Monday, Nov 14th, Dunedin


Greetings!

Pat's been wanting to re-visit the Albatross rookery at Dunedin, and especially to share it with her friend Barbara Tomin, for many years.   Today, she got good weather, somewhat fewer birds and birthing, and only the disappointment of my almost running out of gas.  A bit early in the season in which the Royal Albatross makes its only mainland nesting, we nevertheless got to see many of them beginning their yearly stopover at the Otago Peninsula at Dunedin.  



These magnificent birds were joined on the ground by endangered red-billed gulls and New Zealand Shags (cormorants).  Especially satisfying were the many young red-billed chicks being nurtured by their parents.  We'll see some of these same birds (but many more) on our cruise to the South Oceans next week, but this preview of them with an excellent presentation by the colony's sponsoring organization definitely warmed our hearts and inspired our passions. 

Later in the afternoon, we visited the Dunedin Botanic Gardens, and were once again reminded what can be. done when communities and governments work together.

To see all of the photos taken today, click on: Monday, Nov 14th, Dunedin.





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