An Intrepid Blipper Sets Forth

Recently I have noticed bright white birds close into shore as I have been driving on the express way beside the Waimea Estuary.  At 100 k's I couldn't tell what they were but today I checked the high tide time and set off walking on the bike path.  It runs beside and slightly below the express way and is very noisy.  Almost at the beginning I sighted those bright, white birds and confirmed them as Royal Spoonbills.  They colonised New Zealand from Australia.  In one spot there were about a dozen of them.  I tried going off the path and towards them but the planting became too thick.  I retraced my way and further along to the south I got a better view of a smaller group.  It was still too far for my lens but I loved seeing them swooping into land and taking off again.  I have cropped these images so you can see their long black legs and black faces and spoon shaped bills.  Next time I will prevail on the forester to come with me and he can bush bash for me.  I didn't want to venture too far out and land in a wet patch  with no one to rescue me.  As it was walking back I had to wade through ankle deep water in the tunnel under the express way.  At full tide the water overflows the stream and runs into the tunnel.   Anyway I think it is cool to have these birds so close to a busy road and urban area.  The bikers on this path were mostly going fast and didn't smile or nod.  One did stop and we discussed the birds.  At the end a lady praised me for walking through the water.  She had enjoyed riding through it.  I think because I have white hair people think I'm a hundred and can't do things. 
Most of us will know the Louis Armstrong version of this song but I am rather partial to the Ramones punk style  cover.

What a Wonderful World                             George Douglas/George Weiss

. . . I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They're really saying I love you . . .