Keep your distance!

This male New Zealand Falcon was standing sentry near the nest site next to a popular path along Hooker Valley, below Mount Cook, NZ's highest mountain. Just before I came across it, it had attacked a couple of people walking the trail. A beautiful bird, but not to be trifled with! Luckily, we stayed in Kaikura, where the earthquake epicentre was, four nights ago. I felt one of the aftershocks last night, but we were far enough further south to escape any of the damage. Our motel in Kaikura was damaged and the road and rail links up the east coast of South Island are completely closed. We are currently on Stewart Island, feeling very lucky.