Flying before the storm

I was pacing up and down the balcony practising my speech for Toastmasters, aptly about being curious about life and observing the world, when suddenly the sky was filled with a flamboyance of flamingos! How exciting! If I hadn't been in that exact place I would have missed it. I rushed inside, intent on locating the camera - it moves all the time, as I never put it back in the same place - before they landed in the Kom out of sight. You can't appreciate how fast they move, even when soaring in landing mode, until you want to take a photograph.
I snatched the camera from the kitchen counter and dashed outside again, thankful that I had put the memory card back, and fumbled with the On switch. No time to reset the focus or exposure, just time to find the flock in the frame! The pink underwings were magnificent, but without an expert behind the lens, not displayed to best effect. All the settings were wrong, but I couldn't let an opportunity slip by!

The fly-by was better than I've ever seen, despite the strong northwester bending the palm trees in the background - the ship weathervane on the roof indicates the direction - and storm clouds brewing all around. I think they have come to shelter from the oncoming storm forecast for the next few days, with snow predicted on the high ground and torrential rain on Tuesday. Oh well, what is May without a good storm - we've had all our best hurricanes at this time of year!