Position 38 11.155S 176 19.915.E

We are in the Lake rotorua region at the moment – lots of volcanic lakes.  Rerewhataattu sat on one but we decided to visit a few more.  No rush.  These hut things are all over the place, think they must be places to wait out of the rain.  Interestingly, the lake we stayed on was up in those hills.

This is Lake Okaro, really small but met a NZ’er there whose kids were getting barefoot water skinning instruction.  There was also an hour walk around the lake which we did.

Fan tails, aptly names as their tail feathers really do form a fan.  A trio of these were insect catching in front of us for about 5 minutes.  Magical….

Whilst driving around we found yet another walk, the okareka walkway, around another lake.  This one had a boardwalk over marshland at the lakes edge.  Lots of birds.

A 180 from a bird hide.

Part of the way around the walk we were attacked by a pair of pied stilts.  You can just make one of them out in this shot, they were really dive bombing us.  Name that movie? Can’t imagine what it must be like to have hundreds of nesting birds doing the same.  Not sure if this was their normal behaviour, if they nesting or what.

No idea what this bird is, second time we have seen them.  Really seriously bright.

Paul decided to play moo games with these cattle.  Funny how he is always so brave as long as they are the other side of the fence.

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