Observations by prillan

In September I was at my sister's house in Palmerston North and on the back wall there were many of these young caterpillars hatching out. I think they are the caterpillar of Nyctemera annulata, Magpie Moth.

Down at Big Muddy Creek this evening and saw these three birds amidst a bunch of grey herons. Couldn't get close enough to take a better photo, but could someone comfirm if they are Little White Egrets?

Many of the Northern rata growing in the Waitakeres are leaning out over gullies or hillsides and have a supporting "foot" that helps hold up the huge tree as it leans out on an angle. This is the only tree I've found so far where the vines of the supporting "foot" are not yet fused together but still independent. If anyone could tell me the correct botanical term for the supporting trunk, I would appreciate it, thank you.

While the main occupant was racing round creating a web, the outskirts were already occupied by another couple of much tinier babes. I think this must be what Landcare's website identifies as a Dew Drop spider. It looked stunning with the morning sun on it, as if this tiny fragile being was carrying a drop of mercury. Landcare website says Dew Drop spider, Theridiidae, so it someone could confirm that for me, thank you.

(I think this is a Garden Orb Web Spider, Eriophora pustulosa?)

Walked outside last Fri morn and this red-legged beastie was racing around building a web as fast as possible. Highest point was the house gutter, lowest point a branch low to the ground. Once the job was finished, the spider curled up in the centre and instantly all that directed energy became as still as an ancient stone. Couldn't take the underside as that was directly into the sun, but the red legs are clearly visible and clearly "hair" on them. If someone could identify it for me, that would be great, thank you.

I've never lived in a place with so many different spiders in it before I came to this forest. Just spotted this little one a couple of weekends back, & had my camera on hand. It was always turning to face towards me and the camera so it could defend itself, & as always, I wonder how they know that something is out there - I wasn't throwing a shadow on it. Do they hear sound? Or what? It was rather more greenish in real life than is shows on the photo.