Pair with 2 chicks(majority of the Glenfield population does not raise more than 1(only if hatched within second clutch(january), for reasons unknown all pairs in Auckland destroy their first clutch(november), perhaps for better young survival in second clutch as NZ mynas are said to maintain low genetic diversity(1st brood may be more susceptible to resulting ailments). Clutch observations were exhibited in an elderly pair of Common mynas a neighbour at my previous house in Glenfield named "boss"(i knew him as "scalp" in last few years - male, in reference to his patch of white feathers on forehead(neighbour said a dog maimed his forehead 15 years before disappearance & new feathers grew back white from skin trauma); he became blind in left eye several years before his disappearance & for last 4 years limped in left leg, lost right foot) & sparkle(female, referred to shiny feathers). Both were fed by the resident for 36 years after showing up(initially wary yet warmed up(after several years both allowed her to pet them; would land on her shoulders etc)after frequent feeding. Woman claims they have raised close to 30 chicks over the years. Both disappeared in 2023(boss)& 2024(sparkle). Boss/scalp flew to Eskdale one evening and never came back, while sparkle lasted another year unpaired and surveilllance recorded a feral cat pouncing on her(dispatching) in January 2024(now 6 year tuxedo in another of my obs). Mentioned property now visited by dozens of mynas per day subsequent to the dominant pair's demise(all others are claimed to be their "kids, grandkids & great grandkids so on").
Eskdale feral chickens update: Young silkie x hen mentioned in previous observations has hatched out a clutch of 5 chicks(fathered by the barred rock x silkie rooster). According to a local family who feeds the chickens 3 were black, 1 grey & 1 brown. 3 of them soon disappeared(probably taken by rats), leaving the 2 depicted. Both appear to be roosters. 1 has a a pea comb(like the barred rock/silkie) while the other has a single comb, like the bantam silkie x mother. Father rooster trapped & removed by a neighbour last week due to months of continuous crowing; subsequently sent off to a rural property up north for breeding.
The foliaage on this small sapling is quite feathery. Unfortunately the close-up is out of focus.
There are very many of this plant in the surrounding area.
There are very many of these, self-sown over many parts of our farmlet, with numbers of mature trees in pockets.
Large numbers of Kanuka trees are growing in various places, seeded by some mature specimens that seed over a wide area,