A day off before the Easter Weekend gave a chance for a day at the beach and the hope of some bird photos. I have really been battling to get time for photography with the demands of work and study at the moment so it was good to have some time to get a camera out. I have written before on Going out Empty and that Photos are where you find them and this day was another example of avoiding preconceptions. I had hoped to photograph birds but had taken a bag with the Nikon D500 with the 10.5mm fisheye, 18-35mm wide-angle zoom as well as the 300mm f4 with 1.4x and 1.7x teleconverters so that I could cover most eventualities. The day was hot and bright and the light was just horrible. The priority was to find some shade to hide from the ultraviolet rays and it really seemed that photography was not going to happen. Sitting in the shade I saw a wasp repeatedly landing on the top of a post so rigged up the 300m with 1.4x teleconverter to use as macro lens from a distance. Pre-focussing gave me a chance to sit and watch through the viewfinder for the wasp to return and I got a few shots using f11 to give as much depth of field as possible without completely ruining the background.

Heading home we took the scenic route via Maketu Estuary and Little Waihi. Some cloud cover gave lovely diffused light and I had some fun with some South Pied Oystercatchers that were bathing in the low tide and then flying upstream as the tide rose. I eventually got some birds that I had hoped for but the image that gave me the most pleasure was of the two paper wasps that I would not have anticipated in my wildest imagination. Avoid preconceptions, observe and remain open to opportunities. Serendipity can sometimes be more fun than a meticulous plan coming together.

All photos with Nikon D500, Nikon 300mm f4 PF lens + TC14II 1.4x teleconverter.