Timaru

 

Timaru has a beautiful sand beach

We drove to Timaru where we'd read there was freedom camping at the harbour but they were now charging $20 a night.  

But we didn't care because right next to the car park was this:

Directions to the penguin viewing point

No fun allowed, New Zealand style:

Little penguins, also known as blue penguins, nest in among the rocks along this road.

Timaru has a beautiful beach

On the other side of the road is the Timaru container docks.

At dusk we followed the penguin trail to viewing area.  It started to rain, hard.  Nothing to see. When the volunteers arrived (their job is to protect the penguins and spot them for the tourists) they explained that the penguins are mounting now and do not eat; therefore they don't go to sea.  However they do co e out of their dens u Der cover of darkness.

The volunteers know where their nests are so they showed us where a pair were active in the dark, in the pouring rain.

Little Penguins are the smallest in the world, about 12 inches tall. Leo got some not very sharp shots.

They were adorable!

Lifer and Bird of the day!

Earlier we spotted another lifer next to the parking lot.  

The black-billed gull is endemic to New Zealand and distinguished from the similar and more abundant  silver gull

By its (duh) black bill.