The kuaka (bar-tailed godwit) should be arriving any day now, some are still in Alaska (on the YKD) and others have just started arriving in New Zealand.
The ones arriving will be a lot skinnier than the ones pictured below, as the picture was taken just before they left in March. Please give them space to recuperate (feed and rest) after their long haul direct flight from the YKD in Alaska.
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The tūturiwhatu (NZ dotterel) are quite active at this time, on a quiet day one can hear the all-out screaming fights (by tūturiwhatu standards) anytime another dotterel enters the territory of an established pair.
From what we've observed in the past, it can take quite some time from territory establishment, and then to scrape-making, before a pair moves onto egglaying. However, taking note of where they are establishing territory and then where they are making scrapes helps us know where to watch for potential nests. CXR and mate have made at least three scrapes that I have seen. Another pair, has made at least one scrape just north of the Sunburst boat ramp. We've seen 5 pair trying to establish territories in various places, 2 pair are very consistently around, another 2 pair are fairly consistently in the same places, and a fifth pair is varying location as they search for a spot of premium beachfront property to raise a family. Do let us know if you witness scrapes being made, or especially let us know if you see any defensive behaviour of an area (a bird trying to lead you away, doing a rat run towards you, or doing the broken wing act, chasing all other birds away from a specific spot). The more people we have paying even casual attention, the more likely it is we will be able to get a cordon up to protect a nest before someone accidentally steps on it.