Tiritiri Matangi

Last week on Wednesday the whole of the year 7&8 extension left Auckland for an island called Tiri Tiri Matangi. We left early in the morning at about 8:00am. There were only 3 people that didn't show up but other than that we had a big group. There were 3 adults including our extension teacher, Mrs Lagitupu, there was also Mrs Samuel's and Miss Hotu. They were both mothers of students.

We left Pt England school wanting to already be at the island but we had to wait. Hoping on to the shuttle, a van, it went quiet all you could hear were the boys talking loudly and laughing. The shuttle then started move. The girls, Lucy, Lesieli and I, were sitting and it was kind of awkward and that went on through out the whole trip to the ferry.

We rolled up to the waiting area and as the shuttle is leaving Lesieli screams out the camera is still in the shuttle. Miss Hotu and Lesieli sprinted to the window of the driver and yelled, "STOP STOP STOP THE SHUTTLE WE LEFT OUR CAMERA IN THERE" The shuttle stopped and Lesieli opened the door to retrieve the camera. They both sighed in relief. It was then time to meet the rest of the crew that we were going to be travelling with. We all formed into a circle and went around saying our names and what year we are.

It was then time to board the ferry we had to walk for a little while until we got to the loading dock. There were brushes for you to clean your shoes because you are not allowed to carry eggs of pests under your shoe. Finally we boarded the boat in search of a seat we were expecting to sit on the top deck but we were told to stay on the bottom deck.

1hour and 1/2 later we got to our destination as soon as we got out of the boat everyone rushed to the brushes to clean there shoes all though there shoes were already clean. We had to go across a bridge with a train track on it. When we got to the concrete area we had to sit down on the floor for a ranger to tell us the rules on what to do and what not to do.

 After about 5 to 10 minutes we were on our way to going through the forest. but before that we had to get into our groups and go and have a little look at the blue penguins which were really cute but smelly. It was finally time to go on the the wattle track to look at all the species of birds there are and what kind of plants there are.

As soon as we started our walk the first bird we saw was the fantail it was a cute bird with its big tail and small body. Did you know that every single fantails tail is bigger than its body! Lesieli said that she was afraid of birds then she turned stiff she was to scared to move. She then started to walk well her body was straight with her arms stuck to her sides. The fantail kept on following us because our guide said that the more us humans walk the more the bugs get annoyed and she said that the more we annoy the bugs the fantail can get them easily.

Moving on to the forest we saw tui's, stitch birds and most of all saddle backs. The saddle backs were my favourite birds. Going deeper into the forest we spotted a red crowned parakeet to be honest I think it was the most prettiest bird on the island.  It was then I changed my mind to thinking that the kakariki was my new favourite bird.

Half way through the track I spotted a morepork sleeping in a tree. I had also spotted a feeder with bell birds in it. When ever I would look at the bell bird they would puff up and our tour guide said that they were showing off. In the feeder there was sugar and water mixed together we were told by our guide that they put it in a cage so the tui's couldn't get because tui's are greedy and would drink all of it.

Moving on we spotted a bird bath with bell birds in it they were having a drink and a little wash. Lower on the track there was a log on a tree and our tour guide ask someone to open the log and I volunteered to and guess what was in there A whole weta and luckily there was glass covering it other wise I would have screamed. The weta was really big and there were 2 side to the log and I was thinking one was a female and on e was a male.

Getting near the end of the track we spotted another birdbath with more bell birds in it. It was then our tour guide asked us if we wanted to do a little treasure hunt except the treasure wasn't in a treasure chest instead it was hanging on a brach and we had to spot them. We were told to get into a line and each of us would get a clue and know one else could help us find it. I had found Morepork, Tui and a Tuatara finger puppet. It was then the end of the wattle track and it was time to eat.

We went to the backyard of a gift shop and we ate our food when we finished we  got to go and see the light house did you know that the light house had been the for over 60 years and is the oldest working light house that was when I saw a Takahe and its baby they were so cute but also so rare. Takahe is the rarest bird on the island in fact there are only 10 of them including 9 grownups and 1 baby.

Going on the trip was a great experience and I hope one other day I could go there again.