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Went out to lunch at Aqua Restaurant & Bar, based in the amazing Hundertwasser Centre in Whangārei Basin. The meal was delicious.

Imaginatively tiled ramp up to the entrance.
Imaginatively tiled ramp up to the entrance.
The building was designed with interesting shapes and colours.
Part of the building from nearby.
A tree-like pattern in golds, yellow and orange.
One wall inside.
White and coloured tiles in interesting arrangements on the walls.
In the bathroom.
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Our friends have several tanks with tropical fish. This one is called a Discus.

Large disc shaped tropical fish.
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Here I am with my other new BFF — a black Malinois called Rush. 🐶

Selfie with the head of a large black dog on my lap.
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This is my new friend Boo, a German Spitz Mittel, keeping an eye on the world. 🐶

Small black dog sitting in an upright pose on a couch.

This shot was made with an unusual camera: the front camera on my M1 MacBook Pro, using Photo Booth.

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We made it to Whangārei in the end. Whew. Much earlier in the day we flew past Taranaki maunga.

A conical mountain in the distance peaks up above the clouds.
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We missed that connecting flight to Whangārei by 2 minutes — the doors closed as we walked into the terminal. 7 of us (random strangers) on the same flight. Now we get to spend 7.5 hours hanging around in Auckland Airport Domestic terminal before the next available flight. 🛩️

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Left home at 4.30 am. Drove through fog to the airport. Boarded the plane. Sat for half an hour. Debarked. Had breakfast at the cafe. Hoping to reach Auckland in time for our connecting flight to Whangārei. 🛫

Small intercity propeller plane on the tarmac.
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Spotted on the beach today, a Taranui | Caspian tern:

Although widespread now, Caspian terns remain uncommon in New Zealand, with around 1300-1400 breeding pairs estimated.

Sturdy white and black bird with bright orange bill.
Sturdy white and black bird with bright orange bill, in flight.
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Wellington asks for government funding for new bird 'super sanctuary':

The Puketaha fenced eco-sanctuary would be built in Wainuiomata on 3000 hectares of native bush.

… once the area is predator-fenced and pests eradicated, it could provide sufficient habitat to shift the threat status of kākāpo, rowi kiwi and hihi.

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Weird: I've used Keyboard Maestro for one or two decades now and it's never occurred to me before to use the Clipboard History Switcher with its nearly 200 items.

I've always used some other app — currently ClipTools which I'm very happy with, but still …

Screenshot of various items in the Clipboard History Switcher window.
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Today a baby Oystercatcher walked past really close to me. What a sweetie! 🐦

Baby oystercatcher follows close behind an adult on the beach.
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With its mottled brown back and head this is definitely a baby Pied Stilt. 🐦

Baby pied stilt wading and feeding in shallow water at the beach.
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Caught the baby oystercatchers yesterday dashing about. 🐦

(This should be an animated gif.)

5 frames of baby oystercatchers dashing about.

For users of Acorn app: Open image, then File - Add Images … . Arrange layers to suit. Then File - Export - Web and other - Animated Gif.

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Sometimes our neighbours would call and point out Oshi was down at their place (he'd escaped). Today their dog Willow decided it was her turn to make an unannounced visit, to us. Apparently there was too much going on next door, with visitors. 😀 🐶

Small white dog on our doormat, looking at the camera.
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Those baby Oystercatchers are growing! 🐦

Adult and 2 baby oystercatchers.
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Since I have a tradition of posting a selfie on New Year's Day, here's 01 January 2024.

Me with vegetation clad sand dunes as a background.

See also 2023, 2022 and 2021.

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The Oystercatcher chicks are getting so grown up. Here's one with its parent. 🐦

Baby oystercatcher and parent on sand at the beach.
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An empty window in Photos app labelled 2024 smart album.
Hmmm, my 2024 smart photo album seems to be empty. Better put that right. 🤣
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Surprise 🌈

I read a few Micro.Blog posts where people mentioned their word of the year and thought: Oh, I don't have one this year.

Then I saw @clifffordbesher's post and photo about wandering off the road: Let the wind and sand shift new patterns into your mind.

My word came to me: Surprise 🌈

😀

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Good morning and welcome to 2024! I was up at 2.30 am to shut my bedroom window against a blustery southerly that came up and woke me.

Not quite the start I'd hoped for but it did allow for a couple of cups of my favourite green tea: Himalayan Evergreen Spring. 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣