Tiri Tiri Matangi
Sunday - Well the day had finally arrived, we were catching the 9am ferry to Tiri Tiri Matangi, an island sanctuary for some of New Zealands rare endemic birds. We had planned to do this before leaving home all the way back in October 2006 and were both really excited.

The boat trip over was a little roley, the wind whipping up spray over the grey waters. However as usual we kept an eye out for any birds that might fly by. It paid off before arriving on the island itself we had spotted some Fluttering Shearwaters and a White-faced Petrel dancing over the tips of the waves that were now silvery blue as the sun started breaking through the cloud layer.

Finally we arrived onto the island that would be our home for the next week, we were greeted by a cacophony of bird song that rivalled our days in the jungle. Replanted with native trees and plants the island was a blaze with greens of various shades glinting in the brightening sunshine.

As we listened to Jen, one of the rangers on the island, talking to the members of the public we were surprised to see a Takahe - one of New Zealands rarest birds - wander through the crowd!
As we made our way up the road to the lighthouse complex we were astounded by the abundance of native birds around us, North Island Robins, Saddlebacks, Bellbirds.... to name a few. After a short time exploring the lighthouse and bunkhouse we met up with Jen who showed us our first duty for each day we would be here, this was to fill the water troughs. The island is very dry as it gets little rain and this extra water is needed for the birds to survive.

The rest of the afternoon we carried on exploring the island in the sunshine, marvelling at the beauty around us. In total we saw 10 new species of birds today, 8 on the island itself and 2 in the waters around it!

That evening we headed out after dark with a few of the other volunteers in search of Little Spotted Kiwis, New Zealands rarest Kiwi that is only found on offshore islands. The lights of Auckland sparkled on the horizon and a thousand stars twinkled in the sky above as we walked down the trails listening for scufflings in the undergrowth. We heard the wind rustling through the trees, insects calling in the dark and then piercing through the night, the shrill call of a kiwi! Spurred on we continued down the path, just as the trail joined another we could hear rustling in the grass ahead. Holding our breathes we waited, straining to hear above the wind and see through the reddish gloom of our torches. The closer we got the louder the rustling and snuffling became.... then up ahead a shape appeared in the edge of the torch light..... a little closer and Lee announced "I can see a brown shape...its a....it's a duck!" Our breathes let out in a collective whoosh, not a kiwi but another of New Zealands rare birds, the Brown teal!

We headed back to the bunkhouse, we would have to try again for those kiwi...

Monday - 6.15am the alarm went off, we had been invited to help with the other volunteers on the island. They were here to catch Stitchbirds, a rare endemic successfully released and breeding on Tiritiri. The aim was no to relocate about 30 of the birds to another sanctuary on the mainland.

We were off mist netting again! We sat for over 2 hours watching all kinds of birds hop through the vegetation near the net but all seemed to know it was there. This can happen especially of a net has been up in an area for quite a while, as this net had. Despite that we did manage to catch two Bellbirds and one Stitchbird.

Later in the morning we helped set the net up in another location before leaving to fill the water troughs. The birds show little fear, coming down to the troughs even as we are filling them!

After lunch we met up with Jen who gave us a few more jobs to do, mainly cleaning the visitor center. With her permission we were able to rejoin the Stitchbird team later in the afternoon. Back at the net we'd set up late that morning we had a really good couple of hours, catching two Stitchbirds, two Whiteheads and two Saddlebacks - another rare bird that is only found on offshore islands now.

Later that evening we again headed out into a starless night in search of Little Spotted Kiwi, this time taking a longer route over the island. We searched and searched, scanning the edges of the trails. Suddenly up ahead a grey blob rushed across the path disappearing into the black undergrowth, from its shape we were convinced it was a kiwi! Slowly we crept over to where it had disappeared, waiting and listening...then there was a loud rustling in the bushes in front of us, we strained to see through the red gloom of the torchlight and there, close by was a Little Spotted Kiwi! It looked so fluffy! We followed the kiwi for a short while, having wonderful clear views through the undergrowth as the kiwi continued feeding. As we watched we heard more rustling and soon realised there was in fact two kiwis!

Once we left the kiwi's to get on with their nightly routine we continued on the path in a loop back towards the bunkhouse. A little further along in the long grass by the path we spotted a couple of Tuatara! An ancient reptile that is a relic from the age of the dinosaurs and now is rarely seen in New Zealand. Awesome!

Tuesday - Strong winds this morning meant the Stichbird team were not going out till later. We spent the morning filling the water troughs, each time we approached a trough we were greeted with a multitude of native bird calls filtering through the trees along with the sunlight.

As we came towards the end of the boardwalks through the Wattle Valley (where the troughs are located) movement caught our eye. We looked closer and hopping through the branches in front of us was a Kokako! Another of New Zealands rare and endemic birds, we'd been wanting to see one since arriving on the island. Beautiful bluish grey feathers with distinctive purple wattles (fleshy patches of skin that hand down around the bill) and black face mask, we were really excited to see this bird.

It was boiling hot after lunch, we'd gone for a walk down to the wharf and were tempted into a swim by the sparkling, blue green waters of the bay. Jumping off the wharf the water was refreshingly cool water.

That afternoon we rejoined the Stitchbird team mist netting by the water troughs in Wattle Valley. It was still hot and the birds were enjoying the cool water just as we had in the ocean earlier. As we waited for the nets to arrive we were once again joined by a beautiful Kokako.
We set the net up to try and catch the birds as they flew into the water trough, we also set up a sugar feeder on one side of the net to try and attract Stitchbirds. Within a minute of setting the net we had caught a male Stitchbird! The session continued in a similar successful manner with 17 birds caught; 7 Bellbirds, 8 Stitchbirds, 1 Tui and 1 North Island Robin.

After dark a small group of us headed down to the wharf in search of the phosphorescence, once more the stars had returned to fill the night sky.
We crunched down the road, scanning the edges, suddenly a Little Blue Penguin came into our circle of torchlight. We all froze and the penguin sat motionless for a while before waddling away.
Down at the beach we made out way to the end of the wharf with a few stones in hand. As Lee threw the stones into the black water we watched as hundreds water droplets glowed a eerie green. Lee then decided to take a midnight dip jumping off the bottom step into the black abyss, the splash and subsequent wave he created both glowed faintly green and as he swam around we could see his arms and legs glowing!

Time to head back via a track this time, suddenly up ahead we heard a familiar rustling noise. Creeping closer into the reddish glow of our torches came another Little Spotted Kiwi =)

It was a calm night filled with millions of stars and we all decided to spend the night under the stars. We grabbed our mattresses, pillows and sleeping bags and made our beds out in the paddock behind the lighthouse keepers cottage. It was an awesome sight and experience, lying there with millions of stars shining back at us, we could see the milky way and Saturn. Turning our heads one way the lights of Auckland lit the horizon, the other way nothing but darkness pierced regularly by the beam of white light from the lighthouse behind us.

Watching the stars we fought as our eyes started drooping, wanting to watch longer, eventually sleep over took and we fell asleep under natures roof.

Wednesday - Woke to an absolutely, uncomprehendingly stunning sunrise, the horizon was aglow with pale pinks, yellows and reds fading to light and then dark blue above. Happy Valentines Day...

This morning we returned to the mist nets for one final session, despite good conditions the area was noticeable quieter and we caught fewer birds. However we did see the pair of Kokako's once again, coming down to drink and investigate.

Once we'd finished the mist netting and filled the water troughs we headed to the far end of the island along the East Coast track. It was a beautiful, sunny day with the deep blue ocean reflecting the clear blue sky. The much more rugged east coast is studded with rocky beaches and trees clinging to steep, sheer cliffs. It was a touch walk, negotiating the coastline but the views were magnificent. Finally we arrived at North East Bay, here we ate lunch by the pools at Silvester Wetland where we spotted a Spotless Crake feeding along the waters edge.

After a dip in the cool waters of the secluded beach, we spent a couple hours clipping flax back at the edges of the trails. Gratefully we accepted a lift back to the bunkhouse from Jen.

It was strangely quiet in the bunkhouse this evening the Stitchbird team having left this afternoon. Once again we decided to go in search of Kiwi that night and were greeted once more by millions of stars. We had walked quite a way before our torches illuminated something on the track ahead...a Kiwi! We couldn't get enough of watching these fun little creatures.

We continued on, looping round and back towards the bunkhouse, once again along the trail we found 5 Tuatara and almost stood on another Kiwi sitting on the track just in front of us!

Thursday - Once the water troughs had been filled we headed down to the beach to clear out the wharf shed. Another glorious hot day, once we'd finished work we went for another cooling swim in the blue waters of the bay.

The long walk of the previous day and all those nights spent looking for Kiwi's were starting to catch up and we were both feeling pretty tired by that evening.
However we were determined to make the most of being on the island and so once it was dark we again headed out, this time down towards the wharf in search of Kiwi. Although we found no Kiwi this night we did see another Brown Teal and met some researchers taking measurements of a Little Blue Penguin.

Friday - Our last full day on Tiritiri and our 4 months travelling anniversary. After our usual job of filling the troughs, and getting caught in the first rain shower we'd had on the island, we spent the rest of the day cleaning out the store room and implements shed.

Our last night on the island we went out with Dylan, a research student staying on the island, in search of his study subject Duvacell's Gecko. In the middle of a flax and tree filled bush we spent nearly an hour slowly searching the ground and trees for geckos while keeping an eye out for kiwis - of course!
It was beginning to look like we would not find any when suddenly Rachael spotted one sitting on the leaf litter at her feet! Dylan then carried out his measurements and attached a tiny transmitter to its back.

Once we'd finished Dylan headed back and we continued on in search of Kiwis. We had not gone far when one appeared on the track ahead of us! We spent a good while watching this kiwi feeding and moving through the undergrowth, before moving one along the trail. Five or ten minutes later and we had come across our second kiwi of the night!

This nights Kiwi watching was the best so far and it was not over yet, while on our way back along the road back to the bunkhouse we spotted our third kiwi in the undergrowth! A wonderful end to a brilliant week of bird watching.

Saturday - Our last day, no other work for us except filling the troughs and tidying our room. However just as we were finishing breakfast Ian, the ranger came in to tell us that a man, who was drunk, had grounded his boat on the rocks last night, the boat had now partially sunk creating a bio security risk. If any mice or rats had been on the boat they could now be on the island and must be caught as rodents are one of the main factors in the decline of New Zealands native bird life. Ian asked us if we would go down and help set up the bait lines even though it was really our day off. We were both more than happy to go and help, wanting more than anything to protect these special birds we had encountered on the island.

Down at the beach the first task for Lee was to mark out the bait lines, a tricky task which involved walking straight up the steep, flax and tree filled slopes and putting pink marker tape every 20 metres where the traps would be set. While Lee did this Rachael helped assemble the rat and mouse traps. While we worked the boat lay forlorn and broken on the rocks, its white hull flashing in the bright morning sun.

Once the lines were marked and the traps assembled it was just a questions of setting them up with bait, easier said than done when you have to carry the gear up those steep slopes. Still we took one line as the other volunteers went to do the rest, and then scrambled up the back, clinging to branches and flax leaves to haul ourselves up.
Once the bait traps were set we struggled back down the bank, satisfied that we had done as much as we could to help make sure that any rodents did not spread over the island.

It had been a couple of hours hard work setting the traps, we spent the rest of the afternoon tidying our room and enjoying our last few moments with the beautiful birds of Tiritiri Matangi.

3.30pm came all to soon and we were once again back on the ferry bidding farewell to a one of the best places we had been to since arriving in New Zealand.

We spotted many birds on our way back to Auckland but the highlight of the ferry trip back had to be the brilliant, clear view of a Hammerhead Shark! Skimming just under the water surface as the boat zipped by.

Auckland harbour was brimming with boats and as we pulled into the dock we saw why, the Queen Mary 2 was berthed there. The longest and most lavish ocean liner in the world was on a break during her maiden world voyage.

Back on the mainland we were knackered but also looking forward to setting off our on travels with our own car!