Charles Foister, from Newcastle upon Tyne, in the UK, has ‘fallen victim' to Tauranga's friendliness and hospitality.

Visiting New Zealand for about a month with his wife Jill, he lost his camera while travelling around Tauranga on a bus. On it were recent family photos.

'My wife Jill and I are visiting family who live in Maungatapu, our daughter, her husband and our granddaughter, age four.

'The other day I left my camera on the bus. We had got on another bus, as we were going to Mount Maunganui.

'We got out of the second bus and rang the depot and they found the camera! So we went back to Willow Street, and they said ‘hang on a minute it's just coming around the corner' and the bus came around and the driver dangled the camera.

'Everyone was very friendly and helpful.”

Newcastle upon Tyne (commonly known as Newcastle) in the UK, is a city in Northeast England with a metro population of about 1.6 million.

'We've been in New Zealand for about a week, and here for another three weeks,” says Charles, who has been checking out the colony of white-fronted terns on the Hairini Bridge.

The bridge has a population of about 50 white-fronted terns. And a white-faced heron. And recently a small flock of red-billed gulls have set up home there too.

About five years ago, the nesting habitat for terns at the bridge was reconstructed when the wooden piling framing moved in a storm. The reconstruction is considered a remarkable success, with the number of birds and nesting pairs increasing each year.

Photographers and bird enthusiasts come from all over the country to get up-close photos of the colony. It's easily accessible for walkers too.

'I'm out walking, having a look around,” says Charles. 'We've certainly have had some very good experiences here in Tauranga.”