You’ve heard the term ‘up at a sparrows fart’, well let me tell you, that didn’t come from thin air.
While the mist lingers in the paddocks at first dawn, the sun is welcoming and the first light stretches across the meadow. The birds are alive and not just chattering amongst themselves, but heaving with morning activity.
I love, love, love the bird life in our Kiwi countryside.
City birds differ from country birds. What we do notice that the latter isn’t keen on stale bread offerings scattered on the grass. I LOVE that….not because it’s probably not that good for them anyway, but also because they are used to hunting breakfast on their own accord they need no supplement or human intervention – see Never Mind the Spiders, a post to follow shortly.
Three nests have caught my eye these past few weeks.
Let me tell you a little story about a mynah, a goldfinch and a sparrow.
Mynah in the Bird Box
We have a bird box about 10 metres ‘as the crow flies’ from my kitchen window, perfect viewing. It is in the open, banked by a buxus hedge and a pear tree. The bird box is old but a beauty. It, I am sure, has seen decades of bird action. I’ve actually never had success with a bird box in the city. They looked cute as a garden ornament, but that was about it. Here, it’s a haven and maternity unit for our feathered friends.
For the past month a mynah has been to-ing and fro-ing from the small opening, with gifts of worm. A cackle at the entrance is met with reciprocated and hungry infant-enthusiasm. The mynah disappears through the small entrance, regurgitates the worm, chicks are fed, job done – for a few minutes at least until the next delivery. It is ‘action stations’ every moment of the day and has been a pleasure to stop momentarily from my soap-sudded sink, to appreciate.
Goldfinch in the Crab Apple tree
We found a goldfinch family by accident. They were/are just a few metres from our covered deck where we’ve been spending numerous meals. It was only a glimpse from the corner of our eye that spotted a very busy male, delivering worms to his beloved partner, sitting on (presumably) an egg or two. He was very stealth-like; a silent and tireless worker. She must have the sea-legs of a saint as that apple tree swayed most vigorously in the wind. And, like all blessed parents, out cracked a beauty, just in time for Christmas.
Sparrow in the letter box
For the past few weeks we’ve been clearing the letterbox of straw and twigs that seem to accumulate from nowhere. Yet, every day the beginnings of a nest reappear. It’s been getting more pronounced by the day that we decided to ‘let it be’.
Not only does Mrs Sparrow now flit in and out as we drive up the driveway, she has also laid three eggs. She has figured out that letters will be plonked on her head (and nest) so, rather than a traditional bowl-like nest, has formed a burrow to one side, a little like a bird cave of straw.
Bruce, our rural delivery driver, has been formally notified.
A hawk surveys the farm paddocks most days keeping a watchful eye on the pukeko no doubt. Ducks glide upstream with family in tow, fantail chase the spiders. It’s a bird’s life here in rural Waikato. Bliss.
January 3, 2017
Beautiful images .. and yes you are right, the birdlife in NZ is amazing. Happy New Year
January 3, 2017
Thank you Julie! Yes we are loving it. They are mesmerising and delightfully intriguing to watch and photograph. Happy New Year to you too!