Kingfisher snapshots

This time of year there seem to be an abundance of Kotare (Kingfishers) about. With their brilliant colours they are a great photographic subject. Unfortunately they are quite wary birds so I never seem to get as close as I want.

The last two pics were taken early morning at the marina near the yacht club. The pointed metal cones have been fitted to the wharf poles in an effort to stop birds perching on them (and therefore reduce the bird poo they produce.) It seems to work too, at least for the gulls and shags but the kingfishers aren't in the least daunted. They make a great lookout for them to spot fish and crabs in the water below.

Jamie from Georgia

I was asked to spend an afternoon with an artist from Savannah Georgia who was visiting New Zealand on a Rotary exchange. I was half expecting it to be...well actually I don't know what I was expecting. I sure didn't expect to enjoy it so much. Her name was Jamie and we had lots to talk about. I showed her my studio then we grabbed a bottle of wine and headed down to the Whakatane heads to do some sketching/painting.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and we had a lovely relaxing time making art. Jamie drew Whale Island in watersoluble crayons and I sketched a pohutukawa in graphite. As we were packing up a beautiful falcon made an unsuccesful attack on a gull in the airspace about five feet from us. It pulled up and circled us before heading off around the coastline. All in all it was a special day. Jamie loved taking some time out from a busy schedule to do what artists do and she said it was a highlight of her trip so far. I just appreciated being reminded of what a fabulous part of the world we live in.

Thanks Jamie!