First dotterel for 2014

Today is my mother-in-law's birthday; 94 years old. This afternoon she hosted a short gathering of her three children, her sister (who is just a couple of years younger), one grandchild, a niece and a nephew. Plus a few spouses. We all sat on the grass between her house and the edge of the cliff, and shared a little alcohol, and a cake made by S.

Later, I went down to the water's edge and was lucky enough to see this New Zealand Dotterel (Tuturiwhatu). Maori gave the same name to another dotterel, the much smaller Banded Dotterel which is more common. In another shot the slight upturning at the tip of the bill is obvious, and the heavy black bill, and olive green rather than yellow green legs convinces me of my identification of this as the less common New Zealand Dotterel.

This is number 31 in the number of different species I have photographed so far this year (not all have been blipped).

I have added a couple of photos from the afternoon gathering
The birthday person
With her children