L2F

Friends made in Auckland, NZ

So don't take my photograph

cause I don't want to know what it looks to feel like this

as cars and people pass

Thank you to Joshua and Malcom for getting that one stuck in my head, good songs that Newton Faulkner.


So it's been a week at Tawharanui Bird Sanctuary and now I'm back in Auckland gearing up for the All Blacks vs Wallabies Tri-Nations Rugby Match Tonight!

A quick recap (shorter than the rest of the blog posts since pictures are what most people tend to look at):

Northern point of Tawharanui

We got about 3 kilometer of track cut (trail maintenance for volunteers and rangers to check on pest traps and also monitor the native birds in the sanctuary).

Lagoon outside the Volunteer House at Tawharanui
Fantail!

Also set out 50+ trap boxes and bait stations to help in the effort to protect the native birds from pests such as rats, possums, mice, stotes and many more

WETA!

We also moved a ton of soil (literally a ton, not just an expression) so that new plants in the nursery could be potted and we helped clean up the beach after a storm to help the native and endangered NZ dotterels (Shore nesting birds).

SHEEP Crossing

Did I mention we weeded an entire nursery of plants? That and the fact that the group worked really well, got along great and were excited to learn more about the conservation issues going on in the area made the week really fly by.

2 Oyster Catchers and a nice view

Oh yeah, we got to hear two live kiwis in the bush at night calling to their mates! It was a great experience for everyone as we hiked into the bush and sat in the dark w/out lights just listening. Being in that setting was so calming and it made me feel at one with the bush and really made me appreciate how special a place it is.

Javelin with a Flax Stock?

Seastar in the tidepools

Played some intense games of Ah-So-Co and Flying Ninja Star, also some good Mafia Games. The weather has thus far been pretty good and everyone is in good spirits.

Walking to our Work Site aka beautiful views

Add in some amazing sunsets and tidepool/beach walks and we had a great time, it goes by too fast that funny thing life does.

Sunset at Tawharanui

Alright then, hope that was short enough for ya'll (look Kelley, Alexis and Aurora, you got me saying ya'll, well typing it too).

To infinity and beyond,

Cheers,

Ty

P.S.

Hug a tree