My neighbours garden got me in the xmas spirit

dibble35, Dec 24, 10:10am
Just about everyone in the neighbourhood (including me) has been getting the lawns mowed and gardens tidied for Christmas, all good. But this morning i looked over into the neighbours back yard to see the pohutukawas all out in bloom and a kereru (I think nesting) in one of the big trees. Made my morning that did.

malcovy, Dec 24, 11:28am
I went to the supermarket and over the road is a bird aviary and male peacock was strutting his stuff to the peahen. I have never heard the noise that the peacock makes when he moves his feathers, he was gorgeous. That was a lovely gift to see.

oh_hunnihunni, Dec 24, 12:00pm
My gift was a pair of java finches sitting on our power lines. Having spotted a red admiral butterfly checking out our hydrangeas earlier this week, my cup runneth over.

scruff71, Dec 24, 12:24pm
The Christmas spirit for us started badly when a tui chick hit the window and flopped to the deck with its beak caught in between the decking. DB wrapped it in a small towel, placed it gently on the bird feeder in the tree and we watched anxiously for signs of recovery. The cat arrived with bells on and wondered what we were doing - little do you know missy! Eventually the tui lifted its head and gradually became more alert. Fascinated, we now watched for that moment it would take flight. However, all we saw was a black blur as it dived away down the valley. Safe!

samanya, Dec 24, 12:54pm
I'm not luck enough to have Tui, Kereru or Pohutukawa's in my vicinity . but I was out picking raspberries & the occasional Bell bird visitors were very close by & loud . I treasured the moment.

starseeker, Dec 24, 12:57pm
Four of the Monarch chrysalids I have been raising from caterpillars hatched today & took flight

samanya, Dec 24, 1:00pm
I used to live in an area where Tui were abundant . they nested in some of my huge Gum trees & they were quite aggressive buggers when threatened, too.
I watched a mum & her baby one evening . the kid was hanging upside down on a vine close to my house & getting his/her 'sea legs' so to speak . it was fascinating to watch & the next day, having a bit more confidence 'the kid' flew into one of my windows . heart breaking stuff.
I'm pleased your little guy survived.

koru67, Dec 24, 1:27pm
Yesterday we were finally able to confirm our suspicion (somedays one frog looked a different size) that we have 3 frogs in our garden not just the 2 we have had for a while. Happy to finally see number 3 but then it got better and we saw number 4. So cute.

oh_hunnihunni, Dec 24, 1:42pm
My best excuse NOT to clean windows is the fledglings!

samanya, Dec 24, 2:44pm
I don't know if they were that clean (not a favourite chore). just lots of them that the baby could see a flight path through.

mizp, Dec 24, 5:29pm
I have teeny tiny just hatched cats on my swan plants - they are so small right now - but won't be for long. I have the plants in big pots next to the garden bench so I can sit with my coffee and watch them munching away.
Lots of mummy monarchs flipping around and laying eggs this morning in the sunshine.

colin433, Dec 25, 6:01am
We have wekas, noisy as hell, and their poop stinks to high heaven. Fortunately they only inhabit the camping ground next door, don't know how the campers cope with walking in that stinking stuff in the dead of night

malcovy, Dec 25, 12:20pm
Cats? Love it.

woody89, Dec 26, 8:18am
Spent the last week or two watching shinning cuckoo chick being fed by it's (much smaller), hard working grey warbler foster parents.

koru67, Dec 27, 10:31am
Oh you beat me to it. We live beside a golf course with lots of large trees and there has been a bird squawking non stop during the day for the last couple of days. Today I thought I must go look as I remembered someone who had found a baby bird in its nest with its foot tangled up. So I went to look and it was a shining cuckoo in all its glory as I looked up at the tree, out on a branch. When I took my partner to show him the grey warbler returned to feed it. So cool, hadn't seen one before.

maclad, Dec 27, 11:16am
You are s fortunate, I have only ever found dead ones

paora-tm, Jan 21, 6:53pm
Lucky for you, you aren't my neighbour - you might have seen me, naked. lol