Having spent the first morning on Tahiti looking at some Pacific coastal & introduced land Birds, then the plan for the first afternoon of the Wake of the Bounty Tour was to look for the first of the Tahitian endemics. But first there was the chance to meet ten of the other Birders on the trip, apart from Geoff Jones who was planning to arrive on a late evening flight from Australia. Fortunately, his plane wasn't delayed & we met him at breakfast the following morning. There was also the time to photograph some more introduced species around the Manava Suite Resort.
Zebra Dove: This is a native of South Burma to Malaysia, the Philippines, Sumatra & Java, but it has been introduced into other Pacific islands including Hawaii & Tahiti
Red-vented Bulbul: This is a species that has established itself in a number of countries, outside of its native range of the Indian Subcontinent to Burma & Yunnan. The red rump is just about visible
Red-vented Bulbul: A better view of the red vent
Common Myna: Bet my sister is wondering why I didn't just go to her New Zealand garden instead, to see these introduced Common Mynas. All will become clear in future posts as there was more to the trip than this species
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin: This individual was nest building right outside the hotel entrance, but would never give an unobscured view
There was also a chance to look around the hotel. Unlike the Pension Armelle, there is no foreshore. So there was no chance for any of the Shorebirds I had seen there, apart from the occasional species flying by.
Manava Suite Resort: Looking towards Moorea: It's a nice looking place. In front of the hotel is this area of foreshore which is partially enclosed by boardwalks, but which still allows the local Fish & Sealife to swim in & out
Manava Suite Resort: Looking towards Moorea: This is the nearest we got to seeing an Owl on Tahiti: there are no Owls in Polynesia
Cornetfish: This looks like one of the Pipe Fish, but it is a different family. It is found from the Red Sea to the Pacific. In the Pacific it occurs from Japan to Hawaii, Panama, Lord Howe, Polynesia & Easter Island
Banded Sergeant: This is found from East Africa to Papua New Guinea, Australia, to Japan & Polynesia
I didn't see a lot of species from the boardwalk, but then I didn't spend a look of time looking as there wasn't any coral to really attract them.