By a Mangrove seed capsule

After sleeping quite late, I almost didn't go out for a jog along the edge of the outgoing tide. I'm really pleased I did, as I got to watch some fascinating behaviour, as well as snaffling this neat photo of a tuturiwhatu (New Zealand Dotterel). I've actually spent some time looking at the alternative identifications in my copy of Scofield and Stephenson, which is a detailed photographic guide to birds in NZ. Decided I was right, from the start.

Before (and after I saw the three dotterels), I saw a toreapango run away to seek refuge near a tarapunga, a heron fly away from me before standing elegantly and waiting for another photo to be taken, the whole expanse of Snells Beach with many different birds scattered along the shallows, and a poaka. 

When I was "stalking" the tuturiwhatu, I was intrigued to see a red-billed gull take the air from where it was some 40 or 50 m away from the nearest dotterel, and swoop at it. Initially, the smaller bird ran, but quite quickly flew away. I was lucky enough to get one reasonable photo of it in flight.

I've put that, along with a number of other photos, into a new category  in my blipfolio ("latest") for those who wish to see what I chose not to blip. The nice shot of the many birds on the beach seems to be too big for blipfolio, so I gave up on it.

I liked this one because (serendipitously) I had included a mangrove seed capsule which is described as being 2 cm across. Gives an idea of the size of the bird.