The classic pose

Late yesterday evening the rain started and persisted all night long. The clouds were low and the rain so heavy that we could not see the water of Kawau Bay, et alone to the other side. Mother-in-law's home help was unwell and the agency could not replace her. So I made her breakfast . Good that she was interested in eating as she wasn't a couple of days ago. She had another pretty good day, and we are now back in Auckland, leaving her pretty dependent on the agency meeting its obligations. To give her some fallback options, we stocked her fridge with some small pots of yoghurt, and other things in case her help doesn't turn up. (As we left for Auckland this evening, I saw the help was there.)

Having identified the best time yesterday for spotting the waders, I thought I should check if I was right, and went down just before midday. It was perfect, with poaka, tuturiwhatu, heron, torea pango, as well as gulls, and kotare as well as this kawau paka (little pied shag). Only the one on this clump of rocks while I was there, and after allowing a few photos of the classic pose, it flew away blurring my attempted photo.