An enthusiast of New Zealand's flora and fauna, with a camera, living in Wellington but always traveling. Particularly like birds, geckos and skinks, orchids, moths and butterflies, then other flowering natives, fungi, and really just about anything. No formal expertise.

I like the idea of people actually making use of my photos, so have licensed them openly. Wouldn't turn down support to take me places, to take more photos (and so to make openly available more photos of more species). Could help on field trips, bioblitz's, etc.

Looking forward to a predator free NZ, including changes to societal attitudes around cats and dogs.

Have completed backcapturing things to the start of 2017. Still a couple of years of birds (mostly) to add.

The bio maximum length is 10000 characters. Due to character limit I can only really comment on the last three years, rolling. The method will be that wishlist fails are recorded only for the prior year before being rolled down or successfully found. Some things like Thismia have been on my wishlist for several years now!

Photographic wishlist 2023 results:

Moths
-- Meterana exquisita (I'll get you this year!!) - SUCCESS 20231010: inaturalist.nz/observations/188651666
--- MORE SUCCESS: even better one in the North Island too 20231230: inaturalist.nz/observations/195892102

• Corybas confusus - will definitely head up Mount Arthur in Nov this year - SUCCESS 20231105: inaturalist.nz/observations/190472765

• At least six more Myosotis (Forget-me-nots)
  --- 20230101 - Myosotis SP Livingstone: inaturalist.nz/observations/145564148
  --- 20230106 - Myosotis colensoi [not flowering :( ]: inaturalist.nz/observations/147382144
  --- 20230108 - Myosotis traversii: inaturalist.nz/observations/147501686
  --- 20230306 - Myosotis pulvinaris: inaturalist.nz/observations/150919101
  --- 20231011 - Myosotis brevis: inaturalist.nz/observations/187347387
  --- SUCCESS! 20231227 - Myosotis rakiura: inaturalist.nz/observations/196193366

• 700 moths and butterflies - DODGY SUCCESS 20231116: hit 700 inclusive of non-RG with an overnight trek from Lyttelton to Christchurch, picking up Ichneutica unica (inaturalist.nz/observations/191567036) and Sabatinca aenea (inaturalist.nz/observations/191565962)

• At least three new geckos
  --- 20231012 - Schist Gecko (Woodworthia central otago): inaturalist.nz/observations/187553814
  --- FAIL. Lots of skinks, barely any geckos.

• Tuatara Tick (Archaeocroton sphenodonti): SUCCESS 20230206: inaturalist.nz/observations/148171529 - not very difficult, they're just obvious once you're looking

• Elephant Weevil (Rhynchodes ursus) - SUCCESS 20230227: inaturalist.nz/observations/149892382

• Kākahi - HALF POINTS 20230714 - Plenty of shells at Lake Wairarapa. Will need to get in the water for a live one: inaturalist.nz/observations/173148272

• Invertebrate iridescent virus 31: SUCCESS 20230501: inaturalist.nz/observations/159260575

• Nikau Weevil (Arecocryptus bellus): SUCCESS 20230401: inaturalist.nz/observations/153026154

• Egg-laying Skink (Oligosoma suteri): SUCCESS 20231204: inaturalist.nz/observations/193024633

• Maotoweta virescens: SUCCESS 20231203: inaturalist.nz/observations/190988247 - But an unsatisfactory success, since it was a tiny tiny nymph. What I wanted was a green wētā!

Photographic wishlist 2024

• a native frog - Yeeaaah SUCCESS: 20241103/04: x4 Hochstetter's Frogs (Leiopelma hochstetteri) found: inaturalist.nz/observations/250420077
• New Zealand Mole Cricket (Triamescaptor aotea)- FAIL
• Aciphylla hookeri - SUCCESS: 20240115: inaturalist.nz/observations/197606228

Specific moths:
-- Meterana grandiosa [could try National Park in winter since I found Meterana exquisita there] - SUCCESS!!!! 20240602: inaturalist.nz/observations/219976197
-- Meterana pauca - SUCCESS!!! 20240117: inaturalist.nz/observations/196971415
-- Meterana tartarea [need to go up a mountain circa April] - FAIL: investigated a lot of Wellington Region and Central North Island shrublands but nope.
-- Protosynaema steropucha - SUCCESS! 20240207: inaturalist.nz/observations/198561374
-- Maoritenes cyclobathra - SUCCESS! 20240331: inaturalist.nz/observations/204881244
-- Sabulopteryx botanica - SUCCESS! (well, still want the adult though) 20240623: inaturalist.nz/observations/224601773
-- Eumetriochroa aethalota - SUCCESS! (Mines only though) 20240626: inaturalist.nz/observations/226125190
-- Raukaua Leaf Miner Moth (Eumetriochroa panacivermiforma) - SUCCESS! (Mines only though) 20240726: inaturalist.nz/observations/231784437 - DOUBLE SUCCESS! (managed to raise one) 20241230: inaturalist.nz/observations/256719555
-- Eumetriochroa aellomacha - SUCCESS! (Mines only though) 20240726: inaturalist.nz/observations/231784439
-- Ichneutica peridotea - SUCCESS! 20240720: inaturalist.nz/observations/230468994
-- Ichneutica dundastica - FAIL - couldn't get to Dundas Hut but tried 5km away at Herepai. Did get Ichneutica subcyprea instead: naturalist.nz/observations/253739087 . OHWAITACTUALLYSUCCESS: 20241214: inaturalist.nz/observations/255282539

• Of course, get to 800 Butterflies and Moths! - SUCCESS! 20241031: a very very good moth, Ichneutica omicron: inaturalist.nz/observations/249872424

• Red Bearded Orchid (Calochilus paludosus) - FAIL

• Bulbophyllum tuberculatum - SUCCESS! 20240421: /inaturalist.nz/observations/208466940

• Cattle Egret (Bubulcus coromandus) - just need to do a Whangaehu recce next time someone's going to Whanganui - FAIL

Photographic wishlist 2025

Unsuccessful/long term/rollovers to 2025:

• either bat - Success-ish 20251101: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324670262 (still want to *see*a bat
• Thismia - FAIL
• New Zealand Mole Cricket (Triamescaptor aotea) - SUCCESS 20250531: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/285535713
• Runcina katipoides - FAIL
• Bluff Wētā - FAIL
• Algidia viridata - FAIL
• Scree Lobelia (Lobelia roughii) - FAIL
• Acropsopilio neozelandiae - FAIL
• Pretzel Slime Mold (Hemitrichia serpula) - FAIL
• Cattle Egret (Bubulcus coromandus) - SUCCESS! 20250902: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/313786347
• Mokomoko a Tohu (Hoplodactylus tohu) - FAIL
• Red Bearded Orchid (Calochilus paludosus) - SUCCESS! 20251205: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/330097855

Specific moths:

• Rediscover Bascantis sirenica - FAIL, several trips to Days Bay, Butterfly Creek, Gollans Valley.
• Nola parvitis - FAIL - this drama to some extent prevented what was meant to be a December Mātakitaki-a-Kupe / Cape Palliser trip: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/574003/cape-palliser-paper-road-vehicle-ban-gets-the-nod
• a Vinicia saltmarsh moth - FAIL
• Meterana tartarea - SUCCESS! 20250406: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/271194447
• Meterana octans - SUCCESS!! 20251011/12: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/320287292
• Arctesthes avatar - FAIL! - Obviously mid December is too early. Plodded around all over Denniston without any sign of them.
• Epichorista allogama - FAIL! - I started shaking Pittosporum tenuifolium in Jan while looking for Bascantis, so perhaps too late if this thing has a very narrow December flight time.
• of course, get to 900 or higher - SUCCESS!! 20251213: A wonderful and rare Blue Carpet (Asaphodes obarata): https://inaturalist.nz/observations/330835166

New things for list:

• Pterostylis paludosa - SUCCESS! 20251205: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/330084578
• Ctenochiton chelyon - Success? 20251018: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/321765385

Photographic wishlist 2026

I think I'll make sure to do some inland Canterbury and Otago stuff for summer 2026/27.

Unsuccessful/long term/rollovers to 2026:

• either bat (IN PERSON, not just spectrograms)
• Runcina katipoides - SUCCESS! 20260710: https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/379976665
• Bluff Wētā
• Algidia viridata
• Scree Lobelia (Lobelia roughii)
• Acropsopilio neozelandiae
• Mokomoko a Tohu (Hoplodactylus tohu)
• Thismia
• Pretzel Slime Mold (Hemitrichia serpula)

Specific moths:

• Rediscover Bascantis sirenica - SUCCESS CAN YOU BELIEVE IT 20260208: https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/337727454
• Epichorista allogama - I'M GONNA GET YOU THIS TIME
• Nola parvitis
• Arctesthes avatar
• Vinicia saltmarsh moth - SUCCESS! 20260328: https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/345620498
• the BIG 1000
• a Scythris - SUCCESS! Somewhat. 20260524: https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/364561212 - as noted, only got some record shots through tussock before it disappeared.
• Protithona fugitivana - I had a go at the Sinclair Wetlands but no dice, and have kept an eye out every time I see the host plant.
• Ichneutica thalassarche - for my next Chathams trip

New things:

• Another Pachycladon species
• Dactylanthus - PARTIAL CREDIT 20260213: https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/338856932
• Calvatomina superba - SUCCESS! 20260513: https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/361539518
• Campbell Island Teal - I can't stop thinking about this, being the one major fail of my subantarctic trips in 2023.
• Myosotis capitata - I also can't stop thinking about this. My 2023 trip didn't visit anywhere with it, unfortunately. No landing on Auckland Island proper.
• Algidia viridata ssp. bicolor
• Willkommlangea reticulata
• Fischer's Egg (Claustula fischeri) - had a go at Brook / Waimārama Sanctuary but couldn't find it - a lot of the observations on here though aren't on the public tracks.

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