Feijoa – Kay has just spent an hour at the bench scooping Feijoas to freeze, to make a Feijoa and Coconut Crumble for me. Thank you Kay, I look forward to that. Must remember to remind you to get it out of the freezer!
Kowhai – tree with yellow flowers, which are known to be the NZ national flower.
Tui is an endemic passerine bird of New Zealand. It is one of the largest members of the diverse honeyeater family.
The name Tui is from the Maori language name tūī and is the species’ formal common name. The plural is simply ‘Tui’, following Māori usage. The English name, Parson Bird, has fallen into disuse but came about because at first glance the Tui appears completely black except for a small tuft of white feathers at its neck and a small white wing patch, causing it to resemble a parson in clerical attire.
On closer inspection it can be seen—and from the photo—that Tui have faded browner patches on the back and flanks, a multicoloured iridescent sheen that varies with the angle from which the light strikes them, and a dusting of small, white-shafted feathers on the back and sides of the neck that produce a lacy collar.
Wai – Maori for fresh water
iwi – Maori tribe
Ngaio – small NZ tree
