Twilight over the Pounawea estuary taken from Hinahina.br/br/Pounawea, the Maori name for Catlins Lake (the meeting place of the waters), was originally known as Moka-moka. It is the site of a small settlement and estuary abundant with shellfish, flounder, brown and sea trout and occasionally salmon. There is also a local forest reserve of virgin podocarp forest rich in birdlife including; bellbirds, kererū and fantails, while the estuary itself is home to wading birds such as; royal spoonbills, herons, oystercatchers, stilts and bar-tailed godwits. The estuary is fed by the Owaka and Catlins rivers and is popular for fishing, boating, kayaking and swimming.br/br/The Catlins, in the southeastern corner of the South Island of New Zealand, features a scenic coastal landscape and dense temperate rainforest which harbour natural populations of birds and marine mammals. First inhabited by the Maori people in the period 900-1700 AD, the Catlins is an area with a rich history. The area enjoys a maritime temperate climate, however it's exposed location leads to its frequently wild weather with heavy ocean swells pounding the rugged coastline.