‘Three Birds On A Wire’
…continuing on from the previous post Three Windows, and my belief in the thesis of good things coming in threes…
Tag: Birds
Flap
‘Flap’
Autumn is now finding its straps, with the rains finally coming to northern New Zealand after a summer of drought. The local pond is replenished with fresh water. These two geese find their joy there!
(For more recent avian delight see:The Magpie, Pukeko ,Squawk and I Am The White King)
The Magpie
‘The Magpie’
“…and Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The magpies say.”
– New Zealand poet Denis Glover, ‘The Magpies’ (1964)
Birdland
This very evocative wood carving/ painting got me thinking of some favourite bird things….
My Avian Awards
- My Lucky Bird – Kingfisher
- Best Song/Call – Tui (NZ endemic)/Magpie =
- “I Rule” Strut – Magpie
- Coolest in Flight – Hawk/ Swallow =
- Beadiest Eye – Seagull
- Bird my cat fears – Pukeko (NZ endemic)
- Best Song with a bird theme – ‘Birdland’,Weather Report (listen below)/’Fly like An Eagle’,Steve Miller Band =
A modern jazz classic!
Kingdom Of The Gannets
Gannet Colony, Muriwai NZ
The soaring, swooping avian wonders are only here for the summer, and when they are, they rule their roost!
Pigeons In The Plaza
“Pigeons: They’ve got wings, but they walk a lot.” – Karl Pilkington
Shallow, but true.
As shallow as a sundrenched Spanish plaza littered with pigeons not using their wings much…
Nevermore
” Quoth the raven -“Nevermore”.”
Edgar Allan Poe, ‘The Raven’
One of the famous ravens at the Tower Of London – darkly majestic avians that rule the roost and would seem to know all the secrets of the place, secrets that, erm, might otherwise be nevermore…
Together In Precarious Places
Gannet Colony, Muriwai Beach, NZ
Back to the beach and birds.
Previously: Return Of The Gannets
Where, and how, they gather together in this place is a marvel.
It’s not easy.
The migration route across the Tasman Sea to this very location, for some of the gannets at least, is a miracle of sorts.
But even the smallest things are difficult.
On a recent trip out to Muriwai, I observed one gannet make a dozen unsuccessful passes trying to deposit twigs as nesting material to its partner. Landing in the small nest space (indentations in the soft rock and dirt , which they create) was prevented time and again by the swirling gusts of wind. I watched for minutes and the creature persevered, but still hadn’t completed the task by the time I left (it was way worse than any airline delays and technical issues I have suffered through!).
The bird was working so hard for its mate and family.
The entire flock of gannets pull together to survive in this precarious place of wind, sea and clifftops.
So too, vulnerable people need each other just to get by.
Immigrants in strange lands. Struggling sports teams. Addicts in recovery. The destitute and homeless.
Communities formed by necessity and nurtured by mutual reliance. Strength in numbers, for sure.
When the odds are stacked against you, there are no prizes for being a f**king lone ranger…
Return Of The Gannets
In late winter,the gannets return en masse to Muriwai, on the Tasman Sea coast near Auckland.
Home for the season to nest in rocky hollows above the crashing surf on a stretch of coastline constantly buffeted by the prevailing westerly winds.
It is a staggering sight.
Equally staggering is their annual migratory journey across the ocean to Australia ,2000 kilometres away.
The gannets literally live their entire lives on the edge.
It is all enough to make this comfortable human feel just a little inadequate.
More Avian Pose
I know,I know….after the previous post, it’s like another scene from Alfred Hichcock’s ‘The Birds’. No need to be concerned, the avians are stuffed and strung up. Nonetheless, just a little creepy…
Avian Pose
This shot was taken at a museum, and carries on yesterday’s theme of things left suspended. Taxidermists and curators recreate the miracle of birds in flight. Entry to the museum display is free, but there are strings attached…
Where did they fly whilst alive?How high did they soar?
My Bowling Happy Place
We all should have at least one physical place that makes us joyful, a spot where you can just be. I have a few as it happens and thought I would round off the series of lawn bowls posts with a shot of my own club and its green in Auckland.Sometimes noisy with the sounds of bowlers playing,at other times it is just me there in the parklike grounds,with the sounds of birds and cattle,the wind in the poplars and pines.Bliss…
Ebb Then Flood 