After the storm

Today was a brilliantly clear day. Cold on the hands on my morning run. Lovely and warm once the sun was up.

Along the length of Snells Beach, the shore birds were out in force after yesterdays high winds and frequent tropical style showers. (Yet we were spared the worst of the weather bomb, which hit the country further south.) Ducks, gulls, oystercatchers, and possibly others I didn't recognise.

And, of course, herons. I have not seen so many herons on the beach on the one day. This one was down near the northern end and a little separated from two or three others. Earlier I had seen others, none of whom I could get close to. I liked this picture best because of the heron in the shaft of sunlight as the sun rose over Kawau Island.

After lunch the boys and I went down to the beach so that they could play on the swings and slide, and paddle in the water. Unusually, there was a heron at the southern end of the beach. I did have the telephoto lens available and used it but still preferred this. As did my adviser, the clever S. Also, it was while I was on my run.