Sunday siesta

Kereru or New Zealand Wood Pigeon resting after lunch in a leafy Kowhai tree.

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At the ponds

We went for a stroll at the Pauatahanui Forest and Bird Reserve yesterday afternoon on a day that heralded summer.

The first pond offered some “Ducks are a-dabbling, Up tails all!” (The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame)….well in the third photo it is up tails all.

These were young ducks accompanied by their mother and sharing this pond with at least once other, very shy, duck family.

A Pukeko was poking about on an island in the pond but was reluctant to stand clear of foliage and with zoom at full stretch the photo is not that clear. Its camouflage is excellent bar its pristine white undergarments.

We sat at a second pond and admired the reflections and the Welcome Swallows zooming and darting above our heads.

All seemed quiet and still until out drifted this duck with her 8 very new ducklings.

Our patience was well rewarded and our reserves replenished from some time out in nature.