Banded Dotterel

Scientific name: Charadrius bicinctus
Maori name: Tuturiwhatu

I took some time out of my busy day to have a stroll down the beach. It was cloudy, whitebaiters were at the mouth of the river trying to get their catch of the day, gulls, terns and oyster catchers were flying above, their calls mingling with the rolling of the waves breaking on the beach. There was plenty of driftwood, all shapes and sizes and differing colours. A slight breeze rustled the long grasses, swaying from side to side, some lupins were in flower along with brightly coloured daisies.

I was really on the lookout for something different, dying to try my hand at manual on the camera and a bird would be ideal. No black swans or pied stilts could be seen - I turned feeling a little disappointed.

Then out of the corner of my eye something moved, hopped and hopped again. Slowly I turned and there standing ever so still was this Banded Dotterel - I couldn't believe my eyes! I was so excited I started fumbling with my camera, what for I don't know it was already set, waiting for this moment. I was shaking and had to give myself a severe telling off - Get a grip girl, you can do this!! I settled and the dotterel continued to hop, he paused giving me just enough time to catch up to him, take a shot and he'd be off again, pausing until I caught up yet again - it was as if he knew I needed a little time. This was one of the last shots, where the sun came out, he hopped onto this log, paused, I took this shot, he turned round and faced me with a look that said 'That's enough!' and off he flew, gone, the photo shoot was over.

The Banded Dotterel is a small, chubby wader in the plover family of birds. It lives on beaches, rivers, mud flats, grasslands and on bare ground. In breeding plumage, banded dotterels have bold bands across the breast, these are broader on males, which also have a think black band above the forehead. They feed on crustaceans, molluscs, marine worms and flies on the wet sand as well as in saltmarshes. They are abundant, protected and classed as endemic.

There was no question as to what I would be blipping today :)

Warm thanks to you all for your stars, hearts and encouraging words for yesterdays huge sky which sat near the top of the spotlight page today, I'm glad you all enjoyed it and feeling quite humble, thank you :))

This photo shoot is over!