We'd hoped to go back to the Orokunui reserve again in the morning but it was chucking down rain so we headed south to our next destination, Invercargill, at the foot of the South Island, and home to Waituni wetland, one of the 50 best birdwatching sites of New Zealand, according to our book.
On our way in we spotted a bird with white tail feathers fly across the road. My first thought was a (introduced) skylark but it also could have been a New Zealand pipit. Impossible to tell with that short glimpse.
No wonder. The skies were pretty gloomy.
We were halfway through this 4 km track when it started to rain. Leo got pretty wet!
Carolyn II at the wetland parking area
There was only one other vehicle there so we had the loop trail to ourselves.
Leo heads down the loop trail
The first thing we saw was the uncommon dark morph of the new Zealand fantail.
We only saw 3 of these guys during the whole trip and we saw many, many fantails.
Here's the regular version of the fantail for comparison.
Not long after out popped a reputedly shy and retiring fernbird. Not this one; it stayed around and posed for pictures.
New Zealand Fernbird, endemic, lifer
Bird of the Day!
Pretty ferns
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