Looking out to sea ...

... or merely to see.

This morning continued the weather of yesterday. Followed the same script; total cloud cover, foggy stuff over the bay, water oozing out of the sky as if it couldn't make the up its mind whether to stay in the clouds or become real grown up rain. So it did neither. Sorted some papers and started to read a Neil Gaiman book (Anansi Boys). 

By afternoon the rain more or less ceased, and the clouds finally dispersed. Between chapters of the book (which I finished before we headed back to the city), I did a couple of outside chores and was drawn by the calls and flight of the many tui. Mostly they ended up being backlit, because I am in the shade cast by the pohutukawa.

This tui scorched overhead and under the canopy, to alight gently on a branch of a cliff edge pohutuawa before a short hop to the top twigs of another pohutukawa growing up from down the cliff face. Despite giving the appearance of looking over Kawau Bay, it was probably much more interested in whether or not another one of the numerous tui was going to be worth chasing (or being chased by). They fly through the trees, missing all the branches and leaves, at speeds that exceed that of any other birds. 

I have added an extra of a blackbird fledgling. Out of the nest and presumably able to fly. It was "abandoned" by two adult blackbirds, who left in opposite directions. The chick moved only its head while I took a few photos and watched. It was collected and escorted away within 10 inutes of me going back inside.