This would never have happened at my 24th floor apartment just off Queen Street in Auckland. You would hear the police and ambulance sirens, the chaos when the night clubs emptied out, then the crashing of bottles as the recyclers moved in. Maybe the odd seagull skylarking. But nothing to compare to the showcase that nature presents me every few days here in Tauranga. It’s something to behold. First the blackbird which lords over my deck, squawking in the new day and seeing it out at the other end. The mesmerising yellow-eye ring and orange beak hoisted skyward while in song. Then less than 10 minutes away there’s a shifty grey heron sitting on a fence post, checking out the potential dangers before trying his luck in the stream below. Beautiful bird, pity about his grating, raspy call. Even so, it’s a signal. When I hear it, I look out for him. Then two ducks, flying in formation as they do, do a low pass down my drive. Nature turns on a half hour show for me, you don’t book, there’s always a seat and it doesn’t cost a dime. And there’s black cat. I sometimes forget to close my garage door at night and black cat senses it and wanders up the stairs. I wake to hear him shuffling around and exploring, and he scares the bejesus out of me. I wouldn’t have it any other way. That’s my regular Tauranga wildlife adventure without going out the front door. 

Ian Goldsmith, Bureta.