Tairoa Head

Mum was especially keen to see the highlights of the wildlife in New Zealand, so we started with one of my favourites - Tairoa Head on the Otago Peninsula. Back to the Royal Albatross colony for some more graceful soaring.


The chicks had grown from my last visit, when they were too small to see and the parents spent their whole time on the nest. Now the parents are off feeding and the chicks are giant fluff balls!



We had to go back to Pilot's Beach for more penguin spotting too. In the middle of the beach you can see 7 or 8 penguins dashing across the sand from the water's edge. Unfortunately so quick they blur in the darkness...



Fortunately one chick was waiting up for his parents' return, staying just still enough for a pretty moon-lit shot:



And another, more common resident of Tairoa Head: