Yesterday I returned to Iron Gate hut with a good friend and his three boys. I'd hoped to show them whio, but the flood of the previous day had receded only slightly and the pair of whio I'd seen there shortly before New Year were nowhere to be seen. I assume they sought shelter elsewhere, perhaps up one of the side creeks. This shows a typical section of the river where we searched late in the evening.
[8 January 2012, Panasonic Lumix GH1, 14–45 mm at 20 mm, ISO 200, 1/15 at f11]
All content © 2012 Pete McGregor
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4 comments:
Wow. The power of water should never be underestimated. That is truly beautiful. Thank you.
Whoa! There's something very disconcerting reading your post about South America one day, and the next seeing a photo of a river in Aotearoa! You're like a cartoon character that skipped a few frames to a new scene!
I find this so soothing. Whio or no.
Elephant's Child, you're so right — too many people have underestimated the power of flooded rivers in New Zealand, and have paid with their lives. Rivers like this are best enjoyed from their banks.
Miguel, sometimes I feel that way — as if South America was something from another kind of life. But the similarities between Patagonia and Aotearoa are striking, and I'm sure every journey in the New Zealand mountains will bring back powerful memories of the Patagonian mountains. I love both places; I love our birds here, but I miss the birds in Patagonia.
Zhoen, I'm sure you'd find the real thing even more soothing. I could sit for hours by rivers like this. The whio are a bonus, but at least I know they're there, and thanks to the good efforts of the stoat trappers, their future in the Oroua seems bright for the foreseeable future.
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