CDR Virtual Vacations presents On this day 2020: we started by visiting Waitomo Glowworm Caves. The glowworms are fly maggots dangling from fine threads from the cave ceiling. No photos allowed there, but at neighbouring Ruakiri Caves photos are allowed in parts so we were able to record these creatures trying to attract their dinner which would be captured on fine dangling threads like a spider. Ruakiri was also the inspiration for Gollum’s cave in the Hobbit film.
We then went for a loooong walk on the Waitomo Walkway accompanied by loads of Sacred Kingfishers and Fantails. The Fantails are pretty little birds like long tailed t-ts batting around in groups in the trees. They accompanied us on many of our walks and were very difficult to photograph!
Ruakuri Caves
![4FA09F14-5CC9-425F-9F81-2360DF8032D6.jpeg 4FA09F14-5CC9-425F-9F81-2360DF8032D6.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303493-6fbd16fc77bad8b95ff306beebe5704d.jpg)
![0F6BB6ED-85B2-4939-93C6-78F5552A9A9E.jpeg 0F6BB6ED-85B2-4939-93C6-78F5552A9A9E.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303494-e22268b4113e0d6b8a5d44c2edb82dec.jpg)
![FF9C6C89-0CD1-44E8-B09E-73AA7D52188B.jpeg FF9C6C89-0CD1-44E8-B09E-73AA7D52188B.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303495-e89b9bb67fe4d8b4be7b54cbd689dd4e.jpg)
Waitomo Walkway
![774BD664-D0E1-4488-ACA8-D5E3A5F0ABF0.jpeg 774BD664-D0E1-4488-ACA8-D5E3A5F0ABF0.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303496-fd9279fcc3d3e0663ce57f68fa0558b1.jpg)
![0A3B1356-DAFC-4427-B978-73EE8A187EA8.jpeg 0A3B1356-DAFC-4427-B978-73EE8A187EA8.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303497-1c2b6810934be53fa07569cedacdb24f.jpg)
![B69482DB-FC0C-4A0A-8A1C-C002D36C7D28.jpeg B69482DB-FC0C-4A0A-8A1C-C002D36C7D28.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303498-18adc94730e4d9d90fadd69b55b85f6f.jpg)
Sacred Kingfisher (not a native species, but naturalised and widely found)![4B1F3288-0D63-422B-B6E5-00946AB27BAA.jpeg 4B1F3288-0D63-422B-B6E5-00946AB27BAA.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303499-640f6d9f043c5c0279b1b408227b87dc.jpg)
Fantail![D0409780-E113-4255-9F7F-496E49660FC7.jpeg D0409780-E113-4255-9F7F-496E49660FC7.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303500-d6f9b81815b6c6e2e5424448264c191d.jpg)
Masked Lapwing
![3334144C-1BA2-415F-BA30-6FF44E6D85EC.jpeg 3334144C-1BA2-415F-BA30-6FF44E6D85EC.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303501-2de2a76524b9d667b43bec7630b65c99.jpg)
Green Gecko
![88B52E70-AC6F-4006-84E9-CF449AAA28ED.jpeg 88B52E70-AC6F-4006-84E9-CF449AAA28ED.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303502-3e095b6a1814934b3eeb63cc7562b5a8.jpg)
We then went for a loooong walk on the Waitomo Walkway accompanied by loads of Sacred Kingfishers and Fantails. The Fantails are pretty little birds like long tailed t-ts batting around in groups in the trees. They accompanied us on many of our walks and were very difficult to photograph!
Ruakuri Caves
![4FA09F14-5CC9-425F-9F81-2360DF8032D6.jpeg 4FA09F14-5CC9-425F-9F81-2360DF8032D6.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303493-6fbd16fc77bad8b95ff306beebe5704d.jpg)
![0F6BB6ED-85B2-4939-93C6-78F5552A9A9E.jpeg 0F6BB6ED-85B2-4939-93C6-78F5552A9A9E.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303494-e22268b4113e0d6b8a5d44c2edb82dec.jpg)
![FF9C6C89-0CD1-44E8-B09E-73AA7D52188B.jpeg FF9C6C89-0CD1-44E8-B09E-73AA7D52188B.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303495-e89b9bb67fe4d8b4be7b54cbd689dd4e.jpg)
Waitomo Walkway
![774BD664-D0E1-4488-ACA8-D5E3A5F0ABF0.jpeg 774BD664-D0E1-4488-ACA8-D5E3A5F0ABF0.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303496-fd9279fcc3d3e0663ce57f68fa0558b1.jpg)
![0A3B1356-DAFC-4427-B978-73EE8A187EA8.jpeg 0A3B1356-DAFC-4427-B978-73EE8A187EA8.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303497-1c2b6810934be53fa07569cedacdb24f.jpg)
![B69482DB-FC0C-4A0A-8A1C-C002D36C7D28.jpeg B69482DB-FC0C-4A0A-8A1C-C002D36C7D28.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303498-18adc94730e4d9d90fadd69b55b85f6f.jpg)
Sacred Kingfisher (not a native species, but naturalised and widely found)
![4B1F3288-0D63-422B-B6E5-00946AB27BAA.jpeg 4B1F3288-0D63-422B-B6E5-00946AB27BAA.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303499-640f6d9f043c5c0279b1b408227b87dc.jpg)
Fantail
![D0409780-E113-4255-9F7F-496E49660FC7.jpeg D0409780-E113-4255-9F7F-496E49660FC7.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303500-d6f9b81815b6c6e2e5424448264c191d.jpg)
Masked Lapwing
![3334144C-1BA2-415F-BA30-6FF44E6D85EC.jpeg 3334144C-1BA2-415F-BA30-6FF44E6D85EC.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303501-2de2a76524b9d667b43bec7630b65c99.jpg)
Green Gecko
![88B52E70-AC6F-4006-84E9-CF449AAA28ED.jpeg 88B52E70-AC6F-4006-84E9-CF449AAA28ED.jpeg](https://data.www.tortoiseforum.org/attachments/303/303502-3e095b6a1814934b3eeb63cc7562b5a8.jpg)