At 19:50 on 12th May 1993 I saw a male Bluethroat near the mouth of the small stream just west of Curry's Point (near St Mary's Island, map ref NZ348753). Unfortunately conditions were poor, a cold north-east force 4 wind with driving fine rain so that my binoculars and glasses misted up, so I was unable to note much detail. Despite the conditions it was fairly active, feeding amongst the piled up seaweed and boulders, occasionally disappearing under the rocks. The most obvious features were the chestnut wedges on either side of the tail, only seen when the bird was flying and the pale supercilium broadest above the eye. Details of the throat were difficult to make out, other than it was a red-spotted bird with the red of the spot appearing to join with the darker breast band.
Conditions the following morning were much kinder and by 06:10 I was again watching a male Bluethroat feeding amongst the piled up seaweed and occasionally amongst the rocks. It was similar in size to Rock Pipits, which were also feeding amongst the seaweed, but with a typical chat stance. It hopped or flew short distances, but was not seen to walk or run. It was aggressive towards the Rock Pipits, chasing them for short distances when they came too close. In flight the rufous wedges on either side of the tail were the most obvious feature, but when the bird was standing were difficult to see. Upperparts were similar to those of a Robin but were possibly more grey. They were unstreaked. Cream supercilium, extending behind eye (but not much in front of eye) and broadest above the eye was another distinctive feature. Ear coverts were greyer than crown. The blue throat was not as neatly marked as in illustrations (suggesting this may be a young bird?). The blue extended as a triangle from chin to upper breast, with a small pale spot at the "corner" under the ear coverts (this is not shown in any of the field guides I have consulted). At the base of the triangle was a diffuse breast band, darker blue than the throat. I did not notice a rufous breast band as shown in the field guides. The rufous spot in the centre of the throat was not discrete and merged into the darker blue of the breast band. The remainder of the underparts were pale with a rufous wash on the flanks. My observation ended at 06:30 when a Kestrel flew over and disturbed the birds on the beach. I could not re-locate the Bluethroat.
A second male Bluethroat was also seen on 13th May 1993, just north of the start of Trinity Road (map ref NZ346746). It was first seen beside a small pool/puddle and then flew up to a fence post where it began to sing. The song was quiet especially when compared with nearby Reed Bunting and Skylark. This was a much nicer marked bird, looking more like the illustrations in the field guides. It had a small, discrete red spot in the centre of the blue throat. At the base of the blue throat was a dark blue breast band separated from a rufous breast band by a thin pale line. This bird was still perched on the fence and singing when I left to get into work.
Also seen on 13th May were 10 male and 3 female Wheatear on the Pitch and Putt course and 1 Whinchat close to the second Bluethroat.
Conditions the following morning were much kinder and by 06:10 I was again watching a male Bluethroat feeding amongst the piled up seaweed and occasionally amongst the rocks. It was similar in size to Rock Pipits, which were also feeding amongst the seaweed, but with a typical chat stance. It hopped or flew short distances, but was not seen to walk or run. It was aggressive towards the Rock Pipits, chasing them for short distances when they came too close. In flight the rufous wedges on either side of the tail were the most obvious feature, but when the bird was standing were difficult to see. Upperparts were similar to those of a Robin but were possibly more grey. They were unstreaked. Cream supercilium, extending behind eye (but not much in front of eye) and broadest above the eye was another distinctive feature. Ear coverts were greyer than crown. The blue throat was not as neatly marked as in illustrations (suggesting this may be a young bird?). The blue extended as a triangle from chin to upper breast, with a small pale spot at the "corner" under the ear coverts (this is not shown in any of the field guides I have consulted). At the base of the triangle was a diffuse breast band, darker blue than the throat. I did not notice a rufous breast band as shown in the field guides. The rufous spot in the centre of the throat was not discrete and merged into the darker blue of the breast band. The remainder of the underparts were pale with a rufous wash on the flanks. My observation ended at 06:30 when a Kestrel flew over and disturbed the birds on the beach. I could not re-locate the Bluethroat.
A second male Bluethroat was also seen on 13th May 1993, just north of the start of Trinity Road (map ref NZ346746). It was first seen beside a small pool/puddle and then flew up to a fence post where it began to sing. The song was quiet especially when compared with nearby Reed Bunting and Skylark. This was a much nicer marked bird, looking more like the illustrations in the field guides. It had a small, discrete red spot in the centre of the blue throat. At the base of the blue throat was a dark blue breast band separated from a rufous breast band by a thin pale line. This bird was still perched on the fence and singing when I left to get into work.
Also seen on 13th May were 10 male and 3 female Wheatear on the Pitch and Putt course and 1 Whinchat close to the second Bluethroat.
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