Western Springs Lakeside Park

Western Springs Lakeside Park is a lake and about twenty six hectares of peaceful greenspace, sitting right next to the zoo and MOTAT. Natural springs feed the lake. Māori know it as Te Wai Ōrea, the waters of the eels, and the eels are still in there, long dark shapes hanging out the shallows behind the swans and ducks. A scenic path loops the entire lake so you can keep walking until the sun is where you want it. Willows hang out over the water on the far side and give you reflections on a still morning. If you are a fan of bird photography black swans, pūkeko, mallards, swans, Canada geese and coot are everywhere and thoroughly used to people, so you can't easily capture a variety of subjects in one photography outing. Getting down low at the edge lets you experiment with capturing the eels in your compositions. They can be tricky because from standing height they appear as nothing but a shadow. Ideally plan on coming to the park early. Autumn and winter mornings often bring mist sitting on the water before the dog walkers arrive. Check what's on both in the area before you drive over, since concerts at the stadium and festivals take over the park and every parking space near it. (Western Springs, Auckland, New Zealand)