Comments on: Better Than Coffee: The Maori Legend of the Kiwi http://coilhouse.net/2009/11/better-than-coffee-the-maori-legend-of-the-kiwi/ Coilhouse Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:10:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Mary http://coilhouse.net/2009/11/better-than-coffee-the-maori-legend-of-the-kiwi/comment-page-1/#comment-23887 Mary Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:26:54 +0000 http://coilhouse.net/?p=11011#comment-23887 I'm a long-time Coilhouse blog reader and live in NZ. I do volunteer work at the Auckland version of Karori which is Ark in the Park in the Waitakere Ranges. There is no fence around the Ark so all pest control is achieved through baiting and trapping done by volunteers. If you are ever visiting Auckland and would like to got to the Ark I can take you :) I'm on the Hihi feed roster and go out regularly to fill and replace the nectar feeders for the Hihi (stitchbird). There are lots of awesome birds out there and recently some kokako have been introduced. I was lucky enough to go to one of the unadvertised releases and see the birds up close. SO BEAUTIFUL! It's breeding season right now so nests everywhere and lots of noise and activity :D Mary I’m a long-time Coilhouse blog reader and live in NZ. I do volunteer work at the Auckland version of Karori which is Ark in the Park in the Waitakere Ranges. There is no fence around the Ark so all pest control is achieved through baiting and trapping done by volunteers. If you are ever visiting Auckland and would like to got to the Ark I can take you :) I’m on the Hihi feed roster and go out regularly to fill and replace the nectar feeders for the Hihi (stitchbird). There are lots of awesome birds out there and recently some kokako have been introduced. I was lucky enough to go to one of the unadvertised releases and see the birds up close. SO BEAUTIFUL! It’s breeding season right now so nests everywhere and lots of noise and activity :D
Mary

]]> By: sighs http://coilhouse.net/2009/11/better-than-coffee-the-maori-legend-of-the-kiwi/comment-page-1/#comment-23546 sighs Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:16:28 +0000 http://coilhouse.net/?p=11011#comment-23546 ah cool - going to that very place next week - was actually born in Karori - the sanctuary is well worth visiting The below youtube link might be one of NZ's fave Kiwis - for years, back in the days when the country only had two tv channels, this was the very cute closing sequence for channel two. Most older kiwis will recall it (perhaps through a midnight haze of alcohol or other stuff! :P). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H2BOGGUbm4 ah cool – going to that very place next week – was actually born in Karori – the sanctuary is well worth visiting

The below youtube link might be one of NZ’s fave Kiwis – for years, back in the days when the country only had two tv channels, this was the very cute closing sequence for channel two. Most older kiwis will recall it (perhaps through a midnight haze of alcohol or other stuff! :P).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H2BOGGUbm4

]]> By: erica http://coilhouse.net/2009/11/better-than-coffee-the-maori-legend-of-the-kiwi/comment-page-1/#comment-23541 erica Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:55:20 +0000 http://coilhouse.net/?p=11011#comment-23541 oh i was so tickled to read this post because i study kiwis! specifically their development and locomotion so i'm looking at the way they walk and run (yes they can outrun people in the bush!). they really are fascinating little creatures. check out kiwi encounter (http://www.kiwiencounter.co.nz/) if you make it to rotorua :) andy already brought up my fave kiwi fact that they have whiskers! part of my research is looking at that bill sweeping action you described because yes, they do have bad eyesight. so cool that you are enjoying nz! (and personally monteith's radler bier is my fave) oh i was so tickled to read this post because i study kiwis! specifically their development and locomotion so i’m looking at the way they walk and run (yes they can outrun people in the bush!). they really are fascinating little creatures. check out kiwi encounter (http://www.kiwiencounter.co.nz/) if you make it to rotorua :)

andy already brought up my fave kiwi fact that they have whiskers! part of my research is looking at that bill sweeping action you described because yes, they do have bad eyesight.

so cool that you are enjoying nz! (and personally monteith’s radler bier is my fave)

]]> By: Jessica http://coilhouse.net/2009/11/better-than-coffee-the-maori-legend-of-the-kiwi/comment-page-1/#comment-23537 Jessica Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:53:35 +0000 http://coilhouse.net/?p=11011#comment-23537 Thanks for that wonderful post Mer! I really wish I could have seen the scene that you described. I've never encountered a kiwi in the flesh and they are such weirdly lovable little critters!!! They have one of the most peculiar centers of gravity that I've ever come across...when making one, I almost couldn't believe that such a creature could even stand, let alone (sorta, kinda) run! :) Thanks for that wonderful post Mer! I really wish I could have seen the scene that you described. I’ve never encountered a kiwi in the flesh and they are such weirdly lovable little critters!!! They have one of the most peculiar centers of gravity that I’ve ever come across…when making one, I almost couldn’t believe that such a creature could even stand, let alone (sorta, kinda) run! :)

]]> By: bairdduvessa http://coilhouse.net/2009/11/better-than-coffee-the-maori-legend-of-the-kiwi/comment-page-1/#comment-23520 bairdduvessa Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:47:20 +0000 http://coilhouse.net/?p=11011#comment-23520 that is awesome that is awesome

]]> By: Mer http://coilhouse.net/2009/11/better-than-coffee-the-maori-legend-of-the-kiwi/comment-page-1/#comment-23518 Mer Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:38:14 +0000 http://coilhouse.net/?p=11011#comment-23518 Wow, guys. Technology is amazing. Thanks to this weird Vodafone thingummer, I'm writing you from a campsite sitting on the edge of a seaside cliff that looks like something straight out of The Piano. One more tidbit and then I'm off into the wilds for a while. While trawling the youtoobz for kiwi clips, I discovered that some friends of Bun's and I from Weta were responsible for this awesome act: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4977972.stm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz4jhvhq8M0 *melts* Wow, guys. Technology is amazing. Thanks to this weird Vodafone thingummer, I’m writing you from a campsite sitting on the edge of a seaside cliff that looks like something straight out of The Piano.

One more tidbit and then I’m off into the wilds for a while.

While trawling the youtoobz for kiwi clips, I discovered that some friends of Bun’s and I from Weta were responsible for this awesome act:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4977972.stm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz4jhvhq8M0

*melts*

]]> By: Mer http://coilhouse.net/2009/11/better-than-coffee-the-maori-legend-of-the-kiwi/comment-page-1/#comment-23517 Mer Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:16:04 +0000 http://coilhouse.net/?p=11011#comment-23517 Xeno, that's hilarious. Some of our pal Siege's photos of his time at/around Karori Sanctuary: http://claytoncubitt.tumblr.com/search/Karori http://claytoncubitt.tumblr.com/post/37376215 http://claytoncubitt.tumblr.com/post/37372945 http://claytoncubitt.tumblr.com/post/37241661 Xeno, that’s hilarious.

Some of our pal Siege’s photos of his time at/around Karori Sanctuary:

http://claytoncubitt.tumblr.com/search/Karori

http://claytoncubitt.tumblr.com/post/37376215

http://claytoncubitt.tumblr.com/post/37372945

http://claytoncubitt.tumblr.com/post/37241661

]]> By: Mer http://coilhouse.net/2009/11/better-than-coffee-the-maori-legend-of-the-kiwi/comment-page-1/#comment-23516 Mer Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:27:38 +0000 http://coilhouse.net/?p=11011#comment-23516 Wooo! Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I'm reading/replying to you guys from the back of a camper van. Andy, we got a good view of his little catlike whiskers trembling as he rooted for grubs! Squee! I guess their eyesight is so poor, they can't even see four inches in front of their faces? They depend on those whiskers to sense what's around them. I noticed that the kiwi we watched was sort of sweeping his beak in front of himself like a blind man with a cane. When he was about two feet away, he suddenly realized there were a ton of rapt, breathless bipedal creatures gawking at him, visibly went "OH SHIT" and tried to run off as fast as he could, only he kept stumbling all over his own enormous feet. CUTEST THING EVER. And here's an astounding xray of some poor, preggers lady kiwi: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2797/4090051261_32bd708d5f_o.jpg Cheers, Seedy, and thank you! Definitely having a blast in your country. I was hoping someone would post the kakapo lurve clip! My boyfriend and I became so obsessed with it, he actually bought me a plush kakapo at the gift shop last night and surprised me with it by making it hump the back of my head. Hee heeee! Cowardly though tuis might be, I love them dearly. They sound like R2D2. And that beer is delicious! Woops, gotta run! A couple more awesome kiwi snippets coming soon! Wooo! Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I’m reading/replying to you guys from the back of a camper van.

Andy, we got a good view of his little catlike whiskers trembling as he rooted for grubs! Squee! I guess their eyesight is so poor, they can’t even see four inches in front of their faces? They depend on those whiskers to sense what’s around them. I noticed that the kiwi we watched was sort of sweeping his beak in front of himself like a blind man with a cane. When he was about two feet away, he suddenly realized there were a ton of rapt, breathless bipedal creatures gawking at him, visibly went “OH SHIT” and tried to run off as fast as he could, only he kept stumbling all over his own enormous feet. CUTEST THING EVER.

And here’s an astounding xray of some poor, preggers lady kiwi:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2797/4090051261_32bd708d5f_o.jpg

Cheers, Seedy, and thank you! Definitely having a blast in your country. I was hoping someone would post the kakapo lurve clip! My boyfriend and I became so obsessed with it, he actually bought me a plush kakapo at the gift shop last night and surprised me with it by making it hump the back of my head. Hee heeee! Cowardly though tuis might be, I love them dearly. They sound like R2D2. And that beer is delicious!

Woops, gotta run! A couple more awesome kiwi snippets coming soon!

]]> By: Nightwyrm http://coilhouse.net/2009/11/better-than-coffee-the-maori-legend-of-the-kiwi/comment-page-1/#comment-23515 Nightwyrm Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:28:40 +0000 http://coilhouse.net/?p=11011#comment-23515 I love how much pleasure and enjoyment you're getting out of our country. So many of us New Zealanders have grown accustomed (and probably a bit jaded) to our surroundings, so I actually feel pride and joy in listening to you falling in love with our country. :-) I love how much pleasure and enjoyment you’re getting out of our country. So many of us New Zealanders have grown accustomed (and probably a bit jaded) to our surroundings, so I actually feel pride and joy in listening to you falling in love with our country. :-)

]]> By: Xeno http://coilhouse.net/2009/11/better-than-coffee-the-maori-legend-of-the-kiwi/comment-page-1/#comment-23514 Xeno Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:20:25 +0000 http://coilhouse.net/?p=11011#comment-23514 The Terrible Truth about the Kiwi and the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary: http://xenogram.livejournal.com/209918.html The Terrible Truth about the Kiwi and the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary:
http://xenogram.livejournal.com/209918.html

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