Creature Feature #372: Kea

Another New Zealand parrot, the Kea is also something of an oddity. He is the only parrot to live in an alpine environment. This harsh environment has led to some rather interesting adaptions - the Kea is one of the most intelligent birds in the world. He is intensely curious, using his long beak to rip aside anything in search of food - or for fun. Kea were once maligned for the rather unfortunate behaviour of tearing flesh from sheep, seeking the protein it provided, and large numbers were shot. In more recent times this curiosity and powerful bill has led to them stripping rubber from cars, and also to chewing on nails. Lead poisoning from these nails is a big problem, combined with being killed by cars or attacked on the nest by stoats. This charming alpine clown is now considered vulnerable to extinction.

Creature Feature #365: Kakapo

The Kakapo is a flightless parrot, found only in New Zealand. He is classified as Critically Endangered with a population of less than 130 and a dedicated consevation program in place. Kakapo are long-lived and slow-breedings, only reproducing when the rimu trees mast-seed, about every 3-5 years. The male digs himself a shallow bowl and crouches in it, inflating himself up like a balloon and emitting a low booming call, that can be heard up to 5 kms away. Once mated, the female lays her eggs in a burrow - which makes her vulnerable to predators such as stoats and feral cats. It takes 9-10 years for these chicks to reach sexual maturity. Once Kakapo were common throughout the country, but a combination of this slow breeding system, habitat destruction and hunting by humans and introduced mammal led to its very-near extinction, with only 51 birds left in 1995.

Creature Feature #258: Galaxias

The Galaxias are a Genus of small freshwater fish, found in southeast Australia and  New Zealand with representatives in South America and Africa. They are specialised in living in the higher, cooler climates such as alpine streams, rivers and lakes. Despite this, many species include a marine stage in their life cycles. Larvae are washed out to sea to develop, swimming back up the river as small fry. The introduction of trout to New Zealand waterways has severely and negatively impacted many of these fish species, with populations now becoming fragmented and restricted. This wee fellow is a New Zealand Flathead Galaxias, his range restricted to a few rivers in Otago.

For more on freshwater fish of New Zealand, look out for Inanga and Kokopu.

Creature Feature #148: Dabchick

The Dachick is a small grebe now found only in the North Island of New Zealand, having become extirpated on the South Island at some point in the past. He spends most of his life on the water and rarely, if ever, will come ashore.  Inept on land, he is expert on water and will make dives of up to 30 seconds to forage on the lake bed for aquatic invertebrates. Most are consumed underwater, with only the larger morsels being brought to the surface. Courtship is an elaborate ritual of preening, diving and head shaking with nests being constructed from aquatic vegetation. These are anchored to emergent vegetation, or occasionally hidden under boat shelters or in partly submerged caves. The striped chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and will ride on their parents' backs when tired.

Creature Feature #35: Arrow Squid

Squids originated from the mollusc line, and are characterised by  their distinctive head, symmetrical shape, distinct mantle (“body”) and their tentacles. They have ten limbs - eight of which are arms, and two of which are longer tentacles, used to grasp their prey and crack it apart with their only solid organ - their chitin beak.

According to Wikipedia, the New Zealand Arrow Squid is also known as the Wellington Flying Squid. Alas for this poor, unappreciated Cephalopod, very little is known about it except for its value as a foodstuff -  for endangered New Zealand animals - like the fur seal and the yellow eyed penguin, and also for its purpose upon our plates, in the form of calamari.

NZ Pokemon - the Taniwha Evolution line

[Taniwha are a mythological creature that live in the waterways and oceans around New Zealand. They act as a protector of the land.]

Teniwha - the tiny fish Pokemon (length - 0'6")
These diminutive piscian hatch in the ocean, then shoal together to swim upriver to find a home in the native bush. They are relatively fast, and like to dazzle potential predators (and opponents) by flashing their scales and turning sharply.
(teniwha is based somewhat on the whitebait, except for the colour)

Terewha - the slithery fish Pokemon (length 5'0')
Often found in shallow rivers, Terewha lurk beneath logs and overhanging banks. They use their long blue tongues to prey on waterbird Pokemon (which I shall invent later), dragging them beneath the water to drown and eat them. Normally found in small groups, Terewha have a well established hierachy and will often fight against each other. They use their long, slender body like a whip, and also curl it around opponents. Should one be ousted from its territory, it can find its way to a new river or pond by crawling out of the pond and slithering across land. As long as its body remains moist, it can stay outside of water for several days.
(terewha is based on the native eel species, except for the colour)

Taniwha - the river guardian Pokemon (length 20'5")
When a Terewha is established as the sole ruler of its territory it evolves into Taniwha. These fearsome, draconian water Pokemon are extremely territorial and will fiercely protect their river against any intruders or anything that sets out to harm it. They secrete a mucus through their skin that acts to purify the water, clearing it of pollutants. Very hard to train in adult form, often factories and such that produce toxic waste will capture Terewha and transport them into their ponds in the hope that they will evolve and clense their waterways. (Terewha does not produce this mucus, however, and if it is too unpleasant they will simply crawl out of the pond and away.)

More Moley Birds

The Little Blue Penguin - seen here on Stewart Island (with signs of civilisation removed to make the image more natural and easier to draw) and the Kakapo - seen here in Fiordland, where they have not lived for quite some time.

Two very different flightless birds of New Zealand. Penguins actually evolved here, and we have several native species - of which the blue is amongst the smallest. The kakapo is the only flightless parrot in the world, and fills the niche of badger, being that we have no mammals here. It is a remarkable bird and has a real personality.

Moley Birds!

I've been trading moley (moleskine) journals around for a wee while now, and have recently received my third. Another watercolour one, the theme for this one is "birds" and therefore, right up my alley.

Since I am a New Zealander, I feel obliged to draw New Zealand birds, and thus decided to start with two birds that are frequently confused with one another, despite the fact that they have very few traits in common.

Here we go:

 This is of course, the Weka (Gallirus australis) and the Kiwi (Brown - Apteryx australis).
Now, here are the things these two birds have in comon:
* They are both brown in colour
* They are both flightless
* They both live in native forest
* Both eat bugs and grubs and other invertebrates.
* They have strong, sturdy legs for walking.

And that is pretty much it.

Yet tourists will still caption photographs of wekas with "kiwi!" (although I cannot find any examples right now).

Here is how the two are different:
*Weka are rails, kiwi are ratites.
* Kiwi DO NOT have visible wings, their wings are greatly atrophied and little more than hooks underneath their feathers.
* Kiwi feathers are loose and soft, more like fur than feathers (and their body temperature is closer to a mammals). 
* Kiwi beaks are very long, a tool used to hunt about in the leaf litter for the aforementioned bugs and grubs. Their nostrils are also at the tip of their beak, not the base like all other birds.
* Weka are diurnal (mostly), kiwi are nocturnal (mostly).
* Weka are curious and sneaky.
* Kiwi are shy, but can be bolshy if disturbed (and make a right royal racket as they crash through the trees).
* There are birds that resemble a weka elsewhere in the world.
* The only bird that comes even close to resembling a kiwi is the snipe (extinct in mainland New Zealand).

Please ignore the fact that I have drawn a North Island weka in Fiordland. I forgot what subspecies it was when I added in the background.

I have another Double Page Spread to draw. Because I have started with flightless birds, I may as well continue with them, and will be drawing a kakapo and a penguin. And if you can get the two of those confused, then I suggest you get your eyes tested!

New Zealand birds strut their stuff!

The Purple Prince and Tiriki the Kea strut their stuff, while Flit the fantail watches. The mountain in the background is Mt Cook. This was a leaving present for a co-worker.

The Aviangers

133 years ago they took over our land, bringing death and devastation. Now it's time to fight back, our time to rise.

Don't get Angry, get Even!

I'm not sure if this team are going to become part of a roleplaying scenario or possibly even a comic, but we have Kamikaze the falcon (ranger), Kiri the kereru (healer), a fantail (mage), a weka (thief), a kea (some sort of tinkerer/inventor) and Moho the takahe (warrior). Together they fight against the evil mammalian menace.

Yes, I will find names for the other birds - resisting urge to call the weka Aroha and the kea Tiriki, after my other characters.

NZ Tarot: Redraws

There were three cards that I was not happy with - well, four really, but I've stuck with the Tower. I believe I must be engaged in a bit of procrastination, because I am still not happy with either of them, but they'll do, for now. I can always change them at a later date!

First redraw was the Knight of Trees.

The original Knight of Trees was a kereru, which displays very few of the traits generally recognised in the Knight of Wands, plus I wished to use a kereru for the nines, thus this redraw involved making him a rifleman:

 For The Moon, I could no longer use the possum - because he featured prominently on the Chaos card, and I also wanted bats in my deck, so here we have four bats (two species) frolicking in the moonlight. Something about the balance in this card bothers me - it might be the large white moon in the background? This is one I am tempted to redraw, except that bats are REALLY difficult. As you can see here, only one of them actually looks mostly decent.

And finally we have the Seven of Trees.The original was one of my most popular cards, and I could not really understand why, because the owl just wasn't all that well drawn. Also, futher research indicated that it was not a clear representation of the true meaning of the card.

So, I began again. Now, I wanted to keep the morepork owl. But the Seven of Trees is a card of victory against odds, of standing up against those that might try to bring you down. A card of defiance.

Thus, the robins began mobbing the owl.

It started with just one, but although I loved the owl, I didn't feel it got the message quite well across - as my husband said "That bird is toast". Not really the meaning I was striving for. So I tried again, this time with a smaller owl and two robins.

A much better card, except for one thing. The owl's head wasn't nearly as impressive.

So witness the miracle of cut and paste and then blend:

This is the card that will appear in the deck.

NZ Naturally: Bonus cards

The box I have designed for this deck will hold up to 90 cards. The document will take the space of 9 cards. This leaves enough space for 81 cards. As you know - the regular tarot deck has 78 cards.

So, I decided on a few extras.

It was suggested by several of my online people that I could include a "Wyrd" card. This is a card representing fate or personal destiny and can translate as "Fate, doom, fortunes."

I chose to depic it with a trinity:

These three creatures are all predators, and as such represent a food chain - the kiwi might eat the peripatus, the ferret might eat the kiwi. The peripatus eats worms, btw. They also represent a timeline. The Peripatus is an ancient velvet worm, probably present on New Zealand when it split from Gondwana. The kiwi's ancestors migrated across and evolved, losing the ability to fly. The ferret was brought into NZ by the Europeans in an effort to combat the rabbit problem. He was a domestic species, that escaped - going feral.

I am not sure how one would interpret the Wyrd card in a reading - although it does seem to indicate a future that is hidden, and should remain unknown. In some decks, it is apparently represented by a "?".

For the final of the actual tarot cards, I thought I would go with the Happy Squirrel card - as created by the Simpsons. Interestingly enough, this is generally considered the 23rd card in the major arcana, but is also numbered #23. Sicne the Fool is numbered 0 and is the first card, the Happy Squirrel should technically be number #22.

But the number 23 seems to have a certain significance and is often related to Eris, goddess of Chaos and Discord.

Thus the Chaos card was born - aka the Grumpy Possum (since squirrels have never lived in New Zealand):

When drawn from  a deck, the Chaos card indicates that although something you are about to do may seem like a good idea - it will have unexpected, dire - perhaps even catalysmic, or at the very least, diabolic, consequences. As was the result of an attempt to establish a furtrade in New Zealand by introducing the (admittedly, pretty cute) brush-tailed possum. He stripped the trees bare, ate nestlings and eggs and bred, bred, bred. Now possums outnumber humans (in NZ) by almost 10 to one and extermianting them is impossible. As the species is endangered in Australia, drastic measures (such as creating a disease to make them sterile/wipe them out) is inadvisable. If only we could send them all back!

These two cards I am retaining for use in a give-away/competition at the end of the year - once the deck is completed and I have proofed it.

There will be one final card, but it is not part of the regular tarot and should be removed from the pack before a reading is undertaken.

NZ Naturally Tarot: Tens

 The Ten of Coins - House Sparrows are the most widespread of any avian species - being found in every continent (exept Antarctica) and most countries. From their humble beginnings in the Middle East, they have populated Europe, the UK, the Americas, and even gotten into the Pacific. Sometimes they were introduced, other times stowaways. They flourish in the urban environment, are sociable and get on well with other species. For a card to match success and great wealth, the House Sparrow seemed the most appropriate.

The Ten of Peaks - up in the snowy NZ Alps a merino sheep has been left in the highlands for the winter. Perhaps it was because she evaded capture, perhaps she had strayed too far. Whatever the reason, now she is floundering in the snow, trapped and half starved, and the predators are descending. Yes, keas may be parrots, but they have been known to eat meat - whether it be the fledglings of other birds (they enjoy muttonbirds) or the rich fatty flesh of sheep. Even without the birds eating her while she still lives, this sheep is most likely doomed.

Ten of Trees - The Archey's Frog, burdened by his four froglets, can only watch and wait as the bulldozer makes a move on his forest home in the Coromandel. Some years ago, the government declared that they were looking to mine the Coromandel - one of our last refuges for this frog. The outcry was immense, and the project brought to a halt - the frog's home was safe. For now. But still, for this tiny, ancient amphibian, the outside pressures must be extreme - his environment is changing, shrinking, there are more toxins in the air and the water and he is already clinging to survival.
Yes, it is the male that raises the young. They spend their tadpole life in the egg, hatching as tailed froglets to ride on their father's back. He can have up to 13 young, but I really didn't feel like drawing ten, even though they would have been more suitable for the card.

The Ten of Waves, featuring the Maui Dolphin, was designed and uploaded several weeks ago, to celebrate my 3000th card.

Now only the bonus cards and the redraws to go!

NZ Naturally: To the Nines

 The Nine of Swords is not a positive card - it represents mental pain and anguish, disappointment, deception and shattered confidence. It is represented here by a Kaki, a black stilt, who has come home from foraging to find his mate and chick both dead - probably murdered by the black cat in the background there. Kaki parents will attempt to fight off threats, instead of luring them away, which is to their detriment. They also nest on the ground in the high country (hence the inclusion of a wading bird in the suit of the peaks) and are thus vulnerable to predation.

The Nine of Coins is a card of gratitude, luxury and self-sufficiency. Here this diminutive silvereye has more berries than she can possibly eat, so she's waiting for her flock to join her in her good fortune.

Nine of Trees - the Kereru is a true survivor. It is the last of the main fruit dispersal birds to survive in reasonable numbers. But as farmland encroaches on its forest home, and predators prey upon its chicks, it too is in decline. However, for the time its population is stable.

If you notice that the Kereru has now featured on two cards, that is because I intend to redraw the Knight of Trees with a more fitting representative - the Rifleman.

The Nine of Waves represents happiness and wish fulfilment - and what could make a gull more happy than fish falling from the sky? Someone to share their fortune with!

We're onto the home stretch now!

Left to draw are:
Ten of Peaks, Trees and Coins.
22. Wyrd
23. My "Happy Squirrel" equivalent
Bonus "artist" signature card.
(These three cards will bring me up to 81 - the Maximum amount that will fit in my 90 card box with the folded info sheet).

And to redraw:
The Tower (I'm not happy with the tomtit)
The Moon (with bats)
The Sun (maybe, not 100% happy with the fantail)
Knight of Trees (Changing the species from Kereru to Rifleman)
Seven of Trees  (My second most popular card, but doesn't represent the theme well).

NZ Tarot: Unveiling the Eights...

 With hard work and diligence, the Ant can achieve her goals. (Eight of Coins)

 This Sinbad skink may think that he is trapped, however, it is but a simple matter to free himself. He just has to sacrifice his tail to do so... (Eight of peaks)

 The Monarch butterflies dance through the air, filled with vibrancy and life as they set off on their annual migration to warmer climes. (Eight of Trees).

This leatherback turtle is leaving behind the golden shores and heading off into unknown waters, in search of a new future. (Eight of Waves).

NZ Naturally: The Sevens

 The Seven of Coins is represented here by a starling and her brood. She now has to make the decision on whether to concentrate on her three ugly chicks, or to let the other four eggs hatch as well and risk the stress and rigors of raising seven offspring. Also, her nest is made out of garbage - in case you couldn't tell.

 On the Seven of Peaks, the Blue Duck (Whio) is engaged in an exercise of futility as she tries to swim against the fast flowing current.

 The Seven of Trees is represented by a Morepork. However, it is a card of defiance and holding victory against competitiors and thus I intend to draw this card again. With a pair of robins mobbing the owl.

And the Seven of Waves - my favourite of my minor arcana to date. This colourful card represents choices and fantasies - represented by the critters found in rockpools around the coast. Some might be a tasty snack, others might pack a nasty nip or sting. So make your choices wisely.

NZ Naturally Tarot: Sixes and publishing news

The good news is, it will be printed! I have found a website - The Game Crafter - that will print games in an on demand manner. Therefore, I shall be printing the Nz Naturally Tarot as Poker cards (ATC sized), this is because of the size of the originals - so stretch it into the shape of the regular tarot cards leaves too much dead space. Price should not be too high. It only costs me 9c a card for the Poker cards - instead of 19 cents (for the tarot) with the box being around $2.39. This comes to a cost of around $10 to make, so I will probably sell them for $14.99 (TGC takes a cut of the sale too). I am wondering if there are some fun bonus cards I can add. The box will hold up to 90 cards.

I have devised photographic borders in different colours to make it easy to differentiate between the suits and the major arcana.

Here is a sample:

Background photos are waves for the Waves suit, ferns for the Trees suit, clouds for the Peaks suit (suit of air) and coins for the Coins suit. Feathers for the Major arcana. Card back is cut from a photograph and mirrored in four directions to make it completely symmetrical.

And now for the Sixes:

Six of Coins - A good time to be generous with your wealth - as this pampered pussycat allows two wild hedgehogs to feed from his bowl. (Image on right is revised version for deck, but is an act of cut and paste)

Six of Peaks - the Mountain Ringlet Butterfly is escaping the web and leaving turbulance and turmoil behind.

(I was experimenting with hand drawn borders here, for the print run, but decided to go for photographs insetad).

Six of Trees - This jeweled gecko enjoys his place in the sun as he celebrates his "victory" over the dragonfly.

Six of Waves - two young shags share an innocent game of Tug over a squid (poor squid!).

I have started on the Sevens now and thus only have 14 cards left until I finish the whole deck!

NZ Naturally Tarot: The Fives

 The Five of Coins, a pigeon with deformed feet blatantly ignores the scattered bread crumbs and his fellow flock feeding below.

You have suffered from a set-back - possibly injury or illness, or a monetary loss. You feel lost, alone andinsecure, but you must not overlook the people around you that can offer support.

 

For the Five of Trees, two bellbirds engage in a verbal joust.

Now is a time when you shall find yourself engaged in fierce competition with others as ambitious and determined as yourself.  You may suffer a blow to your pride. But now is not the time to retreat, it is time to come up with new, innovative solutions.

 

The Five of Wands are represented here by a pair of dotterels, their nest has been destroyed by a dirt bike. However, you will notice that they already have one chick and that the two remaining eggs were infertile. 

You have suffered a loss or a set-back, a disappointment. But you must not look too closely at what you have lost, but at what still remains.. Do not become too lost in negativity.

For the Five of Peaks, one pipit hoards the worms, guarding them from the other.

You may feel triumphant, but your success has come at the expense of others. This can lead to tension and hostility.

The 3000th Milestone

This is the 3000th piece of mail art I have created since August 2005, when I first discovered ATCs. For this significant milestone, I decided I could not just make any card - but I had to make something important.

I selected the Ten of Waves because it is one of the most delightful cards in the tarot deck - and I need to get my tarot deck completed. This card represents emotional fulfilment - a happy family life - not necessary rich in financial gain, but rich in love and affection.

To represent it, I chose the Maui's Dolphin, a subspecies of Hector's dolphin. This particular subspecies is one of the rarest sea mammals in the world and there are less than 50 adult animals left - therefore if a pair were to bear twins like this - then it would be a cause for celebration. Alas, due to the NZ government (withdrawing funds from conservation) and deep net fishing, the Maui's dolphin does not currently have any cause for celebration, but hopefully the more recent awareness of their plight shall help to change that.

Finishing the Fours

The Four of Coins is a card that suggests hoarding, keeping one's wealth close to the body. This image represents this theme in two ways - firstly, because the mother mouse is protective of her four babies, and secondly because of the nature of her nest - she has been hoarding garbage - and four coins as well. Mice are something of a problem in New Zealand - they were not native here, but like any civilised country, they arrived with the civilisation. They compete with the native birds for food and could eat eggs or babies.
 

The four of Waves is a card about disatisfaction. This white faced heron is not happy with the three fish she's already caught - she is already eyeing up a fourth. She has more than she needs, but yet she is stuck in the routine and she does not know how to break free of it.

This is the second time I have drawn this image - the first one is somewhere in Louisiana. I foolishly neglected to scan the card before I took it to the US with me and traded it away. I believe this image is a better one, however.