
What a wonderful opportunity to spend some time with a friend at her home. So, when we knew that Tuesday would be a public holiday, it was good to get together. Until now I had not seen her new, downsized unit in Hastings, in most luscious surrounds, in a park setting with some 80+ other units. It is an ideal situation with lovely natives growing out front and a backyard that allows for many things to be planted. The rear is enclosed by a six feet high corrugated bond aluminium fence which the cat can't climb up on, nor jump over, so a lovely outside place for him too.
That part of the country is just the place where you want to get out your camera and go, and my dear friend knew just where to take me. That is why we went to the foreshore to see whether there were any pelicans around. Disappointment! Only bare beach scattered with seaweed washed in by the hight tide. With my camera in my hand I requested that we try up past the yacht club compound which is surrounded by high security fencing, and so that is where we went. And there were the pelicans, waiting.
No, they were not waiting for me, they were waiting for the fishermen to come in and cut up their catch on the large concrete slap built there for that purpose. The bits that are not wanted would be fed to the pelicans. Just imagine, these beautiful white with black birds, nearly five feet tall with a beak that is around two feet long and pale pink; AMAZING! For the next half hour I was there, snapping photos at first and then, when I realized how tame these birds were, taking more careful portraits. Sometimes they observed me very carefully with their large black eyes following my every move. At other times they just ignored me and got on with their own business of waiting.
That part of the country is just the place where you want to get out your camera and go, and my dear friend knew just where to take me. That is why we went to the foreshore to see whether there were any pelicans around. Disappointment! Only bare beach scattered with seaweed washed in by the hight tide. With my camera in my hand I requested that we try up past the yacht club compound which is surrounded by high security fencing, and so that is where we went. And there were the pelicans, waiting.
No, they were not waiting for me, they were waiting for the fishermen to come in and cut up their catch on the large concrete slap built there for that purpose. The bits that are not wanted would be fed to the pelicans. Just imagine, these beautiful white with black birds, nearly five feet tall with a beak that is around two feet long and pale pink; AMAZING! For the next half hour I was there, snapping photos at first and then, when I realized how tame these birds were, taking more careful portraits. Sometimes they observed me very carefully with their large black eyes following my every move. At other times they just ignored me and got on with their own business of waiting.

It is an awesome experience to be able to approach so close to these wonderful animals and then getting their photo. Very tall with their head up but much smaller when the head is resting on their back, a resting position. Constant attention so that I would not tumble off the rocks and land in the water (or mud) or alternatively injure myself with a hefty collision with the large concrete slab table.
When I decided to call it quits and we decided to leave, I counted that I had taken 76 pictures. Of course, with the wonders of digital photography, there is no cost involved in discarding all those that do not match the standards that I aim for. I have about six that are really good and worthy to put in our club's contests, and then another dozen or so, that are outstanding, even if below contest quality. The rest will be discarded.
It is wonderful when there is the opportunity to capture photos, and it is probably my no.1 hobby. Hope you enjoy them. There are a few more below.
When I decided to call it quits and we decided to leave, I counted that I had taken 76 pictures. Of course, with the wonders of digital photography, there is no cost involved in discarding all those that do not match the standards that I aim for. I have about six that are really good and worthy to put in our club's contests, and then another dozen or so, that are outstanding, even if below contest quality. The rest will be discarded.
It is wonderful when there is the opportunity to capture photos, and it is probably my no.1 hobby. Hope you enjoy them. There are a few more below.