On the outgoing tide

This afternoon I got my timing right. After waking to an overcast day, and listening to the intermittent showers throughout the morning, I picked the best time to head down the steps to Southend of Snells Beach. The sun was valiantly, if intermittently, shining and the tide was far enough out to expose sufficient of the weed covered flats to entice wading birds. A short shower had almost made me head back up the steps, when I thought I could see kuaka (godwits) 100 m or so further north than where I was. As I approached I saw three tuturiwhatu (NZ dotterels) running about and stopping often to search for food. A bit further on the bigger birds further away were clearly kuaka, with a very similar style of foraging. 

Kuaka migrate annually to New Zealand, and we get regular visitors to Snells Beach. I had heard that the numbers may be reducing, and certainly the flocks I see are smaller than previous years. Today there were about 15 birds that I could see, scattered over a fairly large area. I hope that rather than a fall in total numbers, the kuaka are feeding elsewhere. The main photo is one that was very focussed on feeding.

Tuturiwhatu are listed in my bird book as being threatened, although the southern subspecies is critically endangered. The extra is of a male in alternate plumage (often called "breeding plumage"). I read in the local newspaper that someone who has been volunteering to help with the maintenance of the bird sanctuary at Tawharanui (near here) is despairing at the behaviour he sees. Apparently people are driving off road vehicles, and motorbikes around the coastal fringe of the park, disturbing the nests of the tuturiwhatu. Department of Conservation rangers are nowhere to be seen. It may therefore be that very soon the northern subspecies may also be at risk. He reported that when he tried talking to the offending persons, they just shrugged and carried on.