As promised, a penguin for Steenbeck: that spot in the middle of the picture is a rare Hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin) Mara snapped coming ashore in southeast NZ. Unlike some other penguin species, the Hoiho prefer to keep to themselves, and generally wait until other penguins have cleared the beach before they surf in, hence the lack of masses of birds. Owing to the need to remain out of sight in a hide the picture is rather small. Some interesting facts about this bird here:
http://www.kcc.org.nz/birds/hoiho.asp
Other avian highlights included Albatross, Kaka and Kea (forest and mountain parrots), Saddlebacks, Bellbirds, Tui, Shags, Oystercatchers. And we encountered some funky Pelicans on Santa Monica pier on the way home.
Here's a Tui Mara recorded on a forest walk at Kaka Point:
And some tracks which might fit the inauguration of my Pacific brother (as my Hawaiian neighbour and I refer to him) Obama:
Nat Adderley Jr, The price you gotta pay to be free. Recorded in 1970, could have been recorded in 2008..
Ammoncontact, One in an infinity of ways.
Freedom, DJ Food, remixed by Fila Brazilia. Zensational Ninja Tunes chill down track. One for Saneshane.
The Chills' Rain could be seen to be contrasting the safe, constrained existence of the narrator (Rain taps my window pane, I'm sheltering warm and dry) with the freedom of the person he's addressing (wishing you near to me, now that you're finally free).. well, have a listen anyway.
(Players removed.)
Adding Coldcut's remix of Jello Biafra's A message from our sponsor, off the brilliant Journeys by DJ mix. Unify is the next track on the album.
