17 Nov 14 - Back On Dry Land

Finally, we were at the end of the sea section of the Pitcairn & Tuamotu Sandpiper trip. A final chumming session off Mangareva hadn't produced anything noteworthy on the Seabird side, but a pod of Blainville's Beaked Whales just off the back of the Braveheart for fifteen minutes was very exciting. It was then time to sail into the small quay at Rikitea on Mangareva, which is one of the Gambier Islands. The Gambier Islands have a small airport, with flights to Tahiti a thousand miles away. Part of the reason for the airport are the two islands of Moruroa & Fangataufa about 250 miles to the East. These were used by the French for around 175 nuclear weapons tests up from the mid 1960s until 1996, when the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty was signed.

The small town of Rikitea on Mangareva: We saw our first people for eleven days since leaving Pitcairn

Claymore II: This is the sister ship to the Braveheart & is the main supply ship for Pitcairn Island

While we were getting our passports for our official re-entry into French Polynesia, the crew had the chance to start loading supplies for their next charter & moving stuff between the two boats. The Braveheart crew had been supplemented with Neil, who was the skipper of the Claymore II & he finally had the chance to return to his boat now our trip was over.

Rikitea looks a small sleepy town: The population of Mangareva is around 1200

Once the passports were sorted, we had time to wander around the town. Despite extensive patches of forest, we saw no landbirds apart from an introduced Feral Pigeon. Given how remote the Gambier Islands are, it would be hit or miss whether any landbirds ever arrived on the islands. The island has been populated by Polynesian islanders for at least a thousand years & it is quite possible than any endemic species could have been eliminated followed the likely introduction of Polynesian Rats, well before any Europeans arrived with their additional introduced predators. So, while the forests look interesting, the place to a Birder was very quiet with the landbirds missing. But there was a steady movement of White-capped Noddies, White Terns & Crested Terns which were breeding on the island.

Looking back on the town

White Tern

Crested Tern: There were a couple flying around the bay

Crested Tern

As we walked around the bay, we found a few Wandering Tattlers & a couple of Pacific Golden Plovers to photograph.

Pacific Golden Plover

Pacific Golden Plover

Pacific Golden Plover

Wandering Tattler: There were a few along the foreshore

Wandering Tattler: This individual was feeding on small Crabs

Eventually, the light rain got worse & it was time to head back to the Braveheart. Our flights weren't until midday on the following day & so we had one more night on the Braveheart. There were a few drinks on board that evening & a chance for the crew to let their hair down, after all their hard work to make the cruise such a superb trip. The wind & rain had got up during the night & it was thirty knot winds by the morning & I was glad we were tied up to the quayside. The following morning, I took the opportunity to sort out the final packing, catch up on notes, sort some photos & say the final goodbyes to the crew, before we had to leave the Braveheart. It was only a few metres walk along the quayside to where the small ferry departed to take us to the airport: which was located on a small flat offshore island. My only worry was if the small plane would arrive to take us back to Tahiti. However, the locals all thought it would, although it did arrive a couple of hours late.

The windsock shows how windy it still was: I was pleased to be leaving given the weather

Our plane back to civilisation

Arrival into Tahiti after a four hour flight

We checked into the hotel in Tahiti with just a few minutes before heading off to get dinner.

3 Nov 14 - Finally Off To See Some Tahitian Endemics

Finally, it was time to get in the two 4WDs to head off to the Papenoo Valley for some endemic species. It isn't possible to see all of the endemics in one location, so this afternoon the plan was to look for Grey-green Fruit-dove, Tahiti Kingfisher & Tahiti Reed Warbler. First it was a slow drive around the island. Basically, Tahiti is composed of two connected islands, Tahiti Nui & the smaller Tahiti Iti to the South East. Each island has a central volcano. Nearly all of the population living on the flatter coastal strip at its edge and many seem to spend a lot of time on the main coastal road which circumnavigates the islands. As a result, getting anywhere involves a slow journey. First task was to get through Papeete.

Cruise Ship: Glad we were not booked on this ship. We had to ensure about an hour of cruise ship punters as we waiting to check in for our flight back to Los Angeles at the end of the the trip: which was an hour too long

Tatitian homestead: This is typical of many houses we saw

Finally, after about 30 or 40 minutes drive, we reached the start of the Papenoo Valley. This is a valley with a dirt road which roughly follows the river which runs from the centre of the island. There is plenty of forest on both sides of the road and the whole area is used as a water catchment area & for hydro electric power.

Papenoo Valley: It looks great forest, but our guide on the last day of the trip told us most of the large trees have been introduced to Tahiti, which perhaps helps to explain why the forest Birding is slow & hard going

Papenoo Valley: It would be very difficult to explore away from the valley bottom with these steep sides

The first stop was along the riverside for some food & drinks, where we quickly found the first of  about 10 Tahiti Reed Warblers I was to see or hear during the afternoon.

Papenoo Valley: Our first Tahiti Reed Warbler was seen in the forest on the opposite river bank to this food stop 

Tahiti Reed Warbler: Forget the European ideas of Reed Warblers living in reed beds. The Tahiti Reed Warblers are large, long-billed, dark species, which act more like a forest version of Philippine Glossy Starling than a Reed Warbler in Europe

During the lunch stop, a Pacific Black Duck flew by. After getting some views with the bins, there was only time for a tail on view of it going away. But it was the only one I saw on the trip, although some of the others saw a family party later on in the afternoon.

Pacific Black Duck: At last a species that is native to Tahiti. This is the pelewensis subspecies which occurs in the Pacific in Micronesia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands & French Polynesia. Other subspecies occur in Indonesia to PNG, Australia & New Zealand

Wandering Tattler: I've always associated Wandering Tattlers with rocky shorelines, so was surprised to find this one on a freshwader river. Will keep an eye out on the Cornish rivers next time I'm looking for Dippers down West

We carried along the dirt road, either walking & Birding or getting rides in the 4WDs to the next stop.

Papenoo Valley: Another view of the river

The Birding was fairly slow, but every now & then we entered another Tahiti Reed Warbler territory.

Tahiti Reed Warbler: Despite being the commonest of the endemic species we saw, they were shy & not keen to come out into the open to pishing

Tahiti Reed Warbler: This is the nominate caffer subspecies. The other subspecies occurs on the nearby island of Moorea

The dirt road follows the river, but fords it at one point. Fortunately, we were in the 4WD at the time, so no wet feet.

Papenoo Valley: Given the steepness of the mountain valleys, there are warnings about crossing during heavy rain as the water level can rise very rapidly here

Papenoo Valley: Birding along this moderate sized reservoir which held a couple of Eastern Reef Herons, but nothing else

In the more open areas there were good views of the hillsides & the occasional White-tailed Tropicbird flying over the distant hillsides.

White-tailed Tropicbird: I'm not going to win any awards for this photo, but as it's a Family Photo Tick, then I wasn't going to throw it away. We only saw them on Tahiti & I don't think I got any photos of the White-tailed Tropicbird, I saw at the end of the trip. This is the dorotheae subspecies which occurs throughout the Pacific. Other subspecies occur in Atlantic & Indian Oceans

The open areas were also good for occasional parties of Silver-eyes, Waxbills & Red-browed Firetails: three more for the introduced list. But none were approachable to allow decent photos.

Silver-eye: The natural range includes Australia, New Caledonia & Fiji. It is also introduced into New Zealand

Waxbill: The natural range is more or less the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa

Red-browed Firetail: Another Eastern Australian introduction. I was pleased to find this photo in a group of Waxbill photos as I didn't think I had managed to photograph any Firetails. The only one I saw with the bins disappeared before I could raise the camera

Orchid: There were also a small group of this great looking Orchid

Further up the valley we were taken up a track to this sacred Polynesian site. It was certainly sacred to me when the guide pointed out our only Tahiti Kingfisher of the day, as we arrived in the clearing. Sadly, another species that failed to give decent, prolonged views.

Sacred Polynesian site: The guide said that they believe human sacrifices were practiced here

Tahiti Kingfisher: This is the nominate veneratus subspecies with the other subspecies being found on Moorea

By the time, we had to turn around we were disappointed to not have seen any Grey-green Fruit-doves. At this point, one flushed out just in front of us & briefly landed in nearby trees. I was lucky to get the following photo, while Richard was giving directions, as several in the group struggled to get more than a flight view. We did see it again, over the next few minutes, but too brief & distant for photos.

Grey-green Fruit-dove: This is the nominate purpuratus subspecies. There are two other subspecies: one on Moorea & the other on Bora-bora & neighbouring islands

It was time to head back to the hotel. Still we had seen the 3 endemics we had hoped to see so everybody was happy, although we would have preferred better views. I was surprised that we had made it back to the 4WDs dry, as it had been threatening rain for the final hour. But the heavens finally opened on the drive back.

Another couple of local houses on the way back: Surprisingly this area is still dry & sunny

The main road around this island: Starting to get wet

Looking towards Papeete (in the far distance)

The Tahitian's really like their roundabouts

3 Nov 14 - Off To See Noddy (& Some Boobies)

Just got back from one of my best & most enjoyable trips to date which my Sister described as, the trip to see Noddy & some Boobies. Somehow I can't see Wildwings changing the official title of their tour, In The Wake Of The Bounty, to this alternative title. I met up with Chris Collins, who was leading the tour at Heathrow, a day earlier than most of the others were flying out. We had to overnight in a Los Angeles airport hotel, before catching an afternoon flight the following day to Tahiti. While this only got us into Tahiti the evening before the early morning flight the bulk of the group were arriving, it did mean I had 2 good nights sleep to get over the 10 hours time change. The official hotel complex was incredibly expensive, so I settled for the first night at the more moderately priced, Pension Armelle nearby. Whilst not in the same league as the Manava Suite Resort, it backed onto the beach & had far more Birds on view. Considerately, the Pension Armelle under-provided on the inclusive breakfast (which consisted of 1 small piece of French bread & marmalade, but plenty of coffee & orange juice), thus allowing me to focus on some photography from their beach balcony.

Pension Armelle: The beach balcony - ideal for beach photography, but don't get excited about the breakfast

Pension Armelle beach: The beach from the balcony (with another overpriced hotel in the distance)

Pension Armelle beach: The beach looking left (with a few dark clouds in the distance)

Pension Armelle beach: Like most tropical islands there is an offshore reef

Pension Armelle beach: The breakers on the offshore reef. While it looks fun for surfing, there will be sharp coral underneath to quickly stop that idea

Pension Armelle Beach: Is this Brian Gregory, practicing for the landings we had lined up later in the trip?

Whilst it looks great, what the photos don't convey is the high humidity, even about eight in the morning: the humidity even increased away from the coast. There was a good selection of Birds (for Tahiti) on the beach, until a few people started appearing after nine.

Eastern Reef Heron: Dark phase. This is also know as Pacific Reef Heron. This is the albolineata subspecies. The nominate subspecies was photographed in the Andamans. This photo isn't cropped, except to get to my usual 6:5 blog format

Eastern Reef Heron: Light phase. Both phases are found on Tahiti

Wandering Tattler: There were three of these delightful & common Polynesian Waders on the beach

Wandering Tattler: This species winters from Australia, throughout the Pacific & the Pacific coast of Central America

Wandering Tattler: Looks like some wing moult on the secondaries

Common Noddy: This is also known as Brown Noddy. The browner inner wing (compared to darker sooty black colouration) & less distinct white forehead separates this from White-capped Noddy. This is the pileatus subspecies which occurs from the Seychelles & Madagascar to Australia & the tropical Pacific including Pollynesia & Hawaii. Four other subspecies occur around the Red Sea, Galapagos, Pacific Coast of Central America & Caribbean to Cameroons

White-capped Noddy: Also known as Black Noddy. This was a fairly commonly seen Noddy on the trip, but not as common as the Common Noddies

White-capped Noddy: This is the minutus subspecies which occurs from Australia, New Guinea across to French Polynesia

Crested Tern: This is the cristatus subspecies which occurs from Malaysia, to the Philippines & the Ryukus Islands as well as Eastern Australia to French Polynesia

Zebra Dove: One of several common Introduced species in the populated parts of the Tahiti

Common Myna: Another Intro

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin: Yet another Intro, but at least it's a species, I've not seen any since my trips to Australia in the late 80s & early 90s. I wasn't expecting to see this species right next to the tide line

Indo-Pacific Gecko: I heard a few around the Pension, but this was the only one seen & the only photo I managed to get before it disappeared

Around late morning, it was time to head off to meet the others & check in at the luxury Manava Suite Resort (my room for this evening was included in the price of the tour so happy to move hotels).