Aspen, still aloof, having had his royal person laid hands on 2 days ago ...

Aspen got his leg caught in the gap between the fence palings & was lapping & flailing about and shrieking so much I had to grab hold of him and move his leg up and out before he broke it.

All the other pooks and he panicked. Sweety attacked me. None of them realised I was rescuing Aspen, and it has taken two days for them all to settle down and start trusting me again.

Sweety used to come and take pieces of wholegrain bread from my hand but she is too wary to do that now. I think she will probably do it again but I'm in no hurry - they are wild birds, after all, and I don't think anyone has tamed and domesticated pukekos successfully.

Nor would I want to. They are lovely to watch in the stream.