Pūtangitangi for BOTY

It's been a while since we've posted, sadly we are down to one remaining chick 😢 Hoping that if we continue to feed up this little dude they'll be resilient to the cat that roams at night before too long.

Lefty was being bullied all morning by some intruder girls, but he and Ngaire saw them off. Time for a big dinner 😁.

My Pūtangitangi pair with their own pair this season!

Lefty is at a loose end while Ngaire is still looking after the eggs. During afternoon tea today, he's had to defend his Lucky Duck pile from a group of marauding mallards 😂. I love his green head, which only really shows up in direct sunlight. 🦆🦆🦆🦆 #AotearoaBirds

Looks like my Pūtangitangi pair have hatched two chicks. Got unlucky with a thunderstorm storm rolling through in the last couple weeks with all the rain and wind we've had. It's currently still raining, and they're on an adventure across the property. Will see if I can get photos later!

We think Ngaire and Lefty's chickies will hatch in 2-5 days. Can't wait!

The putangitangi - setting the best example for parents everywhere. Find and 'collect' native birds in our point and click adventure game. #indiegame #gamedev #indiedev #pointandclick #narrativegames #birdsingames

Only Lefty has arrived this morning. Ngaire must be sitting on her nest. When she's here too he constantly chats to us, but when he's on his own he is always completely silent. Possibly trying to avoid drawing attention to the nest? #BirdOfTheYear

A paradise duck is waddling down a quiet street in a zig zag fashion. Softly quack-quacking to her partner in crime who's trailing behind her. Heading for the river a few streets away as the sun rises over distant hills. (2)

Voting is open! You can vote for Ngaire and Lefty at this link ♥️ www.birdoftheyear.org.nz?bird=paradis...

Today we camped out in different areas of the park so we could catch Ngaire and Lefty taking off and landing. We've discovered that she is nesting on the island in the middle of this pond! ♥️

Listen to them chatting away! There's a couple of enemies circling around as well so they are also doing alert calls 🥰 #BirdOfTheYear

Another beautiful morning in Ōamaru! #BirdOfTheYear

We couldn't find Ngaire for ages this morning! They finally intercepted us as we were about to leave 🤣 Lefty is doing a great job climbing the stairs. #BirdOfTheYear

Lefty is getting really fast now! His leg must be feeling better. When he wags his tail it means he's happy to see us 🥰. Vote pūtangitangi in #BirdOfTheYear!

My resident pūtangitangi pair is nesting! in an abandoned rabbit burrow... Unfortunately the burrow is on a different neighbours property so I can't just stick a camera outside. maybe. But it was very comical watching her disappear straight into a hill from afar.

Found her! Ngaire's turn to eat while Lefty stands guard.

We're getting closer to Spring. Ngaire has been nesting by the edge of the creek, laying an egg a day. Chickies won't be far 😁 Today we've had to clear off a grey teal and another paradise duck!

Lefty always waits for Ngaire to have her breakfast before he has his ♥️ There's a cheeky dunnock that's started showing up, stealing single grain and running away.

Lefty looking very proud of himself this morning 🥰

There are 9 Ngaire pūtangitangi, but can you spot the hidden Lefty? #boty

MMP but the prime minister is the Bird of the Year

Another super cold morning, the pond is the most frozen we have ever seen in 2 years of walking around the park 🥶

And just when I was falling and falling, down and down that rabbit-hole thinking (and I quote) "I wonder if I should fall right 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 the earth" (AiW, p. 7) I get a reaction from this lovely account from NEW ZEALAND. (@putangitangi.co.nz) (pics!) Through the earth indeed and out on the other side

It's -1°C this morning! Ngaire and Lefty will loaf on the ground to keep their legs warm when it's too cold. Another park walker asked us how to train pūtangitangi this morning 😂.

I had no idea they existed. Pleased to have found out. (Paradise Shelduck from New Zealand? So pretty. Mainly monogamous.Vegetarians but not dogmatic. And the flamboyant ginger Indian variety? Wow.) (Somebody save me from this rabbit hole. Please.)

Today we're investigating some potential nesting sites! Underneath this root on the bank looks pretty promising. 🦆🦆🥚🥚🥚 Once Ngaire has laid her eggs she'll sit on them for about 30 days until they hatch.

A beautiful autumn morning in the park today. The bombshells from yesterday have cleared off!

This week on Duck Island: Two bombshells arrive in the park! Will Lefty's head be turned? How will Ngaire react when she finds out? Stay tuned for more.

No native birds were harmed making last week's episode of TAKAHE FOR BIRD OF THE YEAR. This week we ask the question: has that hungry predator actually gone, though? #BOTY

Intruders! A new couple (Van and Aurora) have moved into our park this morning. Hopefully they'll make good neighbours 👀

We had to track down our humans in the park today, they were late feeding us! 🦆🦆

Got a new lens for lookin' at birds

Mōrena from the gardens! Lovely weather this morning as we eat our buffet breakfast. #boty

this is *exactly* the type of thing the internet was made for

They even made us our own website! My favourite part is switching between the female and male themes.

Our human friends might need to stop feeding us soon due to bird flu, but until then we're stocking up and getting as round as possible before breeding season starts.

Mōrena! We're Ngaire and Lefty, a pair of pūtangitangi running an unofficial campaign for Bird of the Year 2026 🦆. Lefty has an injured leg, and some nice humans have been feeding us every day to help his recovery ♥️.

Make sure you vote for pūtangitangi in this year's BOTY competition!

An honour, you see. #boty open.substack.com/pub/taracomi...

Bird of the year starts 4th September! We tried to become campaign managers for the pūtangitangi but missed out. Maybe next year 😭.