Mornings are not my strong suit. I need a compelling reason to leave my warm cocoon of covers, but I’m getting better at giving myself reasons. A few weekends ago it was the arrival of a lens that I’ve been contemplating buying for about two years and had finally taken the plunge on. Armed with my new Nikon 300mm f/4 PF, I beat the sunrise and drove north to spend the day at Tāwharanui.

Weekend mornings are quiet, most people favouring a sleep-in over an early start for the beach. But it’s the ideal time to hang out with relaxed New Zealand dotterels when the light is low and the shoreline is theirs. There were 19 pāteke dozing at the mouth of the stream, ignoring a pipit that strutted around them in search of food. Oystercatchers zoomed up and down the beach, piping furiously when the dotterels got too close in their feeding forays.

From the beach I ventured on a slow wander through the Ecology bush trail. I really value time spent alone with the birds – no pressure to keep up with walking companions, no reason to rush. This time I was getting used to zooming with my feet rather than with my usual 80-400mm lens, which was a nice change of pace.

It was misty, the air suffused with a cold dampness that was broken now and again by the glow of the sun. By the time I’d wandered up through the low nikau-pūriri forest along the stream to the drier kauri forest on the ridge, the mist had boiled away and the low wintery sun made beautiful patterns of light and shade.

I was lucky to spend lockdown with my family, so it’s been a while since I’ve had time alone. Trying to keep up with PhD work has made me feel a little guilty about taking ‘time off’ to do something as frivolous as spend a day in the bush by myself taking photos, but after moving back to the endless noise of the city, times like these are essential for keeping me sane.

And I’m thoroughly enjoying playing with the new lens too!