TRM fishing update blogs have been missing since the computer crashed last Friday. Panic in the middle of the summer school holidays when every other computer service centre is away on holiday. But one of the many advantages of living in a small town that TRM love is being able to phone Brett, who took almost ten minutes to pop in to check out the problem. Then this morning, Sunday at 10 am, he installed the new iMac. The rest of the day was loading the zillion photos etc. So many thanks Brett.
Concerned regular TRM inmates have been worried about the location of our nests each time they return.
We understand their real concern. They may not admit it, but the reason is they do not want to park their shiny car in the wrong place, only to have it organically decorated for Christmas.
So this breeding season, SWMBO had some exciting news for them. The swallows moved their nest location to a less obvious location! They always returned to the same nest each year so we knew where to provide for droppings.
At the end of 2025 their new nest location, hidden deep inside the garage away from tourists, became evident – see photo below – where they only poop over SWMBO’s car.
Already the same nest is accommodating another brood as they learn to fly and poop somewhere else.
Summertime fishing stories are so exciting in Turangi.
Below is the previous 2025 update:
Free loading overstayers return
Swallows have been nesting at TRM for well over 20 years.
The photo of the chick above, pleading for dinner, was dated 2006. That nest was strategically located immediately above the entrance of a guest’s unit, where they would poop all over the door mats. They returned each year and built another nest on top of the previous year’s nursery. Naturally TRM’s Manager, SWMBO, pulled rank and we were not allowed to remove them. No doubt the photo will encourage all the warm fuzzies but they have worn out their welcome over the years.
Fortunately, they have now relocated away from guest units to a more sheltered spot inside the garage. Their moving plans have cost TRM several hundred dollars for protective waterproof car covers. If you look closely, you should note the 2025 extensions, revealed by damp clay, on top of the previous year’s base.
Spring is sprung with other birds sneaking in wherever they imagine they will not be noticed. The 2024 Quail’s nest in the garden below was a failure with local wild cats soon discovering the location, yet a few Quail still survived.
Our winning “bird of the year” has remained the same for two decades. All we have to do is leave the door open and they sneak inside to terrorise all the spiders and insects that we cannot even see. They always stop for a chat as well.
Is Turangi really 20 years ahead of the rest of NZ…?
Turangi is at least 20 years ahead of the rest of New Zealand in the nicest possible way. Something to do with analysing “quality of life”…
Today’s images confirm why so many sensible folk prefer small town heartland NZ – like Turangi.
Walking along Taupahi Road on my daily trip to town to escape the laundry and to collect the mail, I felt the gaze from Polly before I noticed her. She was quite relaxed, squatting in the blossom tree, at head height, ignoring local traffic. I guess she was stripping any new blossoms, getting high on their sweet nectar.
She probably recognises me, as she is the same wood-pigeon that is often seen in the garden at TRM as well. I’m guessing it must be a female as when I moved in for close-up image, she preened and posed specially.
What you cannot pick up from the images was the delightful symphony in the surrounding trees from Tuis and Bellbirds, wax eyes, and other native birds. Even on a wet miserable day for the rest of the country, life is good in Turangi.
To try to win you over, this is what the “gummint” is spending $$$zillions on – to try to improve your quality of life by building vermin-proof fences to trap the native birds in the city suburbs by 2040? But we are already there.
Other native bird images are from TRM.
These images clearly prove Turangi is over 20 years ahead of the rest of NZ.
I wonder if we can apply for a credit? Can anyone advise how to calculate what that is worth in added value? Then add quality of living, longer healthy life, no congestion, no traffic queues, such blissful peace and quiet away from all the city stress, etc… And we haven’t even mentioned the world famous Tongariro River trout fishing. There should be no need…
Below is a ‘covey’ of quail strutting past TRM’s reception office showing off the new family arrivals.
