Backing The Truck Up #6 – Otanewaiuku Forest

From the kiwifruit place we could look south to distant hills, and we heard that there were nice walks to be wandered there. So back in May on one of our days off we drove off up the road in search of the forest called Otanewaiuku. We found it because we had a fair idea where it was. But it wasn’t exactly well-signposted. Which is surprising because it is a wonderful big patch of forest with some lovely walking tracks. The first time we followed a loop track that included a lookout that actually had a great view – so many “lookouts” and “viewpoints” are overgrown these days.

Lunch before we go for a walk Otanewaiuku Forest

Wyn in Otanewaiuku Forest – note the lovely natural track surface

Wyn in Otanewaiuku Forest

View east from the lookout Otanewaiuku Forest – Kaimai Range in the distance.

View north-east from the lookout Otanewaiuku Forest to Bay of Plenty – Makatu Estuary and Peninsula in the middle. [Click on the photo to open a wider panorama.]

View north-west from the lookout Otanewaiuku Forest. Tauranga Harbour and Matakana Island in the middle-right and Coromandel Peninsula fading into the distance. [Click on the photo to open a wider panorama.]

View west from the lookout across Otanewaiuku Forest towards Kaimai Range

From the lookout the track looped back north descending towards the car park. I was surprised to see a large bird silhouetted in the trees. We approached a little closer and realised it was a Morepork. We thought they are nocturnal birds but maybe this one was a shift worker? He/she played peek-a-boo with us around trees, doing that owl thing moving its head sideways. It seemed as interested in us as we were in it. We felt privileged to share the experience.

Morepork in Otanewaiuku Forest

Otanewaiuku Forest. This tree made me imagine a dinosaur foot.

Wyn in Otanewaiuku Forest on the track back down to the car park

[Photos taken with Canon 5D Classic and processed via Lightroom – which really comes into its own on outings like this when the light is low and the noise is high.]