The Things People Complain About

Alright, I've read of complaints from people who live near New Zealand's premier sporting arena, Eden Park, about crowds, noise and light pollution. I remember residents moving in, and complaining about noise around Western Springs Stadium from the long established speedway and from rock concerts held there, some resident there have even complained about noise from the Auckland Zoo. There's the folk from Alfriston in South Auckland who complain about the noise from the the long established Ardmore Aerodrome and the Warbirds Club who sometimes use the runways there. I have heard 1st hand from complainers at the local pub in Tuakau, when I lived in that rural community, moan about cows mooing and roosters crowing. Here in Opotiki I have heard of complaints about the Voluntary Fire Brigades siren.

But reading the 2nd page of the NZ Herald there is an article that takes the cake. "Once in a while" a serial complainer will ring and moan about the noise from the song of our native Tui bird coming from the Karori wildlife sanctuary. What the !!!!!!! these people need to double glaze their windows, soundproof their walls and ceilings, gap seal cracks in their homes where outside world may leak in and put some earplugs in. What the hell are the administrators of the park supposed to do to help these people? I mean, shutting the birds up and scaring them away goes against the principles of a Wildlife Sanctuary. The whining neighbours of the sanctuary may like to call the Noise Control unit of the Serial Complainers Society or maybe Animal Control, they could possibly confiscate or impound the birds, but to where? You guessed it.... a wildlife sanctuary.

New Zealand's bush, (National Parks and State Forests) are some of the most tranquil places you could hope to spend time in. No road noise, no light pollution, no radio,TV or cell phone reception. What really accentuates that tranquility is haunting echoing song of the Tui, the beautiful song of the bellbird, the sound of the Korero's wings as they stalk you along the tracks, the cry of the Kaka, the shrill night time shrieks of the Kiwi, the Morepork's call at night and the friendly peep-peep of a Fantail inches away.

Here is a site with many of NZ's native bird calls