The Gannet Colony

One one of the first days in New Zealand, Grandma & Grandpa told us we were going to the Gannet Colony. We had no idea what a gannet was, but we assumed it was some native tribe of New Zealanders that had built a village called the Gannet Colony. It wasn't until we arrived at our destination that we learned that a gannet is a bird. We were going to see a colony of birds. Now unless you are a bird enthusiast, this may not sound very enticing. I'm no bird watcher, but I actually found the gannet colony to be amazing.

The Gannet Colony sits on these beautiful cliffs overlooking Muriwai Beach. There are tens of thousands of birds sitting on these cliffs. The fascinating part is that these birds leave when they are young and fly all the way across the Tasman Sea to Australia. A few years later, the same birds return to this exact same spot to nest.

The birds were cool, but the scenery was incredible. We hiked around the cliffs and looked out over the Tasman Sea. It was very beautiful. Harper loved the birds. Every time she heard or saw a bird she stuck her arm straight out like a heil Hitler salute.