking for Kauri Dieback and other Kauri diseases with Ross Clark, myself and Melva, Melva spotted this Ruru Chick in what we have always thought was a Kiwi Hole. The parent was not impressed that we were there. Tomorrow I will install a Trail Camera there. 

Another Moth

Don't know the name of this one. very pretty though.

Berry Season

Melva grew these wonderful berries. Strawberry, raspberry and boysenberry. Desert. Summertime at The Riverbank. The wild blackberries have cropped well too.

Cabbage Tree Moth

You just have to like the antennae on this Cabbage Tree Moth we found on our carpet.