Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius) looking like a traffic light popsicle. I saw a funny on an insta page: "Don't let anyone talk you out of that quick 30 minute bird watching session. Because that two hours is the most important five hours of your day." #nzbirds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #NewZealand

I find it so difficult to get a decent shot of a welcome swallow / warou (Hirundo neoxena) in flight. I take my hat off to anyone that manages it. As a mere mortal, I wait for them to stop for a wee rest and a stretch on a convenient perch. Pauatahanui. #nzbirds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #NewZealand

Every now and then you have to use your birding lens to take a photo of the #moon. I've been waiting for this magnificent orb to become full as it is going to be a prop in my painting. All will be revealed. Does anyone else always see a snail in the dark bits (or maybe that's just the view from NZ)?

I thought this grumpy fellow from Hokitika was appropriate for the season. This painting is called "Unimpressed with the hard yard". Happy Easter everyone - I hope this guy didn't drop off too much chocolate.

A house sparrow (Passer domesticus) on a stump with some interesting orange fungus - like popcorn cheetos. With a loophole for fruit, I think this colour is nature's way of saying 'Do not eat'. Riddiford Gardens, Lower Hutt. #housesparrow #birding #NewZeland #BirdsSeenIn2026

A whitehead / pōpokotea (Mohoua albicilla) on the Highbury Fling track in Wellington, yesterday. We counted at least 20 of these birds - the most we have ever seen in one go. #nzbirds #whitehead #NewZealand #wellington #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026

A North Island robin / toutouwai (Petroica longipes), on the Highbury Fling track in Wellington, today. So nice to get out birding again. We submitted our first eBird checklist for this month - it is nice to cross a few more species off our checklists. #nzbirds #NewZealand #BirdsSeenIn2026

#birdoftheday alt is #green. How about a New Zealand bellbird / korimako (Anthornis melanura)? #birdsseenin2026 #NewZealand

A barbary dove (Streptopelia risoria) on a prickly perch at Waitārere Beach. I read with interest that the dove has been introduced several times around NZ, but doesn't survive for long in the wild. The population at the beach must have found a suitable niche. #nzbirds #birdsseenin2026 #NewZealand

A work-in-progress phone pic of a couple of delightful cuddling silvereye / tauhou (Zosterops lateralis) in an Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple). Still got the detail to do, but this is the big brush work done. Oil on canvas. #nzbirds #birdsinart #silvereyes #oilpainting #nzartist #NewZealand

"The thought before flight" - finished my white-faced heron at the Hutt Estuary. I ended up lengthening the beak - the trade-off with painting freehand rather than tracing a reference: more freedom, but occasionally some wonky proportions. Oil on stretched canvas. #nzbirds #birdart #oilpainting

The surprisingly beautiful mahoe stripper moth (Feredayia graminosa). This was on our backdoor the other night - it was like finding an emerald. I haven't got the best lens for this, but I've tried to zoom in so you can see the scales on its wings. An amazing colour. #mahoestrippermoth #NewZealand

The #birdoftheday alt theme is #white. What about a whitehead / pōpokotea (Mohoua albicilla) from Masterton, New Zealand? These tiny chaps play host to the long-tail cuckoo. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #NewZealand #nzbirds #bird

Two male common pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) having an absolute barney on the Wairakei Golf Course. Watching them line each other up eye to eye, daring the other to hop first, was fascinating - the sequence repeated several times, almost choreographed. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #NewZealand #nzbirds

I think this might be one of my favourite photos from our recent trip to Mount Ruapehu. Might be a strong contender for the 2027 New Zealand Wild Bird Calendar. Silvereye / tauhou (Zosterops lateralis). #BirdsSeenIn2026 #silvereye #nzbirds #bird

Male tomtit / miromiro (Petroica macrocephala) at Mount Ruapehu. They seemed very plentiful this summer, although I only saw one female. The males were doing their territorial calls and chasing each other about the trees. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #NewZealand #bird #tomtit

#BirdOfTheDay theme today is #Singing. How about a dunnock (Prunella modularis)? #BirdsSeenIn2026 #NewZealand

Not my normal subject, but I was very taken with this bright green patch of moss on a branch. So beautiful. Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand. #moss #green #lichen #NewZealand

A bright pair of yellowhammers / hurukōwhai (Emberiza citrinella) resting on a log at Waitarere Beach. Coincidentally, it also works for #birdoftheday, with the theme #TwoOfAKind. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #nzbirds #NewZealand #birding #birdwatching #yellowhammers #birds

The extraordinary beautiful feathers of a takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri). The colours of Earth from space. #takahe #feathers #colours #beautiful #birding #birdwatching #nzbirds #NewZealand

A New Zealand falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae) snacking on a blackbird for #birdoftheday #raptors #BirdsSeenIn2026 #nzbirds #NewZealand

Takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri) - flightless and the world's largest rail - at Wairakei, Taupo, New Zealand. They can run surprisingly fast for absolute units. #nzbirds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #bird #takahe #NewZealand #birding #birdwatching

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #LongBeaks, how about a white-faced heron from yesterday in Turangi, New Zealand. Look at the camouflage among the river rocks. #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #NewZealand

Shining bronze cuckoo / pīpīwharauroa (Chrysococcyx lucidus) being feed by two tiny grey warblers in the patch of bush next to the Chateau at Whakapapa on Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand. #nzbirds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #bird #birding #NewZealand

A young fantail / pīwakawaka (Rhipidura fuliginosa) - one of two, twittering around and being feed by overworked parents. Waitarere Beach, New Zealand. #nzbirds #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birding

Black-fronted dotterel (Charadrius melanops) at Waitarere Beach, New Zealand. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #nzbirds #birds #birding #NewZealand

Tui at Waitarere Beach, New Zealand. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #nzbirds #birds #birding #NewZealand

I had to go get this out of my recycle bin for today's #birdoftheday. New Zealand fantail sunny side up. #birdbutts.

A wee grey warbler / riroriro (Gerygone igata) at the Manor Park Golf Sanctuary in Lower Hutt, New Zealand yesterday. I've been trying out a 2x extender for my Canon 150-400mm lens - a Christmas present. I'm liking the results so far. #nzbirds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand #bird

Merry Christmas everyone. It is Christmas Eve evening here in NZ. Spiced nuts are roasting and filling the house with exotic smells, fruit mince pies and rum balls with too much rum for the children are done. Where ever you are, and how ever you celebrate - peace be upon you. Bellbird in mistletoe.

#Birdoftheday #reflections White heron (Ardea alba) on the prowl.

Variable oystercatcher on Waikanae Beach - I'm going for some arty brown tones. #BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand #oystercatcher #birding #nzbirds #bird

@robcrank68.bsky.social says it's #MammalMonday, it's #tacotuesday where I'm from, but I appreciate I live in the future here in New Zealand. How could I not post this guy?

#BirdOfTheDay #GroundedGulls is the theme set by @robcrank68.bsky.social. How about a black-billed gull / Tarāpuka (Chroicocephalus bulleri) from New Zealand. One of the rarest gulls in the world. #BirdsSeenIn2025 #nzbirds #birding

Bird of the day, #staredown, #birdoftheday. Could you be more intimated than by this Southern black-backed gull (Larus dominicanus), New Zealand, @robcrank68.bsky.social ?

A wee paradise shelduckling / pūtangitangi (Tadorna variegata) at the Wellington Botanic Gardens. #BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand #nzbirds #birds #birding #birdwatching

Bird of the Day, #shadesofgrey, #birdoftheday. How about a white-faced heron from New Zealand?

Feeding time for the royal spoonbills / kōtuku ngutupapa (Platalea regia) at Ration Point in Pauatahanui. I watched them pull up several small flounder, I had no idea they were such good fisherfolk. #nzbirds #spoonbills #birding #birdwatching #pauatahanui #BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand

Fernbird / mātātā (Poodytes punctatus) at Pāuatahanui on Sunday. They were more bold than usual - it must be the time of year. We saw several chasing each other out in the open (they are usually shy). #nzbirds #pāuatahanui #birding #birdwatching #fernbirds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand #birdoftheday

A kererū / New Zealand pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) showing off its magnificent floofy pantaloons at the Wellington Botanic Gardens on Saturday. #kererū #newzealandpigeon #nzbirds #birdsofaotearoa #wellingtonbotanicgardens #birdphotography #birdsofnz #birdwatching #BirdsSeenIn2025

Sacred kingfisher / kōtare (Todiramphus sanctus) in the front yard at home - you really don't have to go far to appreciate something beautiful. I love the Hutt Valley. #nzbirds #lovethehutt #kingfisher #kōtare #sacredkingfisher #birding #birdwatching #BirdsSeenIn2025 #birds #NewZealand

I love finding whiteheads / pōpokotea (Mohoua albicilla) in the bush - I never knew they existed until I took up birding, and was so excited to see them on the Korokoro Dam loop track in Lower Hutt. This particular chap in on the loop track at Mt Bruce a few weeks ago. #nzbirds #BirdsSeenIn2025

I took this photo out of the upstairs hide (aka my bedroom) on Friday. If you look closely you can see the house, and me leaning out the window - how is that for branding a photo? Tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. #nzbirds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #tui #birds #nzbirding

A beautiful wee yellow-crowned parakeet / kākāriki (Cyanoramphus auriceps) at the Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre, Mt Bruce, Masterton. Not much bigger than sparrows, and our smallest parrot species. #nzbirds #birding #birdwatching #BirdsSeenIn2025 #parakeet #parrot #NewZealand #bird

Mute swan looking very elegant, Henley Lake in Masterton. #nzbirds #swan #muteswan #birding #birdwatching #birdsseenin2025 #NewZealand #birds

Who's a naughty bird, then? Kākā / brown parrot (Nestor meridionalis) just before it started stripping bark off a tree at the Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre, Mt Bruce, Masterton. #nzbirds #kaka #parrots #mastertonnz #birding #birdwatching #NewZealand #BirdsSeenIn2025 #birds

A very busy, teeny, tiny female rifleman / tītitipounamu (Acanthisitta chloris) gathering nesting supplies. Today at the Pūkaha Wildlife Reserve at Mt Bruce. These are New Zealand's smallest bird, weighing 4-6 grams. #rifleman #tītitipounamu #newzealandbirds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #nzbirds #birds

Nesting pied shag / kāruhiruhi (Phalacrocorax varius) rocking the 1970s Maybelline makeup range. Waimanu Lagoon, Waikanae. #piedshag #birds #cormorant #waimanulagoon #waikanae #nzbirds #birdphotography #BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand

I had thought that these birds were imaginary - I had never seen one before, and the name sounds more like a Shakespearean insult. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the hoary-headed grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus), Edwardes Lake, Melbourne. #BirdsSeenIn2025 #Aussiebirds #birds #grebe #Australia

Royal spoonbill / Kōtuku ngutupapa (Platalea regia) with itchy bits. Can relate. Waimanu Lagoon, Waikanae. #royalspoonbill #kotukungutupapa #newzealandbirds #birdphotography #birdwatching #waikanae #waimanu #spoonbill #BirdsSeenIn2025 #birds #NewZealand