Part of a very large flock

I made the error of pushing the return key, which is also the Enter key. Before writing about why a photo of a whole lot of birds on the water of Kawau Bay was worthy of a blip.

These are the Fluttering Shearwater (known to Maori as Pakaha). Apparently this is the time of the year that they moult and they don't like to fly. Hence huge flocks are seen on the Hauraki Gulf in late summer early autumn. I had seen this very big flock (many hundreds) as I was about to leave for a road run. Quickly changed shoes to ones that don't mind salt water, and made my way quickly (enough) to the foreshore below the cliff, where the birds were in the process of all flying down to Algies Bay before sitting again. The extra shows a small group flying past the rocks where Tara (white-fronted terns) were resting.

I then paid attention to the terns, and other birds Got a nice action shot of a Tara. I'll try to post it later. Got back up to the beach house and called S to see the huge (again) flock on the water. Was able to get the telescope sorted and got very nice views, allowing identification. (before then I was guessing). That's when I got the photo I've blipped.

As well as adding the photo of a diving Tara mere inches above the water, I have added a closeup from when I was near the Pakaha, of four of the hundreds flying towards Algies Bay.