'Welcome To New Zealand' would not have been possible without the assistance of the following individuals and organisations. My grateful thanks to these people whose generosity in supplying images made this section of Loadstar's Lair come to life. 

Don Hadden: For much of his life New Zealander Don Hadden has had a deep interest in ornithology. Thirty years ago he started to follow a desire to start photographing the beautiful bird life around New Zealand shores. Since that time his photographs have been published worldwide and won many national and international awards. He has also been awarded an Associateship of the Photographic Society of New Zealand.

During five years spent on Bougainville Island Don discovered a new species of bird, this he named after his wife. In the same period he wrote just one of several bird books, 'Birds of the North Solomons', which was published in 1980 (Wau Ecology Institute). This book was later followed by, 'New Zealand Birds', co-authored with Don Brathwaite and John Warham, (Kowhai Publishing 1983). In 1990 Don completed '99 New Zealand Birds', (Caxton Press). 

Throughout his many years of bird life photography, Don has always hoped to encourage an interest from young people in birds and conservation. To his great delight his entire family have always assisted him, with wife Llane, and children Keryn and Lyndon, being regular 'walkers-away' from hides. 

The CD-Roms: Coast To Coast and the TVNZ New Zealand Encyclopedia both extensively featured Don's photography. Another CD, Wild South Birds of New Zealand, covered every living species of bird ever seen in the country up until that time. Don did both the photography and text on this work. 

Don's other love is teaching and he has taught in schools in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Bougainville Island. At the time of writing this biography Don and wife Llane were once more on  Bougainville teaching with Volunteer Service Abroad (V.S.A). 

I am particularly indebted to Don Hadden for giving me such ready access to his work and images. Without these, 'Welcome To New Zealand' would most certainly have been more disappointing viewing. 

Don's photographs can be seen throughout 'Welcome To New Zealand'. He has many images available of New Zealand birds, animals, plant life, and scenery, and may be contacted at: P.O.Box 6054, Christchurch 8030, New Zealand. Email: hadden@ihug.co.nz.

Other Credits And Contacts:

Auckland War Memorial Museum: (Various Images).
Brian Hamilton: (Manukau Heads) Web Site: Brian's Weather Data. 
Mike Chapman: (Victoria Cross) Web Site: Victoria Cross Reference.
TinyRay Grier: (Artist Concept Drawings) Web Site: Believe 2 Achieve