A wonderful moment today as traffic stopped to allow a Paradise Duck mama to walk her half a dozen or more babies 50 metres along (and all over) the road to a new location. iPhone photos from the car. 🐦
A friend has roped off the Dotterel nest on the beach in an attempt to keep vehicles and pedestrians, horses and dogs away. He has also seen 3 eggs in the nest. 🐦
The nests of northern New Zealand dotterels are simple scrapes in the substrate … The main threats are loss of eggs and chicks to mammalian and avian predators, disturbance from human activities on beaches, loss of nests to big tides … Three eggs are laid … Incubation usually takes 28-30 days; the fledging period is variable, but averages about 6 weeks.
Reposted: Yellowhammer through the window. 🐦
Explained: Why Kiwis don’t know what a proper cup of tea is | Stuff:
There are also numerous boutique tea blenders in New Zealand like The Tea Curator , Webster’s , Mikaku , Tea Total , Harney & Sons , t Leaf T , Noble & Sunday , Ritual , Teaology , Libertine , and The Tea Thief . They source their tea from all over the place including Sri Lanka, China, Malawi, Myanmar, Japan, and India, then blend and package it here.
6 ways supermarket tea is different to artisan tea | The Tea Curator:
The leaves used for artisan tea are almost always handpicked … usually the newly-emerged bud and one or two leaves or the bud only. For supermarket tea, the leaves are typically lower quality … a mixture of new and mature leaves and stalks … The leaf selection for your tea matters because the younger buds and leaves are richer in nutrients, higher in aromatic oils and produce more complex flavours …
Dammit: had a filling at the dentist today — it was quick and easy, but I had two injections. Now I can't drink a cup of tea without dribbling. 3 hours later and my lip's still numb …
Urgh, I expect today's brain fog, headache, blurry eyes and lack of oomph are hay fever reactions. Not a fan!
I have a dim memory from years ago about an announcement for being able to see a transcript or hear a recording of a voicemail right on the phone's screen … I think …
Anyway, it's now landed in Aotearoa for me, and Wow! That's incredibly useful.
This little Tūturiwhatu | New Zealand dotterel came within 2 metres to check me out. A friend has seen a 'nest' with 3 eggs at the beach. He thinks this dotterel and mate are responsible. 🐦
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This is the view — from south to north — on arriving at Waikawa Beach over the north track off Reay Mackay Grove.
I actually don't mind at all being awake and drinking tea at 3 am. Yesterday I was tired all day and totally crashed out at 7 pm, so I've actually already had about 6 or 7 hours sleep, and will surely have more before dawn.
This morning's tea, a delicious: Gong Mei.
Little waxeyes were feeding on the small flax flowers — their heads turning orange with the pollen. But before my camera could focus they flew away. 😒
I was just browsing through photos in my album and came across these Warou | Welcome swallows on the railing from January 2015. 🐦
Hiatus resolution, glottal stops … what's not to like in this interesting 16 minute video from Dr Geoff Lindsey? — A interesting development - YouTube:
A investigation into a increase in the use of a indefinite article without 'n' . Is it only a American thing, or a international phenomenon?
By some miracle Deb achieved a same day doctor appointment. Bronchitis confirmed; drugs acquired.
I really enjoy this series, in part for the very ordinary and likeable characters who work at the supermarket in small town Kingsleigh. The Missing Heirloom Mystery (The Supermarket Mysteries Book 5) by Rachel Ward. 📚
Several mysteries here and I suspected one perpetrator, but not the motive.
Well, colour me surprised! I thought this was a Mexican / Spanish word! Honcho Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster:
A relic of the large U.S. presence in Japan in the years following World War II, the word honcho comes from the Japanese word hanchō meaning “leader of the squad, section, group.”
One of those nights where sleep and I just weren't good friends … And I've been doing so well lately. 😒
On the upside, was a super early cup of Three Moons tea:
a semi-oxidised oolong that is lightly roasted multiple times over three months – or ‘three moons’ – to give it characteristics of an aged tea. This enigmatic tea reveals fascinating aromas – vegetal notes of roasted green bean intermingled with nut and fruity notes of green apple and melon, followed by a floral finish.
Well, I was out for brunch this morning for the first part of the all-day powercut. Back by about 1 and the power came back on at 1.30. Here's hoping it just stays on now.
And hooray for a hot cup of tea!
The master of all he surveys. 🐦
