Mermaid Pool

 Exploring the Motutara Reserve looking for the mermaid pools. There are many so called mermaid pools around New Zealand and they are well worth the effort to seek them out. 

We have visited this area on many occasions but somehow missed the mermaid pools hidden away at the far end of the Motutara reserve. It's an enjoyable walk with first a climb over the 60 metre  hill to the Trig point. From there we enjoyed fantastic ocean views including the Poor Knights islands and in the opposite direction the Whananaki estuary below the Reserve. 

On this occasion we were rewarded after a hot but beautiful walk and then enjoyed a well-deserved refreshing swim at the small, secluded bay below. On this occasion the sea temperatures were the warmest I have experienced in the North and this may be why a Manta Ray was recently observed on this coastline.

Meadow Argus

 Cicadas, bee's, paper wasps, small blue butterflies and moths and very occasionally birds fly into the front porch. I'm always rescuing them especially the bees because by morning they are really sluggish due to the overnight temperatures. However, they soon recover and using the sun re-calibrate and are off again on purposeful flight. 

 Today it was a rare migrant butterfly, a Meadow Argus (Junonia villida calybe). It was not in perfect condition but still looked beautiful.

 It's an Australian butterfly found all around the Australian continent including the Sydney suburbs. 

Apparently, it's a rare migrant to New Zealand but in late 1886 thousands made their way across the Tasman Sea to this country.