I have it on good authority that the Giant Springtail is the current frontrunner in #BugoftheYear, so a huge thanks to everyone who has voted for it so far!
BUT it's still early days, and there's a month of voting left - so let's keep the momentum up! Vote here, if you haven't already: https://www.bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-2025/
Thanks to Amy Vaughan for being chief meme creator for #TeamGiantSpringtail. Stand by for lots more top quality content.
Sup dawg, I heard you like springtails. So I put a springtail on your springtail so you can look at a springtail while looking at a springtail.
Don't let the competition walk all over giant springtails like this cheeky blighter, vote today: https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-the-year-nominees/giant-springtail/
GIANT SPRINGTAIL COLOURING CONTEST!
Lily Duval has created this wonderful colouring page -
I want you to fill it with your wildest colour schemes and post it with the hashtag #TeamGiantSpringtail.
The best one (as judged by me) will win a free giant springtail photo print! No age categories - young or old, just have a go!
You can vote for the giant springtail to win Bug of the Year 2025, and download the colouring-in page file here: https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-the-year-nominees/giant-springtail/
Contest closing date will be 31st Jan.
A Downy Woodpecker on the suet was the first one of the year. It was the female of the pair we have in the garden. They don't have a little red cap.
(I don't count the squirrel on the bird feeder. )
@dannotdaniel Finally saw some birds, a large flock of geese. Didn't have the phone/Merlin app handy so I can't identify the specific species.
So my bird of da year is a goose.
if you can identify it, please post the first bird you see this year (picture not required! or if you hear one, post that!)
this is your Bird of the Year, I have been informed
We have a winner!
All hail our new penguin overlord: the hoiho!
https://www.forestandbird.org.nz/resources/make-some-noise-hoiho-your-bird-year-2024
So glad I clicked the New Zealand Sign Language link after voting 
#BOTY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8ldm6LgxTw&t=5s
Storm Petrels CAUSE storms and then fly THROUGH waves like cannon balls at a million miles an hour.
Why isn’t it bird of the year every year?
Postcards from Wellington: #BOTY propaganda flyer, Cuba Street.
If its gonna be bandwagon time might as well be a good one…#boty I must confess i love the Tūī, pīwakawaka and ruru* that hang around our place but there are some seriously in trouble birds that need all the love they can get. *plus special mention to the paratrooper gulls that regularly crash-land on our roof and then shout at each other all afternoon.
2nd on my list is the ruler of the night, the Ruru.
https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/morepork
Although it is not currently endangered, I have undying loyalty to this bird and its nighttime call. Every year I support them and we are yet to win it.
They are cool and cute and a bit creepy. Love them.
#BOTY
It's #BOTY time!
In #Aotearoa, every year we vote for the Bird of the Year, and through it raise awareness and funding for environmental protection.
Last year we had serious foreign election meddling from the likes of John Oliver, but it looks like this year we will have a more "free and fair" election.
I have voted for my favourites and I will tell you why you should too!
There's still a week to go to choose NZ's Bird of the Year. You can choose up to five birds and I'd ask you to spare a thought for the little fairy tern.
They're NZ's rarest bird and with only 35 adults left in the world, they must know each other by name.
Vote here:
https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/
This guy may be one of my choices tho, just bcos he looks like the very personification of an Evil Duck. 
Wait. What? We have to choose five birds this time round?
(Also - despite the fact that it bolstered the coffers and interest considerably - I really hope there's no 'outside interference' this time round. 
)
Voting has opened for bird of the year, and as @craftygardennz says, "This year I'm Team Fairy Tern". There are only 35 adults left and their plight deserves publicity.
T E A M F A I R Y T E R N !
