Tongariro flow increased for next five days
Another reminder that for the next five days the Tongariro River will flow at full natural levels. The Poutu Canal to Lake Rotoaira is closed off to allow inspection of the tunnel to the Toakaanu Power Station. This will result in higher flows 45-50 cumecs (i.e. double the ‘normal’ controlled flow) which could be exceeded with rain forecast. Local anglers suggest it is almost certain to induce an early spawning run plus dislodge a lot of caddis etc. The fishing will be very interesting… the usual high standards maintained in the TRM laundry may suffer this week.
Image above is TRM’s “pet” fantail photo dated 20 June 2008.
The question is for you to try to identify any differences to the images on right? We think they are the same bird? The images on right were taken 1 April 2017. She has noticeably slimmed down over the years. So she must be at least 9 years old. ? Do they live that long?
Over the years in Autumn she (? I’m sure it must be a “she” as she volunteers for house-keeping duties?) sneaks back in during autumn to get rid of all the tiny spiders and bugs that must hide up in the rafters where we cannot see them. Then she settles on the same light cord over the dining table and we have a good old chat about the weather and climate change and all the usual stuff. She understands and agrees with everything I say. She visits regularly for about a month or so and then disappears until the next year.
What I am curious about is whether it has been the same bird all the time?. She seems to be so familiar with the layout of our house and other motel units as she flutters in and out of the rooms searching around the high hard-to-reach corners and removes any insect wild-life missed by SWMBO. She perches in exactly the same spot, basking in the warm morning sun, totally relaxed, quite unafraid and glad of the company to chat me up (?). I think she tries to thank me for leaving her some spiders.
I have blown up some other images and her markings appear to be identical. But then perhaps to us they all look the same?
I tried for an hour to catch a movie on the iPhone as she flittered and zapped around catching flies on the wing but she was too fast and elusive.
Tīwaiwaka (fantail)
The fantail has 20 or 30 different Māori names. As well as tīwaiwaka, it is commonly called pīwakawaka, tīwakawaka or tīrairaka.
In one tradition, it was the fantail that caused Māui’s death, so it is a harbinger of death when seen inside in a house. A fidgety person is described as a fantail’s tail, because of the bird’s restless movements.
In case you believe the superstition or imagine fantails inside a house signal a pending death in the TRM family (?) if there is no TRM Daily Report tomorrow you know we were warned.
So far we have survived about 12 years with regular daily visits, often several in a day, by fantails – so we are very brave…
SWMBO regards them as wonderfully entertaining unpaid house-keeping staff to eradicate flying bugs and insects without the use of any nasty chemical sprays.
Also at this time of the year you cannot help but admire the flocks of geese passing over each evening. You can hear them honking to each other to straighten up their formation flying before you see them.
