Stormy Weather

The storm that worked it's way up the Islands once again only gave Pukawa a glance, very little wind with 64mls over several days,  the rain would do a lot of good as our porous soil  was once again beginning to dry out.

Green Bin Recycling.

The Taupo Council have increased the green bin recycling to allow plastic numbered from 1-7 to be put out for collection, previously it was only numbers 1 & 2, items such as ice cream containers can now go in the bin but not the lids. Only lids that are stamped with a number may go in the bin. Food trays such as those use by the Super Markets are still not to be recycled.
To reduce the amount of food and green waste going to the landfill the council plans to subsidise home composting efforts and provide an education programme to help residents compost successfully. This could work just as well for home owners in Pukawa.

White-faced Herons.

On State Highway 41 after you reach the top of the Waihi Hill is a paddock where cattle are being break fed a crop. I counted 16 White-faced Herons in the paddock yesterday a quite amazing sight. Usually two or perhaps three birds can be seen at one time but this number is something I have never seen before. Many years ago we used to see the heron in the Spring flying towards the big trees in our bush, with twigs in the beaks, but that has not been seen now for some years.
This picture has poor colouring, the body is light blue-grey in colour with white face.

Amazing sight

Last week we watched in amazement as a flock of tui flew in to our lancewood tree, I counted ten, there were probably more than that.  They fluttered from branch to branch the type of behaviour we see when the kowhai are flowering but this was in June. They all took off heading for another tree out of my sight but were back next with a repeat performance. The lancewood is fruiting but not usually visited by tui.

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Earth Quake

How fortunate we were that the nasty earth quake that struck last night was so deep. We did not feel it here in Pukawa, but pictures no longer hanging level often indicate there has been a shake not felt by us.
There is snow on Mt Pihunga this morning so quite chill in the air.