The whitebaiters are back in the river –not catching much in fact they are still counting the fish which is a bad sign.

When the Waikanae Estuary and river was designated a Scientific Reserve in 1987, the powers that be forgot about the whitebaiters. You are not allowed to fish in a scientific reserve

We have hedgehogs within our estuary as well as stoats, rabbits and possums All these animals have been introduced by our early settlers.

From the Kapiti Island nature reserve, the Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve to the
Tararua mountains, our river is a conduit for our bird-life, from the mountains to the sea.

Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve is quite unique–being in an urban environment. Scientific reserves are usually miles from anywhere

I dare to say that there are very few places nation-wide where anyone, even people with
disabilities, can view this many wild birds within an urban environment which is only fifty
minutes from our national capital, on a bus and train route and with a magnificent beach.

As the seasons change so does our wild birdlife. One day we have babies, the next they have fledged and away they go to all the far corners of New Zealand.