Along the Seabird Coast, on the western side of the Firth of Thames is quiet peaceful Miranda, known for hot springs and its resident and migratory bird population. It's an hour's drive from Auckland or Hamilton, and a 20-minute drive from the Coromandel Peninsula.
From Auckland, the direct route is via State Highway 2, heading to Thames and turning left at Mangatawhiri. Taking the scenic route is a relaxing way to gradually leave behind suburbia, shops and the din of the metropolis.
It passes by the rolling hills of Clevedon, tidal shelly Kawakawa Bay, past Tapapakanga Regional Park and the Hunua Ranges. At Waimanangu Point the road runs parallel to the Firth of Thames. On the left, across the water are the interesting ridges of the Coromandel Ranges, on the right, cows graze on flat farms, while behind dotted on the green hill tops are newly built homes. From the small settlement of Kaiaua it is 9km to Miranda.
It soon becomes obvious why it's called the Seabird Coast. Mangroves, shell banks and chenier plains -- made of shell or sand atop marine muds --provide roosting for birds during high tide. New Zealand dotterel and other native birds breed there while migrant birds that journey from Alaska and Siberia like the bar-tailed godwits arrive each September, wading and feeding in the mudflats until late March. At varying times of the day birds rise together flying in unison like a swirling dark ribbon against a pale sky.
