I’ve just heard the black swans from my local pond flying over the house, probably heading down to the beach for whatever reason swans go to the beach at night. They appear to have become well settled at the pond, and after the big disturbance of earthworks last year a lot of other birds are enjoying the place again too. I walked up over the stopbank the other day and was suddenly struck by the birdlife. Half a dozen tuis were busy fighting over Metrosideros flowers (one of the pacific Metrosideros I think) and creating quite a buzz. There were fantails, blackbirds, pukekos, mallards, a paradise shelduck pair, welcome swallows, a little black shag, red-billed gull, sparrows, mynas and feral pigeons. It might be suburbia but it’s a great little spot.
Birding around 
You make it sound like a wonderful place to combine bird watching with a picnic!
Certainly a nice place for a stroll and to sit for a while.
Where iis that?
It’s the Arkles Bay storm water pond. Its actually quite a nice spot, you’just wouldn’t want to swim in it.
Thank you. I haven’t been there.