Royal spoonbills/kōtuku ngutupapa
I wasn't going to take any more spoonbill photos for awhile - but this guy walked really close to me. You can see he's looking sideways to do a quick threat assessment, but doesn't stop feeding. Probably decided he could do me over if he had to. It is amazing how many little fish they catch like this. I saw him gobbling several little morsels down, probably slightly bigger than whitebait. They scythe their beaks back and forth like old-time hay gatherers, snapping them shut on tasty things, then quickly tip their heads back to swallow their prey whole. Royal spoonbill/kōtuku ngutupapa (Platalea regia). Between tides/closer to low tide is probably the best time to see them at the Hutt Estuary.
Poll: Do you think banning gang patches is reasonable?
With the government cracking down on gangs, it is now illegal for gang members to display their insignia in public places whether through clothing or their property.
This means arrests can be made if these patches are worn in places like restaurants, shops, on public transport or ferries, and on airplanes. Arrests were made recently at a funeral.
Do you think this ban is reasonable?
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77.1% Yes
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21.3% No
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
Begonia house to be demolished at botanic gardens
It's outrageous that the Wellington City Council are going to demolish the Begonia house at the Botanic gardens. This is an asset. One would have thought the green faction of the council would have supported fixing it. It's strange no one has questioned the price required to fix it. Cycle ways more important than begonia house i think not
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.