Green things! I don't know why, green... it just seemed a nice way to collect some images. We have a lot .. a LOT of green spaces .. Karamea is a green space! So, these images are green based... and who knew there were so many different ways to be green.

Our Birds Karamea is really blessed to have such a diversity of birds; there is barely a bird found in New Zealand that is not found here in Karamea at some time. From the tiniest silver-eyes and warblers to the Great Egret and Australasian Bittern, Karamea has it all. If you love birds, you will love this place!

Otumahana The southern end of the Karamea River estuary is known as The Otumahana, it is the third largest estuarine environment on the West Coast. This tidal wonderland is one of my favourite places to explore, an expansive area of crablands , a huge sky, vistas and reflections to die for and an unbounded potential for wildlife drama and unexpected visitor sightings. A tidal wonderland Spoonbills and Godwits, browsing on the Otumahana... Critters abound.... See more on the Crablands ..in a different light Some of the tourists.... NZ Dotterel Wrybill Wimbrel ??? Sandpiper These and more of our tourists >> Browsers on the Otumahana, in the evening light... an abundance of fluffies!... Our Prince Caspians..

The Flagstaff The northern end of the Karamea river estuary is one of my favourite spots, a place where you can get a thousand different scenes from the same spot. The light, clouds, water and wind all paint a different picture here every day, and you never know who you will find there.

THE LIST Karamea wildlife is so abundant and varied it just impossible to present it all, even that fraction that I have managed to find. But someone once said to me, 'wouldn't it be great if we had a list of species seen here' .... so this is a small step toward that end. This list is just the birds, at this point. These are all that I have found so far, or technically just those I have managed to snap a pic... ..anyway, its a beginning. Dunnock, Hedge Sparrow, Prunella modularis Greenfinch, European Greenfinch, Chloris chloris Redpoll, Common Redpoll, Acanthis flammea NZ Pipit, Pihoihoi, Anthus novaeseelandiae Yellow Hammer, Hurukowhai, yellow bunting, Emberiza citrinella Goldfinch, Kourarini, Carduelis carduelis House Sparrow, Passer domesticus Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs Welcome Swallow, Hirundo neoxena neoxena Fernbird, Matata, Poodytes punctatus Shining Cuckoo, Pipiwharauroa, Chrysococcyx lucidus Starling, Taringi, Sturnus vulgaris Silver-eye, Tauhou, Zosterops lateralis Skylark, Kairaka, Alauda arvensis Tui, Parson bird, Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae Bellbird, Korimako, Anthornis melanura Rifleman, Tititipounamu, Acanthisitta chloris Grey Warbler, Riroriro, rainbird, Gerygone igata Tomtit, Miromiro, Petroica macrocephala Fantail, Piwakawaka, Rhipidura fuliginosa South Island Robin, Kakaruai, Petroica australis Kingfisher, Kotare, Todiramphus sanctus vagans Bush Pigeon, Kereru, Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae Scaup, Papango, Aythya novaeseelandiae Mallard Duck, Rakiraki, Anas platyrhynchos Mallard//Grey cross ducks Paradise Shelduck, Australasian Shoveller Grey ducks, Pacific black duck Blue duck, Whio Coot Black Swan, Kakianau, Cygnus atratus Canada Goose, Kuihi, Branta canadensis Spur Winged Plover, V.m. novaehollandiae Weka, woodhen, Gallirallus australis australis Pukeko, Porphyrio melanotus , Swamphen, bluey, pook Pied Stilt, Poaka, Himantopus himantopus Little Black Shag, Kawau tui, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris Little Shag, Kawaupaka, Microcarbo melanoleucos Pied Shag, Karuhiruhi, Phalacrocorax varius Black Shag, Great Cormorant, Kawau, Mapunga Black-Fronted Tern, Tarapirohe, Chlidonias albostriatus Banded Dotterel, Pohowera, Anarhynchus bicinctus Wrybill, Ngutu pare, Anarhynchus frontalis Wimbrel Red-bill Gull NZ Dotterel Black-back Gull, Kelp Gull, Karoro, Larus dominicanus Black-fronted Dotterel, black-fronted Plover, Charadrius melanops White-fronted Tern, Tara, sea swallow, Sterna striata Australasian Gannett, Pacific Gannet, Takapu, Morus serrator Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus Little Egret, Egretta garzetta immaculata White Heron, Great Egret, Kotuku, Ardea alba modesta Cattel Egret, Bubulcus ibis coromandus Pacific Heron, White-necked Heron, Ardea pacifica White-faced Heron, Matuku Moana, Egretta novaehollandiae novaehollandiae Bar-tailed Godwit, Kuaka, Limosa lapponica Royal Spoonbill, black-billed Spoonbill, Kotuku ngutupapa, Platalea regia Bittern, Matuku Hurepo, Botaurus poiciloptilus Variable Oystercatcher, Torea, Haematopus unicolor Pied Oystercatcher, Torea, Haematopus finschi Marsh Crake, Ballions crake, Kotoreke, Zapornia pusilla NZ Falcon, Sparrow Hawk, Bush Hawk, Karearea, Falco novaeseelandiae Hawk, Australasian Harrier, Swamp Harrier, Kahu, Circus approximans Morepork, Ruru, Ninox novaeseelandiae novaeseelandiae Kaka, Bush parrot, Nestor meridionalis Kea, Mountain parrot, Nestor notabilis Golden Pheasant Common Pheasant, Ring-neck pheasant, Phasianus colchicus Peafowl, Peacock, Pikao, Pavo cristatus Fiordlan Crested Penguin, Tawaki, Eudyptes pachyrhynchus,

Kaka Kaka do hang out in Kahurangi National Park around Karamea and are often heard on the fringes of Karamea, around the hill tops and on the edges of the bush, but not often seen 'in' Karamea. Just this once, for a few weeks this Kaka took up nightly residence in a friends garden in the Arapito Valley. Probablyl just a youngster that had not found his crowd yet. It was fabulous to see him up close... unfortunately not great photos, but here is a Kaka in Karamea..

The very very lucky EEL One evening whilst watching the evening light spread across the crablands, a movement in the mud caught the attention of myself, and also a couple of Stilts and a white-faced Heron who were out on the hunt. This movement turned out to be a very lucky Eel. Who knows how he managed to get stranded out there, but just in that moment he decided to make a wiggle for the water... and he was spotted. ....

Our Treasure Karamea is a unique place and our wild places and wildlife are our best assets. I love taking photos and Karamea provides endless opportunity to capture something new or rare or beautiful. It is difficult to know whether to share or keep it a secret, but ultimately I think only if something is known can it be treasured and protected,

Landmark Trees Karamea is a essentially dairy farming region, so most of the flat land is cleared for agriculture, but its a little 'West Coast' and there are many strips of nature left through the agricultural areas and many trees planted by the settlers still remain. Some of these groves and individual trees are quite stunning lifeforms and are known landmarks around the district. This is gallery of these such trees..... and also some trees that I just think are beautiful or awesome in some way some are special trees, some are popular with the wildlife, all have a unique style or presence that increases the value of their surroundings. .... in my eyes anyways ..

SPOONBILLS Royal Spoonbills are frequent visitors to Karamea, in fact they stay all year around except a small window when they leave for breeding. There are some 13 different breeding sites around the South Island for Royal Spoonbills.... but so far not Karamea, perhaps in the future... Small groups of spoonbills hang out inland on farmland and often out in the estuary and river mouth regions. I have seen them most often during wet weather periods or just after, particularly they seem to be more active in the winter. They are here in the summer, but they are fairly inactive and spend the bulk of the day hidden away, asleep, Groups that you see out and about may vary from 3 to 30. You are more likely to see them out and about at low tide where they can feed on the crabs and crawlies, but you may also see them around in the paddocks, particularly if it has been wet. It is always a thrill to see them.

Fascinating FUNGI Did you know that mushrooms (fungi) are classified in their own kingdom? They are neither plant nor animal, but something in between.... weeeeird. But WONDERFUL, such a variety of shapes and sizes and colours and the possibilities of what you might see are so vast, fungi fossicking in Karamea is enthralling.

The M O T H S One is not going to pretend to know anything about Moths, this will be a discovery as much for me as for you, and if you know more, please feel free to share. For the moment this page is just for record, Moths I have seen here around Karamea. As time permits for research or interesting finds require, more information will be added.... for now, this is heaps!