First in four years

A long Sunday run as is traditional. Long in time, rather than distance these days, and even then barely half what was my usual. Still well enough to maintain a reasonable level of fitness, and ample time to seek a photo for the day. My Journal title encourages me to always get at least one photo per run. 

A few more than that this morning, but little that really stood out. Even an afternoon visit to S' cousin's wife, who remains here while he does locums in Queensland failed to give more than a rather nice photo of a cicada.

So, having heard that there is a new donkey foal in the Highfield Reserve, I went there this evening. I chanced upon one of the local Donkey Society, who was telling a half dozen visitors all about the new foal (the first born in the reserve for four years). He also touched on the politics of the Department of Conservation, and the Auckland Council. And the financial implications of that. 

Three years ago I posted a photo of some of the adult donkeys under a macrocarpa tree, and commented on their run down physical appearance. I rang the SPCA, and the donkeys were absent for a few weeks. When I next saw them (just over five weeks later) they looked much healthier and their feet (broken and cracked the earlier occasion) were almost right.

I've seen them occasionally since. I hadn't noticed the absence of foals. My informant told everyone that they didn't have a Jack, and a year ago they were donated one by someone with donkeys not very far away. They now have two foals. 

As I headed back to the beach house I went to a pond in the reserve and got another different bird for 2015; muscovy duck and drake.