We were unsure just where to start our Horseshoe Lake walk. There was no sign of the car park indicated in my vintage walk book, or of the footbridge which Christine remembered, and we presume there have been changes since the earthquakes.
We parked near a jetty where we were delighted by the range of waterfowl all flocking together. There were white ducks:
and pukeko
together with mallards, papango/scaup, Canada geese, seagulls, and even a couple of coots. We followed the path southwest until we eventually struck a wet muddy area, complete with toadstools, and decided to turn back.
On our return journey we met a territorial swan, determined to defend his mate and teenage cygnets.
When we stopped for morning tea a friendly cat approached us, but we we careful not to encourage it in case it might fancy a duckling dinner. The path in the other direction was newly sealed. There was a seat which had been donated by Barrie Shipley and the Isaac team, and bore the legend: 24 hours is a long time in contracting. Take a moment and enjoy the view.
There was a great deal of new planting and I note in this morning’s Press that volunteers are sought for a Forever Trees planting day on 3 July.
Tī Kōuka/cabbage trees are one of the most common native trees still found around the city and there are some fine specimens at Horseshoe Lake.
The lake was probably once a loop of the Ōtākaro/Avon River that was cut off when the main current found a more direct line of fall. In pre-European times it was the site of a Māori settlement called Te Oranga. The lake’s original name was Waikākāriki. Wai means water, and kākāriki has various meanings including green, a type of green lizard, or a green parakeet or parrot. In 1904 11.7 hectares of lake, swampland, and north bank area were reserved as a wildfowl sanctuary, and boating, fishing, and shooting were prohibited.
There’s still lots of this area for us to explore and we will investigate it again another day.
So many birds at Horseshoe Lake
an ideal spot to take a break