Twin Waters Lodge (New Zealand)

31/10/2024

Opening today for 2024-5 summer season. We look forward to welcoming guests to our little slice of paradise!
The birds are here, the beach is here, the native trees are here: come and see us!

09/06/2023

Introducing Wh**ey
The blackbird shown below has been hanging around Twin Waters Lodge for several months now. He can regularly be seen near the road in the visitor carpark. However, he is very shy, and I had to take this photo (and a number of others not so good) through the bushes, as he skedaddles as soon as anyone goes outside.
I would be interested to know of any other sightings of similar birds, and any information as to their origin

16/12/2022

The flax flowering has been exceptional this year. The tuis and bellbirds are loving it. You can see the orange stripe on the tui's head from the flax pollen (no - it is not a colour variant!).

05/11/2022

Spring is well and truly sprung at Twin Waters!
The flax flower heads are shooting out of the ground, and the impatient tuis are already trying to open them before they bloom. Flax nectar is one of their favourite foods. The view below is from the kitchen window, where later we will see the tuis harvesting from the flowers.
We also picked our first rose yesterday. It was one of my favourites: Fragrant Cloud. this combines the beauty of the flower with good old-fashioned scent, and is a delight to have as a cut flower.

01/11/2022

More about the welcome swallows (Warou):
These birds are continuing to build their nest on the light sensor box. The nest is made of mud. The pair have been busy all day and it looks nearly finished. Maybe we will have some eggs soon.

31/10/2022

The birds are back!
Each year the migratory species go away in autumn and come back in spring. The godwits arrived from Alaska in early October, and there appear to be more of them than we have seen before. Yesterday, I heard the call of the shining cuckoo (photo below). We like them because the eat the caterpillars that can infest the kowhai trees. And yesterday a welcome swallow started building its nest above the light sensor on the deck next to the guest lounge. This is a mixed blessing - it is great to have them here, but they do make a mess!
Of course the usual non-migratory suspects are well in evidence - tuis, bellbirds (korimako), fantails (piwakawaka), grey warblers (riroriro) and kingfishers (kotare). There are also plenty of pukeko on the nearby farmland, many with chicks.

27/10/2022

Open for business!
We have just welcomed our first international guest since the re-opening of the borders following the covid pandemic.
We are expecting may more this season and look forward to meeting you all!

03/11/2018

Twin Waters has re-opened for summer 2018-9
For more see our blog on the website twinwaters.nz

03/01/2014

Over the past weeks, the flax has been in full flower. The tuis love the flax nectar and have been flocking to it, and fighting over who gets it. Here are some shots taken from our kitchen and dining deck. The song is special because the tui (like the bellbird) has a double voicebox and can make a wide range of sounds. Play this with the sound turned up!

20/12/2013

This is the video created by Pheye Creative funded by a collective of businesses to promote Golden Bay, New Zealand as a destination and as the amazing, unique…

06/12/2013

Our frog has returned. Please see my post on http://www.twinwaters.co.nz/frog-returns/
for more.

14/11/2013