I've just had the most fantastic day bird watching on Tiritiri matangi. It's a wildlife sanctuary just off the coast (all 4kms) from auckland. There are some very rare birds there. I really wanted to see a wood pigeon, a saddleback, but really really wanted to see a takahe. There are only 200 odd of these birds remaining, and for 50 odd years they were thought to be extinct, till they were rediscovered, then entered into a breeding program.
Well, I saw not 1, but 3, including a chick, and had to fight them for my lunch!! Truly magical!