Do you love, or do you hate pukeko?
Patience paid off for Waikanae's Roger Smith recently, with a beautiful picture of a pukeko chick. A keen amateur photographer he was aware of the large flock of pukeko, including some nesting near the Waimanu Lagoons.
"The pukekos next near to the beach in agapanthus and I saw a chick about two days old venturing out for the first time."
Crawling along the ground on his stomach he got to within about three metres of the birds and observed them for about an hour.
The family group were all feeding the chick and he snapped about 160 pictures. The picture of two adults feeding the chick was a big hit on Facebook.
"It seems to be touching a chord with many people...mainly for the cuteness." Although he was very "close to the action" he was not spotted by the birds as he was hidden by bushes.
He refers to pukeko as "marmite birds" that people either "love or hate" and he finds them very interesting.
Quote for the Day
"Economic forecasters fall into two groups: those who don't know - and those who don't know they don't know."
Kenneth Galbraith - eminent Canadian economist and diplomat
Cheers Mike
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.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.1% Human-centred experience and communication
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15.1% Critical thinking
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30% Resilience and adaptability
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2.9% Other - I will share below!
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