One of the early birds

I was fortunate this morning on a jog along the foreshore of Snells Beach. Despite storm warnings and plenty of low cloud in the east, there was an attractive sunrise to please the mind. And, the kuaka (Bar-tailed godwits) have not yet left Snells Beach. They were very busy feeding and tolerated my presence rather more than earlier. 

I had passed what was at that stage a small group on my way towards the north end of the beach, and my attempts to get some photos at that time suffered from a lack of ambient light. Waiting for the sunrise, I got two thirds of the way along the beach before turning back. By the time I reached where the kuaka were feeding, I found that there were many more than on the way north. The first extra is of a small group of kuaka busily feeding.

Shortly after the the sun began to colour the shallows behind the birds, I was close enough to single out one kuaka, which is silhouetted against the sunrise.

The second extra was taken a few minutes later when I went around the flock to get the light shining on them rather than behind them.