As a birder I always look for the return of migrant waders from the northern hemisphere, from mid-September onwards. So for this reason we took a visit to the Manawatu River estuary last week to check out the new arrivals. Among them were godwits, some with bands and flags being birds that are being studied and tracked. However, it was so windy that I struggled to keep upright and my camera still. Alongside me I noticed a small group of wrybills, their feathers ruffled with the wind, but otherwise happily feeding away on the shoreline. What great little birds - so friendly and confiding - probably my favourite of all birds. The wind on their feathers made for some great photos of these birds that are uniquely ours.
