So Anyway

…I’m in the back garden splitting wood when there’s a flurry of feathers between the fence and the apartments next door…lotsa feathers…white and black….black flew out… couldn’t see what it was…white popped up onto the fence, heart pounding like a jack hammer, looked fit to burst…turned around to go get my camera….black was behind me on the peak of the house roof…a New Zealand Falcon, Karearea….rare as all hell… hunting urbanly…terrorising the neighbours doves….and sitting on my house!!!…. a very beautiful bird of prey….no camera….I’m between it and it’s intended target…it’s between me and my camera…slowly moved inside…it fly off before I could make three paces….neighbours dove stayed put for two more hours before it snuck home….I can understand why….

…moral?…

…carry that camera ALL the time.

Wildlife Photography None Oh None

…or just go out and enjoy animals in nature and leave the photo stuff to the professionals… …royal albatross wingtip…at the top…   …royal albatross frightening the crap out of a shag, causing it to dive…that’s the splashy bit bottom right… …royal albatross picked out of long shot …thus very, very grainey….   ….the royal albatross from the Taiaroa Head colony have been flying in the Aramoana beach/Otago harbour mouth area over the last couple of days…normally they don’t seem to fly this side of the heads that much…very good views of them were to be had from the Aramoana mole…for those of us stupid enough to be out there in a South/South Westerly gale!!!…I’m sure I could of got some better shots if I hadn’t been in awe of their 3 metre/10 foot wing span and grace in the air …flying less than 30 meters from where we were standing..er..leaning into the wind…gob open…lens shut!! …I’d like to thank the Aramoana Mole for being such an accommodating viewing platform… …(and before anyone asks…”none-oh-none” instead of “101”).

Walking Down the Street

…on the side of the road where there’s been a kind of a yard-sale going on the last couple weekends….

…a guy was sitting on the old couch part of the old lounge suite..

..as I greet him, I know him …he’s been in the shop,…

…I glance down…

 

…these are on the ground, next to the hedge…

…the Tui and the Piwakawaka (fantail) are two of my favourite NZ birds (the Kokako will always remain my number one… check his call!)

…they are approx’ 25cm in diameter, hand painted and signed by the artist in pokerwork….

…I only had bus fare in my pocket… “home-from-the-dentist-clutching-my-aching-face” bus fare…

…he accepted my half price offer..

…had no fillings, so I walked home without pain but with treasure.