BREEDING MALE BANDED DOTTEREL, ASHLEY-RAKAHURI RIVER ESTUARY, NORTH CANTERBURY, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

   We can ID this plover as a breeding male Banded Dotterel (or Double-banded Dotterel) by its dark, grey-brown back; distinctive white chest with a narrow band of black just below the neck running across the chest along with a broad chestnut band underneath and sturdy black bill.

   The Banded Dotterel is a new species to our Photographic Life List, which now stands at 749.

PUKEKO OR AUSTRALASIAN SWAMPHEN, ASHLEY-RAKAHURI RIVER ESTUARY, NORTH CANTERBURY, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

PARADISE SHELDUCKS, ASHLEY-RAKAHURI RIVER, NORTH CANTERBURY, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

WRYBILL, ASHLEY-RAKAHURI RIVER, NORTH CANTERBURY, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

   Even though this photo was taken at a distance and thus you can't see some details, we can ID this plover as a Wrybill by its small size; long bill (other small plovers in New Zealand have short bills); white throat and underparts, with a black band across breast; grey crown, nape and upperparts and white forehead  (if you look closely you can see this in the first photo).

   The distinguishing feature which can't be seen in these photos because of the pure profiles of the bird, is the curve of the bill to the right.  The Wrybill is the only species of bird with an asymmetrically-turned bill.

   The Wrybill is endemic to New Zealand and is a new species to our Photographic Life List, which now stands at 748.

FROM THE ROAD: RAINBOW, SNOWY MOUNTAINS & FROG ROCK, HANMER SPRINGS TO RANGIORA, NEW ZEALAND

   The last photo taken through the window of the bus is Frog Rock at Weka Pass.  It kind of looks like a frog?

WYE RIVER, A BRAIDED RIVER, MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND

VIEWS FROM THE ROAD, PICTON TO HANMER SPRINGS VIA INLAND HIGHWAY, NEW ZEALAND