Friday Feathered Friend
Words and picture by Louise Thomas.
"I used to avoid posting photos where I had accidentally captured a nictitating membrane - I thought they looked like weird sausage-skin sideways eyelids. Then I read that they are amazing built-in bird goggles, so the bird can blink and still see, or even shutter their eyes in extreme conditions to protect their eyes while flying or diving. Apparently we used to have them too - the pink blob in the inner corner of our eyes is a vestigial membrane. I suppose we evolved out of needing them - still they might have been handy the other day when I was trying to take photos on the beach during a gale. Pūkeko/purple swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus) at Waimanu Lagoon."
Poll: Do you believe in ghosts?
Just for a little bit of fun, we'd love to know whether Kiwis believe in ghosts. What goes on in our communities that we don't know about!
Perhaps you've seen a ghost or lived in a haunted home in New Zealand. We'd love to know, so vote in our poll and share your experiences in the comments below.
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59.8% Yes
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37.8% No
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2.4% Other - I'll share below
What word am I, neighbours?
I am a word of letters three; add two and fewer there will be. What word am I?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.
What's your favourite rhubarb recipe?
We're looking for delicious rhubarb recipes to feature in NZ Gardener. Send your family's favourite ways to enjoy this crop to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by August 31, 2024. Every published recipe wins a copy of the November issue of NZ Gardener.
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