It's a while since I entered the beach from the track opposite the racecourse. As I parked the car I startled a white-faced heron. I thought it was going to lead me all the way to the beach, but before long it flew over the fence and into the dunes. 🐦

A white-faced heron walks along a sandy track ahead of me.
A white-faced heron stands on beach grasses in the dunes.

The track leads the eye to Hen Island.

A white sandy track leads to the sea and a large island in the distance.