Introduced from "Home"

When immigration from England to New Zealand was at its peak in the late 19th century, they wanted to bring as much as they could of the familiar, to a very unfamiliar place. For almost all of the migrants, a return trip was never a possibility. We are accustomed to being able to walk on English soil less than a day and a half after leaving Auckland; and return as quickly to our home. That they brought with them English songbirds (from home) is therefore unsurprising.

On my second foray with my new camera, I went to Western Springs lake, where birds were rather more than plentiful. I was faced with a difficult choice of photo to blip, and finally settled on this shot of a starling, a species introduced by the early English immigrants to remind them of the Home they were never to return to.

I have never before seen the colours of the starling or such detail of its feathers. It remained standing in one place for long enough to allow a clean and clear shot.

As well as the starling, birds photographed today for the first time in 2015, included papango (the brown teal; adult and ducklings and immature), putangitangi (Paradise shelduck), the welcome swallow, and geese.

I am really enjoying using this new camera.