Friday Feathered Friend
This week we are featuring the kingfisher, with words and a picture from Louise Thomas. They are often hard to spot but are one of the most beautiful birds you will see.
"Sacred kingfishers/kōtare (Todiramphus sanctus) seem special to me. A lightning flash of brilliant blue as they nip down from the power lines over the river or one of the posts they like to perch on to snatch a crab or little fish – the strike operation takes only seconds, barely breaking the water. I’ve almost given up trying to catch one on my camera diving. They are ruthless with their food, smashing in on their post, presumably to kill it, before swallowing it whole. I haven’t seen him for a few months, but I had one who liked to visit the garden off and on. He was a loveable, if badly behaved, guest, throwing up indigestible crab bits and staking out the compost bin where a mouse lives – he used to watch it with such intensity, like he was trying to use his mind meld powers to make the mouse run out. Come to think of it, I haven't seen the mouse for awhile either. Hmmm. Here is a young chap (an immature) with his chest still mottled from Pauatahanui the other day."
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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