Early morning walks

Early morning walk starts just after 7am every morning. The sun has not risen by that time and it is quite chilly  early in the morning.

Here is my best mate Trompie with whom I walk at least 3 times a day. He tells me most of the time when we have to start our walks. You can set your watch to his timing.

While on my walks I see the following interesting things, this is early mornings.

Two Kereru or New Zealand Pigeons will pass in flight to the tall trees up the hill.They live mostly in native forests

but in winter will sometimes feed in gardens. They are endemic to N Z. Also known as wood pigeons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Pigeon

Then there is also the Tui. They sit up in the trees and sing their own familiar song each morning. As if they are having a conversation with passers by.They are endemic to N Z. They are the first bird to sing in the mornings and last ones at night.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tui_(bird)

Black birds and starlings are also very busy early mornings.

Then the next we meet on the way is a big friend of Trompie. They meet each other every morning with “hello’s and how are you’s”. This is best cat friend Buddy!

Very interesting these early morning walks.

During evening walks (just before bedtime) we also encounter interesting things here. There is a hedgehog roaming about that late at night and Trompie always must have a look at it. Then at night I hear the Morepork/Ruru hooting. This is a native bird of N Z. Its hoot sounds like” more pork, more pork”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Boobook

That is it for now. A little bit of my life in New Zealand.

Sunday Post: Blossoms

This is a photo I have taken of the Flambouyant tree that grew in front of my town house in South Africa. Every Spring it had these masses of red blossoms.

wikipedia.org/wiki/Delonix_regia

Delonix regia is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae. It is noted for its fern-like leaves and flamboyant display of flowers. In many tropical parts of the world it is grown as an ornamental tree and in English it is given the name Royal Poinciana or Flamboyant. It is also one of several trees known as Flame tree.

In India it is known as Gulmohar (Hindi and Urdu -‘Gul’ means ‘Flower’ and ‘Mohr’ is ‘Peacock’, thus the name suggests a spectacular show of color, like the extraordinary colors of a peacock’s tail[1]). It is also known there as Krishnachura (Bengali: ‘crown of the Lord Krishna). In Vietnamese it is known as Phượng vĩ (means “Phoenix’s Tail) (Vietnamese), Malinche, and Tabachine.[2] In Guatemala, Antigua Guatemala, it is known as “Llama del Bosque”.

The following photos I have taken in New Zealand during my  first spring – 2009

Rhodododendrons – all colors, from white, light to dark pink, purple and red, also yellow and up to orange. The trees grow in gardens and on pavements.

Cherry trees are also growing along the road sides in towns here. Springtime these old cherry trees are full in bloom.

The Kowhai tree is a native of New Zealand .They also bloom in spring.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kowhai

Kowhai are small, woody legume trees in the genus Sophora native to New Zealand. There are eight species, S. microphylla being the most common. Kowhai trees grow throughout the country and are a common feature in New Zealand gardens. Outside of New Zealand, Kowhai tend to be restricted to mild temperate maritime climates. Species in this group include S. chathamicaS. fulvidaS. godleyiS. longicarinataS. microphyllaS. molloyiS. prostrata, and S. tetraptera.[1][2]

Despite having no official status as such,[3] the blooms of the kowhai are widely regarded as being New Zealand’s national flower.[4]

 

New to Word press? Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’re invited to get involved in my Weekly Competition to help you meet your blogging goals and give you another way to take part in 2012 Water Dragon Event. Everyone is welcome to participate, if your blog is about photography,Videography, Graphic Artwork Or Writing .

Here’s how the weekly photo Competition works:

1. Each week, we’ll provide a theme for creative inspiration. Show the world based on your interpretation what you have in mind for the theme, and post them on your blog anytime before the following Sunday when the next photo theme will be announced.

2. Subscribe to jakesprinter so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS.

GET THE BADGE FOR YOUR IMAGE WIDGET….

Make sure to have the image link to http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/ so that others can learn about the challenge, too.