Sitting pretty

Woke up this morning just in time to catch the sun shortly after it came from behind the clouds sitting over the top of Kawau island. A somewhat extravagant sunburst resulted from my hasty shot.

After breakfast I jogged to the 70+ step stairs down to Southend. The tide was good for seeing birds. Started with the Kotare (Sacred kingfisher), who perch on the rocks little or large sticking out of the mud. And tend to remove themselves when I get closer than 30 m. The one that gave me my blip for today tolerated me inside 20 m, before leaving. 

As I was about to go further out on the mudflats I spied what I think is a juvenile Taranui. I was barely close enough to confirm the identification when it left for elsewhere. A white-faced heron drew my attention as it flew away. 

Then I saw what had to be a small group of Kuaka (Bar-tailed godwits), obviously left behind when the big group departed at the end of March I counted seven when I first saw them. It was while I looking to get a good close up, that the camera stopped taking photos, and I remembered that I had intended to change the battery. The KP uses the same battery as the Pentax KS1, giving me no excuse except inattention for running flat.

Came back and changed the battery and went out again. This time down the track to Fidelis Beach where I saw a Torea Pango, the black morph of the variable oystercatcher. Back around the point and a Kawau paka (Little shag) on rocks out from the shore, drying it feathers. Continued on to get photos of Poaka (Pied stilt), Rakiraki (Mallards) and then more Kuaka. Possibly as many as a dozen left behind.

The rest of the day has been quietly relaxing ahead of returning to the city on Anzac Day (tomorrow) for looking at houses.