Yellow

It's days like these that you realise you don't need a calendar to work out what time of year it is. The clues are all there - my nose is starting to itch a little and bit by bit more yellow is appearing throughout the valley. Yes, it's definitely the start of spring in Kaituna Valley...

The yellow of course is a mixture of gorse (visible here on the high peaks) and kowhai blossom, as seen here on the trees in the foreground. Hay-fever starts here it would seem...

As I was taking this shot I noticed a couple of kereru gorging themselves on the delicate flowerheads of the kowhai. Done with the usual crash-bash indelicacy of the heavy pigeons of course... Our kowhais in the garden have yet to flower, so here's hoping once they do I can get some more kereru or bellbird close-ups. Who know, maybe even an elusive Banks Peninsula tui might make an appearance? Here's hoping!