Friday Feathered Friend
Another wonderful image from Simon Woolf. It was taken on the Kāpiti Coast.
"This bird is believe it, or not, I believe is Black Tern! "The Black Tern is one of four marsh tern species found worldwide and the rarest in New Zealand, with one accepted sighting north of Wellington in 2022. When breeding it is a small black tern with grey wings. It is pale in non-breeding plumage (as was the only local record).
Like the closely related white-winged black tern, the black tern can be found in a range of freshwater and estuarine habitats. The nominate form breeds in Eurasia, migrating to Africa to winter, while the North America subspecies migrates to Central and South America" We now have at least three birds in New Zealand, as I spotted three individual birds with the flock of White Fronted Terns. So rare in NZ. Very rapt, and a great find."
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.
Age Concern Christmas Social Hubs for the Hutt Valley
Meri Kirihimete - Merry Christmas
Come and join our fun Christmas Hubs:
Upper Hutt - Te Kupenga o Rongomai - Maidstone Sports Centre, Wednesday 11th Dec at 12pm featuring the Hutt Ukulele Orchestra.
Lower Hutt - Walter Nash Centre, Thursday 12 December 1:30pm
Moe mai rā, Nicholas.
We're sad to announce the passing of Nicholas Boyack, our Hutt Valley reporter who has long written for The Dominion Post, The Hutt News and Upper Hutt Leader.