Today
Today seven hours of constant walking takes us down to the
coast. Leg weary we enter our bus
to journey homewards to the south. The first town is Kaiaua. After noting the rarity of its five
consecutive vowel letters we note the three syllables and the meaning of its
two words, food and herring. Situated between bush covered hills and the
abundant waters of the firth, it appears delightfully well named.
Further down the coast is Miranda with its shallow mudflats.
Here godwits and other waders gather close to the shore with each high tide
under watchful eyes. We rejoice in the knowledge that our own species (for all
its faults) gathers each year to toast, with sparkling wine, the departure of
the godwits for their breeding grounds in Alaska and Siberia - and how each
year when they return one southern city peals its bells in welcome. Such is our
empathy.
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| Godwits (Koaka) and Other Waders - Miranda |
tides push them to and from
the sun to and from
today it’s feeding time
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| A Godwit Peloton in Training - Miranda |
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