Muriwai and the Gannet Colony

We took a trip out to Muriwai yesterday to the gannet colony with Sofia's Kiwi Conservation Club. It was our first outing with the club and lots of fun. Sofia is the youngest member that I saw, but both Sofia and Sacha enjoyed seeing the gannets and playing in the true black sand beach of our wild west coast.

Sacha lay down and watched the gannets do their business on the far rocks.

 Sofia thought they were pretty noisy from the first lookout!

There was a lot of collecting like this taking place as they flew to retrieve nesting materials for their springtime nests on the rocks. It gave you a good sense of how huge they really are as they flew overhead.

Sofia and Sacha's favourite part was playing in the black sand. It is rather astonishing to see for the first time.  As a child I remember the West coast always looking like this. Piha is definitely nothing like Muriwai.

To hear how noisy the gannets are and what they are up to during their nesting/mating season click on the little video below.