Gannets at Muriwai - day trip from Auckland

The gannet is a beautiful bird, snowy white, with black-tipped wings, yellow head, blue eyes.

 I often see one or two from my window, gliding, beak pointed downwards eyeing the sea below. If I watch long enough I'll see the bird suddenly dive at startling speeds.

These impressive birds feature on the first pages of Under the Ocean, where Ned has illustrated them at all stages of their diving.

They don't nest around here, but I've seen them nesting near Cape Kidnappers, we walked for a few hours along the beach to see them, leaving as the tide was going out and returning before it came back in again.

Turtle conservation at Kelly Tarlton's

Turtles that find themselves in New Zealand waters, are a long way from home! Turtles are animals of the tropics where the water is warmer. According to the Kelly Tarlton's website, turtles that are in the colder water around New Zealand are often those that are weak or sick.

Here is a green turtle that is in Turtle Rehab at Kelly Tarlton's Sealife Aquarium.

Venture into the unknown with Auckland Museum's Moana - My Ocean exhibition

Wet and cold outside? Immerse yourself and the kids in the ocean without getting wet. Auckland Museum has a fabulous exhibition Moana - My Ocean on until 28 October.

My favourite part of the exhibition was the 3D video from Leigh Marine Reserve.

Supermarket Tree on Tiritiri Matangi

On my trip to Tiritiri Matangi I was most impressed by the knowledgeable volunteer guides who took small groups around the pathways in search of birds. Our guide carried some of the stunning photographs he'd taken, to show us characteristics of birds and plants. He also knew all the good places to stop and look.
One place we stopped was by what he called the 'supermarket tree',it was easy to see how it got its name. This big Puriri tree was full of tui, bellbirds, stitch birds, white heads and kereru. On the ground below were robins scratching around. The big attraction were the Puriri flowers - the nectar must be very tasty and full of energy.

Posted with Blogsy

Kiwi Rangers on Tiritiri Matangi

Tiritiri Matangi is one of Auckland's sanctuaries for birds. Like Matiu/Somes Island in Wellington, anyone can access it by ferry.

A day-trip to Tiri gives you a good 5 hours for exploring and having a picnic, you can even arrange to stay overnight. Also like Matiu/Somes, Tiri has been replanted and cared for by thousands of volunteers. Volunteers still play a big role on the island, providing informative and interesting guided walks. More on this in my next blog.