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Lake margin.

I hadn't been entirely convinced that this was a different species to the common, widespread Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum, but seeing these creeping plants with woody stems has changed my mind.

I kid you not, found 1km up Gebbies Pass Rd. Unfortunately it passed away before we collected it. I work for DOC (hence the fact it’s on the back of a truck) and was IDed by another ranger because I haven’t a clue. Oddly, not the first seal blobbing up Gebbies Pass... if not a crabeater, another ID would be awesome.

Kokako pair Francis & Zelah have taken up residence on private property opposite the boundary of mainland sanctuary Ark in the Park. The pair are obsessed with checking themselves out in any reflective surface, and have been spotted at neighbouring properties looking in windows, and on cars looking in mirrors.

The pair have nested on the property and produced a healthy chick which is preparing to fledge. Watched the pair feed on lawn weeds (incl. dandelion leaves), rewarewa flowers, kanono leaves and fruit, kiekie fruit and pukatea.

Fun, short video of the pair in the video link field.

@jacqui-nz highlighted for me these that were found down on the west coast at Karekare and wondered if they had been spotted at Otaipango - Henderson Bay. Seeing as these were spotted on the west coast I figured that the best place to find these were the Tohe - 90 Mile Beach and as I was going there that day, I kept an eye out for them and found them.

The photos that I have taken are mainly of ones still alive. I choose these photos as they highlight different parts of the animal - although somewhat blurry.

They are under 10mm in diameter, usually around 5 - 7mm. I also observed them swimming by closing the bottom and opening it, similar to how a jellyfish swims.

As we do not have an ID yet for this obs with it being a true jellyfish or maybe a Hydrozoa decided to go with Cnidarians initially as that encompases both Hydrozoa and Scyphozoa.

So here are a few more photos @clinton that may help with an ID or a difinitive class, if these in fact are the same that @jacqui-nz highlighted for me :)

Last photo (have to click the view all) shows them as blobs on the beach.

The location name is not accurate - Reason

This is part of the recent planting done by community volunteers in Ernle Clark Reserve at the end of August this year. The Christchurch City Council paid for the plants, and now Council contractors have killed them. Yes, this is Christchurch.

I've made my observation ID totara, since that was one of the recognisable young trees killed. Several species are among the dead.

From Causeway News - April 2016 edition: Visitor from the deep.
This visitor caused quite a stir when it decided to take a nap on the wharf at the Te Atatu Boat Club and is the latest in a long line of exotic wildlife we have welcomed to the project over the years. The leopard seal refused to let anyone past and for a couple of hours, people couldn’t leave or get to their boats.
Leopard seals have a disproportionately large head, massive jaws, impressive teeth and a tremendous gape that gives them a snake-like appearance.
One look at those teeth and Causeway team member Mike Ryan put safety cones in place and stayed nearby to warn unsuspecting Boaties until a DOC ranger arrived to assess the situation. As the DOC ranger pulled into the car park, the leopard seal rolled over, slipped back into the water and swam off towards the Whau Bridge.
Adult leopard seals are normally found along the edge of the Antarctic pack ice but in winter, young animals move throughout the southern ocean visiting New Zealand.
Females grow faster and larger than males and very large individuals can weigh up to 450kg.

Weevils on rotting karaka and cabbage tree wood. Photos 3 & 4 show a large male guarding a female.

This is the location Chrissy Painting conducted her research at. Read her blog:
http://blog.forestandbird.org.nz/weasley-weevils/

I put in Allomycterus jaculiferus which is the one for NZ (Sea Fishes of NZ pg 131) and it changed to the above one and looking on the taxon page Allomycterus jaculiferus is crossed out .... so is this one that is not listed or one that has changed?

The last line for the entry in the book says The porcupine fish is widespread around the coasts and is restricted to NZ.

The WoRMS for Allomycterus jaculiferus says
Status Unaccepted: (Subsequent combination)
Accepted nameTragulichthys jaculiferus (Cuvier, 1818)

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=343710

Egretta novaehollandiae - White faced heron.

I was lucky enough to have this fellow fly over my head and land in a tree, then having got my attention, fly to a pond and begin wading about. Most of the surface was dull at this hour, but there was a sweet spot, so I waited as he did his rounds skulking through the murk and waited for him to pass through the pools of color from the (just turning) autumnal foliage.

Lucky enough to catch a pair in one frame.
Almost everytime I go out in the field I hear or see these little chaps. My impression is they are doing just fine, they are just often not recognised or seen. Widespread in Nelson's scrublands.
Their call of 'ti' is so rapidly responded to by a partner that unless you are between them it seems for all the world like a two note call.
Friendly, and always curious to see who is 'invading' their territory.

Uncommon. Scattered plants growing on fine silt left by receding lake water. All parts strongly aromatic (smelling of rotting fish). Perianths divided to base, stamens 1(-2), seeds with obtuse margins. DNA voucher.

Voucher; PJ de Lange 12984 (UNITEC 7716).