Well, that was fun — Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget where the chickens had to break in to a chicken farm, rather than out of it.

Very ingenious, some good laughs.

Movie poster: Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

Woohoo, it's a cool and drizzly day, so great for staying in and relaxing. I made delicious mushroom soup for lunch. Now I plan to settle down with Netflix and watch Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. 🐔 🎥

A couple of days ago this Tara | White-fronted Tern was hanging out with a pal at the beach. 🐦

Gull-like bird on a piece of driftwood with sea behind. The tern has a black cap and bill, white neck and chest, and grey wings.

I just can't get enough of the tiny Oystercatcher chicks. 'Caught' one today. 🐦

Dark speckled chick in sand by beach grasses.

Two months after requesting signs, finally they were installed today. Now the birds seem to have stopped nesting and are busy rearing their chicks in a slightly different spot …

Anyway, maybe some people will see the signs and stay clear. 🐦

Bilingual sign with photos of stilts and oystercatchers asking people to leave the birds alone.
Erected sign in driftwood area with flat beach and sea beyond.

It's been some time since I last went non-grocery 'shopping'. Between times I manage to forget how much I absolutely hate 'shopping'. 5 minutes in the first shop reminded me. Ugh. Returned home empty handed. Ate a mediocre Bibimbap Don at the Foodcourt — I was starving and needed to eat.

Red plastic bowl filled with rice, vegetables, meat, fried egg.

Sitting at the beach in the sunshine, waiting for the fellow to arrive to put up the Birds Nesting warning signs. Now that most of the birds eggs have hatched! 🤣 Life could be a lot worse…

These Matuku moana | White-faced heron were down at the lake yesterday. 🐦

Large grey wading bird on grass, with white face.
Large dark grey bird with long neck and white face, standing on grass beside a lake.

This post was originally scheduled, appeared in RSS and on the blog, but not on the timeline.

Wow, watch the first 90 seconds of the Maiden Speech of NZ's youngest Member of Parliament Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, an amazing wahine Māori. She is 21.

Support from the Gallery out of shot.

A young Māori woman reads a speech in Parliament.

Previously I've been using Aperture Priority for my bird photos. Today I tried Shutter Speed priority.

This morning I could see only 1 Oystercatcher chick — perhaps it was from a different pair … The slight blur is a tape between posts in front of the chick. Pretty pleased with this result. 🐦

A tiny brownish grey chick covered in fluff, standing near driftwood.

Another rare book-on-paper purchase this year: the delightful Critters of Aotearoa by Nicola Toki and Lily Duval. 📚

50 Bizarre But Lovable Members of Our Wildlife Community

It's written with humour for people of all ages, including kids. An easy and very enjoyable read.

Critters of Aotearoa internal page.
Book cover: Critters of Aotearoa.

Late evening yesterday and the light was on the highest peaks of the Tararuas, where I could just discern the faintest dusting of snow.

Bare mountain tops behind a darker foreground.

There is a railing on the deck beside a large area of glass on the east side of our house. It's popular with birds. I feel sometimes like a zoo exhibit.

Today I think an adult Warou | Welcome swallow was showing me to her baby. 🐦

Adult swallow watches me carefully.
Adult swallow watches me carefully.
Still fluffy baby swallow looks away.
Still fluffy baby swallow.

One of the Tōrea pango | Variable Oystercatcher pairs has managed to produce two chicks. Made my day to see them! 🐦

Two Oystercatcher chicks near an adult amongst driftwood, sand and young grasses.

It's the time of year when the Spinifex develops spiky seed heads. Soon they will separate from the plant and the wind will blow them to a new place where they can grow a new plant. Spinifex builds up the beach like nothing else.

Spinifex seed heads on the runner.

I always enjoy books by Joy Ellis, so on a day where I felt slightly unwell and stayed in bed all day this was an engaging read: The Bag of Secrets (Detective Matt Ballard Mystery Book 6).

I like that the two private investigators gather a whole diverse team to help solve their cases. 📚

Book cover: The Bag of Secrets.

The helicopter moved on to spraying the lupins right beside our house.

Came home from errands to find spraying by helicopter going on just behind us.

A black helicopter with spray booms releasing liquid flying low just above a hill.

Yesterday was the day to maintain our UV drinking water filtration and sterilisation system. It's an annual job. I replace the lamp and the filters, coarse and fine, that take sediment out of the water. They do a good job too.

Two very white new filters beside two very brown used filters.

A month ago I had a blurry photo of two Warou | Welcome swallow eggs in a nest above the zendo door.

Today's photos are of two Swallow babies in the nest. A bit hard to see but look closely. 🐦

The location's so tight I just can't get photos from any other angle.

Mud nest with a small bird head and the underside of a bird beak.
Mud nest with a small bird head and the underside of a bird beak.

Here's a couple of adults.

Two swallows on a roof, as seen from above.