I am grateful for the use of diaries written by my late mother-in-law, Beryl Bekhuis, who lived on a high-country sheep station. Likewise, the publications of Gisela Kaplan, an expert on the Australian magpie, proved invaluable. For their help with my research, thank you to Hinemoana Baker, veterinarian Dave Bergen, Neale Blaymires (TrapWorks), Suz and Campbell Bremner, Kate Cocks (Mt Nicholas Station), Neil Gillespie (Contact Energy), Paul Hersey, Marcus Hobson, Tamara Izhar-Larsen, Michael Mathieson, Davida Mead (Dingleburn Station), ornithologist Colin Miskelly (Te Papa), Officer Cho (Los Angeles Police Department), champion woodchoppers Bradley Pako and Mikhayla Tainui-McLean, John Perriam (Bendigo Station), Jayne Rive (Cloudy Peak Station), Diane Ruwhiu, Kylie Ryan and Mudjar Aboriginal Corporation, Suz Sainty, Dan Salmon, Marty Smith and her resident magpie Pecky Sharp, Oliver Stewart, woodchopping commentator Peter Templeton, and Peter Young.
Thank you to my publishers Fergus Barrowman and Christopher Potter, and to everyone at Te Herenga Waka University Press and Europa Editions. For their editorial guidance, thank you to Jane Parkin and Sarah Ream. Thank you to my agent Caroline Dawnay and her assistant Kat Aitken. Thank you, Sue Orr, Tracey Slaughter and my colleagues at the University of Waikato. And thank you, as ever and ever, to Alan Bekhuis, Alice Chidgey and Pat Chidgey.