We have been getting a bit lax about posting weekly recently. Something to do with the nights being light and wanting to be out playing in the fields. Oh and also being mega-busy. Anyway tonight it is Friday and there is only netball on the telly, which Chantelle is enthusiastically watching. Nz takes its netball very seriously - same as all their sports - and tonight they play Jamaica in the world cup.
2 weeks ago was Chantelle's birthday and we got an invite to a teachers' bonfire party at Irene and Lees. They live in the most amazing house, old kauri villa in the sticks. A verandah that goes right around the house. Food is always good there, good company. Great night. Lots of fireworks and a huge bonfire. I overheard one of the lads (not ours) say that it was the best night of his life!
We had some fireworks left and let them off on saturday night back at ours. The dog was not impressed by all the banging and explosions and was allowed in every night for a week.
On the Sunday I took off for an adult day. The Far North Ornithologists were doing a wader count and 4 of us counted the waders at Rangaunu. This is a massive harbour that the Awanui river runs into and goes up to Kaimaumau and Rangiputa in the North. This is an important place for bar-tailed godwit to spend their summers. These are the birds that fly back from breeding in Alaska. About 300 godwits overwinter here, but we counted about 1800 on Sunday so the other 1500 must have completed the huge flight. Quite amazing really. There were also about 100 knot and turnstone and small numbers of wrybill and a couple of NZ Dotterel.
Kevin Matthews facilitated the count and as usual added a whole load of extra value by drawing our attention to beautiful flowers that we would have otherwise have missed. He took us to track in the swamp where orchids and a tiny harebell were growing.
The other picture is of a california quail which got friendly with our ducklings. The quail is wild and has a funny little quiff of feathers on the top of its head.
