tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55521946762042118782024-02-07T16:53:25.031-08:00Artist by Nature: Art and Photography by Mandy Hague, Whakatane. I am a Professional Artist and Photographer living in Whakatane New Zealand. These are my observations in art and photography, almost always inspired by the natural world.
DO NOT use my images without permission - there will be a charge for commercial use. You can view more of my creations on my website http://hague-art.wix.com/mandy-hague-artist
Thanks for visiting.Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-91972384229142704472014-10-10T15:38:00.003-07:002014-10-10T15:38:52.992-07:00Pied Shags<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Takeoff and Landing, a pied shag in breeding colours.</span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-42925508840310196222014-10-09T14:20:00.000-07:002014-10-09T14:20:33.878-07:00Gull versus Heron<span style="font-size: large;"> In this sequence of photos I captured a gull getting territorial over a rock near the Whakatane Rivermouth. A white-faced Heron had landed on the rock and the gull took exception to it and started a swooping attack on the Heron. There was only so much the heron was going to take though and after what was essentially only a few seconds the heron started to fight back. In the final image I'm not sure if the heron was chasing the gull or just leaving the premises.</span><br />
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Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0North Island-37.944155196405084 177.01019525527954-37.944937696405084 177.00893475527954 -37.943372696405085 177.01145575527954tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-56281301772212128822014-10-08T13:39:00.000-07:002014-10-08T13:39:37.405-07:00Kingfishers and crabs<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The past week I have become enchanted with Kingfishers. They've always been an elusive subject but with my new camera and 150-600mm lens I finally feel like I can do them justice. A breeding pair of them feed at low tide in an area near the childrens playground at the Whakatane Heads, the male brightly coloured and bolder in attitude too. Their main food source right now is crabs which they are catching in abundance. They catch the crab in their substantially sized beak and the first mission is to break enough of its legs to enable it to be swallowed. This they do by bashing the crab violently against a rock. I have photographed this action and noticed that while they are doing this the nictitating membrane covers the eye to protect it. This is a translucent membrane that acts as a third eyelid to protect the birds eye, in this case protection from flying crabs legs! It accounts for the strange look in the kingfishers eye in photo number 4 and gives the appearance that the bird is blind. I can assure you this is not the case and they have excellent eyesight!</span><br />
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Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-40788350733432491122014-03-11T00:18:00.002-07:002014-03-11T00:18:16.521-07:00I made a GIF!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-22973709480084707682014-02-13T13:29:00.000-08:002014-02-13T13:29:10.529-08:00Cemetery Cicadas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday I met Mum at a special place I know where the cicadas are super abundant. The spot is a cemetery with a large grove of some lovely tall trees and the noise of cicada song is deafening. I was collecting the skins the cicada pupae moult when they emerge from the ground and become adults. We "picked" cicadas for an hour or so filling plastic shopping bags with the little buggers. They are resources for future artworks - I have done quite a series using them as my chosen material. When we finished we celebrated with a picnic of cold chicken. While eating I contemplated and realised it's not everyone's Mum who would help pick cicada skins (but I must admit it's not the worst thing she has been roped into.)</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I photographed these as I realised they represent at least 3 or 4 different species. The tiny one I have never come across before and only measured around 15mm, half the size of the largest cicada.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SAm6nz7G4b_WxNPQew1W1oN5XQzqb811d00DCUaMwY4kp6kFxODC8ZGhhvSKJc3Ct3A1BU18c_vnbo40Oq4jiloJtnlBY595gn_heoKpgR7px9XWAsNHFxxGX8tzUUKqyd6Eqcsmi_bT/s1600/Cicadaskins2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Zi83fy4HqSbqHfKM5loS1v7X2Ev7hvl5k6J7y7Chyfo9opSUCO_L7h82cJJ8rKQX9VCuTaNumBwzNDsTHzEJRgymOG_S05wNBn6ZUePiWmCW9d-xgZgQ4NqGu9Rquv2Zvxqq_EDFFKnI/s1600/Cicadaskins4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Zi83fy4HqSbqHfKM5loS1v7X2Ev7hvl5k6J7y7Chyfo9opSUCO_L7h82cJJ8rKQX9VCuTaNumBwzNDsTHzEJRgymOG_S05wNBn6ZUePiWmCW9d-xgZgQ4NqGu9Rquv2Zvxqq_EDFFKnI/s1600/Cicadaskins4.jpg" height="381" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRRqGO4Br9OnCfTr7MeDeuCDeP1KErfufvlKjErvxjPsRcNVmkrFqa-KonHuYKCoy_1C0eb7h5j_VSmYotPoQibZ5RgnKAHp8Ea6CI_cq-cCGwHQ_npSe5Xpxt9rQizoDRZsg-skxTuce/s1600/Cicada+Tree+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRRqGO4Br9OnCfTr7MeDeuCDeP1KErfufvlKjErvxjPsRcNVmkrFqa-KonHuYKCoy_1C0eb7h5j_VSmYotPoQibZ5RgnKAHp8Ea6CI_cq-cCGwHQ_npSe5Xpxt9rQizoDRZsg-skxTuce/s1600/Cicada+Tree+1.jpg" height="400" width="315" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">My "Cicada Tree" above was a work I completed last year as part of my Advanced Diploma.</span>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-dKPfSpqx7RU%2FUv0z5hoCWvI%2FAAAAAAAAB8k%2FnWBoI9UnsH8%2Fs1600%2FCicadaskins2.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SAm6nz7G4b_WxNPQew1W1oN5XQzqb811d00DCUaMwY4kp6kFxODC8ZGhhvSKJc3Ct3A1BU18c_vnbo40Oq4jiloJtnlBY595gn_heoKpgR7px9XWAsNHFxxGX8tzUUKqyd6Eqcsmi_bT/s1600/Cicadaskins2.jpg" -->Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-56813788636544395582014-02-03T18:55:00.000-08:002014-02-04T12:34:56.298-08:00White Godwit<span style="font-size: large;">Every year around September/October the Ohiwa Harbour receives up to 3,00 visitors from Siberia. They fly direct on a journey that takes them 9 days and during that time they don't stop to eat or drink. They are Bar-tailed Godwits and they make the longest journey of any migratory bird. Once they arrive at Ohiwa they spend the summer getting fat on the abundance of molluscs and worms that thrive in the shallow waters of the estuary.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Late last year I received a phone call from my friends Meg and Mike who live overlooking the harbour to say there was a white Godwit among the flock. They kindly lent me a kayak and I paddled off at high tide to get some photos. The birds disperse to feed at low-tide and during high tide they park up in a large flock on the sand spit to rest. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> It wasn't easy getting the photos as the white bird was right in the centre of the group. When I finally got a little close and spooked them into flight I noticed the pale godwit did have some colouring so it confirmed that the specimen was an example of Leucism rather than Albinism. In albinos there is a total absence of pigment and these individuals tend to be less robust in terms of health. This white bird looked to be in fine form, a very healthy Godwit and quite beautiful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytfVGczmWpoOwjVr1ZSXtkUOjT7VwxU9spO_KzlR0vL_F9ePphyO3qmryHLQmOYiUtiQskXw7H8zvCMhJO8u0ZpFUv0XgVj8U3TbTZxqBiz5jf4jJA7htxh-099c8TRciJq5hfm6_8tdw/s1600/harbour+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytfVGczmWpoOwjVr1ZSXtkUOjT7VwxU9spO_KzlR0vL_F9ePphyO3qmryHLQmOYiUtiQskXw7H8zvCMhJO8u0ZpFUv0XgVj8U3TbTZxqBiz5jf4jJA7htxh-099c8TRciJq5hfm6_8tdw/s1600/harbour+sm.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Ohiwa Harbour</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> White Godwit</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJeyoqsfa07D_BaVEIDvMJ4vbZ1gK6E_Z7R35EXlvK7DmpatAX87QlNcpPm0EM20PxEBVICFWUbbVXD58dd7VwYN-pYdlA1J4pdFa5FaecUK3eWOCfPsiCXWEy1RmGJ6qxQo7l0lxNXLVC/s1600/White+Godwit+flying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJeyoqsfa07D_BaVEIDvMJ4vbZ1gK6E_Z7R35EXlvK7DmpatAX87QlNcpPm0EM20PxEBVICFWUbbVXD58dd7VwYN-pYdlA1J4pdFa5FaecUK3eWOCfPsiCXWEy1RmGJ6qxQo7l0lxNXLVC/s1600/White+Godwit+flying.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfm8h-J0kHG62vyqojzLrrCXKyWFZpeEnHnAmmN_UCj5KyZbwnbyuniVv0HIVqH7V68LV7-2Jarlc8aKCr_JMyetnBazEnKVWaRKYZP5rvW-GkBcCe856fjVIi66A4H3KUVB_x1DDYCFj/s1600/IMG_8224sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfm8h-J0kHG62vyqojzLrrCXKyWFZpeEnHnAmmN_UCj5KyZbwnbyuniVv0HIVqH7V68LV7-2Jarlc8aKCr_JMyetnBazEnKVWaRKYZP5rvW-GkBcCe856fjVIi66A4H3KUVB_x1DDYCFj/s1600/IMG_8224sm.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Black backed Gull</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioq4ILiwZ068bl-OOLsOsBJkOcJk5-juXpacoEr73K6VHsL8oCWWQVlvizbAp7B9cb1Y7gXI1C1oe8eMWc4WKM3aZnJou0bYCcPNIwju3Pzz5Xbv9Sv3p7hIy4KGlfdvEnZ19hWH_6LOdM/s1600/IMG_8075+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioq4ILiwZ068bl-OOLsOsBJkOcJk5-juXpacoEr73K6VHsL8oCWWQVlvizbAp7B9cb1Y7gXI1C1oe8eMWc4WKM3aZnJou0bYCcPNIwju3Pzz5Xbv9Sv3p7hIy4KGlfdvEnZ19hWH_6LOdM/s1600/IMG_8075+sm.jpg" height="245" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> White faced Heron and Shag</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9wpLSDSaM9QknzpP7PtVVC9V_jTpJ3l4oUpmpHJtjoI3fqwUuvIG92h7MhzADQyKdhETCPOOxu7FbC3rk680_Xq8Aafwxw5NpAB-b8fNbFQ8omYE9ORsRiySYu3xxeHfSyCvHokySBQO/s1600/ARS+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9wpLSDSaM9QknzpP7PtVVC9V_jTpJ3l4oUpmpHJtjoI3fqwUuvIG92h7MhzADQyKdhETCPOOxu7FbC3rk680_Xq8Aafwxw5NpAB-b8fNbFQ8omYE9ORsRiySYu3xxeHfSyCvHokySBQO/s1600/ARS+sm.jpg" height="237" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> A Godwit wearing a leg band. (AHS)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQg3QU8FwIKQYva1rpRUesqUfZGf6ARI5JqhPrhbNIwlUXxPDUm5ZCDEExhRXQcCkdX4Ds5hq59ATjAs0rrAY1D9pccMcYoHrgQUlM4QmQnSLAVNhvytu-BAQEFlt1d7XzmB0nfFdLBOQe/s1600/IMG_8143+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQg3QU8FwIKQYva1rpRUesqUfZGf6ARI5JqhPrhbNIwlUXxPDUm5ZCDEExhRXQcCkdX4Ds5hq59ATjAs0rrAY1D9pccMcYoHrgQUlM4QmQnSLAVNhvytu-BAQEFlt1d7XzmB0nfFdLBOQe/s1600/IMG_8143+sm.jpg" height="222" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4w2TDinmB0fTkpWei7oAm14Ugw3DM5nk4z1FW1YQTvFswmPr9pg1pWlGNiXSKocNf2FFpwY_WUE-2JV42jHs3VoOdGsmp7_Zj8YnSe3MR_HW3-reHqjjTJYK1TeyhQ1AFdae-W_Kuf59/s1600/IMG_8200+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4w2TDinmB0fTkpWei7oAm14Ugw3DM5nk4z1FW1YQTvFswmPr9pg1pWlGNiXSKocNf2FFpwY_WUE-2JV42jHs3VoOdGsmp7_Zj8YnSe3MR_HW3-reHqjjTJYK1TeyhQ1AFdae-W_Kuf59/s1600/IMG_8200+sm.jpg" height="320" width="265" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Godwit food! (yuck)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipWchNMUPdS_sY9zVdHNjTSnioqlv6ZiZlnc6ZolMWslrUB_AlocNbZTfw_BX5gCkCrjpPKqL63JQu0ehBhNj6KqqKhGqk1BddnI4SEdEUHAnfgsOtCbxCgwgUi3ry2G9kmEtDgpOcApw/s1600/IMG_8260+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipWchNMUPdS_sY9zVdHNjTSnioqlv6ZiZlnc6ZolMWslrUB_AlocNbZTfw_BX5gCkCrjpPKqL63JQu0ehBhNj6KqqKhGqk1BddnI4SEdEUHAnfgsOtCbxCgwgUi3ry2G9kmEtDgpOcApw/s1600/IMG_8260+sm.jpg" height="120" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-78261680481592951202014-02-03T01:39:00.000-08:002014-02-03T01:39:05.087-08:00Mangrove Seeds<span style="font-size: large;">I helped Troy out on a photo shoot on the Ohiwa Harbour yesterday. It was low tide and I collected a handful of mangrove seeds. There are lots of mangroves in the harbour, so many they have started silting parts of the estuary up.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-SDEH6ifz-mjRgi8jzDvI1Gh35hdlB-unZL9i4VoRGKM2qQ4mMzLXoL9t_hwIuCdDVzXB_ibDajOpC3bz_9894oI09MmNMqn5T0KLfRtcfK6IMXa5tOr72jLOt8CzFU_TtSy4E4O4V9R/s1600/Mangrove+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-SDEH6ifz-mjRgi8jzDvI1Gh35hdlB-unZL9i4VoRGKM2qQ4mMzLXoL9t_hwIuCdDVzXB_ibDajOpC3bz_9894oI09MmNMqn5T0KLfRtcfK6IMXa5tOr72jLOt8CzFU_TtSy4E4O4V9R/s1600/Mangrove+small.jpg" height="400" width="278" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Now and then they are cut back to keep them in check. They spread when their seeds float away on the tide and are washed up on the mudflats, little green explorers in search of new lands.</span><br />Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-91086039997475363942014-02-01T14:42:00.001-08:002014-02-01T14:42:17.792-08:00Weta leaves<span style="font-size: large;">I've been playing around with these large leaves. I have created a couple of these wetas and I'm thinking a number of them would look good together. I like that there is a certain unpredictability about the leaf - what will happen when it dries and turns brown? How will it look? Will it crinkle and warp? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The shape of the insect is part of the leaf with the negative spaces reminiscent of the holes insects make when the leaf is chewed. A bit of fun to create.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7nhrYcR7xCBTFMxHxlH4y1WVsafta5LESDNODQmNTKYP147jFvyVS3hVLwlAHpVp40QDTBXhm4BGdDybcR0KYLuHmtX7e6bIvo0FLwcaLAkKAXKmYilve1V1Er2EKFXOn1nu7Ss7YpDr/s1600/LeafWeta+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7nhrYcR7xCBTFMxHxlH4y1WVsafta5LESDNODQmNTKYP147jFvyVS3hVLwlAHpVp40QDTBXhm4BGdDybcR0KYLuHmtX7e6bIvo0FLwcaLAkKAXKmYilve1V1Er2EKFXOn1nu7Ss7YpDr/s1600/LeafWeta+sm.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></span></div>
<br />Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-89500336196353919492014-01-30T20:01:00.000-08:002014-01-30T20:01:02.356-08:00Collections, Series II<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">My work "Collections, Series II" has been selected and hung as a finalist in the Molly Morpeth Canaday Art Awards for 2014. Yay! I didn't feel I could handle a large canvas when I began it in December so I decided to paint a collection of found objects and work on them as separate little paintings. It earned the nickname "liddle fings" and I collected up shells, bones, feathers, moths, seeds.......all the little scraps of interestingness that you find while wandering the wild areas and parks, even the back yard. And then I decided I had to include some little nasties. Objects made of plastic and other pollutants that are always there among the shells on the beach or wherever you are. I included only 3, a plastic peg, a battery and a cigarette lighter. These three represent the insidious waste products we manufacture every day to poison out earth. I didn't want them to be too overbearing so they are carefully placed within the composition. There are 81 little canvases, each 3 inches wide by 3&3/4 inches high. The image below doesn't include the frame as I photographed it before I took it to my framer. I've also included a couple of detail shots.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_b1DH0TbGpOBwnCNy_ZlRarodXkdzQZsfxu7jEOe3uFaQsuX5f-MzIAgLJJ-2o5lycWquIgqJBW_LTWNtL-QpAWGRFzP73uaPqB6avOVaW1JedRhVwhFyONXIXOoIvZJx9I2oJ0eCYLp/s1600/Collections,+Series+2+small+file.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_b1DH0TbGpOBwnCNy_ZlRarodXkdzQZsfxu7jEOe3uFaQsuX5f-MzIAgLJJ-2o5lycWquIgqJBW_LTWNtL-QpAWGRFzP73uaPqB6avOVaW1JedRhVwhFyONXIXOoIvZJx9I2oJ0eCYLp/s1600/Collections,+Series+2+small+file.jpg" height="320" width="260" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm trialling a new website too. You can check it out here. </span></div>
<a href="http://hague-art.wix.com/mandy-hague-artist">http://hague-art.wix.com/mandy-hague-artist</a>#</div>
Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-17757649194191021072013-07-28T02:31:00.000-07:002013-07-28T02:38:44.354-07:00Herons in lake Ohope<span style="font-size: large;">There is a large puddle in farmland at the side of the road before the turnoff to the Ohope Spit. Locals have nicknamed it "Lake Ohope." In the middle of summer it dries out completely but after a run of wet weather it could by some stretch of the imagination be regarded as a little lake although I think "pond" is more like it. No matter what the size it always has lovely reflections and there are often ducks, plovers, oystercatchers or stilts there. Never all at once though, and usually just a pair of birds. Yesterday there were herons feeding. Worms I'm guessing. I just had to stop to take these shots.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-Vk18O5-K893m49LMkyBOl-Xdm0jBYNXJ8FtX9SUmmdNH1_hrBFfwz27rLDLc0owUTe6mGtfk9ckYkazMPsFP7vxyZNts4j1ZcNBnl5DPxW2QTjm0iQmy7BXzgualW0xGHS7woV6NgiC/s1600/Herons+small1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-Vk18O5-K893m49LMkyBOl-Xdm0jBYNXJ8FtX9SUmmdNH1_hrBFfwz27rLDLc0owUTe6mGtfk9ckYkazMPsFP7vxyZNts4j1ZcNBnl5DPxW2QTjm0iQmy7BXzgualW0xGHS7woV6NgiC/s400/Herons+small1.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjI1O-WoVjGzGwX5akjCAIs2k2w3cMwgDJPkC3rQJcryRFFKRDOSor6bbrM3A6YVi53kje9NGkBTqdZppw7BzbdS55yAzq7kkUF5JS98jaiZr98IkwEbSMaiHXkLWBPo4tJuX_B6rDagJk/s1600/HERONS+SMALL2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjI1O-WoVjGzGwX5akjCAIs2k2w3cMwgDJPkC3rQJcryRFFKRDOSor6bbrM3A6YVi53kje9NGkBTqdZppw7BzbdS55yAzq7kkUF5JS98jaiZr98IkwEbSMaiHXkLWBPo4tJuX_B6rDagJk/s400/HERONS+SMALL2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-20020133913465494642013-07-28T00:59:00.001-07:002013-07-28T00:59:05.325-07:00Flounder in Plaster.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I've been getting my hands mucky this weekend. Playing around with some flounder as part of my work for The Learning Connexion Art School. My intention is to make 4 or 5 and create a series looking at camouflage. After making my casts from Plaster of Paris I've decided I should have used latex. I'll have another go later on in the week. An interesting thing tho.... I photographed the impression made by the flounder which was a negative space but when you view the photo your brain reads it as a positive form.<br />
Weird!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnXCOll9lURs-66sigQ4ykHgDJvZ0wD6TCn2PbzVt2dvy7zK0LoVJj4ToksbnjvAJ8unh6_EJ-s9ErX2vWpC6NP0jx89sm4jlgGN5B4W4IwBIfrasCrQDF7pP9Etp4q-GI2e6UBYmw5Cs/s1600/floundercastsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnXCOll9lURs-66sigQ4ykHgDJvZ0wD6TCn2PbzVt2dvy7zK0LoVJj4ToksbnjvAJ8unh6_EJ-s9ErX2vWpC6NP0jx89sm4jlgGN5B4W4IwBIfrasCrQDF7pP9Etp4q-GI2e6UBYmw5Cs/s320/floundercastsmall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</span><br />Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-62862441031502856932013-07-28T00:46:00.001-07:002013-07-28T00:46:56.435-07:00I'm Back!<span style="font-size: large;">I've had a bit of time off from my blog. A bit of time measured in years rather than weeks for one reason or another. Mainly because I thought it had gotten a bit boring due to things repeating. That's what happens with seasons. Early spring there are ducklings, in summer there are cicadas yada yada yada...but actually that's what I like about life. As tenuous as it seems sometimes. So here I go again with my blog but I intend incorporating my art a bit more. I am only months away from finishing my Advanced Diploma with the Learning Connexion Art School which is very exciting. So I'll be adding my thoughts and explorations about my studies.</span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-18043865344155536722012-12-15T14:36:00.001-08:002012-12-15T14:36:39.962-08:00Cuddly caterpillars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6N-nLv_MY5sII3Ddc8L7vlPqh1th9xE0L00vaXv0VQFMzYYjLs2teE3-0Xb4uDwLt2ObVMBLgv2AiAufTiuOvFoV2STeQG9x5afPLpvQUezC5X9GWPqFIE8WHFdDKT81ZucWS2u_K84jm/s1600/Monarch+Caterpillers+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6N-nLv_MY5sII3Ddc8L7vlPqh1th9xE0L00vaXv0VQFMzYYjLs2teE3-0Xb4uDwLt2ObVMBLgv2AiAufTiuOvFoV2STeQG9x5afPLpvQUezC5X9GWPqFIE8WHFdDKT81ZucWS2u_K84jm/s320/Monarch+Caterpillers+sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I think Monarch caterpillars should have been designed much larger as they would be nice to cuddle. They are soft and snuggly but I guess those sucky feet could be a bit off-putting. And they eat so much that they would be difficult to sustain nutritionally if they were a couple of foot long. OK, I concede, maybe they<i> are</i> be<span style="font-size: large;">st small.</span></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-74903389534544761302011-11-30T02:06:00.000-08:002011-11-30T02:09:53.163-08:00A Barrel of Bees<span style="font-size: large;">Troy and I have just spent two awesome weeks in the South Island. I took a few hundred photos and so far I haven't even begun to sort through them. I'll share as soon as I can. Til then here's the drama that's unfolded in the last few days.</span><br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> When we left there was a family of young starlings being raised in the oak whiskey barrel sitting on our front porch. I figured they would have fledged by the time we got home but I never expected that a hive of wild honey bees would take their place!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicf-eCJz4eVKp0e4DneXp5j6oHdUWLM03IERzn3FsEeY17RyWOwWwDILGXKt3IUOY4Z1tS5NCVSS6Yr17zdO0NREhGiuOdNTcxQbexF0ZEVDBP6IyaN_jBv6fSnywp-HOev25yoS82sCBw/s1600/Bees2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicf-eCJz4eVKp0e4DneXp5j6oHdUWLM03IERzn3FsEeY17RyWOwWwDILGXKt3IUOY4Z1tS5NCVSS6Yr17zdO0NREhGiuOdNTcxQbexF0ZEVDBP6IyaN_jBv6fSnywp-HOev25yoS82sCBw/s400/Bees2.jpg" width="400" /></a><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wjs7F4SgPPcoFI-6iI4rKnSbZ1HavQPp_Jvc1mFW1DrnkD59gLK_O-Etbgqbg1YrBp80i-o4X-M0iYEfaOKT2NCPy4cYYQfbECj4knJajvYTpWAiEAH38Ko7Vd8FhlIM7xKyfXIJNzgG/s400/Bees1.jpg" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A steady trickle of bees were coming and going in the busy manner that bees have. Now I like bees and I'm well aware they are in a dangerous decline worldwide due to sprays and poisons among other things. Bee stings I'm not so keen on - actually I'm a big sook when it comes to that so I was wary about having a hive three feet from my front door. It was lucky one of Troys best mates Misho is a bee-keeper so between the two of them they worked out a plan to move the hive without the total destruction of our barrel. It was tipped upside-down and Misho cut a hole with a skillsaw (meanwhile we were safely inside cowering in the kitchen - I took this shot through the sliding door.)</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN4lfTq0i4eBcdEy11q1-UXXJ8hvQqSo0bASIMZb1I_azhyphenhyphenuy6ZgKbDL757sj0Vp9aC3n-Ry6kneQEBsDwXFbTmsu-MyVtRDLClGvB4eNeAvgOazLudzMk366NYthqdnyy_Di3cC-h53Eu/s400/Bees5.jpg" width="400" /></div><br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitv468eYU9_Z9f6TrdSO95qYzdul_QccYrQ__FlAx229xMLzJa70yUjMTZfy7gqJmlKnffiy8g2tjzYNX7DKZGJH5ofXmcPMdMWEnIg4_uajw-fcil067HkqGgSBmQN74y49AoifCQlhCT/s1600/Bees3c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitv468eYU9_Z9f6TrdSO95qYzdul_QccYrQ__FlAx229xMLzJa70yUjMTZfy7gqJmlKnffiy8g2tjzYNX7DKZGJH5ofXmcPMdMWEnIg4_uajw-fcil067HkqGgSBmQN74y49AoifCQlhCT/s400/Bees3c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">However after Misho assured me the bees were not going to attack I was brave enough to get this shot looking down thru the hole in the barrel, the whole interior was<em> covered</em> in bees!!! <span style="color: orange;">Double click on the above photo to enlarge, its kinda freaky!</span></span></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKU9l3MsAnEvO4gsHAjcCh9eflQB0Vh-LUgNGIPBeXljf-H9Ij62TIA85BKHrYMFCqIaS7y6oomSAWQbRp3BdQB3MTWLD0vwPzjnvjh4WGg2speENcTa2PWQidSCwgpJquCRwyhlahRgT/s1600/Bees7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKU9l3MsAnEvO4gsHAjcCh9eflQB0Vh-LUgNGIPBeXljf-H9Ij62TIA85BKHrYMFCqIaS7y6oomSAWQbRp3BdQB3MTWLD0vwPzjnvjh4WGg2speENcTa2PWQidSCwgpJquCRwyhlahRgT/s400/Bees7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A bunch of bees were collected from the barrel interior and dropped into a bee box. Misho then somehow found the queen amongst all those hundreds of bees and put her in the box then put the lid on. He then collected as many bees as he could and deposited them outside the box. By nightfall they had all moved into their new quarters to be close to their queen!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lfotHGeA28KXl9YBCWWTyr7cy9ZCcLP20hShJvF3HBBqAJp5Tq55vNNpLTVQqjeD5JBc8GAb7bo9VtYV8F9UELIUCl-XXkaWLPs0mwCdfmCbtimcs-YdiNYg_6isUXA-3ITbWzatphxG/s1600/Bees6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lfotHGeA28KXl9YBCWWTyr7cy9ZCcLP20hShJvF3HBBqAJp5Tq55vNNpLTVQqjeD5JBc8GAb7bo9VtYV8F9UELIUCl-XXkaWLPs0mwCdfmCbtimcs-YdiNYg_6isUXA-3ITbWzatphxG/s400/Bees6.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately the honeycomb couldn't be saved but Misho placed the broken pieces in front of the bee box as the bees eat up the honey so they can use it in the new hive! Pieces of the remains of the starling nest were gummed up in the sticky mess.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAHbNcGEyXF5BE2qbV47hpqLYMJDgh9xccl7hzEvY5bfhRYIme5PiONttEsn58XWqhbplwFBfJripzxxBr8ViD42lz3YyjqYXLPaWy2plBd0p5PR7KEz37k_8YqXa9TuvDzHcXs7IlwHH/s1600/Bees4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAHbNcGEyXF5BE2qbV47hpqLYMJDgh9xccl7hzEvY5bfhRYIme5PiONttEsn58XWqhbplwFBfJripzxxBr8ViD42lz3YyjqYXLPaWy2plBd0p5PR7KEz37k_8YqXa9TuvDzHcXs7IlwHH/s400/Bees4.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiAX12-drGjO_lTdSq5glHlMGJbJjBzeQXbRywaSrVIIO6Ic6WfLqYb2ghlTvPGkufHFgRuMrFJYra8EDprkF_ruaTJ7Yvye80CX0eHorlyvC6X1Lb2GTADSAKGbEuZmBor-DaRSOu6Dx/s1600/Bees4c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiAX12-drGjO_lTdSq5glHlMGJbJjBzeQXbRywaSrVIIO6Ic6WfLqYb2ghlTvPGkufHFgRuMrFJYra8EDprkF_ruaTJ7Yvye80CX0eHorlyvC6X1Lb2GTADSAKGbEuZmBor-DaRSOu6Dx/s400/Bees4c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some of the honeycomb is used to house the young bees in the grub stage, some is used to store honey and some stores pollen (if I remember correctly.) A few bees got drowned in the honey when the hive was tipped upside-down but all in all it was a successful relocation. I was amazed at how much honeycomb the hive had made in less than two weeks. All in all it was quite fascinating learning how they work. In a couple of days Misho will add another layer to the bee box then take them to his place. And in a few weeks Troy and I will get a share of the lovely golden honey! Mmmm-mmm. A shame we couldn't leave it in the barrel, we could have had whiskey flavoured honey. But then again it would probably have had overtones of starling poop....eeeeyew!</span></div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-43616121923060307422011-10-19T02:47:00.000-07:002011-10-19T02:47:33.529-07:00Caspian Tern struggles with Eel<span style="font-size: large;">Caspian Terns are the largest species of tern found in New Zealand and are conspicuous by their bright red beak. They are common residents of the lower Whakatane river and can be spectacular to watch as they perform vertical dives for small fish.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cBD8ZMScRHHBBg5P6ZM9kpF2ptYA7MCqp9oF2Kb-O7JhiXzTAS_KH3B9ftYg-bLU1guRSPWFiNZmT8DAd2JvB4sOxSND1EJMwPNxxIvkmEu7WArBm_qFVdtjmvcaqOzoQncMu3FxZ4co/s1600/IMG_6114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cBD8ZMScRHHBBg5P6ZM9kpF2ptYA7MCqp9oF2Kb-O7JhiXzTAS_KH3B9ftYg-bLU1guRSPWFiNZmT8DAd2JvB4sOxSND1EJMwPNxxIvkmEu7WArBm_qFVdtjmvcaqOzoQncMu3FxZ4co/s400/IMG_6114.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The other day I was surprised to see one with an eel which was still very much alive and wriggling</span>. <span style="font-size: large;">The tern was having a hard time holding on to it and the eel kept getting loose and free falling.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd49PgCrmkdmECA_IXpByjKJKsbvzZHxAvFPLi16wX0n6HhRKjKj4AN_x6knLxQa0Pr71mXrar6-zBI_2ISaHVNH97j-puYNkps415rgXKeIuN_m3qyue0B6Y1fR9Ji4pvJZ8XXsZjr2Tz/s1600/IMG_6116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd49PgCrmkdmECA_IXpByjKJKsbvzZHxAvFPLi16wX0n6HhRKjKj4AN_x6knLxQa0Pr71mXrar6-zBI_2ISaHVNH97j-puYNkps415rgXKeIuN_m3qyue0B6Y1fR9Ji4pvJZ8XXsZjr2Tz/s400/IMG_6116.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The bird wasn't going to let its meal get away and employed some cunning acrobatics to reclaim its dinner.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfqwvN3t4zJoprc8H5FhvhYJKCw3R4gO_4sZmELE8fIQ21qNcUInu6-rnOIb32k1Il_qn3QHkHsR-gebk9Ga5Kiuld6BPC7EPSXE-vD41juXM926TQJ2lOZ9VRyzhsVcrFujQd2573rL9/s1600/IMG_6108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfqwvN3t4zJoprc8H5FhvhYJKCw3R4gO_4sZmELE8fIQ21qNcUInu6-rnOIb32k1Il_qn3QHkHsR-gebk9Ga5Kiuld6BPC7EPSXE-vD41juXM926TQJ2lOZ9VRyzhsVcrFujQd2573rL9/s400/IMG_6108.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">I didn't get to see the tern finally swallow the eel but I would suspect it won out in the end.</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcu3ptq_E50HzED5lx0ZW7DRxt3dGoeCUJfCKNFMG41_FB-oddW6NV4eXs_OvsTxke0_ZD414chNJKosqA_Mkx0nMGnbts5vc-M3Tjua5nKnOBzf0klZmVYbct092sVQZde2-KB_xCqqo/s1600/IMG_6118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcu3ptq_E50HzED5lx0ZW7DRxt3dGoeCUJfCKNFMG41_FB-oddW6NV4eXs_OvsTxke0_ZD414chNJKosqA_Mkx0nMGnbts5vc-M3Tjua5nKnOBzf0klZmVYbct092sVQZde2-KB_xCqqo/s400/IMG_6118.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have often watched shags trying to eat young eels and just when you think the bird has swallowed the eel it will wriggle back out again! Sometimes the bird takes ages before it finally gets it all the way down. They must taste good to be worth all that effort!</span></div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-21147601192452330892011-10-17T02:19:00.000-07:002011-10-17T02:23:05.199-07:00Dotterel Relocation Project, Herepuru - Matata<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The day after my epic trek up the coast line in search of dotterel I found out the Dept of Conservation had decided it was too risky to leave the birds where they were due to the threat of pollution. A few miles up the coast the container ship Rena was stuck on Astrolabe Reef and still leaking oil into the sea and it was just a matter of time before it reached the dotterel habitat. These birds are extremely susceptible to oil but it was still not a decision the experts reached lightly. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> DOC dotterel experts were flown in and were met by local resident John Groom who has monitored the population here for at least ten years. I was fortunate enough to catch up with them at Herepuru and watch John Dowding in action.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJ0fH5fsxJYBxxexP55c59y_kOKYxK5L0MqMZXeqlxHwjGhSBtjJlnD0L0MHifEabTc2GJki9jXbywCLnXS2Z_MB1rAs3S4VbO_qpBIjuZypH-KI7d9VDaBy-L_N3ecaGh4tTvIKuSMvm/s1600/IMG_6194p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJ0fH5fsxJYBxxexP55c59y_kOKYxK5L0MqMZXeqlxHwjGhSBtjJlnD0L0MHifEabTc2GJki9jXbywCLnXS2Z_MB1rAs3S4VbO_qpBIjuZypH-KI7d9VDaBy-L_N3ecaGh4tTvIKuSMvm/s400/IMG_6194p.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here he guides the bird towards the capture net. You can just see the dotterel right of centre on the sand.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxZE07oLBYeLVgC65MnnDIJTZCMYUxoyqwMl5S2RewN9zYzBwpn_M0I4KUODkCvYWgfYJ0SkXW3YJRI8BWA-E4OOC6_t0Nu1REHaJihSFwne_OUnf9Ddvhi6yzbTk8gzcG6bQB2cOdR7M/s1600/IMG_6208_resize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxZE07oLBYeLVgC65MnnDIJTZCMYUxoyqwMl5S2RewN9zYzBwpn_M0I4KUODkCvYWgfYJ0SkXW3YJRI8BWA-E4OOC6_t0Nu1REHaJihSFwne_OUnf9Ddvhi6yzbTk8gzcG6bQB2cOdR7M/s400/IMG_6208_resize.jpg" width="388" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Within minutes the first dotterel was captured.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2LH9yP4281Qm_K817m9_jiuAVmf8xNQYL7-hk1dlrKFtt4G5IhxxxMBM31Of4OyjuumGcXKGULWW8JN2KZ2hmQZbMe3hSGevZfY8d9uRe_v3OftFnJzmLzBVTuaRTTBgxf9NSHK2vjsaI/s1600/IMG_6260p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2LH9yP4281Qm_K817m9_jiuAVmf8xNQYL7-hk1dlrKFtt4G5IhxxxMBM31Of4OyjuumGcXKGULWW8JN2KZ2hmQZbMe3hSGevZfY8d9uRe_v3OftFnJzmLzBVTuaRTTBgxf9NSHK2vjsaI/s400/IMG_6260p.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Its weight was recorded...</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCQo7vkxvkpj2hL2iG-eKZveQqpn2bV-22A-BDk7tBKieVeEnSGg1c78_IRsTPJ31X_qtIDbGK-CC_rQILmUtSXyTI4KPCncENLs5tmH8VPjZGSGlfb5-G7ScTF19oO_gtpPUWgQawJtI/s1600/Dotterel+relocation+-+wing+check.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCQo7vkxvkpj2hL2iG-eKZveQqpn2bV-22A-BDk7tBKieVeEnSGg1c78_IRsTPJ31X_qtIDbGK-CC_rQILmUtSXyTI4KPCncENLs5tmH8VPjZGSGlfb5-G7ScTF19oO_gtpPUWgQawJtI/s400/Dotterel+relocation+-+wing+check.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmFHN7U9cE0Dg-AWhfkQ96kyagc0lbYrGHRp4C4gErFj6mmWGqXxPNROfWgfHSeBuUystRR2L3X93oYAwH7MroLsJBzirGC31HT6LG-yQE-mWy3HT7DeDRKVi8_FoSKkspmDc7vGSd8gk/s1600/Dotterel+relocation+-+inspection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmFHN7U9cE0Dg-AWhfkQ96kyagc0lbYrGHRp4C4gErFj6mmWGqXxPNROfWgfHSeBuUystRR2L3X93oYAwH7MroLsJBzirGC31HT6LG-yQE-mWy3HT7DeDRKVi8_FoSKkspmDc7vGSd8gk/s400/Dotterel+relocation+-+inspection.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNa7xrhYRlKoApk9g6B06vHPDas9Jiv4UztCLZP_6Jj2ocxKTvgVS4x39wEzIX2JiQvF8AbmTb1JoMLu4LgdbRBFwCidJiNkVyJr93nnf-StN5XeOBassVICe8_nTeaEHsdp3UL9tOrdUo/s1600/Dotterel+relocation+-+banding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNa7xrhYRlKoApk9g6B06vHPDas9Jiv4UztCLZP_6Jj2ocxKTvgVS4x39wEzIX2JiQvF8AbmTb1JoMLu4LgdbRBFwCidJiNkVyJr93nnf-StN5XeOBassVICe8_nTeaEHsdp3UL9tOrdUo/s400/Dotterel+relocation+-+banding.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">and an identification band attached to its leg.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWdSczfbG8OJLL1KPpsVH8aDzw0NJdpV3H9TAxvuCfPrrE6Q8QUj5Equ5KNxVHv39hYVPVZ87NnarNHfTL1gPpAb0fT394fIidDG9oaSFuwUJlx23fh_WQ2t0EL8wep6USH-k_XW4uDeM/s1600/Dotterel+relocation+-+John+Dowding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWdSczfbG8OJLL1KPpsVH8aDzw0NJdpV3H9TAxvuCfPrrE6Q8QUj5Equ5KNxVHv39hYVPVZ87NnarNHfTL1gPpAb0fT394fIidDG9oaSFuwUJlx23fh_WQ2t0EL8wep6USH-k_XW4uDeM/s400/Dotterel+relocation+-+John+Dowding.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> John Dowding is an ornithologist who specialises in these birds. He has such a gentle laid-back manner that seems to cause very little stress to the birds he is handling. The last I heard the team had caught 25 but were aiming for 40 with the captured birds relocated to Tauranga. I was priveleged to be there to witness their work and of course to get some photos. I'm just hoping the oil won't make it this far!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-46848692018060454272011-10-14T22:55:00.000-07:002011-10-19T02:49:53.134-07:00National New Zealand Dotterel Census<span style="font-size: large;"> On Thursday I took part in a Nationwide census on New Zealand Dotterel. These birds are a threatened species and at the last count in 2004 numbered around 1700.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> My section of coastline was the stretch of sand from Coastlands subdivision near Whakatane to the Whakatane Golflinks. Sue Greenwood from forest and bird along with Alan Houltain were to patrol from Coastlands down to the Whakatane rivermouth. We set off a little after 9am, Sue and Alan turning right from the carpark as I turned left. It was a rather stormy day and I was enjoying the brisk weather until a few minutes into the walk when I got a nose full of oil smell from the gounded Rena in Tauranga. It was horrible and my throat began to hurt when fortunately the wind changed and the smell disapeared. I arrived at the Golf links having seen a few Variable oystercatchers but no dotterels. I texted for more instructions. "Carry on to the Thornton rivermouth." I wondered how far that was....seemed quite a long way. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIfK7M9ilb73j4lX4zMjfff4-xCqYP9DyDC4rBzMCq84S-ste2UhkE1uVYJ516nWt3XFBNfmfNMv7r7L3e8QVK5OdTDYzsGGPqJRlKtsRB7gc9m49xZUF-8yr87iA6msCKRs8fqpFN8h6/s1600/oystercatchers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIfK7M9ilb73j4lX4zMjfff4-xCqYP9DyDC4rBzMCq84S-ste2UhkE1uVYJ516nWt3XFBNfmfNMv7r7L3e8QVK5OdTDYzsGGPqJRlKtsRB7gc9m49xZUF-8yr87iA6msCKRs8fqpFN8h6/s320/oystercatchers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There were some great Physalia washed up also known as Man o War jellyfish. Excellent colours!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATkkmwVwSjRxOZah0jXkIsle1lfQY3LHs7ewlR5d_NCB696Zjs8ywe6RpiILVlzXUFLl7xyRJnNvbVHyixLRjdzJ990VVsOaLAIi136htWGgWvV8Ic4Ve_gm3j6fH79tEKbQC-T6Ntfz5/s1600/stingey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATkkmwVwSjRxOZah0jXkIsle1lfQY3LHs7ewlR5d_NCB696Zjs8ywe6RpiILVlzXUFLl7xyRJnNvbVHyixLRjdzJ990VVsOaLAIi136htWGgWvV8Ic4Ve_gm3j6fH79tEKbQC-T6Ntfz5/s320/stingey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSf1oVgIiJo6niBeWw1ZnxYeapXfYv_LZSXHPggkByf-CmVOtxP-2DfJ_WgyAqXs9atK2pGeEGebKsW3svXpH-64kdghkCMVrM-woHDQ6gmo54u6RVxG6ngiVubb1tvSOHuuo5grIRm89i/s1600/stingit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSf1oVgIiJo6niBeWw1ZnxYeapXfYv_LZSXHPggkByf-CmVOtxP-2DfJ_WgyAqXs9atK2pGeEGebKsW3svXpH-64kdghkCMVrM-woHDQ6gmo54u6RVxG6ngiVubb1tvSOHuuo5grIRm89i/s320/stingit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VzlJC02x0XudjpCnV2aqFQCZY9PsgXYDZye-3RyHUyyGBuFDL9FTZfxxxA7afL8Gzpw0QF6LkHNn5GVTZ9QtjxxPQfiPQp93y53zztCILCHHtCgX4RXGnVnPkzdCVLYon16lSUt2RbV2/s1600/stingeyfing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VzlJC02x0XudjpCnV2aqFQCZY9PsgXYDZye-3RyHUyyGBuFDL9FTZfxxxA7afL8Gzpw0QF6LkHNn5GVTZ9QtjxxPQfiPQp93y53zztCILCHHtCgX4RXGnVnPkzdCVLYon16lSUt2RbV2/s320/stingeyfing.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And my favourite shell of all times - the Violet snail.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7Y8YPCycucZbElocRB0Z_ghenuOx0NuZ8IjTdCVwPJJ9qgMa3R4rWEqRmveWwLtbuBFm5Gbwuo_2-aZ4p1hutkGO2Q_KcM4uPT4L-HuJwr1y0oR0inYz-TvQ4ydzXAkmlYiPBPpnfkMI/s1600/Violet+snail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7Y8YPCycucZbElocRB0Z_ghenuOx0NuZ8IjTdCVwPJJ9qgMa3R4rWEqRmveWwLtbuBFm5Gbwuo_2-aZ4p1hutkGO2Q_KcM4uPT4L-HuJwr1y0oR0inYz-TvQ4ydzXAkmlYiPBPpnfkMI/s320/Violet+snail.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">No dotterels but still I walked....and walked....and walked....</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bloody Hell! Where's this rivermouth then? Seven kilometres up the coast I spied Sue and Allan walking to meet me. And there finally were some dotterels tho since the other two had spotted them first I had to reveal my tally as none! Waaaagh!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI04UuYoX-vH4HX3XzXts5Qqh_dUGvPWlypzGNC0z86hvMuuX7XIwaaP1qmYKQjf9Gj8PYMhZVg3QPlPT-hcupaoX8WG4bwX1Zz-fRYtTXG-Ai5VatFZB9TtcDdjKKqY2u-XaXQBBfnEhc/s1600/dotterel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI04UuYoX-vH4HX3XzXts5Qqh_dUGvPWlypzGNC0z86hvMuuX7XIwaaP1qmYKQjf9Gj8PYMhZVg3QPlPT-hcupaoX8WG4bwX1Zz-fRYtTXG-Ai5VatFZB9TtcDdjKKqY2u-XaXQBBfnEhc/s320/dotterel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAXhvKLHQBptvv0t8hE8MF3D8Yytzo_tWac37mShqs36MuT9_ZOhotKTwaVNonEI-0TFI6afJo1yKJdPv6YDLlBu9irdPNooS78F-UF2lvidpz6A4XCWN9g6hLphX24cXoG0C48k6Py9I/s320/dotterel1.jpg" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">To learn more about dotterels click on the link below. This clip shows a population at Omaha Beach.</span></div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot4roA7j41c&feature=player_embedded">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot4roA7j41c&feature=player_embedded</a>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-26054958564594831542011-10-05T03:08:00.000-07:002011-10-05T03:08:39.785-07:00Latest Paintings<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is my first post since early June, nearly four months ago. Sorry to anyone who followed my blog but I just haven't been in the right frame of mind due to a whole lot of stuff that's been going on in my life. Lost my mojo for a while - have hardly even taken any photos. Still, its spring now so I'm done with the winter blues and I'm determined to get my inspiration back. Here are my latest four paintings.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpDzKk4-SYsTUxXXvVe53jpGm94SCt4HDVPTXV08Igu3LginKk4rrsRWT9Jm1yRHxLlredl5TKD0bwj7V6f2siE7B_QfDpcb6CclpnBK8VtiuA2HTCoaZcbn5vuJ1gbLodLFNxU8smrcC/s1600/Little+Black+Shag+-framed+small+file.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpDzKk4-SYsTUxXXvVe53jpGm94SCt4HDVPTXV08Igu3LginKk4rrsRWT9Jm1yRHxLlredl5TKD0bwj7V6f2siE7B_QfDpcb6CclpnBK8VtiuA2HTCoaZcbn5vuJ1gbLodLFNxU8smrcC/s320/Little+Black+Shag+-framed+small+file.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9sSThVfDvQgmlxHqjfa3jQzfygjtCG-v2v72cciclsSljIXzScYqsCN2jtfHI-74YgKIb9AFBmZmA8D6No9gyyebYzDLDm_OCQ-192SiGl6N0cmngFSeK04DS3kMwXS2QRVunB5WfhI3/s1600/NZ+Dotterel+framed+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9sSThVfDvQgmlxHqjfa3jQzfygjtCG-v2v72cciclsSljIXzScYqsCN2jtfHI-74YgKIb9AFBmZmA8D6No9gyyebYzDLDm_OCQ-192SiGl6N0cmngFSeK04DS3kMwXS2QRVunB5WfhI3/s320/NZ+Dotterel+framed+small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-88683957441134840532011-06-10T18:46:00.000-07:002011-06-13T01:27:41.639-07:00Baby bunnies<div style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">There has been a family of young rabbits living in the woodpile over our fence. Charming little creatures they are too. My neice Nicola wanted to see some photos of them so I spent the morning stalking bunnies. These are for you Nicola.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyL8Hbtye3Ewt1KSI5rD-fHtmPJYAKclzpL_xtfD9xnyZbOpu1W1MHCQFmbYQCkWVyZaMrFZMzHQqVtTeT0ydaUVhsoWKGW-qMXjwoSv7hhcoDMUDi2WMZEZgdHWIjyxIEIpK2087V5BF9/s1600/bunny2423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyL8Hbtye3Ewt1KSI5rD-fHtmPJYAKclzpL_xtfD9xnyZbOpu1W1MHCQFmbYQCkWVyZaMrFZMzHQqVtTeT0ydaUVhsoWKGW-qMXjwoSv7hhcoDMUDi2WMZEZgdHWIjyxIEIpK2087V5BF9/s320/bunny2423.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-25349301804337557202011-06-09T04:14:00.000-07:002011-06-09T04:14:55.762-07:00A Parrot in the Persimmon tree.<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mums neighbour Bill was kind enough to email me the other day to tell me a Kaka had been regularly visiting their garden recently. I was given the all-clear to head over there with my camera if ever I heard him. I kept my ears open and sure enough, a few days later I heard the screeches and chortles of a native parrot. I found him in a tall tree in the front yard. Too far away for decent photos. He was feeding on grubs and beetles in a dead tree. Kaka enjoy a varied diet and this one was getting his protein by ripping the dead wood open with his strong beak to enjoy the insects within. I heard from other people in the neighbourhood that he had been in their macadamia tree cracking open the nuts. You'd have to have an extremely strong beak to get those things open!</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIpZt9ESg2cpjrQw_lGc9Dq-6AJTTt33LZYsDSw8lBS0XMiyZnPN4QNX3-Xq4ztQzR6SIMTf4j6RcU9DS71auckf_XkKm11zNuXODZeyM7R-NIwrcXQrdqGhnRwkyGiT8G_B0jNmkrnU0/s1600/kaka_1748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIpZt9ESg2cpjrQw_lGc9Dq-6AJTTt33LZYsDSw8lBS0XMiyZnPN4QNX3-Xq4ztQzR6SIMTf4j6RcU9DS71auckf_XkKm11zNuXODZeyM7R-NIwrcXQrdqGhnRwkyGiT8G_B0jNmkrnU0/s320/kaka_1748.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5psw8Dwb4lqUMogbbA2ejPYXYmhlzWpYWHKXup-CPZdm1MbI1H8ERp34fUhs7F859ecXt8kG5KQ10QvivwYVb-8uFzlk3UkImylqrbJpFcJzxgf7m-wbyUa6gQ5t-DPaB2QjK4-HZiVOB/s1600/Kaka_1785b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5psw8Dwb4lqUMogbbA2ejPYXYmhlzWpYWHKXup-CPZdm1MbI1H8ERp34fUhs7F859ecXt8kG5KQ10QvivwYVb-8uFzlk3UkImylqrbJpFcJzxgf7m-wbyUa6gQ5t-DPaB2QjK4-HZiVOB/s320/Kaka_1785b.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Finally he flew to the persimmon tree in Bills back yard where I was able to get quite close to him and get some good shots. Kaka move like monkeys in the trees. This guy was grabbing the branches with his beak to climb up and down in his quest for ripe fruit. When he found a persimmon to his taste he would rip pieces out with his beak and hold the chunk of fruit in his foot like a kid holding an ice cream and the juice ran out around his toes. I could get quite close - about fifteen feet, plenty close enough to see the cheeky glint in his eye!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZlyew_9P6XiKQxwseAyfoI3PDO7sQ29_yc_NqF46G83yrbJsTvY8B15ZK-pMYZACzqoNd62jCETxyFnfw3Buzl2AzBeGZ951XVhuzIPblMCM9e6XlWwVHEIt9HMSkVofWMAKL1g6WSpl/s1600/Kaka1736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZlyew_9P6XiKQxwseAyfoI3PDO7sQ29_yc_NqF46G83yrbJsTvY8B15ZK-pMYZACzqoNd62jCETxyFnfw3Buzl2AzBeGZ951XVhuzIPblMCM9e6XlWwVHEIt9HMSkVofWMAKL1g6WSpl/s320/Kaka1736.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Sadly this is a species in decline. Kaka are quite threatened now due to habitat loss and scarce food supplies. What a shame - they have so much character!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uFKRpISEAQ0APWMhvr7RFz61acBdUjeEUPk3f5OgAX7ZnZKQ3ax48kEVFGaaYZVeR9Tn3cEG5pRMxMsIe7w_JZlxMdiyw0gw84Lx0rr8U7WzS_ACvixfVWrWYeVK-rQwoJDF54FEEF5E/s1600/Kaka+in+Totara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uFKRpISEAQ0APWMhvr7RFz61acBdUjeEUPk3f5OgAX7ZnZKQ3ax48kEVFGaaYZVeR9Tn3cEG5pRMxMsIe7w_JZlxMdiyw0gw84Lx0rr8U7WzS_ACvixfVWrWYeVK-rQwoJDF54FEEF5E/s320/Kaka+in+Totara.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-7484454818657302352011-06-09T03:47:00.000-07:002011-06-09T03:47:19.288-07:00Battered Bat<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A couple of weeks ago one of Troys workmates was driving through the Waioeka Gorge when a tiny bat hit the windscreen of her car. It was night time and she initially thought it was a leaf. When she finally got to a place where she could pull the car over she retrieved the little lifeless body and later put it in the freezer. On Monday morning I got the chance to get some quick shots before it was given to the Department of Conservation guys who were going to turn it over to a taxidermist for preserving.</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eOxTxsEzetRQwc3PpCnZUExvCq66D8W8wDY9zbOA3hj7NRUD0weEuyCq0YsXaZscrJ7WnsnUO2ayRx6SfMhRx12mEqndRMTAP4MipZKyNQ0r-MaVEh36wIfa70ex-OdtX5sqSnDsHb2G/s1600/Bat_1653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eOxTxsEzetRQwc3PpCnZUExvCq66D8W8wDY9zbOA3hj7NRUD0weEuyCq0YsXaZscrJ7WnsnUO2ayRx6SfMhRx12mEqndRMTAP4MipZKyNQ0r-MaVEh36wIfa70ex-OdtX5sqSnDsHb2G/s320/Bat_1653.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_zxhkrorQHZm5gAS01CQomLIFlz4OWWoCoqHGAjaJPjQU2dncgM9rSJaOVrYmgdTPDUiFwc-MYgiF9U_fUtzpsh-3fByGBTF65knlDrbKxQRmWgygRv-16-9pZRV_OnMB-OcJFRVqXvY/s1600/Bat_1650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_zxhkrorQHZm5gAS01CQomLIFlz4OWWoCoqHGAjaJPjQU2dncgM9rSJaOVrYmgdTPDUiFwc-MYgiF9U_fUtzpsh-3fByGBTF65knlDrbKxQRmWgygRv-16-9pZRV_OnMB-OcJFRVqXvY/s320/Bat_1650.jpg" width="146" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was the first time I have seen one of our two New Zealand species up close. What a fascinating creature. Its wings were like crinkly black crepe paper, very thin with long arm bones along the leading edge. A tiny clawed thumb is situated at the top joint, the rest of the wing are actually supported by the fingers. Delicate little clawed feet ended on short legs. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96d7A27A4Y3ltxGm_PYXAGHj8lolmrARepRZAoSvOY27maX3-Vrqlp8b-YJ60D-QkTl5l7wC8hRf3rRlEO_f76e7pe9zW_NYajqr3gUZdr8IfR_PNJrxO9tr7RYmYWFRGF5xDdtkjbWy4/s1600/Bat_1661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96d7A27A4Y3ltxGm_PYXAGHj8lolmrARepRZAoSvOY27maX3-Vrqlp8b-YJ60D-QkTl5l7wC8hRf3rRlEO_f76e7pe9zW_NYajqr3gUZdr8IfR_PNJrxO9tr7RYmYWFRGF5xDdtkjbWy4/s320/Bat_1661.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">This one was a long-tailed bat and there was indeed a substantial tail complete with the same kind of membrane as the wing. Unfortunately I couldn't pull it out to photograph it. What a treat to be able to study this bat up close, it was an amazing little animal! Just a shame he was dead</span>.</div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-68746833639484046182011-05-13T22:23:00.000-07:002011-05-13T22:24:25.005-07:00Neighbourhood watch<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday morning there was a racket in the skies above my studio. Four Tui were circling and shrieking their alarm call. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdrJRQcdeB7MdUHam8b9Znf7SOHlatbwA65pDEH6M_zV_xrzjNglg8EbmhCVYM20bYOAqMiAu9JxfF_gBvE_mOSZ3vuXScCNHBG8-hmrp8b57wfsUJQRS8qfkYJg2A5ra8rGdtKKAORcc/s1600/IMG_1277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdrJRQcdeB7MdUHam8b9Znf7SOHlatbwA65pDEH6M_zV_xrzjNglg8EbmhCVYM20bYOAqMiAu9JxfF_gBvE_mOSZ3vuXScCNHBG8-hmrp8b57wfsUJQRS8qfkYJg2A5ra8rGdtKKAORcc/s400/IMG_1277.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixghDZrOhyphenhyphenrrvtbWxDMMBi0KVe1UJVwjTEehyphenhyphenKRrzXUejd78fWaDypNslnqy09KerWX5KbC9t1UQzd3ztc3G3pN5oCJIn-UjPXm0LI05w6LAMl8LTpQe2xz-mVFobbB23HaNC-8sP3CKU/s1600/IMG_1276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixghDZrOhyphenhyphenrrvtbWxDMMBi0KVe1UJVwjTEehyphenhyphenKRrzXUejd78fWaDypNslnqy09KerWX5KbC9t1UQzd3ztc3G3pN5oCJIn-UjPXm0LI05w6LAMl8LTpQe2xz-mVFobbB23HaNC-8sP3CKU/s400/IMG_1276.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I wondered what all the fuss was about. Finally they disapeared and were silent. A moment later a falcon flew past. I figured out what they were doing - it was Tui Neighbourhood Watch! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYmgGoo2wpFsw93edrveBnTaslWwJQxNYJSAs4bkF3I515M2-lGQ_juxJzY6Q6bHP04hwFwgj_n9j39A1ZxewVGOBq3h4Bf_hIRnQJyPN22OPeTE7-GDIR8lWQLakP-zGZRBIy9d85BXY/s1600/IMG_1278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYmgGoo2wpFsw93edrveBnTaslWwJQxNYJSAs4bkF3I515M2-lGQ_juxJzY6Q6bHP04hwFwgj_n9j39A1ZxewVGOBq3h4Bf_hIRnQJyPN22OPeTE7-GDIR8lWQLakP-zGZRBIy9d85BXY/s400/IMG_1278.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRoyUkkn5-IpknpJp1li5PsIik94MAfX1XbT9eUlsRDWiOIIDs2wQ0mC3brzuS6tQQ4CWSd3I9rk2XRCKUjAJ8Ux8LUi6GG2fp-NBXvV06vZO_7d57mQ_3fGbxlT4sWk167okgHK2WDjq/s1600/IMG_1275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRoyUkkn5-IpknpJp1li5PsIik94MAfX1XbT9eUlsRDWiOIIDs2wQ0mC3brzuS6tQQ4CWSd3I9rk2XRCKUjAJ8Ux8LUi6GG2fp-NBXvV06vZO_7d57mQ_3fGbxlT4sWk167okgHK2WDjq/s400/IMG_1275.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The falcon must have been perched nearby looking for prey. The Tuis let all the birds in the neighbourhood know to lay low, there was danger about. Falcon gave up and flew off in a huff!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFSoMk81cWzpLT-YYESotqqkeeLWK6q91VB523WzL8ba2jkjnNI6GLObpAMjFWGcQDVublF6jc4B6_TXqt8qWiWuLHUoXVsP4LWkwtIkK3E__i5df3lfiXwfYYVS3Euro1U7IbaHRmSqB/s1600/NZ+Falcon1282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFSoMk81cWzpLT-YYESotqqkeeLWK6q91VB523WzL8ba2jkjnNI6GLObpAMjFWGcQDVublF6jc4B6_TXqt8qWiWuLHUoXVsP4LWkwtIkK3E__i5df3lfiXwfYYVS3Euro1U7IbaHRmSqB/s400/NZ+Falcon1282.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-72690177891739461042011-05-11T01:06:00.000-07:002011-05-11T01:10:29.204-07:00Tadpoles progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7k3TUdXd_FmMKGVvjy_7iqkKjUwheGEPtb1jqDiJeiKBZ7IVwlLGPLm1h7NPGrBk7mfBWmeLfxJvMWJdLGU7zvLF4AiOVAdz_S6QBPY23Y4VjhWJW0kZs59VCkjYtZgSioPxysF08Yj8/s1600/tadpole_1014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7k3TUdXd_FmMKGVvjy_7iqkKjUwheGEPtb1jqDiJeiKBZ7IVwlLGPLm1h7NPGrBk7mfBWmeLfxJvMWJdLGU7zvLF4AiOVAdz_S6QBPY23Y4VjhWJW0kZs59VCkjYtZgSioPxysF08Yj8/s400/tadpole_1014.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I photographed the tadpoles yesterday.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WfrWzaONMyDaoY9xW_3YPY6ldj8DjKJUvqBjQDLCzxO78X6fnm0_vpNVA4OrsEB_WyQiRVI3gOXZcUIkqG5DOOpm7PDwIpH4IKy3tDTCBf2E9SXFxoxZnEIqONq9l8fJkX_W3Y0XMowx/s1600/tadpole1015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WfrWzaONMyDaoY9xW_3YPY6ldj8DjKJUvqBjQDLCzxO78X6fnm0_vpNVA4OrsEB_WyQiRVI3gOXZcUIkqG5DOOpm7PDwIpH4IKy3tDTCBf2E9SXFxoxZnEIqONq9l8fJkX_W3Y0XMowx/s400/tadpole1015.jpg" width="335" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> They are getting their lovely little froggy legs but have grown a lot slower than I expected. I had to put them in a bowl of clear water to take their pictures as the water plants get in the way otherwise.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">This one I've just taught to do somersaults on command. Clever A?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbiX-BYM9p7oO6L3kmEouOc3bMoFpMh7FsjG_AedmRkkKEFtP5II7g0YDyGAtH6NQwSTPztSMFw8a3x1LVHpnu68jib0QItgVsQI0QhClQFKYZgg0s-OMG9ojncrIa7QQmjoxSBOv8QzOO/s1600/IMG_1018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbiX-BYM9p7oO6L3kmEouOc3bMoFpMh7FsjG_AedmRkkKEFtP5II7g0YDyGAtH6NQwSTPztSMFw8a3x1LVHpnu68jib0QItgVsQI0QhClQFKYZgg0s-OMG9ojncrIa7QQmjoxSBOv8QzOO/s400/IMG_1018.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nah, just kidding. He learnt that all by himself!</div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-84100554678197473562011-05-10T03:22:00.000-07:002011-05-10T03:22:32.756-07:00Collage Class<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBexm_718a1zeCd0y2hqnWf0CQ4eG7sddXdrRrO8HAem25tKw8xHeXV618_61AfSXC3R5Z8CoQLYpsjkNdzbp8g8oMelPrGQ7hSHFDzE0vM5qhwZZPFhVhxYi-clNuHVPNkIdiJlCC17z/s1600/IMG_1185A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBexm_718a1zeCd0y2hqnWf0CQ4eG7sddXdrRrO8HAem25tKw8xHeXV618_61AfSXC3R5Z8CoQLYpsjkNdzbp8g8oMelPrGQ7hSHFDzE0vM5qhwZZPFhVhxYi-clNuHVPNkIdiJlCC17z/s400/IMG_1185A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="justify" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today I tutoured a class of eleven women in the creative techniques of collage. </span></div><div align="justify" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCax9Aj-jCpTjLVCB4Lal59c3U6xL-YbFTkqHUqE0d-S5SXhyMZbTarsxfnazaAthjn3hv_rLfvFz4wYKGDyuDGpRHOvRItKYE6A9Lm804qqCFc4Q0h2fvAZHElNubb-4RCc5V5qf-u7hH/s1600/IMG_1179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCax9Aj-jCpTjLVCB4Lal59c3U6xL-YbFTkqHUqE0d-S5SXhyMZbTarsxfnazaAthjn3hv_rLfvFz4wYKGDyuDGpRHOvRItKYE6A9Lm804qqCFc4Q0h2fvAZHElNubb-4RCc5V5qf-u7hH/s400/IMG_1179.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> We had heaps of fun and all my students were enthusiastic and exceptionally imaginative.</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0-KsXRVV2ORI00r3sKIOlt-rNk5-g1USixTK5NUnr8v9MMH9xmMLiPgjvqLZ3st4QxJbwXDusDqf7cDgyd1Fj5BhXlUuXKULWv5k9gfCsAKUoCF6Zw_TR8KK6WPY-WplSGjgMvH9wrN15/s1600/IMG_1181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0-KsXRVV2ORI00r3sKIOlt-rNk5-g1USixTK5NUnr8v9MMH9xmMLiPgjvqLZ3st4QxJbwXDusDqf7cDgyd1Fj5BhXlUuXKULWv5k9gfCsAKUoCF6Zw_TR8KK6WPY-WplSGjgMvH9wrN15/s400/IMG_1181.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3gPuQdiaIDakNB28-YeSygZVKFIerQxFS446fABjcJPSfDBQJI7-lya8c5EycmdnXPgeq3Q206fAubf7ppxGJoXKLhVjGtEnw1t504l08E7iXSJY4ts6whUEoc-JpGzX9kHVG2BO_kBx/s1600/IMG_1183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3gPuQdiaIDakNB28-YeSygZVKFIerQxFS446fABjcJPSfDBQJI7-lya8c5EycmdnXPgeq3Q206fAubf7ppxGJoXKLhVjGtEnw1t504l08E7iXSJY4ts6whUEoc-JpGzX9kHVG2BO_kBx/s400/IMG_1183.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> No two finished works were alike...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFlv-yQaoQJMNxncmtD5aeQpkQ1LNv6U-aqcKKgFQ4yiK1mofTwoY96r0C5I6TIkkxAeJgLpAQSjNLR_jiICAzTAXLapNHyac9IkOJehrtMZT0XWEPP2ky9i6eXqY4JpgOiMawmRvw3Hu/s1600/IMG_1185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFlv-yQaoQJMNxncmtD5aeQpkQ1LNv6U-aqcKKgFQ4yiK1mofTwoY96r0C5I6TIkkxAeJgLpAQSjNLR_jiICAzTAXLapNHyac9IkOJehrtMZT0XWEPP2ky9i6eXqY4JpgOiMawmRvw3Hu/s400/IMG_1185.jpg" width="371" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68kyXnJKp5SF47GVhTtWQ1f086jr6TPvsboz8t4YBQT84ERbJbGR_U0x9IhKxBq4fQhvfPP3BD5Y3qkMIL7jJfkZSM7eLz91-BPu2avqY3B1IfUJx5N1IeYjjk97lB0HziMqFJoz6KyKx/s1600/IMG_1185b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68kyXnJKp5SF47GVhTtWQ1f086jr6TPvsboz8t4YBQT84ERbJbGR_U0x9IhKxBq4fQhvfPP3BD5Y3qkMIL7jJfkZSM7eLz91-BPu2avqY3B1IfUJx5N1IeYjjk97lB0HziMqFJoz6KyKx/s400/IMG_1185b.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> some were whimsical...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEK2u1HBrtWpcuTLYN-L2N3QGQJJTafMfoMG7Z1-SSV0M1TfDmDMnPWy07y0QuzKtlx6MSXHTaQPoJqjxl-EQYU8-4di4b2CPKlFDhFtUEaObcAj2_aueuHE4lA5apaqtpnVJjbMh4sPxQ/s1600/IMG_1198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEK2u1HBrtWpcuTLYN-L2N3QGQJJTafMfoMG7Z1-SSV0M1TfDmDMnPWy07y0QuzKtlx6MSXHTaQPoJqjxl-EQYU8-4di4b2CPKlFDhFtUEaObcAj2_aueuHE4lA5apaqtpnVJjbMh4sPxQ/s400/IMG_1198.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> some nostalgic</span>....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIuY0uOJ-Ql0yqnfrEF7TnSkO_eDVKZuJS6LwU3j-Q19GAJH7s7M-GePHBzwdW81WTG-Xz7qN0jFlPswif7Veqd7MwnY8BoldD9RR4iq10-esC86M08rzYAfSKza-D6PeWlImjvwP56bH/s1600/IMG_1199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIuY0uOJ-Ql0yqnfrEF7TnSkO_eDVKZuJS6LwU3j-Q19GAJH7s7M-GePHBzwdW81WTG-Xz7qN0jFlPswif7Veqd7MwnY8BoldD9RR4iq10-esC86M08rzYAfSKza-D6PeWlImjvwP56bH/s400/IMG_1199.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsRf2y-2dOvGEFnTGup-y2qKsYJnLEcmmKjJDphIIiOD5HncI5DLCBVvTHrO9IOuoX3kXuVagSXNXDQmG6ZA-L2yzRw18aiBFwY-dD1rlf85LbcZSDy40r2ly5yQJ_dQmcbZBK9bix0VS/s1600/IMG_1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsRf2y-2dOvGEFnTGup-y2qKsYJnLEcmmKjJDphIIiOD5HncI5DLCBVvTHrO9IOuoX3kXuVagSXNXDQmG6ZA-L2yzRw18aiBFwY-dD1rlf85LbcZSDy40r2ly5yQJ_dQmcbZBK9bix0VS/s400/IMG_1200.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSj_jzkAimNs9gAudmSK0Jjml0cqvcYOkqzSqphncr2yHgkJBLK2Wb7zkGBh78Ax5Cfsv3gKrGtb6frU_zf2dBW7eFzScVDAnR1tKRwtT5YsIRvg411uLl6Il07J_QKcQ9zzUGbzo0yK-/s1600/IMG_2882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSj_jzkAimNs9gAudmSK0Jjml0cqvcYOkqzSqphncr2yHgkJBLK2Wb7zkGBh78Ax5Cfsv3gKrGtb6frU_zf2dBW7eFzScVDAnR1tKRwtT5YsIRvg411uLl6Il07J_QKcQ9zzUGbzo0yK-/s400/IMG_2882.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrW2988PWEXsa-2_3g0VMrpw3Wvu1xIkWDB5ApHocQMZNe0L0GshQXgPAuONH2Amo69W-3yOoegQ1BmdOIrX3b3OzANqnCJZS-PQ2fo5EtZvGh0udZMmzdK88L1HuViLhwywJfvau9Bs7/s1600/IMG_1201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrW2988PWEXsa-2_3g0VMrpw3Wvu1xIkWDB5ApHocQMZNe0L0GshQXgPAuONH2Amo69W-3yOoegQ1BmdOIrX3b3OzANqnCJZS-PQ2fo5EtZvGh0udZMmzdK88L1HuViLhwywJfvau9Bs7/s400/IMG_1201.jpg" width="322" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWzqsXVLjYJgK9f74KW1jjO2Xts41hwwVU7S4f9U7_mklRx3FvgGLJRJg8v59mxqvz3Y89osyXyajPRK_2tUkXqEAvKB2iGySXNqhbwmwSQeM7yQ_KivcD3fdn7JwF2rFEOGodJ1M365m/s1600/IMG_1192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWzqsXVLjYJgK9f74KW1jjO2Xts41hwwVU7S4f9U7_mklRx3FvgGLJRJg8v59mxqvz3Y89osyXyajPRK_2tUkXqEAvKB2iGySXNqhbwmwSQeM7yQ_KivcD3fdn7JwF2rFEOGodJ1M365m/s400/IMG_1192.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">All unique and absolutely fab! A great afternoons work.</span></div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552194676204211878.post-6450941971386836412011-05-08T04:04:00.000-07:002011-05-08T04:08:44.014-07:00Autumn Leaves<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am convinced that either A.God or B.Evolution (depending on your beliefs) has equipped the human body with a set of muscles for the sole purpose of using a garden rake. There's only one time of the year that I actually use a garden rake and thats now when the sweetgum is losing its leaves. I know this is the only time of year these muscles get used because of the amount of pain I will be in tommorrow. They just don't get enough of a work out during the non-leaf-dropping portion of the year.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBb5IskGMZt5j3ivenoVAGf39VrPYRphPz9e6SycxS04bHI9NEgGjh8_DpLkdC4ukZrMcQ-3ELhfJTrGGIXlq_NeNqyEkArSO0oi1AFuHgN6FWZc79S5E0cv3BmgFUmGdeN9JjCHTRvgh/s1600/autumn+leaves_0974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBb5IskGMZt5j3ivenoVAGf39VrPYRphPz9e6SycxS04bHI9NEgGjh8_DpLkdC4ukZrMcQ-3ELhfJTrGGIXlq_NeNqyEkArSO0oi1AFuHgN6FWZc79S5E0cv3BmgFUmGdeN9JjCHTRvgh/s400/autumn+leaves_0974.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jV-SRWy7Ppv7CLyIFtTFbl2ObIFAOI6hSAYZUQYS71xsg_nfmvkcdsKN-1qcrU-9m8CbQ7gHpS2Ks4yhsWA0N9BEVEe-uRTz4Z7_O3-fxZPMABpY6loQg4vrisDbgskpw9YCDmISgyUZ/s400/Autumn+leavesd-0989.jpg" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> It is a tedious job raking leaves made bearable by little distractions, a moth alighting on the wheelbarrow rim, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFc0kLeIr7t5szU-V-zdUPLCoCbzbSOT1mKJGCg9zE-2uc2H6eiJ6DKn7EZmZhTTpwEf1DWN-wgKDYcKO5DPiQoFsoMKF6U0p2VBQrcBr-50GRUVzl5OCzzoQjTMaXgLMo63IjRmNQ3-a3/s1600/autumn+leaves_0987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFc0kLeIr7t5szU-V-zdUPLCoCbzbSOT1mKJGCg9zE-2uc2H6eiJ6DKn7EZmZhTTpwEf1DWN-wgKDYcKO5DPiQoFsoMKF6U0p2VBQrcBr-50GRUVzl5OCzzoQjTMaXgLMo63IjRmNQ3-a3/s400/autumn+leaves_0987.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">a starling watching my progress, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMPN46pNQ6D7ABjB49hVSoYMwhGrJYzucrj6oGDJ403pOLeTZH3u8e44Tl2nzJLxGw-9T_6hx0Z5-KCG4tx5ZHQJM67dUDBbzsR4rGkyu9D-NTihMMXLe0cFvE7112JIC0TKRJNUd0j60/s1600/Autumn+leaves_0911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMPN46pNQ6D7ABjB49hVSoYMwhGrJYzucrj6oGDJ403pOLeTZH3u8e44Tl2nzJLxGw-9T_6hx0Z5-KCG4tx5ZHQJM67dUDBbzsR4rGkyu9D-NTihMMXLe0cFvE7112JIC0TKRJNUd0j60/s400/Autumn+leaves_0911.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">a fantail feeding in a tree nearby.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVcoceEtZlnXe4sW0TGM-4_XKe0C_qaGe1JZ2m-E6HBzMd8EthlZCM5rZnqbeWXYLsILBY3wnowU3MklEIaRlc-KThAj20DWWss3hMZt7cwt58giQJVwkPGDj2uuTdZrTeyAAg8E8kA-b/s1600/IMG_0928sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVcoceEtZlnXe4sW0TGM-4_XKe0C_qaGe1JZ2m-E6HBzMd8EthlZCM5rZnqbeWXYLsILBY3wnowU3MklEIaRlc-KThAj20DWWss3hMZt7cwt58giQJVwkPGDj2uuTdZrTeyAAg8E8kA-b/s400/IMG_0928sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The worst part of the job is glaringly obvious - realising that once all the leaves are raked up there are yet a million more waiting to drop down in their place. Bugger!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOH0XOZ9HyyTXF3zijdRLDLointdsOY3Nx2YoDwet5wBROwQMuOrJWU9jMVZzaAiG2NzYKi7gSl14Ci2TlrlF7l6xjEVNzp66kFwFQdQMRpNgxoGWLk3Oh0_E3dluK0jocnQ4tuXNcFu9T/s1600/Autumn+leaves_0959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOH0XOZ9HyyTXF3zijdRLDLointdsOY3Nx2YoDwet5wBROwQMuOrJWU9jMVZzaAiG2NzYKi7gSl14Ci2TlrlF7l6xjEVNzp66kFwFQdQMRpNgxoGWLk3Oh0_E3dluK0jocnQ4tuXNcFu9T/s400/Autumn+leaves_0959.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15957064180073048213noreply@blogger.com2