Kapiti Revisited after Many Years

Forest and Bird, Issue 156, 1 May 1965, Page 18

Kapiti Revisited after Many Years

By

“Ornithologist”

In March the Wellington Branch arranged a party to visit Kapiti. Owing to there being four vacancies in the expedition members from the Manawatu Section filled the remaining places, including myself.

My first visit to Kapiti was about 1924 and in 1928 I spent a week there. In those days goats were numerous and I helped in the cleaning up of those which had evaded earlier shootings.

The late Captain Sanderson, the founder of the Society, was instrumental in obtaining Kapiti as a sanctuary, but a lot of hard work was done on the island before it was suitable as a natural reserve. After the goats were cleaned out the north end had to be fenced. With the tremendous regeneration, it is today a naturalist’s paradise.

Going over in the Kaitoa from Paremata we saw large flocks of shearwaters. On landing we passed through a large area of pohutukawa trees planted by the late Stan Wilkinson. During lunch eight kakas appeared in search of tit-bits from our meal and we fed

them on dates. While on the ground, wekas were always on the alert for a crust which they would grab and transport to cover.

Several parrakeets also flew overhead. While exploring the bush we noticed that tuis and bellbirds were plentiful, as also was the North Island robin, which is now very rare on the mainland. The long-tailed cuckoo was heard on the track to the summit.

In 1928 I supplied about % cwt. of kowhai seed and today the trees from this seed are from 15 to 20 ft. high.

The shearwaters accompanied us again on the return journey, which was completed in perfect weather. When we passed Browns Island and Motungarara, a school of dolphins played round the launch and came as close as 20 ft. away.

“Te Wae Wae Kapiti-o-Tara-Raua Ko Rangitane.”

Where the boundaries of Tara and Rangitane join the bdautiful Isle of Somewhere.