New arrival

A pair of tauhou (silvereyes) came to our deck this morning just before I set off to walk Young L to school. The tauhou is a very small omnivorous passerine bird of the South-west Pacific. The first written record of its presence in New Zealand was in 1832; greater numbers arrived (presumed to have been blown here from Australia by a storm) arrived in 1856. That was the year before my fathers ancestors arrived from Nova Scotia aboard the Breadalbane. Tauhou are protected as a native NZ species (because they were self introduced).

Of interest is that the Maori name (tauhou) means "new arrival". I have seen one on the deck once before. The current pair remained long enough for me to get the camera, and take this picture.