Enjoying the breeze

I had a relaxing morning today, doing a Guardian cryptic crossword over a leisurely breakfast. I then spent an hour or so removing some agapanthus from where it shouldn't be. In my opinion, it would be best to be nowhere near me. Cutting through the roots and pulling it out was a vigorous upper body work out.

I then headed out for a jog and then walk along the beaches looking for some birds to photograph. On a rocky outcrop where I often see one or more whitefronted terns (tara is the Maori name), there was a group of three. I approached slowly and took a series of pictures; this one was from little more than a half dozen metres away from them, and is my adviser's pick.

I also liked the close shot which I was able to get of a kawaupaka, a white-throated little shag, which I am putting in my blipfolio. After the shag flew away, I continued on, with the thought that all I needed was a kotare, kingfisher. Almost immediately, one flew out of the trees above the shore, and landed on a rock a bit away from me. Unfortunately too far to get a really good shot of such a small bird, and slowly approaching it still spooked it sooner than I wished.

After lunch, I returned to doing some tidying of the banks between the house and the cliff. With the help of S, substantial opening up was achieved. Although I thought that I was being sensible and stopping before I had to, I decided on one last little task; taking out one of the really old irrigation hoses the original owner had put (in all the wrong places). Pulled on it, and then pulled harder, whereupon the old plastic snapped and I tumbled backwards. Fortunately, it was more dramatic than harmful, although I'm more sore than I want to be.

A quiet evening in store with no one else here but we two.