Dates:
Weather:


Localities:

1 September - 9 October 2013.
Variable. Mostly dry, hot to cool and partly cloudy. Windy at sea, sometimes strong. Cold around Pitcairn Islands with sea temperature at 20°C, but warming farther west to 23°C. Hot on Tahiti, the Marquesas and northern Tuamotus. Occasional rain showers.
Tahiti, Mangareva, Pitcairn, Henderson, Oeno, Teneraro, Morane, Tetiaroa, Nuka Hiva, Hatutu, Ua Huka, Tahuata, Mohotani, Fatu Hiva, Manihi, Rangiroa, Niau, Makatea and Moorea.

The original plan, for this privately arranged trip, was hatched between several of the participants during a previous voyage within remote Indonesia in 2011. Logistically, pulling this together was far from straightforward, and much thanks goes to Josep del Hoyo and Amy Chernasky for their considerable efforts in this respect. The trip was divided into three parts. The first leg started in Mangareva and covered the islands within the Pitcairn group - Pitcairn, Henderson and Oeno - plus the southern Tuamotu islands of Teneraro and Morane. The second leg, based in Tahiti, covered Tahiti and Tetiaroa whilst the ship was repositioned to the Marquesas. The third leg visited the Marquesan islands of Nuka Hiva, Hatutu, Ua Huka, Tahuata, Mohotani, Fatu Hiva, Manihi, Rangiroa, Niau and Makatea, and finally finishing on Moorea. Due to the length of the trip, participants varied between each leg. The ship used was the Braveheart out of New Zealand that, other than stupidly low ceilings and beams regularly decapitating the participants - having been constructed in Japan - was excellent. Our superb crew was made up of Matt the captain, Miles, Elliot, Shaun and John.

31 Aug. Thai Airways from Bangkok to Auckland went very smoothly, arriving mid day the following day.

1 Sep. Overnight close to the airport at the Jet Park Hotel which, although not the cheapest accommodation in the area, was quiet, clean, efficient and can be recommended for a layover. Around the hotel only the usual suspects seen such as Australasian Swamphen, Welcome Swallow, Red-billed Gull, Kelp Gull and Great Cormorant, together with a host of introductions including Common Myna, Song Thrush, House Sparrow, Eurasian Greenfinch, Eurasian Skylark and Common Starling.

2 Sep. Air New Zealand flight from Auckland to Tahiti. Check-in at Auckland was slightly chaotic given Air New Zealand's penchant for enforcing hand baggage to 7 Kg - resulting in manic repacking at the counter. For some reason, even though the flight was far from full, was given a upgrade to Economy Plus which meant stacks of legroom. Having crossed the dateline, arrived on 1 September. Walked across the road, and steeply uphill, to the Tahiti Airport Motel. Unfortunately, being a Sunday all shops and restaurants in the vicinity were closed, with only the fuel station open for basics; but which unfortunately didn't include the most basic of essentials - beer.

Red-billed Gull

Australasian Swamphen

Murphy's Petrel

Parkinson's Petrel

Soft-plumaged Petrel

4 Sep. Dawn started with an early shout of Polynesian Storm Petrel, that certainly resulted in getting everyone out of bed and on deck. The whole day spent steaming eastward toward Pitcairn, with seabirding slow and steady; the most common species being Murphy's Petrel as well as a few Soft-plumaged Petrel. Around 09:30 did some chumming for three hours but little new seen other than a fly through Pacific Golden Plover, and an unidentified Kermadec/Herald Petrel. Just as we were about to leave, excitement in the form of a Titan Storm Petrel appeared. This, the titan form of White-bellied Storm Petrel, a rarely recorded taxon, breeds on Rapa Island, is morphologically distinct and massively greater in size than other forms and clearly constitutes a different species. Continued to head east with increasing winds and a good roll on the ship.

5 Sep. Arrived at Pitcairn just on daybreak, which this far east is a further hour later due to a time change from Mangareva. Birds active near the shore were Red-tailed Tropicbird, Christmas Shearwater, Grey Noddy, Common White Tern, Great Frigatebird and Masked Booby. At 08:00 the Islander's longboat took us ashore where immigration proved to be surprisingly bureaucratic for an isolated island with only 45 inhabitants, requiring both customs and immigration declaration forms to be completed upon which a ten day permit to stay is granted - all for a cost of $85, including Henderson and Oeno island landing fees. It took less than a ten minute stroll up the hill to find the island's only passerine, the Pitcairn Reed Warbler. The rest of the morning spent walking the tracks around town and the Eco Trail, finding more of the same, followed by an interesting talk from researchers working on the failed rat eradication project on Henderson. A great lunch at Christian's Café, after which we took quad bikes around the island to various viewpoints and historical spots. Some impressive scenery, but savage winds on exposed peaks. By 17:00 we were back at the ship where the winds and heavy seas made transferring to the ship really dangerous, so a relief that everyone managed to transfer without injury or incident.

Bristle-thighed Curlew

Grey Ternlet

Henderson Fruit Dove

Masked Booby

7 Sep. Arrived at Henderson around 02:30. Good to be able to anchor near the leeward northern shore and finally have the ship not pitching and rolling. At dawn, we undertook a short seawatch off the northwestern corner of the island. Plenty of Henderson Petrel and a few Herald Petrel. High tide made getting onto the beach straightforward, from where we walked the grid trails. Very convenient that researchers had recently cleared these trails, which being on uplifted coral are razor sharp on shoes and feet. It took less than two hours to obtain good views of the four land endemics - Henderson Crake, Henderson Reed Warbler, Henderson Fruit Dove and Stephen's Lorikeet. Plenty of seabirds overhead with warm and pleasant weather - pretty much a perfect day's birding. After lunch on the beach, strolled along the shore photographing nesting seabirds. Fantastic to be in a place where wildlife has no fear of humans. Unfortunately the island is once again swarming with Polynesian Rat Rattus exulans - the recent eradication project of July to November 2011 having failed. Evening barbecue on the boat anchored offshore.

Common White Tern

Henderson Crake

Henderson Reed Warbler

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Common White Tern

Kermadec Petrel

Polynesian Storm Petrel

Common White Tern

Red-footed Booby (white morph)

Murphy's Petrel

10 Sep. Onto Oeno at first light. All morning spent near the small Sooty Tern colony hoping for Spectacled Tern, seen by a lucky few yesterday, but to no avail. Left at midday for the long cruise to Teneraro in the southern Tuamotus. Afternoon on the back of ship with small numbers of Murphy's Petrel, Herald Petrel and Kermadec Petrel.

11 Sep. All day steaming toward Teneraro. Stopped mid ocean over a shallow reef for a few hours chumming. Several Grey Reef Shark. Bird-wise rather barren with only a few individuals of Polynesian Storm Petrel, White-faced Storm Petrel, White-chinned Petrel and Murphy's Petrel. The rest of the day with birds low on numbers but high on quality with Tahiti Petrel, Tropical Shearwater, Polynesian Storm Petrel, White-tailed Tropicbird and White-chinned Petrel. Another night continuing to the northwest.