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1 - Chiara had a couple of Kapiti Island visitor permits, so we figured an intrepid mid-week expedition was in order...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmcKmHQuJmDreItu3b0amvxw3eBH9_UEn7Myx_BwxRIpCqlmIAhoedyDUyYbm6HuWOXo82CDnVD-3EQMckgDujilyY22L3KNsOEFM2zzFCo8jdMqMSo80m84vwqPx-hlm6FMv/s400/MeLooking28_STG56754.jpg)
2 - ...and here I am turning 28 (or possibly 218, if you are in the habit of reading forks) and looking unaccustomed to being on the other side of a camera. If I look a little tired, it's because...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfOJYGP9ZXduMHfIEoY6SQID8lns3XNflzZZDu1wnQQyeEgNd3jSWevS7EiB7HWyTSwT4axuEeo9tZTmzXa9IbYwkx4K8Z-1vDJduf8qEUBQm7gK4b3rA5D_0IFRlQL_-x3dU/s400/CatchTrain_STG56654.jpg)
3 - ...we had to catch the train at 6.55am
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4 - Anyway, the island is just of the West Coast, north of Wellington...
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5 - boat launching into the surf must be a challenge
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6 - the ferry
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7 - arriving on the island was easy enough, to the right you can see the local Kaumatua, who was on site to supervise the removal of a number of bats that were departing the scene
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8 - 20 minute talk from one of the DOC guys
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9 - lots of bird life around the place, I was surprised to see this Kereru walking about on the beach
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9ZfO4nrDv6Y5-P16OJlauWeyfg5qSIrBMpMSfRXH4WLtSch_5ZHIGwNz3LXmz0YyNcGv7O6fgZ7Cmb_zpM1f7kRaUw5plHv0pjwxu41HAsIQ2q4Y07WSFN97fk5ki9O4AZLG/s400/Pigeon3_STG56717.jpg)
10
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11 - Of course, Wekas were rambling about and trying to get into bags, food, cameras, and everything. Their fascination for the pasta muffins was quite something...
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12 - Not something you're likely to see every day - a Takahe taking a bath
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13
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14 - 'Did you just call me as a big purple hen?'
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinwD0BEl4AaG_P-W6XT7CVweZyz_wA4ftiuZ8YZgUjpBydLPyEP3Cqr5emeSiM35DyCCKNtGLLmeuw_-SdLlEHYmH3u-LOhXpBGRfFNW8E4JYk37oZWrY7BhXcBoIsawBp0bjh/s400/BlackRobin_STG56727.jpg)
15 - Black Robin
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16 - quite a bit of driftwood around the place...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYWLRIOBAWwZUR7tDTpSju36j2SoGaW90lDLl8NL0l4b8UsZoXXi4-z48x-kwNOLnk_sY2OFTIbtrVrFsj-Djq_hyphenhyphenm5Rt-brgWDn3SXxNuNnJyymQW179JfyF6NVYLt0hupR7/s400/Branch_STG56684.jpg)
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