Tui hiding in a Banksia

Feeling almost human this morning, I decided that having woken early I would take a gentle walk/jog, as I have always found that the lurgi feels not so bad afterwards. The morning was very like yesterday; crisp and clear with hardly a cloud in the sky. Gentle pastels in the eastern sky as the dawn developed.

The water at Snells Beach was almost mill pond still, giving wonderful reflections. And it was about two hours before high tide, which allowed space for the waders while keeping them close to the shore. There were lots of good things to photograph, including at one point a kayaker with a fishing rod poked in behind him as he paddled gently out through the golden water. Unfortunately he was a little far away from me with the little camera to do it justice.

I have my memories and a number of photos in iPhoto on the computer.

This was S' favourite. I managed somehow to get the breast of the tui in focus so that you can see the brilliant colours. Its white tuft is behind the twig across its neck. The tree in which it is attempting to hide from me (they do, you know; absolutely deliberately to frustrate me) is a Banksia, and provides great patterns, especially against the clear blue sky of the autumnal early morning. Worth going large