 Teeny-tiny titipounamu fledgling (GG-RM) You don't need to travel to the Serengeti to have a David Attenborough moment. Earlier this week, Linton and I had the most bizarre encounter with a titipounamu family, just down the road at Zealandia. What unfolded was a shock to the conservationists monitoring these tiny cute borbs. Tiny they are, but apparently also deadly. The following story isn't for the faint of heart - I've put the worst below some white space that you'll need to scroll past so you won't accidently see anything you don't want to. Only view if you managed to watch Bambi without crying. Further warning, this isn't an official scientific account - some parts are shamelessly anthropomorphised - this might be more upsetting to some of my readership than the murder itself. Titipounamu (rifleman, Acanthisitta chloris) are the smallest bird found in Aotearoa. A couple of years ago, a small founder population was translocated to Zealandia, and they've been breeding well ever since. They're bigger than a hummingbird by body-size, but shorter because they have no tail to speak of. I think of them as big bumblebees with about three feathers. These birds are cute! Many of us have enjoyed seeing Melissa Boardman's gorgeous photos of fledglings all snuggled up on a branch together - adorable! Having heard through the grapevine that there were fledglings about, I was hoping to get some cute photos too. But what I got was a lesson in how nature really works. Looking adorable is an illusion. These birds can be vicious - and deadly - fighters. Usually their efforts are spent on preparing their insectivorous dinners, which can take some preparation, including tenderizing and guts removal. A titipounamu demonstrates the process in the video below (trigger warning for caterpillar lovers). To set the scene, imagine a lovely warm calm spring afternoon in Wellington. OK, I know you can't, but sometimes the impossible happens. We'd spotted the fledglings earlier in the week (on another impossibly lovely day), and had already gotten a super-cute photo (the one leading this story), but I had plans for more. Entering the Te Mahanga Track, we immediately came across them. With Linton's super-sharp hearing (which is pretty good for an old fella), we tracked them to a forested mossy bank.  The "victim" - fledgling GY-RM (green over yellow bands on the left and red over metal on the right) After getting some super-cute borb (the technical term for a cute round bird) photos, we suddenly noticed that two were fighting on the forest floor, tumbling down the bank through the leaf litter. The lighting was not great, so please forgive the poor photography. Conservation ranger Kari Beaven and titipounamu volunteer Melissa Boardman have since filled us in on the family relationships, which reveals an unexpected story. "Awww cute," we thought, " they're play fighting." But no, for a minute or two, these two siblings were fighting as if their lives depended on it. On review of the photos, they were going for the eyes and necks. Mama came down a couple of times, but hard to know if she was trying to break it up or egging them on. Either way, they kept fighting. This slideshow could have been taken at an MMA arena. The action occurs in less than a minute but they are so tiny and fast that it's like time moves slower for them than us - real-time video is impossible to follow - it's just a flurry of feathers and leaves. It's the still photos that reveal their moves. The contenders are GW-RM (Green over White on the left leg and Red over Metal on the right leg) and GPu-RM (Green over Purple on left, and Red over Metal on right) - there are so many legs and bands in these photos that it can be hard to work out which leg is which. Eventually they break and disappear, and we try to find where they went. Over the next few minutes we have various sightings of the family, and Linton captures a particularly funny moment.  GW-RM looking innocent (and unscathed) after the first fight.  An unassuming GW-RM doesn't notice that GPu-RM has snuck up behind. Nek minnit GW-RM receives a karate kick up the bum that sends him flying. Photo by Linton Miller. The next drama for me occurs over the stream. I spy two fledglings high on a branch. This time, it starts with the other two siblings from this nest of four. Check out this slideshow which summarizes some brief but important clues we need to understand the motivation for the crime. The slides show GR-RM (presumed female fledgling, right) begging to GY-RM (presumed female fledgling left) high on a branch. GY-RM forages something tiny from a nook in the branch but doesn’t share and is attacked and both go down off the branch. A few seconds later GY-RM lands safely. But not for long. GR-RM launches another attack while GY-RM is perched on a fern frond. They tumble to the ground. Our cameras struggle to find focus in amongst the leaves with all the movement, but the bands are bright and allow identification. We then realize they've tumbled into stream - GR-RM and GY-RM are still going for it in the water! This slide show captures what happens - fortunately GY-RM manages to escape, but with GR-RM in pursuit. Mama and Papa are also in the area, along with the other two siblings, not seeming to care what's going on. Mama even has a bath in the stream. We also have adults from another nearby nest, which made us thought it was a territory dispute, but titipounamu are "normally" coorperative. In review, the only fighting is among the four siblings - the other family doesn't get involved.  In the meantime, we're distracted by this impossibly cute titipounamu posing on a mamaku frond. He's the Dad in from the neighbouring nest/territory but seems to be minding his own business. A couple minutes later, the battle resumes in the stream between GY-RM and GR-RM. Trigger warning for the following content… Together we capture shocking footage of a murder... I know many of you will not want to see this, so I've put some white space below so you know not to scroll past it. For those that choose to continue, you'll also need to click to see the more confronting photos and the video. But I understand if you may want to stop here.
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TinyArt creation is keeping me super busy this month as I prepare for a November-Christmas release as well as stocking up galleries. I was thinking you might like to find out more about what goes into making a TinyArt piece and how this eco-art project came about. Read on to find out how much quality framing materials we've saved from the landfill...  Although TinyArt are priced to be more easily affordable than larger artworks, these are not cheapie knock-off mass-produced frames and art. Each is handmade with love and care. This simple black box frame was flossied up for "His Resplendence (tūī)" with a washi-paper covered mat cut with a reverse bevel and floated. The print has a torn deckle edge and was float mounted above a green mat (but slightly lower than the top washi mat) to give a shadow-box effect. Very finnicky but so much fun to make!  Look for the TinyArt logo on the back of every piece - it signifies it is a true TinyArt made by me Four years ago the TinyArt project burst into life. I'd won a weekend course with The Learning Connexion and chose to do their framing course - so much fun! I signed Linton up too, and we spent the weekend framing all sorts of pieces using offcuts. We learned how to use all the manual framing tools from the huge and scary guillotine to the under-pinner that joins each corner. We cut glass and matboards - the whole shebang! Amazingly no fingers were lost. What was quickly apparent though is how much easier it was with the right tools for the job. Making a frame from scratch at home is doable, but not practical or cost-effective to do at scale without a workshop. But I'd gotten the framing bug! I'd also noticed an unfilled niche in many galleries for affordable but high-quality framed art prints. My brain started buzzing with ideas...  Offcuts awaiting TinyArt production at Edges Art+Framing. So many possibilities! (Photo by Chris Helliwell) So I approached my good friend and framer at Edges Art + Framing, Chris Helliwell, about a collaboration. I proposed that Edges make frames for me from their offcuts and I'd do the mounting and finishing. I did need to acquire some hand tools, like a manual mat cutter and point gun, but nothing like what I would have needed to create the frames as well. The catch, or as I prefer to think of it "creative opportunity," was I'd have no say in the frame moldings - it would be a lucky dip. TinyArt was underway!  The square frames start to pile up as the Edges team works their way through the offcuts. (Photo by Chris Helliwell) First the Edges Art+Framing team go through their offcuts and make up tiny square frames, trying to maximize what they can get out of each piece. We go with square because most of my prints are square and the frames are much simpler to make, needing just the one measurment. I never know what I'm going to get! It all depends on what their customers are ordering. Sometimes, the trend is for plain black. Sometimes the world has gone mad for white shabby chic! I adore all the ornate frames that might be ostentatious in a big size, but somehow for TinyArt, over-the-top is just right. Sometimes Edges will reframe a piece for a customer so they're able to upcycle the old frame using an old and interesting molding. There are often offcuts from unusual, rare, and expensive frames that most of us would never think to choose or risk for a larger piece, let alone afford. With the plainer frames, I'll usually try and do something else special like double matting, float-framing, or framing without a visible mat to maximize the print size.  Stacks of TinyArt frames, ready for delivery. As much as possible, we also reuse packaging for shipping too. So far, I've not needed to buy bubble wrap! (Photo by Chris Helliwell) Edges then go through their glass offcuts. They know I love antireflective glass, so the majority of TinyArt pieces use the fancy glass - some even use Museum grade glass that is also 99% UV protective. All too precious for the rubbish bin. Edges delivers boxes of TinyArt frames consisting of just the frame, glass, and backboard. Then I take over to do the mounting. As I unpack, I measure the size and make notes on the type of glass as well as considering which print might be the best match. I have a shoebox filled with tiny acid-free tissue-wrapped prints that I've made from the bottoms of all my fine-art prints. I do most of my own printing, and most of my artworks are square, but the paper comes in rectangles. I can't bear to waste it so I try to print on as much of the sheet as possible!  An A2 sheet laid out for four small prints plus TinyArt prints and labels.  The Edges team had fun with this huge molding, trying to make the smallest window they could. I loved it! It was perfect for "The Sweetheart (kākā)." After hundreds of hours nestbox monitoring, it reminds me of when mama kākā pokes her beak out of the nestbox porthole for a break and a look-around for her fella. The rustic wood makes it even more realistic. The hardest part is choosing which print goes with each frame. When there is a perfect match, it's such a buzz. Sometimes I'm left pondering how on earth I'll find the best match, but somehow the right combination eventually occurs to me. On occasion, the Edges team have seen how far they can push my creativity with some rather weird oddities, or by seeing if they can make a tiny frame using an extra-wide molding like the example above - I'm glad they're having fun too. By experimenting with hundreds of frames, I now can recommend interesting frames to customers for larger pieces too, with confidence.  OK, so I'm not the tidiest person... Edges also give me boxes of matboard offcuts (matboard is the acid-free cardboard between the frame and the print). Think about it - everytime a matboard is used to frame a print, there is a piece of matboard cut out to make the window. That piece can then be used to mount a smaller piece, and so on, and so on. I then compost the tiny squares of matboard left over from the smallest prints.  Quintuple matting using matboard offcuts, including multiple shades of brown that match the kārearea and even a washi-covered mat from a larger TinyArt. Each layer was cut by hand using a bevelled mat cutter. Matboard is imported and is quite expensive in New Zealand, so it's not so common for people to choose framing with double or triple matting where a strip of coloured mat surrounds the print with a plainer mat on top. But for TinyArt, all it takes is time. I love stacking matboards, sometimes of the same colour and sometimes multiple colours. The most I've managed to stack is 5 deep (imagine the expense of doing that for a fullsized piece!).  "Sweet Dreams (ruru)" framed wtih a simple black box frame. Rather than a plain mat, I chose to make this TinyArt more special with a delicate Japanese washi paper covered in tiny leaves and seeds. I also love to cover matboard with washi papers or handpulled gelliplate prints to give a unique look. That's something you simply won't find as an (affordable) option for regular-sized artworks, at least not with most framers. I treated myself to a deckle-edge ripper too. I sometimes embellish the prints themselves or paint the inner bevel of the mat window with gold or silver pearlescent paints.  Nothing but the best for "The Boffin (kererū)" - his halo is painted with semi-precious glimmery fuchsite watercolour paint and the mat is covered in silk for a lustrous elegance. All my mats are cut by hand using a Logan matboard cutter. I've only nearly sliced my thumb off once! Even for the TinyArts that don't appear to have a mat, I've usually cut a hidden mat that fits in behind the frame rebate. This holds the print off the glass, protecting it and increasing it's life. It's a lot of extra work to do this and a real fiddle to get it right, but I think (hope) the effort is worth it. Framers will use plastic spacers to do this, but there are not usually offcuts to use for TinyArt purposes. A spacer made from upcycled matboard offcuts is more fitting to this project. Though I do sometimes use plastic spacers if I want to lift or recess the print to create a floating effect.  The back of a TinyArt showing the hanging hardware (D-rings and string), labelling, and taping. I do use all new supplies for taping, hinging, stapling and hanging as there is no realistic upcycled or recycled options. On the back, I put a label with the name of the piece and it's unique catalogue number. There is also a label or note about what sort of glass is used and a sticker if the piece includes a 10% donation to conservation (most do). As I go, I photograph the inside, back, and front of every piece (likewise for all my prints) so my phone camera roll is 90% TinyArt and prints (and is where I've gotten most of the photos for this story). Four more framing variations for "Sweet Dreams" - which is your favourite? Over time, I've found that some of my prints are beloved as TinyArt pieces yet others don't get much traction. "Sweet Dreams (ruru)" is an absolute favourite and also suits many different frames. "His Resplendence (tūī)" and "A New View (tūī)" are also popular choices, and are also the only way to now get hold of these prints which are either sold out or nearly sold out of their larger-sized limited-editions. I don't release limited edition prints smaller than 18x18cm and TinyArt frames are usually smaller. So all the TinyArt pieces are open edition prints, and there is no restriction on how many I can make.  One of my favourite frames - it really suits a number of my grungy antique style kākā pieces such as "It's About Time (kākā)". As of 22 Oct 2022, I've made 566 TinyArt pieces. Doing some back-of-the-envelope calculations, the average TinyArt piece has outside dimensions of about 20cm and glass size about 12x12cm. That translates to over 450 metres of expensive frame moldings and 8 square metres of fancy glass, matboard, and foamboard that hasn't gone to landfill! It's also (hopefully) over 500 people with smiles on their faces because they have some beautiful art in their homes or offices. The TinyArt project brings me great joy, despite the workload. I'm too slow at mounting to cover the cost of my time and I don't tend to create a production line because I like putting unique touches on each. But I love being able to keep quality products out of the landfill and I love being able to create a piece of quality art that is affordable, albeit tiny. TinyArt are perfect for people with limited space, fixed budgets, and for gifts as there is no need for the recipient to have to frame their art. Some people are also creating collections either on shelves or as a feature wall statement. One thing I've noticed too is that a large percentage of TinyArt customers are buying these pieces as a treat for themselves - that brings me a smile to my face!  TinyArt gifts ready for shipping, wrapped in compostable eco-wrapping paper with paper ribbons.
Favourite hashtags #tinyart #tinyartproject #buynzmade #ecoart #greenbiz #handmade #upcycling #lesswaste I've been thinking a lot lately about the similarities between art and science. I started life as an artist, but due to an unfortunate event (a story for another day) in my teenage years, I ended up focusing on science for a few decades. It's been only recently that art has filled a large part of my life again. I often bump into the attitude that it's unusual to be both an artist and a scientist, but is it?  "A Quick Study" - an artwork from my Flights of Fancy series that explores themes of conservation and cognition. I'll let you into a secret - this wee toutouwai is reading my PhD thesis (which took 8 years to complete - definitely not a quick study - the joke is on me!). This toutouwai is one of approximately 10 intelligent beings that have likely read it too! All the graphs are measurements in my ears showing how well (or not) I'm detecting samples of white noise. There is a pervasive (and disproved) theory that people are either left or right-brain dominated, and this somehow determines whether someone is artistically or analytically inclined. I reckon the underlying premise that art needs only a creative mind and science needs only an analytical mind is wrong in the first place. A good artist or scientist needs to be both - innate curiosity and creativity and technical hard work and skill underlie both endeavours. Without the "what if...", neither art nor science happens. And without the "how do I..." problem-solving neither art nor science progresses. The actual moment of creative and imaginative thought underlying a theory or artwork is often fleeting and cannot be forced, often happening during deep relaxation (famously in the bath for Archimedes). But for both artists and scientists, most of our time is spent in planning and execution requiring techniques that take knowledge, training, and years of practice.  I love photoartistry, but for years I've wished I could be more proficient at drawing and painting. But being decades behind where I would have been had I continued as a child put me off even trying. I eventually realized that all these talented young artists had as much experience as me and they were getitng on with it. So I got over myself and got to work! I'm not sure why I was drawn to watercolour - one of the more difficult styles of painting - but I was and I'm thoroughly enjoying the learning process. "Misty Morepork" is one of my favourite pieces, and I was stoked to have it accepted for exhibition with the NZ Academy of Fine Arts! It's also not that unusual for people to pursue both creative and analytical hobbies and jobs. Many of my scientific colleagues are also accomplished musicians, artists, writers, and actors. Most artists also have a day job (though we all dream of the day we can do art full-time!). We also all know people who say "I can't draw" or "I can't work with numbers." Sometimes people do have actual learning difficulties in certain areas, but for many - if we're truly honest with ourselves - it's not so much "can't" but more a case of "I don't want to." It may be we don't want to put the time and work in to learn or we don't want to feel the fear of failure or being judged (on closer examination, often due to a negative experience as a kid). It takes a certain relaxation of internal barriers to give yourself permission to try something new. A truer statement is "I choose not to" (which is fine, but let's be honest eh!). I admit to choosing not to do many things (public speaking and singing, learning a second language, driving a car). And even if you do overcome those fears and put a bit of yourself out into the world - some people are going to hate it! And this is where science and art diverge. In trying to uncover the truths of nature, science can be wrong (and given there are always unknowns, we can only ever approximate the truth so it's more a degree of wrongness). Through grueling scientific peer review, we are trained to find how many ways wrong a scientific work might be - it can be rather soul-sapping regardless of which side of the process you're on. What's so liberating with art is there is no right or wrong - and the subjective experience of art is totally out of my control and it is totally out of your control too. Your reaction of love, hate, or indifference comes from your current state of mind and your lived experiences that have shaped who you are. Having put both art and science out into the world, I know which causes me more anxiety! (Like most people, I hate being proven wrong.) But if you don't like my art, that's totally fine.  Most of my favourite pieces are in my "Flights of Fancy" series, where I let imagination take over. These pieces often start with the thought "What if....". The themes and messages I include in these pieces might not be what you take away from them - I love how art can do that! This subjectivity is also why artists should strive to create art that first and foremost satisfies themselves. The art that I create that resonates the most deeply with me is shaped by my lived experiences that draw me to certain subjects, colours, and compositions and "what if's..." I'm not always consciously aware of what they are. It is only over time and on reflection that I see themes coming through in my art from my unique background in psychological research and experiences as a wildlife volunteer - themes of intelligence and cognition in non-human species (birds are really smart), themes of environmental devastation, and the effects of human colonisation. Sometimes a pretty bird is just a pretty bird and brings joy to us all - and that's not to be underrated. But the pieces that mean the most to me have a deeper message that I didn't necessarily even realize as I created them. Artists worry a lot about whether they have a cohesive style and theme, and it can be hard to articulate let alone recognize. But maybe it doesn't even matter. What someone else sees in my art is shaped by their experiences and might be something completely different - how cool is that! If any of what I've written brings up thoughts or questions or resonates with you, I'd love to hear your thoughts - let rip in the comments below :)
 Olearia | Coastal tree daisy flower bracts It's easy to get swept away with the in-your-face drama of yellow kōwhai filled with feasting birds, but spring brings subtle pleasures too. This week, I've swapped out my birding lens for an "Art" lens and sought out the delicate, tiny, and hidden. From the remnants of tree daisy flowers to a hidden parrot tulip, there were many subjects to photograph.  A close-up of a coastal tree daisy flower remnant - less than 1cm across. I do love the furry leaves too - they help the plant hold water in rugged coastal settings. Thanks to the iNaturalist (a website where you can upload observations and get identifications), I learned these were not flowers but the bracts left over from flowering coastal tree daisies (Olearia solandri). In the typical weird New Zealand way, these daisies are scrubby trees. They look more like a weed or something nondescript at first blush, but up close, they are beautiful!  Close-up of a karamū berry - about 0.5cm across. While Linton was weighing the takahē at Zealandia (both Nio and Orbell are healthy weights, I'm glad to report), I searched the nearby bushes for more treasures and found this tiny lonesome karamū (Coprosma) berry. They usually come in clusters and are quickly wolfed down by hungry birds over winter, but somehow this one escaped attention.  Tutu Tutu is a gorgeous native plant, and this one had the most psychedelic stems. It's starting to come into flower, soon to be followed by gorgeous purple-black berries. Tutu is poisonous though, including the honeydew excreted from passion-vine hopper insects (yep I'm talking about bug poo). Honeybees collect the honeydew, which can then contaminate the honey - bad news for anyone inadvertently consuming it. Fortunately, beekeepers know to not harvest honey when the risk is highest.  Mamaku koru Although not tiny in the slightest, I thought I'd include an iconic koru - the spiral-shaped frond of an unfurling mamaku tree fern. Another example of New Zealand plants doing an Alice-in-Wonderland thing of being much larger than their relatives elsewhere. These ferns are indeed the size of trees and the koru are around 20cm across.  Parrot tulip Back home, I took a wander around the garden and found this stunning parrot tulip hiding under it's leaves. A wise flower, for it would have taken a beating from the late winter storm we just had with hail and sleet. These gorgeous flowers look like a painting - I'm glad one survived!
Have you noticed subtle but gorgeous signs of spring (or fall) where you are?  A tūī feeding on kōwhai nectar After a dreary wet winter, we're all desperately searching for signs of spring. Yesterday, after a brief gap between rain and more rain, we ventured out to nearby Ōtari-Wilton's Bush to find some early-flowering kōwhai. It was quite disconcerting how many slips we passed along the way. Over the weekend, Ōtari itself had also experienced a massive slip. For those outside of Wellington, Ōtari is a botanic garden specializing in native and endemic plants of Aotearoa, including the overshore islands. It also has a remnant of original Pōneke forest, with a huge rimu tree pride of place. It is an incredible natural asset to Wellington, providing native forest for the birds spilling over from Zealandia EcoSanctuary.  A kākā feasting on kōwhai flower nectar This glorious kōwhai put us in good cheer. It's in the Chatham Islands collection, and unlike some kōwhai, has both flowers and leaves at the same time. It is a bird magnet, with not much else flowering yet.  The kākā uses its brush-tipped tongue to lick up the kōwhai flower nectar. As you might guess, there was one very stroppy tūī who decided he owned the tree. He spent most of his time fending off three kākā for the nectar goodness. One of the kākā was a youngster, purple-banded earlier this year at nearby Zealandia, now off exploring the big wide world, so that was lovely to see!  Close-up of the tūī feeding on kōwhai by thrusting its bill into the flower. The stamens rub across their feathers, leaving a dusting of pollen. It was interesting to see how the different birds approached feeding. The tūī inserts its bill directly down the kōwhai flower and uses its long brush-tipped tongue to lap up the nectar. It often needs to stretch to get to the flowers. By comparison, the kākā grabs a footfull of kōwhai flowers to pull them closer, then uses its huge but delicate beak and tongue to get directly into the base of the flower. They too have a brush-tipped tongue. Both bird species end up with their faces dusted thickly with kōwhai pollen, pollinating the flowers as they gorge on the nectar.  Sometimes the best flower is a big stretch away!  And sometimes it's just easier to bring the flowers to your face! Also profusely flowering are the mānuka (tea tree) bushes. There are some gorgeous pink-flowered specimens at Ōtari, and I couldn't help but create some dark and moody photos. The intention was to continue with a bright and cheery theme, but I couldn't help myself.
In search of spring, I was also recently inspired to create this embellished watercolour artwork "Dreaming of Spring", featuring native puawhananga (Clematis paniculata).  "Dreaming of spring" (Clematis paniculata) Although I spend most of my time in the digital world where there are billions of colours to hand, it's hard to resist pigmented paints, filled with history and lore. This piece was created with just three pigments: vivacious French Ultramarine, moody Perylene Green, and mysterious Serpentine. The latter is a wonderful green pigment from Australia that granulates into green and burnt scarlet particles, given huge depth and texture. I love how these three colours play together. I couldn't resist some gold accents to bring it to life and add extra cheer. Given the positive reaction to this piece, it's now available as an embellished print where the gold stamen are hand-painted giving each print a touch of joy and uniqueness. Are you seeing signs of spring yet?
 My Pa after hanging "The Scenic Route" Father figures come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, genders, ages, and flavours, but I know many are huge bird fans. Does your father figure have an elaborate bird feeder? Perhaps yours loves tramping in the forest, immersing themselves in the sounds of green. Or are they like Chris, always craning their head to see who's calling high in the sky? Maybe your Pa is like Richard who's learned how to speak pīwakawaka and has a tiny flock following him around the garden? How about all the dads who slog their guts out every weekend checking rat traps to ensure baby birds survive in their nests?  "Pīwakawaka in Māhoe" from the Skrark Art photographic print range I'm not one to create art with certain genders or stereotypes in mind, but over the years, I've noticed that some of my artworks are especially loved by fathers (and people buying gifts for their fathers). The most popular has to be The Scenic Route (pictured at the top), featuring Dad and the kids out for a kākā's equivalent of a Sunday drive (and with fuel prices these days, a lost pleasure). This piece makes a great combination with the gentleman ornithologist (humanologist?) "The Bird Watcher" (below).  "The Bird Watcher" - there are many fun things to find in this detailed artwork.  "I Spy (ruru" - a fine-art print I've also noticed a special reverence for the might and power of birds of prey, with "I Spy (ruru)" an immediate hit among owl art lovers. Another newish piece is our Skrark Art photographic print "Karearea Profile."  "Kārearea Profile" - a photographic print by Skrark Art  "A Real Kiwi Joker (kiwi pukupuku)" If your Dad is a fan of redbands, a pint, and a laugh, then "A Real Kiwi Joker" might be the perfect match! But did you know that kiwi pukupuku dads are also amazing stay-at-home fathers? They are responsible for all the egg incubating and chick raising (which is understandable when you learn that female kiwi are laying eggs that are around one-quarter their body weight - which is apparently like giving birth to a full-sized toddler according to my kiwi researcher friends 😮). Kiwi dads are awesome!  "In all his glory (tūī)" - a fine art print Finally, this list wouldn't be complete without a tūī. Everyone's favourite, but I know you can't go wrong with "In all his glory," who is especially popular. So if you're wondering what to get Dad for Father's Day, a birthday, or other special occasion, an artwork featuring their favourite bird is a pretty good choice. Do take a look at my full collection - there's bound to be something your Dad will love! Or get in touch if you would like more suggestions.
What is your father's favourite bird?  "A Hidden World (kākāpō)" - a glorious limited-edition fine-art print available in 4 sizes. Wonderful news from my fine-art printer, Oliver Zavala, from Picaflor Fine-Art Printing. He won in the "Specialty Products ~ Limited Edition & Fine Art Prints" category at the recent Pride in Print Awards with "A Hidden World (kākāpō)" extra-large print! Oliver prints all my extra-large paper prints, which are too big for me to print, and he does a fabulous job. I'm delighted to hear that the judges agree! This gorgeous fine-art print comes in multiple sizes and includes a 10% donation to Kākāpō Recovery. Based on reference photos from the lovely Andrew Digby from Kākāpō Recovery. This is one of the few artworks that Linton has named. He was fortunate to have helped with a transmitter change on Anchor Island a few years ago, so has experienced how special it is to be among kākāpō on a restricted island. Here's hoping the various efforts to bring kākāpō back to the mainland will be successful so more of us can experience these amazing manu.  Results for "A Hidden World" and judges comments  We even all received a lovely certificate!
Coming in at number 5 - His Resplendence (tūī) His Resplendence (tūī) - raising funds for Forest & Bird From limited-edition fine art prints, to TinyArts, to personalized postage stamps, this boy sold out completely. He's now only available occasionally as a TinyArt piece or (in the future) gift ephemera. Number 4 was only a squeak ahead - The Chase (Pīwakawaka) The Chase (pīwakawaka) - raising funds for Zealandia These adorable fantails have raced up the charts, ever since their predecessor, The Secret, sold out. At the time of writing, the large limited-edition prints of "The Chase (pīwakawaka)" have completely sold out, but small and medium prints are still available. These cuties are especially popular as TinyArt pieces too. At Number 3 - Sweet Dreams are made of this... Sweet Dreams (ruru) - supporting Forest & Bird This adorable morepork has swooped up the charts to number three, and is the number one piece supporting Forest & Bird. Sweet Dreams looks amazing big or small and suits so many different types of framing. From rustic to gold, plain to fancy, she's just gorgeous! At the time of writing, she's still available as a limited-edition print in all sizes, but will soon start running out, especially the large prints. Like the others, she's also popular as a TinyArt piece, and I can't make enough of them. Number 2 - a new release that stormed the charts - a hidden world (Kākāpō) A Hidden World (kākāpō) - supporting (of course) Kākāpō Recovery These irresistible moss chickens were a late entry in 2021 but made a huge splash, quickly ousting other contenders from the top 5 spot. Based on photos of Sinbad and Hoki by Andrew Digby from Kākāpō Recovery, I set them in a magical cove that had people guessing where in Aotearoa it was (it's a cove in the Bay of Many Coves in the Marlborough Sounds). Hubby Linton came up with the name "A Hidden World (kākāpō)" after his experiences tracking kākāpō on remote Anchor Island. More recently, plans are forming to reintroduce kākāpō to the mainland, so perhaps their world won't be quite so hidden and more of us will be able to experience these incredible parrots in the wild. Because this is such a new print, there are still limited-edition prints available in all sizes. And unlike my other prints, there are two variations - square and rectangular - and people have strong preferences for one or the other. Which do you prefer? Before I announce number 1, an Honourable mention goes to "Her Mystery (tūī) "Her Mystery (tūī)" - supporting Zealandia If it wasn't for those charismatic kākāpō latecomers, "Her Mystery (tūī)" would be in the top 5. You've probably noticed that I love a gothic stormy backdrop, and the tūī colours suit that scene perfectly. She was created as a companion piece to our number one bird... Who is Number 1? |
Bright, dappled light that varied as the wind blew confused the exposure algorithm in the camera. This is a colour photo, but has blown out in both directions.
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The same tūī and same tree (different angle) on a bright but drizzly day giving lovely soft light, plus a wee bit of post-processing.
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Choose your day
Free and practical
You're unlikely to see me at Zealandia on a bright sunny day! Increase your chances of success by visiting on overcast days and in the early morning or late afternoon when the light can be softer (and the birds are often more active). Some of my best photos were taken on days with soft misty rain.
It may take repeated visits to your favourite location to learn what times of day and season work best, as the sun's angles change throughout both the day and over the year.
It may take repeated visits to your favourite location to learn what times of day and season work best, as the sun's angles change throughout both the day and over the year.
Expose for the bird
Free and technical
Dappled light can confuse your camera's auto-exposure settings, causing an under-exposed silhouetted bird or over-exposed blown-out highlights. The answer is to expose for the bird rather than the background (spot-metering). You can more easily compensate for an incorrectly exposed background in post-processing, but it is much harder to compensate for a poorly exposed bird.
There are hundreds if not thousands of tutorials already out there on how to do this, and probably for your specific camera too, so I suggest googling the specifics.
You can also use your exposure compensation dial to tweak what your camera is trying to do automatically. Or take the plunge and learn how to set your exposure manually. With a manual exposure, you can set and forget and focus on the composition - it's quite liberating once you get the hang of it.
Don't consider buying better gear until you've mastered the basics of the gear you have.
There are hundreds if not thousands of tutorials already out there on how to do this, and probably for your specific camera too, so I suggest googling the specifics.
You can also use your exposure compensation dial to tweak what your camera is trying to do automatically. Or take the plunge and learn how to set your exposure manually. With a manual exposure, you can set and forget and focus on the composition - it's quite liberating once you get the hang of it.
Don't consider buying better gear until you've mastered the basics of the gear you have.
Increase the light sensitivity (ISO)...
Free and technical
Increase the ISO setting in your camera so that the sensor is more sensitive in the low-light conditions. Like all things to do with photography, this comes with a trade-off. The image will be noisier/grainier. But this is always better than having a photo with motion blur (unless that's what you're going for).
High ISO close-up of a kākā's eye, before and after de-noising with ON1 NoNoise AI.
...and use denoising software -
Costs $ and (only slighty) technical
I personally hate the grainy look, but many use it to great artistic effect. I use denoising software to improve high-ISO images. Denoising has become so good in recent years, it feels like magic. Noise is removed without sacrificing too much detail. Choose from ON1 NoNoise AI, Topaz DeNoise AI, and DxO for top-of-the-line noise reduction or use the inbuilt denoising in Lightroom or Photoshop. My current go-to is ON1. Use the slider on the photo above to see a before and after using ON1 (ISO 6400, heavy crop). Worth every cent!
use Post-Processing editing techniques
Free/Costs $ and can be technical
Photoshop, Lightroom and free alternatives like Gimp gives a world of post-processing options to edit your images. As an example, the ruru at the top of this story was first de-noised and then quickly edited in Lightroom for some basic adjustments and to emphasize the eyes. I then took it over into Photoshop to fill in the overblown highlights using a mix of masking, healing, clone-stamping, and brush work. Once you have these skills in your arsenal, these sorts of edits can be done within minutes and can rescue many flawed photos. Again, there are thousands of tutorials out there on the internet on how to do all these things. I highly recommend Julienne Kost's tutorials from Adobe for Photoshop and Lightroom editing - she's amazing and many of her tutorials are free.
This is considered a "light" lens and camera, at only 3 kg... I don't dare say how much it was... But oh my, does it take a lovely photo!
Get the gear to do the job
Costs $$$ and practical
There's a reason serious bird photographers carry around gear the size of a small child that looks like it could find life on Pluto. It does the job. Those huge lenses with wide apertures let in lots of light, allowing shooting in otherwise untenable situations. But gear like that comes at a huge cost - both financially and also physically. If you're in a position to buy it and can carry it (or you have a handy sherpa!), you won't regret it. But do try all the other suggestions first so if and when you do get the good gear you can get the most out of it.
And Last of All, always consider the wildlife first
When you're fussing around with your camera and angles, don't forget to mind the wildlife and their home! Always be prepared to abandon the shot if it means protecting the critter.
Birds and other critters show stress in different ways to humans and what might seem innocuous to us, may not be to them. For instance, they might freeze rather than fly, their heart-rates sky-rocketing and cortisol levels shooting up, waiting for you to bugger off. But to you it might look like they're sitting there unbothered. There can be telltale signs though, depending on the species, so do your homework too. Be especially careful when photographing a nesting bird - if they get too stressed they may abandon the nest.
And it's worth repeating, when it comes to flash photography, I never use it with birds. Even if it was OK to use, the resulting images rarely look natural with harsh shadows and light coming from the wrong direction, so it's just not worth it. Some cameras and mobile phones are set to automatically flash when the light is low, but this feature can and should be turned off. It's far better to choose when flash is needed and turn it on specifically.
What have you found increases your odds of a great bird photo?
And it's worth repeating, when it comes to flash photography, I never use it with birds. Even if it was OK to use, the resulting images rarely look natural with harsh shadows and light coming from the wrong direction, so it's just not worth it. Some cameras and mobile phones are set to automatically flash when the light is low, but this feature can and should be turned off. It's far better to choose when flash is needed and turn it on specifically.
What have you found increases your odds of a great bird photo?
"A Wet Weekend" [SOLD] - a mixed-media watercolour doodle of what I could see from my windows when the rain set in.
The only thing I hate about being a photo-artist is that it's hard to take advantage of all the yummy things in an art supply shop and it's much harder to post interesting progress photos showing all the delicious pigments and brushes used. Both are irresistable - more addictive than catnip! A photo of a Wacom tablet and stylus, or a printer and a box of printer ink, does not have the same appeal as a messy swathe of colour on a palette and a dripping brush!
But that's not the only reason I've taken up more mixed-media work to augment my photo-artistry. One thing I'm learning is that to keep inspiration going and skills progressing, it really helps to get more experience working with different artistic media. It has helped make me more observant and it's helped me tap back into the joy of creating for creatings sake - what I like to think of as a beginner's mindset. It's not really just an excuse to nip down to Gordon Harris or fill up a basket at Takapuna Art Supplies - honest!
"The Boffin (kererū)" - one of my first embellished fine-art prints. Coming in three sizes, his halo/moon is painted with Daler Rowney pearlescent paint. Each print is unique and the shimmer changes with the light - gorgeous!
Artist Karen Rankin is to blame - she started me on the slippery slope of mixed media when I bought a gorgeous kākā painting from her, all blinged up with shimmery inks and pearlescent pastels. She encouraged me to incorporate some shimmer into my photo-art (which can't be printed with a standard fine-art printer), and I've since used them in a variety of ways, including embellishing fine-art prints by hand, like "The Boffin" pictured above.
I loved how this doodle worked out! Inspired by CeeCee, I challenged myself to paint three blobby shapes using colours already on my palette, run them into one another, then look for patterns and doodle them in. What did I see? Birds of course □
More recently, I've succumbed to gelliplate monoprinting and collage, thanks to the irrepressible Froyle Davies, and to mixed-media watercolour doodling thanks to Canadian artist CeeCee (Catherine Côté). Photo-artistry, at least the way I do it, requires a lot of exacting painstaking work and also comes with a delete key (handy!), but I was keen to create more loosely, and literally sometimes scribble outside the lines with no backsies.
My first attempt at a collage using gelliplate papers, stencils, gold paint, and tūī from a large print of "The Sign of the Southern Cross", which had a printing flaw in it (waste not, want not!). It took me three days to get all the matt-medium off my fingers LOLOLOL
Creating with a beginner's mindset gives me more freedom to create for the hell of it, to make mistakes, and to experiment. Although I still have a ton to learn about photography and photo-artistry, I feel a basic competence and confidence when I pick up my tools, but I'm also in the mindset that this is how I make my living so I better get it right, which is not necessarily the best mindset for creativity.
A beginner's mindset is not without its challenges though. When I pick up a paintbrush, the insecurities flood in. I hate failing (don't we all) and I know the only way to get any better at anything is to put the hours in. I'm finding it takes some fortitude to apply the paint to the paper and risk wasting expensive supplies. It can be 4:30 in the afternoon before I'm ready to commit and get started. But every now and then, a piece turns out great, and I'm inspired to keep on trying new things and creating.
A beginner's mindset is not without its challenges though. When I pick up a paintbrush, the insecurities flood in. I hate failing (don't we all) and I know the only way to get any better at anything is to put the hours in. I'm finding it takes some fortitude to apply the paint to the paper and risk wasting expensive supplies. It can be 4:30 in the afternoon before I'm ready to commit and get started. But every now and then, a piece turns out great, and I'm inspired to keep on trying new things and creating.
"Summers End at Zealandia" [SOLD] is another three by three mixed-media watercolour doodle. I've been challenging myself on each photoshoot to observe (and photograph) nine things and then create a doodle using a limited colour palette of just 3-5 paints. It's harder than you might think! I'll perhaps write more about this in a future blog.
I hope you don't mind me sharing some of this journey with you. Have you tried something outside your comfort zone lately? How do you push yourself through the difficult bits? And if you have a favourite art supply that you reckon I should try, feel free to lead me into temptation 😂
Ngā mihi
Judi
P.S. And a special thanks to my social media followers who have been so supportive when I've posted some of these pieces - it's pretty scary putting art out there but you've all been so lovely 🥰
Ngā mihi
Judi
P.S. And a special thanks to my social media followers who have been so supportive when I've posted some of these pieces - it's pretty scary putting art out there but you've all been so lovely 🥰
"I am kākā, hear me roar!"
It's that time of the year when the Zealandia valley fills with the sounds of "Mum, mum, mum, mum" as newly fledged kākā chicks are weaned and taught how to fend for themselves. On a late afternoon walk yesterday, I heard those unmistakable cries near the Top Dam kākā feeders, and after a bit of hunting found the culprit high up a tree being tended by her Mum. It was none other than RB-M - the very first chick we banded this season and the first fledgling I've seen out of the nest this season. You might remember her from this story...
Despite many protests, Mum (V-YW) insisted on a good preening. Gotta keep those kids clean!
RB-M's mum is the lovely V-YW. She's about ten years old now (lordy how time flies!) and unusually became a mother at a very young age - at just one year old. She's onto at least her second fella though, this time an unbanded chap of unknown parentage.
"Muuuuummmmmmm save meeeee!" A jump from branch to branch was not entirely successful - look at the "parachute" of feathers she deployed! Fortunately, she was able to scrabble her way back on top of the branch.
Despite having fledged over six weeks ago, RB-M is still quite clumsy and gravity is not her friend. Kākā cannot fly when they fledge - it can take them a couple of weeks to get the hang of it and even longer to get proficient. Thank goodness we have the Zealandia fence to keep predators out and give these fledgling a good start in life!
Having been cleaned by Mum and fed by Dad, the family melt back into the forest.
A perfect way to end a lovely summer afternoon at Zealandia!
In the coming days and weeks, do keep an eye and ear out for these hilarious characters. If they have a large purple cohort band, you'll know it's a youngster. There are also unbanded fledglings out there too, and it can be hard at a glance to differentiate them from their mothers. The mothers also have yellow eye rings and will beg for food too. The chicks, however, appear much more gormless and naive, and their feathers are usually fresher too.
In the coming days and weeks, do keep an eye and ear out for these hilarious characters. If they have a large purple cohort band, you'll know it's a youngster. There are also unbanded fledglings out there too, and it can be hard at a glance to differentiate them from their mothers. The mothers also have yellow eye rings and will beg for food too. The chicks, however, appear much more gormless and naive, and their feathers are usually fresher too.
Mama Kākā feeds her nestling at the nestbox porthole.
Earlier this week, I was checking on some kākā nestboxes at Zealandia EcoSanctuary. We do this to get an estimate of the chicks ages so we know when to band them (see this previous blog on banding baby kākā). There are special protocols we follow when checking boxes to minimize disturbance, so there can be a lot of waiting around.
We stay at a respectful distance when monitoring, but kākā like to know what's going on so we don't hide ourselves. Kākā observe their observers as much as we observe them. Mama is fluffing up because she's also begging to Papa for food for the bubs. Papa feeds her and she then feeds the chicks. It's a lot of regurgitation, but it does the trick. They did this right above my head so I was lying on my back trying to photograph directly up - it's not easy with a zoom lens so I only got this photo!
After many years of experimentation, Zealandia settled on using PVC conduit for the artifical nestboxes. They tend to result in healthier, cleaner, drier nests with less fly strike than a traditional wooden box. They also can be reused each year. Wooden panels are screwed inside for kākā to chew and climb on, and are replaced each season. I describe the design as inspired by NZ architect Ian Atfield (who loved organic round shapes and round portals), compared to the original wooden bungalow that dot the hills of Wellington.
Through incubation, and when the chicks are very young, Mama spends most of her time in the box, coming out every hour for a break and a feed from Papa. Once the chicks are bigger and older, she'll spend more time out of the box, entering to feed and preen the chicks, and to make more nesting material by peeling the wooden panels inside into shavings.
Mama kākā has a couple of techniques to get into the box. Here she swings down from the roof to get to the perch. She also will jump from the nearby trees onto the perch.
Mama catching her balance on the perch.
The nestbox porthole is the way kākā get in and out of the nest. For us humans, we have a hinged door on the side that we can open to get full access. It's totally up to these wild kākā to use these boxes if they wish to. Plenty choose not to and instead find natural nests in tree cavities. There are about 35 nestboxes throughout the Zealandia valley.
The wee kākā nestling takes a good look at the outside world before retreating back to the safety of its nest.
It's not until the chicks are about 7 weeks old that they start climbing the inside of the nestbox and testing their wings. Nestbox monitors will report hearing the scratching as they climb up and then the flapping of wings before the inevitable thud as they fall back into the nest, often to complaints from their nestmates. By about 8 weeks they're ready to fledge and will spend a lot of time climbing up and looking out, until one day, with some coaxing from Mama and Papa, they'll take a leap of faith and flutter-fall down to the ground ready to take on the world. Fortunately the nestboxes are all low to the ground but natural nests can be many metres up a tree.
It takes at least a couple of weeks to learn to fly with confidence, so initially the chicks climb everywhere. They're incredibly vulnerable to predation at this stage, which is why it's so important to attract our wild kākā to nest in the fenced Zealandia valley where they are safe from predators. The Zealandia fence is not just any old fence - it's scientifically designed to keep out predators. Kākā who breed outside the valley in suburban Wellington reserves suffer a much higher attrition rate due to predation from cats, dogs, stoats, weasels and other mammalian predators.
We are so fortunate to have this amazing rare manu in our city and it's been a privilege to be involved in their breeding success. This season's cohort are getting gorgeous purple bands - be on the look-out for them as they've started fledging and will soon be showing up at the kākā feeding stations at Zealandia.
It takes at least a couple of weeks to learn to fly with confidence, so initially the chicks climb everywhere. They're incredibly vulnerable to predation at this stage, which is why it's so important to attract our wild kākā to nest in the fenced Zealandia valley where they are safe from predators. The Zealandia fence is not just any old fence - it's scientifically designed to keep out predators. Kākā who breed outside the valley in suburban Wellington reserves suffer a much higher attrition rate due to predation from cats, dogs, stoats, weasels and other mammalian predators.
We are so fortunate to have this amazing rare manu in our city and it's been a privilege to be involved in their breeding success. This season's cohort are getting gorgeous purple bands - be on the look-out for them as they've started fledging and will soon be showing up at the kākā feeding stations at Zealandia.
The baby kākā gives her first "skrark" as she sees the world for the first time! (Lead Ranger for Conservation, Ellen Irwin gently removes the chick from the bag used for weighing.)
For over a decade now (how time flies!), Linton and I have helped run the kākā conservation and research program at Zealandia EcoSanctuary as volunteers. In earlier days, we were focused on the conservation aspects and the chicks were closely monitored throughout the season. Now the focus is more on research and the aim is to enable researchers to easily identify individual kākā at a distance. To do this, we attach three coloured rings to their legs when they are still nestlings. They're about six weeks old, full of personality and with nearly fully-grown legs, but without the strength in their jaws to bite hard - the perfect age!
Working hands-on with wild native birds and banding them requires significant training, permits, and certification from the Department of Conservation.
Working hands-on with wild native birds and banding them requires significant training, permits, and certification from the Department of Conservation.
Each chick is removed one by one from the artificial nestbox. See how Linton has formed a cage with his fingers, and tucked his little finger behind the kākā's leg to ensure a safe and gentle hold.
At Zealandia, we have around 35 artifical nestboxes that the wild kākā can choose to use. Many choose natural nest cavities instead. We now only monitor and band those kākā in the nestboxes, rather than the entire population, so there are many unbanded kākā about.
At banding age, we take one chick out of the nestbox at a time, let them have a stress crap and then immediately pop them into a cloth bag for weighing. Kākā typically have 1 to 6 chicks, rarely 7, with most nests ending up with around 3-4 chicks varying over a 5 day age range. This nest has 4 chicks, all girls.
At banding age, we take one chick out of the nestbox at a time, let them have a stress crap and then immediately pop them into a cloth bag for weighing. Kākā typically have 1 to 6 chicks, rarely 7, with most nests ending up with around 3-4 chicks varying over a 5 day age range. This nest has 4 chicks, all girls.
A baby kākā takes her first look at the world, as researcher Rachael Shaw exposes her head from the measuring bag. Gotta love those big googly eyes, full of curiousity and wonder!
"Got your nose!" Linton carefully uses vernier calipers to measure the length and width of the beak, while Rachael gently holds. This clutch of chicks were charming and well-behaved, but some chicks will wrestle and wriggle and do everything in their power to not cooperate, giving the handler a lot to manage.
Once weighed, we expose their head from the bag to measure their beak, and then remove them entirely to measure their wing, tail, and tarsus (leg bone). We also do a health check for signs of metabolic bone disease, parasites, etc. Then they are leg-banded and popped back into the nest where they immediately tell their nestmates just how terrible the outside world is!
Special pliers are used to attach the stainless steel cohort band. It takes a lot of training to get these bands to fit just right, without a gap and without sharp edges. This season's cohort colour is a gorgeous purple. Here Linton holds the kākā's toes while applying the band to her tarsus while Rachael holds the leg. Look at those gorgeous feathers on the upper leg!
A single coloured cohort band, indicating the season, is attached to one leg and two narrower coloured metal bands are attached to the other. The colour combinations are unique. The purple band is coded M for Mauve (as we already use P for Pink). The cohort band also has a unique number embossed on it. These records are kept by the Banding Office of the Department of Conservation.
Mama kākā "V-YW" keeps a close eye on her chicks. She's named for her legbands laVender on the left and Yellow over White on the right. She's 10 years old now, and unusually started breeding at the very young age of 1 year.
Mama kākā usually turns up when she hears the skrarking of the first chick coming out of the nest. She may or may not hang around for the entire banding process. She will also call in her posse of friends, who all yell at us until they get bored. Occasionally, they'll throw sticks down on us, but the parents never think to attack us despite having a swiss-army knife for a beak!
My turn for a cuddle. This wee lass is so well-behaved that I barely need to hold her. She doesn't realize the mischief she could be getting into! (Photo by Linton Miller)
Chilled out but curious, she chooses to lie on my hand and watch the world. Handling techniques are dictated by the chicks - my approach is to let them choose their stance and we work around them. By contrast her nestmate chose to stand up straight like a meercat! (Photo by Linton Miller)
Ellen holds the first chick to be banded for the 2021/22 season, as she prepares to return her to the nest. Watch out for RB-M (Red over Blue on the left and Mauve on the right). She'll fledge in a couple of weeks and then spend a couple of months learning how to be a kākā. Eventually, mama will bring her to the kākā feeding stations - probably by January or February - where we'll all be able to see their antics.
As of the end of last season, we've banded over 1100 kākā at Zealandia - an amazing result from a founding population of just 14 birds, twenty years ago. They're now a common sight throughout Wellington, and it gives me great joy to have them visit our garden nearly every day.
Rachael's latest kākā project is fascinating - she's using AI algorithms to recognise individual kākā from mugshots. The kākā, of course, have other ideas, and have done everything from licking the camera lens, to throwing the camera down a steep bank! She and her students have some significant challenges to overcome!
Rachael's latest kākā project is fascinating - she's using AI algorithms to recognise individual kākā from mugshots. The kākā, of course, have other ideas, and have done everything from licking the camera lens, to throwing the camera down a steep bank! She and her students have some significant challenges to overcome!
One of our first games using the original Wingspan pack.
I have a low tolerance for board games and learning all the rules (usually leading to an evening of tedious reading and not much game playing), so when Linton bought me Wingspan for Christmas, I was suspicious, but intrigued - it did involve birds afterall! Fortunately he is a games rules-lawyer so it didn't take too long to get playing and to get the hang of it. Since then, Wingspan has completely captured our imaginations and we play nearly every night over dinner (props to the inventors that gave the pieces a slip-coat cover, that so far has mostly resisted red wine, chili sauce, and greasy cheese). So here are my top five reasons why I think Wingspan is the best game ever invented!
- It's the perfect two-player game. With only two people in our household, most boardgames don't work, but Wingspan is a fabulous two-player game, with the right mix of random and skill-based aspects to keep us on our toes. We haven't played multi-player yet, but one of the best features is that no-one goes out early and then has to sit watching others have fun (those games suck).
- Every game is different, requiring you to contemplate your strategies and tactics for the hand dealt. Each game of four rounds has round goals and bonus card challenges that give endless variations. Can you get combinations of birds to work with each other in symbiosis to power the eco-system without wasting resources? Those games are especially satisfying.
- It's educational, but subtly. Each bird has a "super power" usually relating to their behaviour. I laugh at the parrots who give other players food - if you've ever seen a parrot eat you'll know why. I also laugh at the ibis - fondly known as a bin chicken - who goes through the discard pile looking for goodies. So much love and thought has been put into this game!
- It's gorgeous! The artwork is incredible, each bird is beautifully hand-painted and realistic. One of the artists, Natalia Rojas, worked for a while at Zealandia, which is why New Zealand birds in the Oceania expansion pack are so well-represented.
- It's as competitive or as cooperative as you want to play it. We usually try to be both. Even when you lose, you can still take great delight in the beautiful sanctuary you've created.
A more recent game playing all the expansion packs and the Oceania board with nectar. Linton got a huge bird total (70) so we took a photo for posterity.
I must admit that in our household, we call this game not Wingspan, but a Game of F***s. Most of the cards are referred to as Little Sh**s or Useless F***s, because they don't help the current goals. But some birds are totally awesome like the Wedge-tailed Eagle, Great-horned owl, Puffin, Little Penguin, and the Black Noddy. Worth loads of points, these birds also look gorgeous on the board.
Having played so many games, we've developed "House Rules" including:
1. If you get the Spangled Drongo, you must call out "Spangled Drongo!" loudly using your best Ocker accent. What a name for a bird!
| 2. The galah is called "Vinny" after YouTube's Marlene McCohen's gangster - he's even striking the gangster pose on the card. | |
| 3. The kākāpō is called "Sirocco" as the big-green-budgie-of-love was undoubtedly the reference bird for the illustration. | |
| 4. When the Little Penguin is fishing, you need to call out "Fish!" if you catch one, just like Cat does when using the fish vending machine in Red Dwarf. |  |
5. And finally, for those with the Oceania expansion pack, one of the round goals is "No goal" which we think sucks because it decreases the total points achievable. [Updated July 2022 - the kind people on the Wingspan Facebook group let me know that I've been play "No goal" all wrong LOL - but our house rule is still fun to play regardless]. Instead, we have a house-rule that it's for "NZ birds played" but as you will have likely guessed we call it the "NZ F***ks" round. We use NZ Birds Online as the adjudicator as to whether the bird is "NZ" or not, and refer to looking up a bird as "Consulting Colin" after Colin Miskelly, who created this amazing resource. It's turned into our favourite round goal. It's fascinating to see how many vagrants we get (did you know NZ has kookaburras?).
I can't wait for the next expansion pack to come out - yes I'm addicted!
Do you play Wingspan? Do you agree it's the best game ever? Do you have some fun house rules too?
P.S. This is not a paid or solicited review, I'm just a dedicated fan.
Do you play Wingspan? Do you agree it's the best game ever? Do you have some fun house rules too?
P.S. This is not a paid or solicited review, I'm just a dedicated fan.
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