Sunrise behind Scandrett Park

Woke just before 0600, and judged that I could get down the path to Fidelis (Our) Beach before sunrise. The Council has upgraded the path, and there are more sections of steps than there were, and replacement steps where the previous ones had been washed out. Made it a much more pleasant (and safer) walk.

As it happened, I was on the beach a quarter hour before the sun began to emerge from behind the Scandrett peninsula. Had fun with presunrise shots, watching the gulls flying south or north, trying to get close to a kawau paka (little pied shag), and in between times running along the hard sand exposed by the ebbing tide.

When I identified where the sun was going to emerge, I had time to position myself, and frame the image to include both the kawau paka and an early morning fisherman on the rock shelf.

Afterwards I jogged around the headland to Southend, and then walked out onto the mudflats to try and get close to the birds. Only herons, the occasional Torea (variable oystercatchers), and in the distance the Kuaka flock. One was closer to where I was, quite a distance from the flock.

I was still well away from the big group, when one suddenly took off and flew in a big circle, over the individual (where it started calling) and then back to lead all the kuaka 500 m north up the beach. Perhaps some light bounced off me or my camera (I was between the sun and the birds). Or it was merely chance. Whichever, it was a very efficient and complete evacuation of the Kuaka from Southend.

A quiet day, which includes not having any calls (so far), suggesting that the hard work of yesterday has not been undone by multiple subsequent admissions. About to start the trip back to Auckland; just hoping that most people have already gone.