Esther Birch, Kāruhiruhi framed by Rangitoto (April theme: The beach)

Perched on the rocky shore of Tiritiri Matangi Island, a kāruhiruhi (pied shag) spreads its wings to dry in the sun’s warmth. Rangitoto Island forms a soft backdrop across the calm waters of the Hauraki Gulf.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.