Lonely visitor makes a wrong turn

Reporter Community News

People living alongside Waikanae Estuary might be wondering what they’re missing, as a steady stream of people make their way across the sand spit, armed with large cameras and a palpable sense of determination.
The focus of their attention is easy to miss. The black tern, a small bird of mottled white, grey and black, sits nestled among a group of native white-fronted terns. You wouldn’t know to look at it how far it has travelled.
This unassuming visitor is the first of its kind to be seen in New Zealand, with the species originally hailing from Europe, Western Asia and North America.