TAURANGA MAY BE NEW ZEALAND’S ANSWER to Newcastle with it’s busy port but one would be hard-pressed to find lodging as wonderful as City Suites in a less urban setting.
South Island Oystercatcher
We also found Tauranga to be convenient to Kaituna Scenic Reserve, one of the haunts for the Red-breasted Dotterel, a New Zealand endemic species. The Maketu Estuary area is also home to the South Island Oystercatcher which blends itself in with hundreds of Variable Oystercatchers and Bar-tailed Godwits. It isn’t until they fly that I could see the difference between the oystercatchers. The birds, on the other hand, are always quite aware.
Red-Breasted Dotterel
It took us a while to locate the dotterel and even longer to creep in for a decent photo. We also came upon several Double-breasted Plovers sharing the same tidal flat. I was surprised to see a flock of Canada geese such a long way from home.
Double-Breasted Plover