"My Land" : Song of the Tui.



Photo taken by Tom Rix. Native New Zealand Tui perching on New Zealand flax. Photo Crop by Samsara.

The "My Land" posts on this site are a series that look at the New Zealand I know. Places, environment, and features that the traveller who takes the time to get off the beaten tourist track will find by exploring more of our natural wonders. To start off the New Year, I wanted to offer you all a really positive post to set the tone for the year...hopefully we all have a great 2011.

Tuis, one of New Zealand's native songbird species, are noted for their iridescent blue and green colours, and their delightful song. At this time of year they will have moved on from feeding from kowhai (Sophora species) trees, our national flower, to seeking nectar in our flowering native flax, or harakeke  (phormium tenax) plants.

The following was written by me- a verse here, another there- as I watched tuis feeding in the kowhai outside our kitchen, and while listening to them singing in the trees at my workshop. One day I showed a few verses to my wife and she thought they were beautiful. I put them together then I recognised the 8-7 tempo as being somehow familiar, so I searched for a favourite song of mine from the Cold Mountain soundtrack,  Like a Songbird That has Fallen (you can listen at that link) and found the lyrics fit so well. So let's hijack the song, strip out  the lyrics and fit the following into it.

  Leaving island's mountain cover  

  iridescent wings beat me

                  rising thermals take me over                

    seas that surround Kapiti.

          Reaching mainland's coastal view plain

        refuge sought in green embrace

        draping highest, steepest mountain

         keeping Nature queen of place.

      I'm a songbird that has wandered

    seeking boundaries to expand.

    See me, hear me, love, adore me

      I will spread song through this land.

Photo by Kevin Brown.

Tending kitchen window's kowhai

planted, nectar to produce
                                 I'll repay in tuneful refrain                                    

 sung for my mate to seduce.

I'm a songbird that has found love

cast away your worldly strife.

See us, hear us, love, adore us,

we will spread song through your life.

  

Island dominates horizon,

slumbers peaceful Kapiti.

Human helpful intervention

keeps our island predator free.



Some may question, some may ponder,

why it is the tuis sing?

Joy of living, nature's wonder

help inspire this song we bring.

Seek outside and hear the songbird

perched on yonder kowhai tree.

See us, hear us, love, adore us

songs of joy we'll sing for thee.

Photo by Matt Binns- Tui on flax or harakeke.

Our offshore island of Kapiti is a Nature Reserve where introduced predators such as rats, o'possums, and stoats have been eradicated to allow the bush to regenerate, thereby providing a secure breeding habitat for our native birdlife. Today it acts like an incubator- as the bird population on the island grows, adult birds spread across to the mainland.

If Bonnie ever reads this, it's dedicated to her to put a little cheer in her life.

Kapiti Island photos by Jim McIntosh.

Middle photo of Tui in Kowhai is by Kevin Brown of Simple Signs  http://www.yoursoncanvas.co.nz/

"My Land" : Song of the Tui.

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