I was so excited yesterday .
I heard the unmistakable call of a tui in my garden.
There is lots of talk about a proliferation of tui in our city
but only once had I seen one in my garden.
His clear piping call was thrilling to hear so close.
Tui flew over the street and suddenly a much smaller bird flew at him,
darting at him and swooping around him.
Poor tui gave up and flew away.
I don't know what species the other bird was but he did not welcome tui into our street.
I felt very sad and quite helpless.
I heard the unmistakable call of a tui in my garden.
There is lots of talk about a proliferation of tui in our city
but only once had I seen one in my garden.
His clear piping call was thrilling to hear so close.
Tui flew over the street and suddenly a much smaller bird flew at him,
darting at him and swooping around him.
Poor tui gave up and flew away.
I don't know what species the other bird was but he did not welcome tui into our street.
I felt very sad and quite helpless.
As the sun rises these mornings I am woken by the beautiful song of a blackbird.
This morning he was joined by a kingfisher singing his heart out.
"Rain rain rain rain!'' he calls. It's spring and it just might rain and it probably will!
How lovely it is after winter, to wake feeling full of energy and ready for the day.
This cheeky starling is making a nest under my eaves.
( I must tidy my fairy lights! )
I know he should not be there but I can't help feeling a little bit happy there's a family on the way.
Last year one bird fell down inside the wall directly behind my bed
and I thought I had a rat in my wall.
This morning he was joined by a kingfisher singing his heart out.
"Rain rain rain rain!'' he calls. It's spring and it just might rain and it probably will!
How lovely it is after winter, to wake feeling full of energy and ready for the day.
This cheeky starling is making a nest under my eaves.
( I must tidy my fairy lights! )
I know he should not be there but I can't help feeling a little bit happy there's a family on the way.
Last year one bird fell down inside the wall directly behind my bed
and I thought I had a rat in my wall.
Today I went to the plant shop and bought fertilizer for my lawn and for my garden. My garden was designed by John Flett and it is only three and a half years old. It is small but perfectly formed. I am just beginning to take ownership of the planting and I want more colour and more flowers.
I bought zinnias to plant in one little flower garden. I will plant them tomorrow. I think they will look nice with the deep cream day lilies at the back.
Two summers ago down at the lake there was a bed of zinnias and they were gorgeous.
I picked a petal of each colour and then found pastels of the same shade.
I thought what a beautiful quilt the colours would make.
So this year I am planting zinnias and who knows a small quilt might just be made along the way.
Right now though I 'd better go down there and mow my lawn. One thing spring does is make the grass grow more quickly!
Happy season everyone, whether it be autumn for you or, like me, delightful fickle spring.
I thought I had left a comment but maybe I clicked away too soon?
ReplyDeleteThe only birds I have seen chase tui away are magpies, I wonder what bird chased your one away; there seems to be a huge increase in the number of tui here this year. I saw a kingfisher this morning when on my walk, he was so beautiful.
I wanted to say that your zinnias will make a lovely show, they are so colourful.
A tui?? I'm off to Google this little bird and learn more about New Zealand (a lovely thing to do this morning.) I loooove zinnias...in the Deep South we call them zeeeeeeenias. That long e drives Yankees nuts (er, no comment about that :))) It's a hearty plant with amazing colors that also thrives here.
ReplyDeleteI could imagine the sounds and smells of your young spring. Here, it's the reverse, leaves beginning to turn, a few falling. Windows open. If only winter didn't come next!!
I can't wait to see your zinnias in your garden. They are one of my favorite flowers, though I have poor luck in growing them. They tend to get mildew. My grandmother grew them in a big circle in our yard when I was a child. I would love to see tui. You and Marilyn mention them often. Starlings can be very territorial, Joan, though you said a smaller bird was chasing the tui. Drama in the garden.
ReplyDeleteIt may have been a starling that chased the tui M, and Penny. It was too far away for me to tell.
ReplyDeleteI hope my Zeeeeniaas survive. Aren't we funny about accents Kitty. We hate differenes don't we. We'd like everyone to be proper ..like me! If only we could come to love difference.