Thursday 3rd.December 2009

After two completely different days hedgelaying up on the Greensand Ridge , Tuesday in very pleasant sunshine and teeshirts , and Wednesday in miserable cloudy , showery conditions, and full wet gear , I was hoping for at least a dry day today . But , it wasn't to be , and the workparty on the Common was called off again this morning , as the relentless rain started falling again . It did ease a bit after lunch , but by then I was well into cleaning and sharpening all my tools , so didn't get out at all today .
So I have fallen back on some more shots of our trip to NZ . The only Corvids that I saw there were a pair of Magpies , looking much more like our Carrion Crow , although the black and white plumage said Magpie . The pair were very shy , keeping well away from the road .
Had to post another shot of the Purple Swamp Hen or Pukeko .

This male Silvereye was singing his heart out one morning , on the top of the shelterbelt conifers .These Swallows were taking a break from collecting flies around a very pleasant lake .

My favourite NZ bird again , the Tui , or as ShySongbird was kind enough to point out , also known as the Parson Bird , and it is easy to see why .Although I saw the White Faced Heron in our daughter's garden , I also found it a couple of times whilst out and about . This one was fishing in a small waterfall .As I have said before , I spent ages , mostly unsuccessfully , trying to get decent shots of the introduced Australasian Harrier . I found two species of Cormorant whilst in NZ . This one was the Black Cormorant , seen here amongst Red Billed Gulls ,and also the Pied Cormorant , which I photographed at a place called Monganui , where they serve up the best fish and chips that I have ever tasted .A really friendly little bird was the Fantail , and at one reserve , this male was in danger of being stepped on , he came that close .And finally , one of the birds I never tired of photographing in the garden , the Kingfisher .