It's amazing what you hear at 1.05am

**Ms Piggy** · 15th April 2005, 01:16

I can hear a Morepork! It's really quite loud, must be close by. I live close to a whole lot of trees.

MOREPORK (Ruru) Ninox novaeseelandiae
Size: 29cm.
Status: Common.
Range: Throughout main islands and many off-shore and outlying islands.
Habitat: Native and exotic forests, also small patches of modified forest and exotic trees.
Food: Insects, small mammals, birds and lizards.
Voice: “Morepork” sometimes repeated and prolonged, and a variety of screeches and mewing calls.
Breeding: October-November. Two to three white eggs.
General: Wherever you live in New Zealand you’re almost bound to hear this little owl calling at night during the summer, provided there are enough trees around. It has the eerily silent flight that only owls can achieve. Fully protected.

I think I need to go to bed now.

**Waylander** · 15th April 2005, 01:19

Hehe Owls are cool. All I hear are drunken idiots yelling as they walk home. Nights like this I wish I had a tank for my paintball gun...

**Ixion** · 15th April 2005, 01:36

How nice.

We have one (or more, though have only seen one) here, in the middle of Auckland.

The plaintive call of the morepork is one of those endearing icons of New Zealand.

I love to take a night ride out into the silent countryside, stop the bike on a quiet hilltop, and just look and listen to the night.

**babyB** · 15th April 2005, 01:56

Originally Posted by Ixion

How nice.

We have one (or more, though have only seen one) here, in the middle of Auckland.

The plaintive call of the morepork is one of those endearing icons of New Zealand.

I love to take a night ride out into the silent countryside, stop the bike on a quiet hilltop, and just look and listen to the night.

got 1 here in west aucks too
lol dont wanna take me with ya?? lol tis a cool thing to do

**James Deuce** · 15th April 2005, 07:59

Mmmm morepork.

I have a lovely recipe.

**Motu** · 15th April 2005, 08:00

It's always nice to have a Morepork in the neighbourhood,but getting less common in the city.One night,when I lived in the bush around Titirangi,I was out wandering at night,dragging a piece of rope I found along behind - I turned around and saw a Morepork chasing the rope like a kitten,it was freaky...it was completely silent,just ghosting in and out as it swooped on the rope.I like em...

**Joni** · 15th April 2005, 08:13

Originally Posted by Motu

It's always nice to have a Morepork in the neighbourhood,but getting less common in the city.One night,when I lived in the bush around Titirangi,I was out wandering at night,dragging a piece of rope I found along behind - I turned around and saw a Morepork chasing the rope like a kitten,it was freaky...it was completely silent,just ghosting in and out as it swooped on the rope.I like em...

In Africa any form of owl is considered a blessing when they come into close proximaty to you... it is said, you will be blessed with wisdom and a long healthy life!

CSL: Heres hoping to that being true.
Motu: That morepork was so close to you Im sure we will help you celebrate you 100th...

**Hitcher** · 15th April 2005, 09:13

Originally Posted by Jim2

Mmmm morepork.

I have a lovely recipe.

They taste a bit like kiwi, but without that characteristic tang.

We've got about 6-8 moreporks around our place. They keep getting closer to the house...

**Sniper** · 15th April 2005, 09:15

Hmmm, morepork. Who named them??

**wari** · 15th April 2005, 09:32

WEll .. I ree-fuse to givin untill they say pleese ..

COm-mon curtessy goesa loong way ...

**Paul in NZ** · 15th April 2005, 09:41

Originally Posted by Motu

It's always nice to have a Morepork in the neighbourhood,but getting less common in the city.One night,when I lived in the bush around Titirangi,I was out wandering at night,dragging a piece of rope I found along behind - I turned around and saw a Morepork chasing the rope like a kitten,it was freaky...it was completely silent,just ghosting in and out as it swooped on the rope.I like em...

Um.... You were out late at night draggin' a piece of old rope.... No one else thinks this is odd? Walking your invisible dog? You really are a worry mate.

Not surprisingly we have a lot of the critters around our place too...

I walk Bo on the beach in the dark over winter. We see heaps of wild life, penguins, seals, rabbits (on the beach too), hedgehogs, mice, birds (lots birdies), Eels, baby flounder and other assorted fishes (in the creek)

Hmm.. A nice game rissotto?

Cheers

**bungbung** · 15th April 2005, 11:06

Have you any idea how much old rope costs?

He had the luck to find an unattended piece and he was just taking it home.

**Ixion** · 15th April 2005, 11:51

Originally Posted by bungbung

Have you any idea how much old rope costs?

He had the luck to find an unattended piece and he was just taking it home.

Seems natural enough to me. Those ropes are perverse brutes. No matter how much you tell them to get in behind and follow you, they will take off the bushes . You have to drag them along

I could do with some ropes, any idea where I can catch some. I don't mind dragging them home.