Today, with a new bird-watching friend, H, I visited the Waipū Bird Sanctuary. We saw lots of Oystercatchers, Godwits, gulls, NZ Dotterels, ducks and a few other birds, but of particular note was a bird new to me — the Ruddy turnstone 🐦 :
An annual circumpolar breeder on Arctic and subarctic tundra, the ruddy turnstone is one of around 40 Arctic breeding wading bird species that migrate south and reach New Zealand.
I mainly enjoyed The Complete Detective Siv Drummond Mysteries: by Gretta Mulrooney. 📚
I'd already read another series by this author, and the first of the books in this series. Book 5 didn't grab me so much for some reason.
A fellow down the road breeds and protects rare Cape Barren geese. 🐦
Today I spotted half a dozen of them near the river and was struck by how very big they are:
Length: 85 cm
Weight: 5.3 kg (male), 3.8 kg (female)
Such a delight, listening to Handel's Messiah - Lausanne Cathedral 2025, all 2 hours 20 of it. 😁 🎶
Micro.Blog photo challenge: Home. 📷
Traditional Christmas morning at the beach. ☀️
Micro.Blog photo challenge: Feast. 📷
For the Pacific Wave Appreciation Society. 🌊
At Mangawhai, 40Km south of Ruakākā.
Micro.Blog photo challenge: Travel. 📷
Micro.Blog photo challenge: Baking. 📷
Ohhh, can't wait for this movie to come out mid-2026. It looks delightful and hilarious: The Sheep Detectives. Do watch the trailer.
n this witty, new breed of mystery, George (Hugh Jackman) is a shepherd who reads detective novels to his beloved sheep every night, assuming they can’t possibly understand. But when a mysterious incident disrupts life on the farm, the sheep realize they must become the detectives. As they follow the clues and investigate human suspects, they prove that even sheep can be brilliant crime-solvers.
Micro.Blog photo challenge: Grinch. 📷
The sun rose at 06:02 on this Summer Solstice and I went to the beach to watch it. ☀️
Haere mai te Raumati.
Micro.Blog photo challenge: Solstice. 📷
September's pukeko chicks have been independent for a while now. This morning we spotted 3 tiny new chicks that are all black fluff and legs. 🐦
Micro.Blog photo challenge: Sparkle. 📷
A local knitter made this bear and when I saw it I realised perhaps our house could use some Christmas decoration after all. So cute. 🐦
Micro.Blog photo challenge: Beard. 📷
With the characters and setting well established from Book 1 this series is settling well. I've preordered the next in series. The Mystery of the Silver Dish (The Antique Shop Mysteries Book 2) by Judith Cutler. 📚
The dish is valuable. Too valuable. No sooner has [Lina] displayed it at a prestigious antique fair than the police swoop in, accusing her of handling stolen goods.
It's hard to believe this series is already up to book 12. I'm still enjoying it. Fakes and Lies (Naomi Blake Mysteries Book 12) by Jane Adams. 📚
the world of art forgery and high-stakes deals hides ruthless collectors — and killers who will do anything to keep their secrets.
