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| Tui or Parson bird |
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| Lurking twitchers |
We arrived in Tiritiri Matanga from Kawau in beautiful sunshine and in time for lunch. After feeding it was time for a walk and exploring. First ashore by dinghy and then we hitched a ride with the park ranger in his ute (utility vehicle) to the visitor centre at the top of the hill. This way we had only to walk downhill back to the beach. Mr Park Ranger was at the ferry dock to wave off the day's visitors meaning from 3pm we had the island to ourselves (apart from park rangers and volunteers staying overnight to do a kiwi count). Perfect.
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| Red crowned parakeet or Kakariki |
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| Fantail |
At the visitor centre there were 3 takahe's included a 4 month old chick with his bill still juvenile black. A leisurely stroll down the Wattle track stopping often to watch red headed parakeets on the path, tuis on the bird bath, stitch birds and bell birds washing and feeding at the sugar water stations. We were buzzed by an eager fantail and glimpsed saddlebacks. Almost at the bottom of the path there was a pond with the brown teals lounging in the late afternoon sun. Disappointingly the penguins weren't home and the rock nests were empty. I guess the summer season on the pier was over for them too and they were off on a well earned break.
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