Preening by the lake

Glad I didn't go to Hamilton, as I'm still quite wiped from Monday, and have decided it is sensible to have the rest of the week off.

When S went to her yoga at midday, I went to Western Springs Lake for a walk with the long lens. Young birds galore. Cygnets, goslings, mallard ducklings, putangitangi ducklings (paradise shelduck), and one pukeko chick. Not this magnificent chap's progeny, or else he is well away from where the nursery is. 

The karuhiruhi (pied shag) are nesting. The spoonbills remain, and seem firmly established in a number of trees a satisfactory (for them) distance from all the humans. Immature papango (the NZ scaup) were prolific in the papango corner of the lake.

Two eastern rosellas flew overhead and paused awhile a long way up a tree. More than a half dozen shots did produce one which gained favour with Mr H. He also liked some of the ducks with ducklings, but this was the one he was most positive about. As I was tending towards this one also, it became my blip.