I've never seen a kiwi in the wild. I've never seen a takahe. At Waipu beach on a Friday afternoon, a 10-minute walk from the car, I certainly didn't expect to encounter our most critically endangered native bird. But we did.
Delicate and fine, with legs as thin as pencil lead, the fairy tern paused for our photos then turned and flapped away.
I was, frankly, stunned.
I love a well-behaved dog as much as anyone but dog owners are a bit like drivers in that they often have an warped perception of their own control and an inflated self-importance.
I doubt it's the locals to blame for scaring off the fairy terns. You'd have to be a prize prick to drive up from Auckland, ignore the warnings and walk Fido on the beach at Waipu.