Sunday, March 13, 2011

Squelching the numbers . . .

Squelched into Tyto today after 740mm of rain and widespread flooding through the week finally gave way to mostly dry roads and sullen grey cloud. Tracks overgrown and some knee-deep in water.  


Found 26 bird species. Few in usual numbers, apart from White-browed Crakes and Forest Kingfishers. Even Crimson Finches and Willie Wagtails notably reduced. 


But did surprise a Black Bittern in spot flushed from soon after Cyclone Yasi crashed through last month. A creature of habit, possibly partner of bird above, pictured in January.


And while looking back, two views of a Sooty Oystercatcher from my flying visit to NZ.


Painful crawl over volcanic rock on Manukau Harbour foreshore brought little reward!  
Click pix to enlarge

3 comments:

  1. ... and while looking back .. Luv it.

    G'day Tony,
    Just been catching up on my reading. Welcome back.
    That bus trip was a horror movie script wasn't it?
    Some inland pressure troughs have been sucking some of your tropical moisture down south here a bit this season. Been wonderful. Not your quantities of mm's thankfully, but it has been a different start.
    Regards,
    Gouldiae.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Gouldiae: 'Hell on Wheels' would be good B-grade title. (My daughter works in NZ film biz and is trying to develop feature film script: don't think my experience would make the grade, B or otherwise).

    Good to see rainfall being shared around. But it does seem worst of the deep-set systems up this way may be easing off.

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