Church bells were rung in Dunedin on Wednesday afternoon to mark the return of albatrosses to the city, after an anonymous donor stepped in.
The first royal albatross of the season arrived at Taiaroa Head on Otago Peninsula on Tuesday morning.
However, church bells were not rung then as usual because the council said it did not have the money to organise them.
Dunedin City Council says someone since came forward with money to donate to the ringers.
Bells were being rung at First Church and St Paul's Cathedral for half an hour.