Will take a look.

When I first came here, there was at least one extant?

It does not include extinct species (there are plus 45 of these.)

I dont know where Joy got?

Yes that was my understanding. John T started by saying there are around 600 of our indigenous species (all creatures great and small) that are endangered, and Mike correcting him by saying closer to 2800 of 10,000?

20?! wow! And 'at least'. I note that the two other names you posted are just as melodious as piwakawaka. I hope the others all are, too.

Riflemen/Titipounamu are our smallest bird at 8cm and?

I?ve found 2 new species of spiders since I?ve?

It?

Depends on number of food trees (they love kowhai for instance) and number of kereru ? we have a high population.

They *are* beautiful birds and censored censored too?

We have a resident pair round the village (and they make sure they are the only resident pair.)

The favourite perch is on top of our flag pole...

Looks like Mars, Biobbs!

[you Polar Explorer, you!]

Thanks, and welcome bsd1 (I'm not trying to guess what that means). Wonderful shot.

Some great early contenders here from David, Biobbs and Gareth too. Keep 'em coming.

Among many wonderful pictures, this one is extraordinary.

Kereru can stretch if they want to (this is the same one as in the earlier photo)

There are a lot of them about Dunedin, I always have trouble thinking they are uncommon in other centres. This is probably my definitive Dunedin Kereru in Kowhai picture

Sesquatch, surely?

There?s one in my apple tree which I only noticed the other day (a day after I got home from a fortnight in Oamaru?) I cannot understand?

I couldn't begin to vote as I think they are pretty much all spectacular. They can fly!! :)

Aye!

O, and?

He is indeed the American Rumpled Bald Eagle!

(Not shown: the moment he had a go at a little girl's sandwich, which caused her?

it?s like huia ? they were fading from the north before humans got established.

Some birds totally bel0ng up here-

She does look a bit troubled. I can't say I can recall if she was exercised by the ducks. I could ask her now, but I don't think her recollection would be any better than mine.

I mean, the ducks not outnumber but also outweigh?

In the?

Here's another capture through the kitchen window, not this Spring but last April in that opposite season of mellow fruitfulness. Those silvereyes may be looking sweet and almost cooperative, but there was plenty of scrapping?

Lovely!

Duck reflection
&
People watching ducklings

Beautiful pictures – beautiful birds : )

Black swan, green reflections
Swan family
Signet in Fern reflection

My word that was fast Jackie, I'd barely hit Post : )

Goose
Gull

Those reflections are amazing. Op art. :-) What a lot of beautiful photos in this thread.

Jackson, I had to look those shags up but they are I think NOT Black Shags OR Little Shags but Little Black Shags!! We don't get them down here and they are v cute.

Also like the heron with extra-long legs. :-)

Little Black Swan between two trees

(What- over-ther-top-wonderfulness!)

Thanks – but I've noticed that the picture looks like a face, with a green willow fringe, the seagulls as eyes and the swan as nose and mouth – and I can't see it any other way now...

Nice little photo story Venetia. Thanks.

Only 8 days to go for the Bird of the Year voting. You know, just in case you haven't already voted for the Kakapo. Or whatever takes your fancy. At the moment it looks like the Karearea/NZ Falcon is going to?

Ok ;)
+1 I don't think I have.

Nice shot. Aren?t swallows? wings amazingly pointy? Also lovely shot a page or so ago with the waxeye in the jade tree. :-)

Hey, I haven't seen that. Landing or taking off? Wish I had wings.

That'll be Red Bull you're needing then? : )

Well, I do have more bird pictures, but I've been through most of my archive.

and some, swim with eels?..

I love this one – easy to run a whole lot of anthropomorphism round the little lonely penguin : )

And Bruce''s flying shag too, making a lumpy, ungainly bird look elegant.

and some try ballet, albeit awkwardly. :) Western Spring shots are lovely Nora and so are all the ones on here peeps. Grand effort.

Sad Balloon

-berloody beaut photos tho'!

Maybe Jeff Noon, was on (to) something...

Not a native, but (to quote Python) "Beautiful plumage!"

This has been a lot of fun, and don't let me stop you posting more.

Just thought I'd narrow down the entrants to a selection, for which I decided to have a play with Storify. You can see them here.

Have also enjoyed the stories and contributions?

Have fixed the caption problem. Had decided on the wonderful Kea pairing for Gareth's photo, so the Skua flew away. ;-)

But I only have one prize!

Maybe I'll use the Internet List Randomizer. Or something. ;-)

Really, where? I know they existed but I've never even seen a picture of one.

Aren't they the same quails as in Liliths photo? : )

In Canterbury (yes, largish area) and I remember it because the family member who called us all out to see the 5 birds (2 adults, 3 nearly-grown chicks) said, "You wont see these again." He?

http://www.nzbirds.com/birds/koreke.html

I?ll get my own decision out of the way early.

It was, as Sofie suggested, a difficult decision. So I wimped?

Yep. Although we seem to be replicating quite well. We're everywhere, man! It's like half the people I know come from down that way. Something in the water? ;-)

....,now