New Zealand’s alpine parrot cuts right across the aloofness of a landscape and weather that takes no prisoners, greeting us with life and curiosity that never fails to get us smiling; a feathered and garrulous court jester of our mountains. The birds decline in numbers to under 5000 has been due to an historic century-long… Continue reading New Zealand’s alpine parrot the kea, has the beak and has the brain, but that’s not enough
Author: southernlight
Race to protect the Pupū Springs near Nelson
More properly named the Te Waikoropupū Springs, they’re the largest freshwater springs in New Zealand, and the largest cold water springs in the Southern Hemisphere and contain some of the clearest water ever measured this side of Antarctica’s near-frozen Weddell Sea, with a visibility of 63 metres. Antarctica aside the water clarity is in fact… Continue reading Race to protect the Pupū Springs near Nelson
Bonding with a bird of the night ~ the ruru (morepork) is associated with the spirit world of the Māori…
A few weeks ago while sitting with one of my friendly companion kea outside Aspiring Hut enjoying the balmy evening with a cuppa and many moths, a dark shadow appeared about a meter off the ground winging towards my face. We all three of us shared a mutual silence while I processed how come another… Continue reading Bonding with a bird of the night ~ the ruru (morepork) is associated with the spirit world of the Māori…
The goal of a predator free New Zealand may sit uneasily with global warming and ensuing climate change
This site/blog seems to have an organic destiny, and somewhere along a way lined with a steady growth of followers, I’ve not bothered much to publish my own photos, so here today I’ll use a few of my recent favourites made in the last two weeks to illustrate the need for an awakening, and action.… Continue reading The goal of a predator free New Zealand may sit uneasily with global warming and ensuing climate change
Robins flourish, dawn chorus returns to the Mt Aspiring National Park | Stuff.co.nz
Over the last few months I’ve often posted about the work being done in the West Matukituki Valley [home of Aspiring Hut] in Mt Aspiring National Park. Two of the key players are my old friends Stu and Heather Thorne, and I’m delighted here to repost an article by local journo Marjorie Cook of stuff.co.nz… Continue reading Robins flourish, dawn chorus returns to the Mt Aspiring National Park | Stuff.co.nz