Third installment of photos from my recent trip to NZ (Part 1, Part 2), wrapping up our time on the South Island.

We had a few nights in Dunedin and so we made a couple of trips out to the Otago Peninsula. Beautiful rugged scenery and winding narrow roads that definitely hold the interest of driver and passenger both. First stop, the Albatross Centre, site of the only mainland breeding colony of albatross. A good challenged for BIF photography as the young adult birds soared in the strong winds at Taiaroa Head:




Then to Penguin Place, a privately-run preserve where you can get close -- very close -- to rare Yellow-eyed Penguins:




Harbourside birding is also very good. I spotted this pair of Royal Spoonbills from the road, and stopped for a good session photographing them and some White-faced Herons:




The Peninsula is also an excellent place to see NZ Fur Seals and NZ Sea Lions (AKA Hooker's Sea Lions). The former are quite numerous and their population has been growing. (Despite the name they aren't "true seals" but are actually a smaller variety of sea lion.) The latter are rarer and are a threatened species, possibly mainly due to commercial fishing (both direct competition for food, and getting killed as accidental "by-catch"). This Fur Seal seemed asleep when I started photographing, but then went on the move. It wasn't because of me...




... it was because of a new arrival on the scene, which I didn't notice till my wife tapped me on the shoulder. We were rather close to the surf at the time, when this fellow emerged:




A magnificent creature, who seems well aware of that fact:




A mature sea lion bull can weigh up to 400kg. Needless to say, we backed away; equally needless to say I kept taking photos! My wife stayed on the beach while I went up to the penguin hide; after a while I realized we had come to early in the day for penguins. And I got a text message from my wife, telling me she was being stalked by the bull and that she was retreating along the beach. I gave him a wide berth as I passed, but first I couldn't resist lining up a shot of pursuer and pursued:




Driving up the coast back to Christchurch we just had time for a stop at Moeraki Boulders, an otherworldly collection of rocks falling into the sea. They are the geological equivalent of pearls, spherical concretions of mineral.




Thanks for stopping by!

[Johndav]

Really like the last shot - without the figure the scale would be hard to tell. Plus the figure has been used in an interesting way too.

[Kerrowdown]

Moeraki Boulders

Now there's a thing, this forum is educational on many levels, I'd never heard of such things up until now that is.

[causey]

gorgeous shots. my favorite is "the pursued pursuer."

[Bob Harris]

love those spoonbills and that last shot is superb.

[Jacquot]

Great images/captures here.

[wizofoz]

Loved my all too short time in NZ too. You have captured it beautifully. Truly a stunning place everyone should visit.

I hope you had time to visit 'Fleur's Place' in Moereki. Wonderful restaurant right on the pier, where they don't know what will be served that night till the fishing boats get back to port.

[Sailor]

Great series - I especially like the shot of the spoonbills (I never really believed in them until now!!).

Jer

[baro-nite]

I hope you had time to visit 'Fleur's Place' in Moereki. Wonderful restaurant right on the pier, where they don't know what will be served that night till the fishing boats get back to port.

Good tip, but I'm afraid we missed that.

I especially like the shot of the spoonbills (I never really believed in them until now!!).

Sibley's indicates that the Roseate Spoonbill is a year-round resident (though uncommon) in coastal TX.

Thanks all!

[Sailor]

Sibley's indicates that the Roseate Spoonbill is a year-round resident (though uncommon) in coastal TX.

Thanks all!

How about that; I don't remember seeing one during the 18 years we've been here, but that's not surprising. I'm not what you'd call an intense bird watcher .

Jer

[SkipperRi]

Oh, just amazing photos! Congrats.