Packing on the weight

A relaxed day. Did a few household tasks this morning and enjoyed listening to a video chat S was having with daughter J about what we might be able to do more quickly than the plans which have yet to be finalised and submitted for Building Consent. They work well together, and both of them can actually imagine (see) what something will look like. Not one of my abilities.

After the morning had looked as if it was being a continuation of the wet weather of the last more than a week, the sun has warmed us and the wind has almost completely died. Ideal weather to spend with the camera and jogging on the sand and mudflats. The large flock of Kuaka (Bar-tailed godwits)were spread out over much of the flats, as they eat almost frantically to build up for the flight back to Alaska in four or five months.

They seem to have a sentry system, as there's a single call from one bird, and all around they gather into little groups and sometimes resume feeding; sometimes run to a nearby pool and feed there, and sometimes fly off. I stay well away and move slowly to try and leave them as undisturbed as is possible when I walk or run past them and then stop to use my camera.

Additional: I see that I have reached 4,000 blips today. It is now a routine, and it is one reason that I am encouraged to jog or walk most days. Lockdown has meant less variation in the last three months. The restrictions may be about to be eased next week, although yesterday was the largest number of new covid cases for a single day in NZ. 

Much later: Yesterday was Guy Fawkes night, but most of those with firworks are setting them off tonight. The mnoise took me outside where I saw the moon resting in the crescent. Got my camera and have belatedly added the resulting photo as an extra.