Louise Thomas
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loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Louise Thomas
@loutheartybirder.bsky.social
250 followers 110 following 200 posts
Keen birder, painter, and writer; nature photography; science writer and editor; artist; New Zealand
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loutheartybirder.bsky.social
I had to go get this out of my recycle bin for today's #birdoftheday. New Zealand fantail sunny side up. #birdbutts.
December 30, 2025 at 4:17 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
A wee grey warbler / riroriro (Gerygone igata) at the Manor Park Golf Sanctuary in Lower Hutt, New Zealand yesterday.

I've been trying out a 2x extender for my Canon 150-400mm lens - a Christmas present. I'm liking the results so far.

#nzbirds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand #bird
December 30, 2025 at 4:10 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Merry Christmas everyone. It is Christmas Eve evening here in NZ. Spiced nuts are roasting and filling the house with exotic smells, fruit mince pies and rum balls with too much rum for the children are done. Where ever you are, and how ever you celebrate - peace be upon you.

Bellbird in mistletoe.
December 24, 2025 at 5:56 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
#Birdoftheday #reflections White heron (Ardea alba) on the prowl.
White heron (Ardea alba)
December 2, 2025 at 2:03 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Variable oystercatcher on Waikanae Beach - I'm going for some arty brown tones.

#BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand #oystercatcher #birding #nzbirds #bird
Variable oystercatcher
December 2, 2025 at 1:56 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
@robcrank68.bsky.social says it's #MammalMonday, it's #tacotuesday where I'm from, but I appreciate I live in the future here in New Zealand. How could I not post this guy?
Black-faced lamb.
December 2, 2025 at 1:53 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
#BirdOfTheDay #GroundedGulls is the theme set by @robcrank68.bsky.social. How about a black-billed gull / Tarāpuka (Chroicocephalus bulleri) from New Zealand. One of the rarest gulls in the world.

#BirdsSeenIn2025 #nzbirds #birding
Black-billed gull
November 21, 2025 at 11:06 PM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Bird of the day, #staredown, #birdoftheday. Could you be more intimated than by this Southern black-backed gull (Larus dominicanus), New Zealand, @robcrank68.bsky.social ?
Southern black-backed gull
November 17, 2025 at 11:21 PM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
A wee paradise shelduckling / pūtangitangi (Tadorna variegata) at the Wellington Botanic Gardens.

#BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand #nzbirds #birds #birding #birdwatching
November 17, 2025 at 11:15 PM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Bird of the Day, #shadesofgrey, #birdoftheday. How about a white-faced heron from New Zealand?
November 16, 2025 at 8:21 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Feeding time for the royal spoonbills / kōtuku ngutupapa (Platalea regia) at Ration Point in Pauatahanui. I watched them pull up several small flounder, I had no idea they were such good fisherfolk.

#nzbirds #spoonbills #birding #birdwatching #pauatahanui #BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand
Royal spoonbills, New Zealand
November 16, 2025 at 8:18 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Fernbird / mātātā (Poodytes punctatus) at Pāuatahanui on Sunday. They were more bold than usual - it must be the time of year. We saw several chasing each other out in the open (they are usually shy).

#nzbirds #pāuatahanui #birding #birdwatching #fernbirds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand #birdoftheday
Fernbird Fernbird
November 3, 2025 at 10:57 PM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
A kererū / New Zealand pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) showing off its magnificent floofy pantaloons at the Wellington Botanic Gardens on Saturday.

#kererū #newzealandpigeon #nzbirds #birdsofaotearoa #wellingtonbotanicgardens #birdphotography #birdsofnz #birdwatching #BirdsSeenIn2025
New Zealand pigeon / kereru
October 27, 2025 at 4:42 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Sacred kingfisher / kōtare (Todiramphus sanctus) in the front yard at home - you really don't have to go far to appreciate something beautiful. I love the Hutt Valley.

#nzbirds #lovethehutt #kingfisher #kōtare #sacredkingfisher #birding #birdwatching #BirdsSeenIn2025 #birds #NewZealand
October 25, 2025 at 5:48 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
I love finding whiteheads / pōpokotea (Mohoua albicilla) in the bush - I never knew they existed until I took up birding, and was so excited to see them on the Korokoro Dam loop track in Lower Hutt. This particular chap in on the loop track at Mt Bruce a few weeks ago.

#nzbirds #BirdsSeenIn2025
whitehead bird New Zealand
October 22, 2025 at 6:05 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
I took this photo out of the upstairs hide (aka my bedroom) on Friday. If you look closely you can see the house, and me leaning out the window - how is that for branding a photo? Tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) in Lower Hutt, New Zealand.

#nzbirds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #tui #birds #nzbirding
Tui
October 13, 2025 at 2:26 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
A beautiful wee yellow-crowned parakeet / kākāriki (Cyanoramphus auriceps) at the Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre, Mt Bruce, Masterton. Not much bigger than sparrows, and our smallest parrot species.

#nzbirds #birding #birdwatching #BirdsSeenIn2025 #parakeet #parrot #NewZealand #bird
Yellow-crowned parakeet
October 3, 2025 at 6:47 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Mute swan looking very elegant, Henley Lake in Masterton.

#nzbirds #swan #muteswan #birding #birdwatching #birdsseenin2025 #NewZealand #birds
October 1, 2025 at 4:28 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Who's a naughty bird, then? Kākā / brown parrot (Nestor meridionalis) just before it started stripping bark off a tree at the Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre, Mt Bruce, Masterton.

#nzbirds #kaka #parrots #mastertonnz #birding #birdwatching #NewZealand #BirdsSeenIn2025 #birds
September 29, 2025 at 1:46 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
A very busy, teeny, tiny female rifleman / tītitipounamu (Acanthisitta chloris) gathering nesting supplies. Today at the Pūkaha Wildlife Reserve at Mt Bruce. These are New Zealand's smallest bird, weighing 4-6 grams.

#rifleman #tītitipounamu #newzealandbirds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #nzbirds #birds
September 27, 2025 at 8:42 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Nesting pied shag / kāruhiruhi (Phalacrocorax varius) rocking the 1970s Maybelline makeup range. Waimanu Lagoon, Waikanae.

#piedshag #birds #cormorant #waimanulagoon #waikanae #nzbirds #birdphotography #BirdsSeenIn2025 #NewZealand
September 22, 2025 at 1:46 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
I had thought that these birds were imaginary - I had never seen one before, and the name sounds more like a Shakespearean insult. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the hoary-headed grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus), Edwardes Lake, Melbourne.

#BirdsSeenIn2025 #Aussiebirds #birds #grebe #Australia
September 20, 2025 at 4:48 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
Royal spoonbill / Kōtuku ngutupapa (Platalea regia) with itchy bits. Can relate. Waimanu Lagoon, Waikanae.

#royalspoonbill #kotukungutupapa #newzealandbirds #birdphotography #birdwatching #waikanae #waimanu #spoonbill #BirdsSeenIn2025 #birds #NewZealand
September 18, 2025 at 1:01 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
This lovely little lass is the female superb fairy wren. Port Campbell, Victoria. Definitely understated compared to the males.

#superbfairywren #fairywren #australianbirds #birdphotography #birdwatching #portcampbell #wildlifephotography #BirdsSeenIn2025 #birds
September 17, 2025 at 3:13 AM
loutheartybirder.bsky.social
A male superb fairywren (Malurus cyaneus) was glowing (well, his bottom was) in the early light at Port Campbell beach, Victoria. Spectacular little birds.

#BirdsSeenIn2025 #Australia #birding #birds #fairywren #birdwatching
Superb fairywren
September 10, 2025 at 3:36 AM