Te Anau is a picturesque town in Fiordland National Park, known for its stunning natural beauty and as a gateway to Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound. It will be our hub of operations for the next two nights. After driving here from Queenstown we hiked a section of the Kepler Track along the shore of Lake Te Anau. We had hoped to see more birdlife but the only flying object I captured is the butterfly below.

Our next stop was the Punanga Manu Bird Sanctuary, where our birding options improved. Pictured below is one of 10 Antipodes Island Parakeets remaining on mainland New Zealand. There are thought to be less than 2000 in the world. Ducks on the other hand, are everywhere.

Next, we traveled to the Rainbow Reach Bridge to sample a different section of the Kepler Track.

Finally, based on a map view of the Waiau River, I decided that a section called the Baloon Loop would make for a great aerial photo. We located a gravel road that took us to the edge of the river within drone range, and I was able to get the shot. A higher angle would have been even better, but I wanted to keep my altitude low because of the proximity to a nearby airport.