Kapiti Bird Tours (Mik Peryer)

Kapiti Bird Tours is a solo guiding operation run by Michael "Mik" Peryer, widely known in the Wellington region as "the Birdman of Waikanae." Based on the Kapiti Coast about an hour north of Wellington, Peryer has spent a lifetime watching birds at the Waikanae Estuary and the adjoining coast and now leads private and small-group walks for visiting birders. The Waikanae Estuary is a regionally important wetland where freshwater meets the Tasman Sea, drawing migratory shorebirds, waterfowl and seabirds in numbers, and Peryer's tours are designed around tide and season. He also helps visitors arrange logistics for the predator-free Kapiti Island reserve nearby. This is a small, owner-operated business rather than a touring company — appropriate for travellers wanting a few hours or a full day of estuarine birding on the Kapiti Coast rather than a multi-day national itinerary.