Rare feathered visitor shun Gordonton paddocks
N8N can absolutely confirm that the world’s biggest penguin was not seen in Gordonton. But the N8N team did get to see it.
Just 24 hours before the Emperor Penguin was removed to Wellington Zoo, we stopped by at Peka Peka beach, just north of Waikanae on the Kapiti Coast for a look.
And there he (or she) stood in all his (or her) imperial glory. We couldn’t resist snapping many photographs of this once-in-a-lifetime visitor – the second ever seen around the New Zealand mainland and the first in the North Island.
Almost as amazing, but attracting far less publicity, is a flock of more than 30 shore plovers who have made the beach below the Plimmerton fire station their home – just north of Porirua.
We spent a very pleasant morning with them, drinking thermos tea and nibbling homemade ginger crunch.
Shore plovers died out everywhere except for one island in the Chathams, by the 1870s. Recent conservation efforts have included reintroducing these active little birds to Mana Island, opposite Plimmerton. They seem to be doing well there, but in early June they relocated to the mainland. This would be the biggest flock on mainland New Zealand for about 150 years. Whether they stay there, and how they handle the many predators in the area remains to be seen.
As you can see, N8N is interested in wildlife, and closer to home we’d love to hear about any interesting, unusual sightings you may have. So give us a yell if you see anything you think is worth sharing.
