Today we decided we would drive the few kilometres to Albert Town and then walk the 11 km riverside track to Lake Hawea and back (total 22 km). We left at 0930 ish and returned after a really good walk. The only frustration was a sign about halfway through that said 4 km to go - but it was more like six - and we were getting hungry! When we arrived in Hawea we found a cafe and sat outside drinking a much needed coffee while waiting for our brunch - John had an all day breakfast and I had an omelette full of tomatoes, cheese, onion and a piece of ham; the latter was quickly added to Johns breakfast plate in exchange for a hash brown. We had definitely expended lots of energy as unusually eating these large platefuls was easier than usual and they definitely set us up for the return leg. When we had finished we were joined by blackbirds, chaffinches and sparrows looking for titbits - the chaffinch was unexpectedly interested in the small piece of omelette I had left; it made a desperate attempt to free it from my plate - but as it flew off it dropped it! Even though the chaffinch was frustrated we were replete and set off on our return leg arriving back at the car @ 1530.
New Zealand is a big country with big spaces and you expect to see big animals, but the biggest we saw were rabbits - who are thriving!
Bird song filled the air and on our way back we actually got the binoculars out and identified - Californian quail, welcome swallow, australasian harrier, silvereye, rifleman, New Zealand fantail, skylark, goldfinch, greenfinch and lesser red poll.
Back in Wanaka I queued in the post office, with all the Xmas posters, to buy stamps for our postcards - they have bargain books - buy 10 pay for 9 - brilliant idea. We then topped off our day with a lovely iced coffee - it refreshed those parts that needed refreshing.
Our last bird sighting was on the grass outside our resort we saw a pair of pied oystercatchers.