I had another photographic subject during our visit to Waipu, New Zealand Dotterel. These endemic shorebirds nest on the beach and so are threatened by disturbance from human traffic and dogs, as well as the usual nest predation by introduced mammalian predators and avian predators. Nests can also be lost with high tides or storm conditions. From our cabin at Camp Waipu Cove it was a very short walk to the beach with 2 resident New Zealand Dotterels in front of the Surf Club proving reliable subjects.

The Northern subspecies of the New Zealand Dotterel is most abundant on the Eastern coast beaches of the northern North Island and Waipu is a prime location to see and photograph them. They are dotted along the beach from Waipu Cove up to the spit at Waipu Estuary where a number breed.

They are quite territorial in breeding season so you can encounter the same birds at the same location each day. This is helpful in getting a number of opportunities in different lighting conditions. They can be quite confiding and if laying down flat on the sand they will pass very close by. 

Waipu Estuary is a good foraging zone and there are plenty of opportunities to photograph them catching crabs and at times in flight. At the estuary I found them relatively wary when feeding but as usual staying low and still enable plenty of opportunities.

Next week we will look at the main quarry for this Northland trip, Fairy Tern/Tara iti.

Photos with Nikon D500 and Nikon 500mm f4VR+TC14 1.4x teleconverter.