Friday Bird of the Week.
Hey Neighbourly folk, I am adding a new feature to Neighbourly every Friday. There are some amazing bird photographers in the region and I will be highlighting their best pictures.
This week's picture features my favourtite bird, the beautiful karearea (NZ Falcon). Simon Wooolf took the picture at Wrights Hill, Karori, and wrote an interesting account of the observation.
It settled itself down on a wooden structure, preened itself, and then dosed off! Then the action started.
Three, or four Welcome Swallows decided to dive bomb the Falcon! Now in flight, and in dive mode, Falcon's are the worlds fastest birds. This bird was obviously stationary. Swallows and Swifts feature in the Top Ten Fastest Birds too. The Karearea is a threatened species in NZ. Predators are man, and while breeding cats, ferrets etc, and believe it or not hedgehogs! I have never seen other bird species attack a karearea!
Normally our falcons are fearless. I have had them land a metre away from me. If threatened, and especially in breeding season they are not just fearless, but are brave, and ruthless. Even we humans will depart the scene rapidly if attacked!
Incidentally once awake the karearea took the aerial attacks in its stride and was pretty non-plussed!
I'm pretty rapt with the series of shots I gained, as the swallows were attacking at over 150kph. There was contact made on a couple of occasions, however I wasn't quick enough to catch that part of the action, even with my camera set a1/4000 sec and with my trusty Sigma 150 - 600 lens.
If you get the opportunity to observe these wonderful Taonga of our New Bush, do so. I have never been disappointed!
Simon Woolf.
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Proposed parking meters down Main Road, Tawa
Copied from a Facebook post: Your Voice Counts On The Proposal For Paid Parking
Wellington City Council (WCC) have opened their consultation on the Long-Term Plan. This runs from Friday 12 April to midnight Sunday 12 May 2024. It is advised that you read the consultation document as it covers important decisions on Water, Waste, Investments and other key proposals, one of which is a proposal to introduce paid parking in the suburbs. You can find further information and a submission form here: www.letstalk.wellington.govt.nz...... Please remember to be kind in your submissions – councillors are more likely to respond to positive and well-defined responses. Tawa Business Group has heard plenty of people who are strongly against introducing paid parking and we want to make sure that WCC hears your voices too. These stories may help you with your submission.
• These are already difficult times with the high cost of living and an increasing number of local redundancies, this is an extra charge that people cannot afford.
• The suburbs should not be subsidising the income shortfall from removing car parks in the CBD. Money raised in the suburbs should be used for local investment.
• Tawa has a different demographic than the CBD. Many older and less able people rely on the services that the suburb provides and being able to park easily and directly outside their destination is important for them being able to leave their homes and reduce feelings of isolation.
• The proposal for paid parking does not follow the 2020 Parking policy that says that paid parking will be introduced if occupancy is often over 85%, turnover is low and non-compliance is high.
Our three Northern ward Councillors all voted against the proposal in February but they lost on a vote of 10:7. Councillors changed their minds about reducing hours in swimming pools and libraries so they can change their minds about this too BUT only if you submit your feedback. The more submissions we make, the less likely it is to happen.
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