A warm welcome to our Alaskan godwits
Hi Neighbourly folk it is not Feathered Friend Friday but when I saw this post from Lower Hutt photographer Louise Thomas, I thought it was too good not to use.
Read what she had to say about her godwit/kuaka pictures.
"Sometimes the most extraordinary birds come in the plainest of packaging, and so it is for the bar-tailed godwit/kuaka (Limosa lapponica). Their plain packaging is of course a perfect camouflage - with variegated shades of brown echoing the ripples of mud and sand where they feed.
Seen here foraging on a mud flat at the Waikanae River estuary, they shove their long beaks into the muddy sand and pull up rubbery bits of Godwit-knows-what which they gulp with gusto – not surprising as they are probably absolutely famished.
These migratory birds begin arriving in New Zealand from early September, after an extraordinary often non-stop eight to nine-day 11,000-12,000 km flight from western Alaska.
We are also lucky enough to get the occasional bird on Petone Beach and around the Hutt Estuary, but I was thrilled to see eight in non-breeding plumage congregated on the mud at Waikanae."
Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD
The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’
If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.
Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”
We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?
Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.
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41.7% Yes
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33.5% Maybe?
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24.8% No
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