It stopped raining about midday yesterday and the sun came out, so I headed back to the Wakapuaka sandflats for another photo session with the mātātā (fernbirds). I took far too many photos (about 3500), and whittled it down to about 18. Here are a few of them. Still after that 'perfect' shot, not easy as these birds instinctively stay inside the bushes.
Posing in a rare window through the bush.
Puffed up to keep warm while having a post-preening nap.
Yay, finally got one out in the open. A bit far away though and cropped heavily.
A few backlit by sky.
They spend a fair bit of time just above (or perhaps on?) the ground hidden in the long grass. (Their feeding and nesting habits makes them vulnerable to predators such as rats, mustelids, cats, dogs etc.) You can follow their movement through the grass by watching the grass stalks move. Occasionally they pop up briefly like this one did.
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