I am a very big fan of most birds. I say most, because I am not a fan of whatever the hell bird tweets like a smurfing car alarm every morning outside my flat. Tweet. Tweet. Tweet. Tweet. Tweet. God it's like a freakin' broken record.

So, with the exception of birds that do that, I love birds. Like Nicky, I grew up in New Zealand where birds are something a little close to the heart. I remember having loads of puzzles and books on the birds of New Zealand. They were also the theme at my wedding because Danielle likes them so much, too. Birds make me think of her for that reason, especially when I see one or two flying on their own.

My favourite bird species is, without doubt, the tui. It is a beautiful creature in both appearance and sound. I adored the days when I would wake up to the sound of a tui. There was a tui when I visited the Auckland Zoo that I would frequently "converse" with.

Other than the Tui, I'm also a fan of fantails, takahē, terrestrial birds of prey (hawks, eagles, falcons, owls etc), albatross and kea. I also find the birds of paradise to be incredibly beautiful.