Sterna striata

Well. It was still raining and still windy today, but I can't linger on Stewart Island much longer so I went away and headed over to Ulva Island for the second time. The water taxi ride over was the most harrowing, intrepid experience I've had since I got to New Zealand almost three months ago. The swells in the bay were about the size of the boat; there were moments in which I felt...concerned. But we made it to land safely.

Given the wind and the rain and the cold, there weren't nearly as many birds showing themselves as my first trip, when the weather was sunny and spectacular. I did manage to see a South Island Saddleback and a Stewart Island Weka (which I breathlessly took for a kiwi for about 10 seconds until it poked its head out of the bush), as well as a couple Stewart Island Robins, lots of Brown Creepers, and those begging Riflemans (Riflemen? Riflepeople?).

Photographically it was a trying day. I couldn't steady my hand in the dim light of the forest, so every shot came out smudgy, not quite decent. When I returned to the wharf to wait for the water taxi, some White-Fronted Terns were navigating the wind close by, ducking and diving into the churning water for little silver fishies. I haven't blipped this species yet--it keeps getting beaten out by shots of other birds. I do like this one, it's sharp at least.

Tomorrow I'm off the island finally and beginning my journey up the west coast. Time to get all up in some fiords....