Archive for March, 2008

Published by Paddy on 21 Mar 2008

Big changes among the dunes at Farewell Spit

 

Just two weeks ago the beach in front of the Farewell Spit lighthouse was as flat as a flat thing that had just been through a press.

Now though with just a few windy days many small dunes have formed and are tumbling toward the end of the Spit.

The westerly wind is responsible for this.

 

Published by Paddy on 10 Mar 2008

Skua makes Tern airsick on Farewell Spit

Whilst returning along the beach the other night a Skua was spied chasing a White fronted Tern.

Now the purpose of this was not to eat the Tern but to make it regurgitate the fish it had recently caught and was happily digesting as the sun set into the sea.

Quite a dramatic aerobatic performance ensued with the Tern almost looping the loop as it evaded the Skua. Eventually though, the inevitable happened and the Tern threw up the fish, the Skua swallowing it before it had fallen ten metres.

We do not see many Skuas but they are very dramatic when they appear.