Coming in to land

First; a big thank you to those who visited my blipfolio yesterday and saw the photo of my 94 year old mother-in-law, which I had put there. We have kept all the busy visits short so that she doesn't get too worn out by all the different people all at the same time, and so far that seems to have worked.

Another bird photo. I had already included the putangitangi (Paradise Shelduck) in my 'collection' of 2014 bird photos, and it was shown on blipfoto last year.

I took a different course than usual; along Dawson Road to the edge of the Mahurangi River. The other side of the peninsula from where I usually run. The school fields had one or two putangitangi feeding on the grass. However, further towards the river on farmland and on fields that were farmland and are now waiting to be sold as "lifestyle blocks", there were family or multifamily groups.

While I was trying to work out how to show one of the larger groups in the best way, another two birds came circling around (fast and low) on their way to land and join them. A quick change of orientation and focus, and I had the chance for just one shot. This is it.

I think these are juvenile males.

I apologise that the focus is a little soft. I didn't quite get the panning right. I have cropped it slightly, and put it into square format.

Down by the river edge I saw the pine tree in which the Kawau Tui (Little Black Shag) was sat in late January. This morning there were five Kawau tui rousing high in the tree. Try as I might, none of the photos I took was satisfying. I might try another time with the Pentax