Leaving

Late this morning I went out for a jog and then walk on the beaches, and took the Pentax DSLR with the long lens attached. Before I reached the shore, I figured that I might have today's blip, and a response to the challenge word, dry. Parked in front of a house in Algies Bay was a blue tractor covered with a green tarpaulin to keep the rain off.

However. shortly after, as I made my way along the path above the beach of Algies Bay, I saw a white-faced heron on the path. It was showing great interest in the vegetation beside the path. Once, totally unexpected by me, it darted its head into the green and emerged swallowing something. In the period of time before doing that I noticed odd writhing movements of the neck, whereas in the water, herons can
stay immobile for long periods when hunting.

I was taking photos from down on the sand (the tide was well out), and was basically ignored by the heron. Then a man walked along, and the heron took flight, leaving the dry path, and presumably ended up with wet feet.

I like the background of a bank of flax in front of which are blue agapanthus, and
general weeds. There is also one white agapanthus in the foreground.

I am submitting this as an entry for the weekly challenge by LovePopcorn; this week, dry. The concrete path was warm and completely dry. Although I have seen herons in fields, never before on such a hard dry surface.

As I had thought that the heron might take flight, I adjusted the lens to 180mm, as a compromise between getting close enough and having a large enough field. I am delighted with the result. Well worth looking at Large