Western Springs

Western Springs is a natural, spring-fed lake and once provided the young city of Auckland with its drinking water. Its Maori name is 'Te Wai Orea,' and means 'waters of the eel.' The lake still abounds with eels, although I didn't see any the day I wandered its many pathways. 

Besides the park, this area of Auckland is home to the Zoo, MOTAT (the Museum of Transportation and Technology, a golf course and a speedway. 

Let's walk a bit.

 Great place, and chock full of birds to admire. But watch where you put your feet. You know birds...especially big ones. 

 An idyllic setting

 There are so many trails and paths, and walk ways that it's hard to do them all.

 Fishing for the lake's eels is forbidden.

I believe this is a pied cormorant. Looks like he's taking a bow. 

 The 'Ubiquitous Chicken' of Auckland

(Gallus gallus domesticus, 'ubiquitous')

 I learned that black swans are native to New Zealand. They were here when the first humans arrived and were described by the first European explorers when they in turn arrived. However, the birds were later hunted to extinction. They were reintroduced from Austrailia in 1860, but their numbers grew so rapidly and in so many locations, separated from the reintroduction sites, that it was thought that they may have occasionally immigrated  on their own from Australia.  This has not been confirmed. 

They are now doing very well here and there is a hunting season on them. About 7,000 are harvested annually. 

As I left Western Springs, I came across this warning sign set in the sidewalk. Trams from MOTAT make a trip back and forth in front of the park twice and hour.  

 The chances of being hit by a tram are not high. They procede at about a fast walking pace, clinking and clanking noisily, and the driver is right out front. 

 Here's another photo of a stationary one.

 As I crossed Great North Road to the bus stop for the return journey home, I saw this colorful sightseeing bus go by.  Although this one was almost empty, when the cruise ships are in port you often see them packed full.  

I've told you several times about the small storms that sweep across our island, sometimes many times a day during the winter.  Here comes a perfect example of one now. They are fast-moving and can dump a surprising amount of water in a short time. I don't think this one will hit Henderson though so I should stay dry when I get there.                -djf