ML341424991
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age and sex
- Adult Male - 1
Observation details
Two birds first heard and observed on rocks in first rapid upstream from the point just off from Ruatiti Picnic Site. Male was perched on rock calling 'whee' regularly, while female was feeding (including by diving under the water in the rapids). The birds then moved off down to the sandy bay ('swimming pool') just off from the picnic site, but this was done leisurely with both birds feeding and taking turns to stand on guard on midstream rocks along the way. Female call was a gutteral, rattling 'whrrr', perhaps given in response to my presence on the bank (even if partly shielded by the bankside vegetation). At the sandy bay, both birds began feeding again, the male intermittently so, but the female more assiduously. When feeding, she would stir up bottom seditments by paddling her leg then apparently filtering the disturbed sediments. Both birds then roosted on the riverside rocks and were doing so when a male NZ Falcon flew over. Both became alert, looked up and followed the bird visually as it flew overhead, but displayed no other concern (no vocalisations; no change in position). When preening, the male gave persistent soft 'peep' or 'weep' calls which can just be heard in the attached video (listen carefully).
Technical information
- Camera
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 104.45 MB