I’m travelling in New Zealand, so this post is a departure from my usual subject of birds in Sydney. While walking on Hahei Beach on the North Island, I came across a roped off area protecting a brood of New Zealand Dotterels.

Dotterels are native New Zealand birds, with a conservation status of nationally vulnerable. They’re also called New Zealand plovers, or tuturiwhatu.

This video shows one of the chicks exploring its environs. The shot then zooms out to show the gorgeous surrounds, and zooms back in to the mother or father bird and another little chick.

Here’s a still shot of the chick exploring:

The adult bird perches watchfully on a log:

Common name: Northern New Zealand dotterel

Scientific name: Charadriiformes charadriidae

Approximate length: 25 cm

Date spotted: 7 December 2016

Season: Summer

Location: Hahei Beach, North Island, New Zealand

Latitude/longitude: 36°50’10.2″S 175°48’10.3″E