Wildlife 2007

[Maggi Young]

thank you, Mick, yes, useful indeed.

[TC]

Lesley

You only have one Swallow in N.Z. the  Welcome Swallow  - Hirundo Tahitica. See the picture attached.  The U.K. Swallow is somewhat alike.  Swallows can be recognised by their long tail streamers.
The only two Martins likely in your area are the Fairy Martin and Australian Tree Martin which are rare Australian vagrants.  They are distinguished by their squarish tails and white rumps.  I saw one Fairy Martin near Twizel.
Swifts in N.Z. are rare tropical stragglers.  Much larger birds with crescent shaped wings, white throats and fly much faster than the Swallows.

[Anthony Darby]

Strange that the New Zealand Swallow (Hirundo tahitica) is not migratory. Is it found on Tahiti?

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Tom, and Mick for the website. Yes, that's our little lad all right. I probably haven't noticed the white because I always see them in flight or on the power lines, against the sky, in silhouette in effect. I'll look more carefully when they're back. Ours do migrate away from here but perhaps only as far as the (so-called) warmer North Island. We had just a couple 10 years ago but there are many dozens now, perhaps 100 or more, and they make a right mess around the house and sheds. I still like them though.

[mark smyth]

Lesley compost heap comes to mind

[TC]

The N.Z. Welcome Swallow is actually Hirundo neoxena, a superspecies of Hirundo tahitica.  According to the books, they can form large flocks in the Southland outwith the breeding season
I saw the Pacific Swallow in both Rarotonga and Fiji, so presumably they can be found on Tahiti.

[ranunculus]

....A few more images from Fuertaventura this spring.....culminating in a wee teaser for all you naturalists.  Please remember that there IS a zoo on the island and some images were taken in this impressive establishment....

[Anthony Darby]

Your wee teaser looks like a camel Cliff?

[ranunculus]

Now don't give me the hump Mr Darby....

[Anthony Darby]

 

[Maggi Young]

I think these are the luscious and furry lips of a giraffe in Cliff's teaser pic. What about these assorted budgies.... colourful or what?!! Especially like the first one, I must get a jacket that bright.

[ranunculus]

Right...that's it....the teasers will get decidedly harder from here on in....Maggie, you take the prize....two weeks on a schooner in the Aegean including flights.....how the heck will you cling on to that slippery glass?
I gave Diane the tickets before she got slightly inebriated in Prague...hope she hasn't lost them for you?

[Maggi Young]

Bad news.. Diane didn't lose the tickets, she gave them to Julia for safe-keeping.... wottamistakatamaka !
I was going to wear rubber gloves, by the way... to hold on to the schooner... not that I've ever been that fond of sherry...

[mark smyth]

budgies?

8 is a Red-tailed Laughing Thrush - Garrulax milnei - not a Thrush but a Babbler like our Robin and Redstarts

[Maggi Young]

Yes, budgies.... catch-all term for brightly coloured birds .. I thought you were an expert?