Capture: Spring is Like a Perhaps Hand
1301 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 … 27 28 29 30 31 … 53 Newer→ Last
-
Jos,
I found old dried Camellia flowers, photo in evening light on the lounge floor.
-
Lilith __, in reply to
old dried Camellia flowers
Wow, Jos, that is a particularly stunning shot. Reminds me of some of Irving Penn's still lifes. I had one of his wilting poppies on my wall for many years. He was also good with rotting fruit. :-)
ETA: also loving Jack's camp pics and Jackie's happy doggies. All very springlike. :-)
-
Islander, in reply to
They’re a weed on the Coast – and delicious!
The first night I spent at Big O (in a borrowed Landrover) I was greeted not only by a large A. campestris – and I’ve only recalled this now (tho’ my diary for that year will have it) a little clump of onion weed.
They made a memorable brekkie- -
St Martins this morning. There were flowers.
-
Leigh Russell, in reply to
Not sure- either pukekos or coots
Hi Geoff, I’m almost certain those grey chicks with the yellow and pink patched areas around their heads are coots. I’m away from home so don’t have my bird book. I’ve seen them at the Groynes near Christchurch.
-
Lilith __, in reply to
Yeah, those are definitely baby coots, with the red and yellow. From a distance they look freshly mauled.
Baby pukekos are all black and have goofy-looking legs and feet . -
Islander, in reply to
Baby pukekos are all black and have goofy-looking legs and feet .
Quite a while ago, one of my neighbours -who was very pregnant and also doing her doctorate in bird research- became aware that an oceanic surge was going on
(we get these, quite often.) She was also aware that a banded dotterel nest down on the beach had hatched one chick – but there was another due-to-hatch egg… (as my beloved naybore of 35 years + said, “Only a pregnant woman would DO anything about this!”)and it was going 5pm = high tide...
So L went down to the beach, carefully picked up the egg with cottonwool-wrapped hand and came and asked me, did I have a spare lamp? (yes) and a spare gelpad (these are heated to specific temps in microwaves) = yes…)Annnd, sometime round midnight, L & her mate knocked on my door…
That’s when I learned little birds – like banded dotterels – have astonishingly large feet, and are early very noisy! I was so stoked!
O – even better: Whaea dotterel was still around next day, and when chick was brought to the beach, raced out and claimed it while clattering alarm at the humans. Aue! No gratitude whatsoever!
-
Islander, in reply to
Maybe this should go on the BOTY thread - but it so fits here.
Incidentally, L's baby & her 2 other kids, and her husband, are kaitiaki on Maud Island. And yes, she is now Dr L- -
Lilith __, in reply to
What a wonderful story, thank you! :-)
-
Islander, in reply to
Pleasure Lillith - nearly recovered from flu' and that does bring the good stuff back to mind - even while newly horrible shit looms-
here's to the birds, of all kinds, that we all love -we share this great round beast with them - and so many fascinating others - na, ka mihi aroha ki a tatou katoa- n/n Islander
-
Leigh Russell, in reply to
Yes, Islander, what a wonderful story!
That and Gareth's amazing photo of the underwater shag on the Boty potty thread bring to mind one of my own stories about rescuing an exhausted shag from North New Brighton beach: he / she stood there perplexed while people passed by and a dog harassed it. It’s stumbling responses were a clear indication that something was wrong, so I decided to see if I could pick it up and take it to the Animal and Bird hospital, which, with a great sense of generosity to the wild creatures, does what it can for them free of charge.
I have found that birds, like animals and people, are much more tractable if they get a chance to get a good look at you before you come too close, so I let it have a good long look at me while I squatted down about a yard away first on one side and then the other, talking quietly all the time. I was fascinated by its beautiful clear eyes, either green or blue, I can’t recall which, and it’s shorter-on-the-inside webbed feet!
After we had had a good look at each other I deftly enfolded its body in my large square woollen scarf so I wouldn’t hurt it’s wings – and picked it up. As I walked back along the beach it played contentedly with the tag of my jersey’s zip and nibbled around my chin. Back at the car it had no objection to being put on the back seat under a crate and then being driven across town to the Animal and Bird Hospital. It was perfectly clean, and didn’t poop at all which I must say I still find surprising!
When I appeared at reception the nurse raised her eyebrows and suggested that if I ever did such a thing again that I treat the bird with greater circumspection as a vet she knew had required stitches just below her eye from a nasty wound inflicted by a shag biting her. The nurse then warily took the bird from me, grasping it firmly by its long hooked beak, with the predictable result that it shat vigorously on everything within range!
I have the greatest respect for these dedicated nurses and vets, but can see faults in both their approaches: anyone who stands in front of a bird is likely to get a poorer reception than one who stands to one side, for a start because the bird can’t see straight ahead as well as it can to each side and is therefore likely to feel more vulnerable, and secondly, that this is the direction from which they can most readily get you a nasty one right on the nearest piece of soft flesh! Furthermore if I was grabbed by my face I’d take exception and make a mess too! :-)
Anyhow, the outcome of the story was excellent and the best anyone could wish for: after the consumption of some sort of fishy tucker and a night spent in a nice warm incubator the bird was taken back to the same beach and released. I was told that it took one look at the clear blue sky, stretched its wings and was up and away and headed back out to sea all in one sure set of movements – oh joy! Snow had fallen overnight, and if it had been left on the beach it would very likely have died.
It was a small thing to do, and I’ve had a special love for shags ever since.
-
Islander, in reply to
Warms my chilly pensioner's heart Leigh!
Shags are amazing birds...they both dive and catch in water their prey. I am a trout fisher, but I abhor the line that some troutfishing groups continue to spin, that killing shags improves the trout fishery... the birds, like most birds, have their own, very real, intelligence as you demonstrated with your post- lovely!
-
Thank you, Islander! I love birds.
I've noticed that when birds, as well as animals, are in difficulties they struggle with their emotions just as we do, so take this into account if rendering assistance, etc. To my surprise the shag I picked up showed none of that until I handed him over to someone else.
I struggle with my own feelings when I hear of the thoughtless attitudes of humans towards them, such as that of the fishers you mention. They haven't taken the trouble to get to know them.
Glad to hear your feeling in better health.
-
Islander, in reply to
Me too-
I’ve noticed that when birds, as well as animals, are in difficulties they struggle with their emotions just as we do
It’s rule one with medics who deal with humans (I have a lot of medical people i te whanau) and with best vets – when my mother’s leeetle dog* ate rum&raisin choc (gah! Dark choc! Gahgah! raisins!! And triple gah! my mother had put it out of reach – she thought) the vet, after treating her, noticed the dog was shivering in her cage….so took her home to spend the night with her & her family – and other dogs.
If only all human medics were as insightful – and humane…
*Bella is a bichon frise: I dont have much time for wee dogs, but this one’s intelligence & responsiveness is, I am informed, par for the course for the breed.
O, and thanks re health- it is nice to feel like a human again instead of a mucus/sick machine!
-
Jos,
Good story!
I had a white weekend, we seem to have a few in our garden
-
Jos,
more
-
Jos,
more?
-
Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
more?
Fersure!
-
Jos,
OK!
-
Islander, so pleased you're triumphing over the germs. xx
Jos, you're falling down on the labelling a wee bit! What are these lovelies? And these? Your public demands to know! ;-)
PS love the onion-flower sandwich, too! -
Small things from the garden this afternoon…
Thrift
Naturalised hyacinth
Pink dianthus -
And bright things from the garden this afternoon…
back of calendula
magenta dianthus -
Jos, in reply to
Sorry sorry, I am terrible with the names of plants, my mind instantly goes blank. It's the one down the back near the plum is the best I can come up with usually.
The very flowery bumps are alysum, I like their warm smell when they are in the sun. The other small white one neither of us can remember, even had a hunt through the drawer with all the plant tags to no avail. :( -
Jos,
Nice lead in with the whites down to some serious colour there Nora, stunning. :)
The center of that dianthus is amazing. Can you get closer? Scanner makes a good hi res capture device, just has a shallow depth if field... -
Nora Leggs, in reply to
Scanner makes a good hi res capture device, just has a shallow depth if field…
May be hard to hold the scanner still in the garden! Might try it with pre-fallen blossoms though. Otherwise, sadly, can't get closer without resorting to film camera : )
Post your response…
This topic is closed.