{"id":2178,"date":"2024-02-25T22:45:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-25T09:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myblogary.com\/?p=2178"},"modified":"2024-02-26T18:32:11","modified_gmt":"2024-02-26T05:32:11","slug":"no-bird-soars-too-high-if-he-soars-with-his-own-wings-william-blake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myblogary.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/25\/no-bird-soars-too-high-if-he-soars-with-his-own-wings-william-blake\/","title":{"rendered":"“No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.” William Blake"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

February 25<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the Countdown grocery store in Dunedin is currently closed due to a rat infestation, we did our shopping at New World instead. That was our exciting morning activity, and once again I discovered some really cool stuff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Frozen chocolate covered blueberries, strawberries and cherries; chocolate covered marshmallow “fish” and these BBQ rice crackers that Mitch and I are obsessed with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Not the healthiest of choices I know but hey, we’re on vacation and calories don’t count in the Southern Hemisphere. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In the afternoon, we attended the Triple Crown Combo<\/a> at the Royal Albatross Centre<\/a> in Taiaroa Head<\/a> at the top of the Otago Peninsula<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We began our tour with a short presentation and film about the life of the Northern Royal Albatross. They prefer warmer climates rather than their close cousin, the Southern Royal Albatross. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These incredible Northern Royals live 25-30 years and only 1% of the population reside here on the South Island of NZ. The rest live on the Chatham Islands, 487 miles East of NZ. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most albatrosses nest on Oceanic islands in the sub-Antarctic region. They choose places most of us would see as uninhabitable \u2014 cold, wet and wind swept. They spend more than 85% of their life at sea and have the unique ability to drink salt water because of a special gland that filters out the salt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The albatrosses on the Otago Peninsula belong to the only mainland Northern Albatross breeding community in NZ and have lived here for only about 100 years, hence their small numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We walked up to the viewing deck at the observatory and had a wonderful view of the albatrosses taking flight, in mid air and also saw the babies in their nests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Baby chick model<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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