Witness to the rising of the sun

Another morning where I chanced to wake as the sun was rising. The big lens was still attached to the camera, and I left it on, using the bottom of the zoom range to get the effect I wanted through the trees. The near land mass is Kawau Island, and behind it is the heights of the Coromandel Peninsula which is on the eastern side of the Hauraki Gulf.

Sunrise was only one hour after high tide, and there was little chance of activity down at the water's edge. So I pottered about, including checking out tsuken's advice. Dropping down, I found what I had thought was hidden. S commented later that I need to not react to changes with personal affront, and then maybe I could have worked it out for myself. Certainly, I have had no problems posting a blip and two extras today.

The first one is of a Karoro (the Southern black-backed gull) coming down onto rocks where others already were. At the instant I pressed the shutter, the bird was almost stationary in the air.

The second was the result of a reflex pursuit of a Kotare (kingfisher) which left the rock it was on just as I had the focus right. Far from perfect but one of the best in flight photos I have managed of a kotare. They are very fast.