Here are some photos from time spent in nature last weekend and words of upliftment and encouragement.
All that you can see has its roots in the unseen.
Forms change; essence remains.
Every sight will vanish, however gorgeous.
Every word will fade, however sweet.
But be strong of heart!
Where they come from is everlasting.
And renewing. Rumi
On a fresh water pond in Pauatahanui Forest and Bird Reserve I found these ducks.
Perhaps Huey, Dewey and Louie?
More likely to be some of this season’s ducklings which have survived, just enjoying the pond.
Disappearing into the reeds.
Heading towards the shore through the pink and green weed that is covering the surface in summer time.
This young Mallard duck was having a good feed from beneath the water of the lake on Friday. I loved the way the water flicked off his feathers but also the remarkably beautiful details, speckles and dapples of his changing plumage.
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.
A break in the bleak, wet weather saw me head out to parts unknown. My destination was Heretaunga Park in Upper Hutt.
I was not disappointed in my time spent wandering in the fresh, cold air. The sun was out at times and the breeze only felt in more exposed spots.
Upstream I came upon these two who appeared to be sleeping in the middle of the water.
NZ Shovelers
I suspect they could rest on the stony bed. The male was very protective of his female and kept his sharp eye on me at all times.
These are New Zealand Shovelers (Kuruwhengi), endemic to my country. Their beaks are much wider and longer than their more common duck friends.
There were plenty of Mallard ducks and as I sat watching the water and the ducks this handsome fellow came very close to watch me.
Another couple were shaking their tail feathers displaying such an array of patterns and colours on their feathers.
This couple were snoozing on the very edge of the pool, perhaps cooling their heels?
No sign of ducklings yet but winter has bitten hard since early July. However this willow was just putting out its fresh, new, fragile leaves.
A very different bird call drew my attention and across the stream were these brightly coloured birds. The Eastern Rosellas that I have been searching for, for a long period of time. A small flock were in the trees and in a flurry of feathers two of this group flew down to the pool on the other side of the stream and proceeded to have very energetic baths.
So much movement and droplets spraying and flapping.
A Tui joined them here.
In a whoosh they all left and I heard the call of a Paradise Shelduck away across the soccer field. The walk was well worth it as I came across this Magpie, who was on the move away from me to join another off in the distance.
The male Shelduck was honking in his deep, monotonous way but no reply came while I was there.
High above him in the bare, wintery trees were more Eastern Rosella (In NZ from cage-escaped birds. Also found in Eastern Australia).
After taking some more photos I turned and my eye was caught by the heavy flight of a Kereru.
Here is this beauty having a nibble in a Kowhai tree which is almost flowering.
And here is the Kereru showing off its brilliant whiter than white undergarments…..perhaps pantaloons or long legged bloomers!
With the light beginning to dip and illuminating the flaxes I headed for the car and home.
Although I did stop and take this photo to illustrate that early spring is beginning….
These lovely creatures were all very close to the little cottage we stayed in on our trip to Hawkes Bay recently.
Contemplating their futures perhaps?
When the spring winds died later in the afternoon yesterday we headed to Aotea Lagoon for a walk and to enjoy the surroundings there.
I particularly enjoyed the dappling of the sun on water in the larger of the two duck ponds.
The ducks were dabbling.
This gull was content to allow me to dawdle very close to his/her perch.
And other gulls were dawdling in a group near the main Lagoon.
Sun, late afternoon light, water, nature….what could be better on a late Sunday afternoon in September.
It is not often that we experience foggy weather here. Mostly this is because I live in a part of New Zealand that is very famous for its windy climate. But today we awoke to a muffled day of thick fog and low cloud.
I wanted to capture a photo of this foggy day down by one of our lakes. The birdlife was hopeful that I might have bread to feed them but I didn’t today.
Fortunately for the birds a grandfather and his wee granddaughter did have a bag of bread to share in that time honoured tradition of “feeding the ducks”.
A feeding frenzy began with the 4 resident geese leading the charge. The sea gulls skirmished with the ducks and the two pukekos sprinted over to join in the melee. It was chaotic with squawks, honks, and quacks.
The wee one sat wide-eyed but quiet as she ate the piece of bread her grandfather had given her to toss to the starving wildlife!
It was fun to watch and enjoy in the misty, foggy rain.
I wonder if you have a familiar spot that you stop at whenever you are traveling to a certain destination.
We do. For almost 40 years we have traveled frequently to and from Hawkes Bay to visit family.
I am not sure how we learnt about the Deer Park in Dannevirke but it is the spot that we stop at regularly on the trip between Wellington and Hawkes Bay. It is correctly named the Dannevirke Holiday Park which incorporates wildlife areas, including the Deer Park.
Deer Park Dannevirke, New Zealand
Over the time we and other family members have stopped at this scenic spot to have a picnic lunch, a cup of tea and to stretch cramped legs, very little, if anything about this location has changed. And nothing needs to be changed.
There are the deer enclosures, lovely shady trees, shelter from the prevailing winds, a lake, a large bird aviary full of noisy and colourful birds to enjoy and flocks of hungry ducks and guinea fowl to feed…..or fend off the food you are eating!
The park is off the main highway, so offers a safe and restful place to refresh, stretch and take time away from long distance driving and travel.
On our holiday last week we stopped for lunch at the Deer Park on our trip up to Hawkes Bay and on the return journey. While we were there I thought about how my parents had stopped on similar journeys with their grandchildren and how those grandchildren are adults now and remember this spot fondly.
Gran and grandson at the Deer Park, January 1985
I also laughed about our status as grandparents now and although our grandson was not with us I could just picture him running after the ducks, feeding them bits of his lunch, wondering about and enjoying the birds in the aviary, exploring the bridge over the lake and watching and learning about deer, just as his Dad, Aunty and Uncle all did in earlier years.
So for me last week there was a sense of time and people passing, new roles undertaken contrasted with timelessness and constancy.
I’d be interested in knowing about your familiar spot that is a part of the broader weave of your family.
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