White Heron / Kotuku
After I had captured Matariki ( flic.kr/p/2nvCHUV ) I decided to hang around for a while, enjoying a beautiful still morning at Waikuku overlooking the Ashley Estuary. I was rewarded with the presence of the majestic white heron.
The white heron or kotuku is well-loved by the New Zealand people, but it is rarely seen except by those who specifically seek it out. Its sole New Zealand breeding site near Okarito Lagoon in Westland is well-known and well-protected, but elsewhere it is 'He kotuku rerenga tahi' or the bird of single flight, implying something seen perhaps once in a lifetime. When seen in close proximity it is a magnificent bird, with its large size and clean white plumage.
A large white heron with a long pointed yellow bill, a gape that extends well behind the eye, long dark legs, and a very long neck. In flight, it retracts its head so that the length of its neck is hidden, giving it a hunched appearance.
White Heron / Kotuku
After I had captured Matariki ( flic.kr/p/2nvCHUV ) I decided to hang around for a while, enjoying a beautiful still morning at Waikuku overlooking the Ashley Estuary. I was rewarded with the presence of the majestic white heron.
The white heron or kotuku is well-loved by the New Zealand people, but it is rarely seen except by those who specifically seek it out. Its sole New Zealand breeding site near Okarito Lagoon in Westland is well-known and well-protected, but elsewhere it is 'He kotuku rerenga tahi' or the bird of single flight, implying something seen perhaps once in a lifetime. When seen in close proximity it is a magnificent bird, with its large size and clean white plumage.
A large white heron with a long pointed yellow bill, a gape that extends well behind the eye, long dark legs, and a very long neck. In flight, it retracts its head so that the length of its neck is hidden, giving it a hunched appearance.