Here are four wetland birds I've photographed on my bike commute to work this week, between Ōtautahi-Chirstchurch and Lincoln, New Zealand. Together they're a testament to how much wetland bird life has been returning to the wider city, as the city has been restoring native wetland habitats.
I've been counting birds on my bike commute to Lincoln since 2003. While I saw pied oystercatchers in 2003, the first ever pied stilt I counted wasn't until August 2017, the first grey teal I counted was in July 2019, and the first coot I counted was in June 2024.
Bring back the wetlands and the birds return.
Poaka · Australian Pied stilt: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/306208255
Tete · Grey teal: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/306208254
Tōrea · South Island Pied Oystercatcher: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/306208266
Australasian Coot: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/306208248
It wasn't until tonight that I realised that one of the Tōrea (South Island Pied Oystercatchers) that I had photographed on my bike commute home was a banded bird. It's got a "flag" on its left leg. I've just reported it to the NZ banding office so hopefully I'll learn more about this bird's past.