'Pitcairn-Tuamotu Birding Expedition'

A two-week bird watching expedition to Pitcairn Is,
Henderson Is, Oeno Atoll, Acteon & Gambier Groups

2013 date:
12th - 26th Feb

2014 date:
11th - 25th Feb

You will need to book Air Tahiti flight VT951 (Papeete to the Gambier Islands) online at www.airtahiti.aero. We meet these once-a-week (Tuesday) flights for both our arriving and departing passengers.

Your flight arrives at the Gambier Islands at mid-day. After a short wait at the airport terminal you will be taken on the Air Tahiti ferry boat across the big Gambier Islands lagoon to the main wharf at Rikitea village (on Mangareva Island).

After meeting the SRV Discovery at the Rikitea wharf, every passenger will be assigned his/her own bunk and have their passport stamped for departure. All food will be supplied during the voyage. Accomadation on Pitcairn Islands is paid directly to the host family

Bird List for 2014 Pitcairn/Gambier/Tuamotu Expedition

Henderson & Oeno Islands, Pitcairn Group
Kermadec Petrel (Pterodroma neglecta) spring breeder
Herald Petrel (Pterodroma heraldica) winter breeder
Henderson Petrel (Pterodroma atrata)
Christmas Shearwater (Puffinus nativitatis) on Oeno only
Henderson Crake (Nesophylax ater)
Henderson Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus insularis)
Henderson Lorikeet (Vini stepheni)
Henderson Warbler (Acrocephalus taiti) - on Henderson only
Pitcairn Warbler (Acrocephalus vaughani) - on Pitcairn only

Acteon Group (Tenararo) (150miles north of Gambier)
Tuamotu Ground-dove (Gallicolumba erythroptera) critically endangered
Tuamotu Sandpiper (Prosobonia cancellata) endangered
Note: The best island for both Taumotu Sandpiper and Tuamotu Ground Dove is Vahunga/Tenararo in the Acteon Group which have no cats

Islets in Gambier Lagoon
Audubon's Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri)
Polynesian Storm-Petrel (Nesofregetta fuliginosa)
Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster)
Long-tailed Cuckoo (Eudynamys taitensis)

On all islands we visit (Acteon, Gambier and Pitcairn Groups)
Murphy's Petrel (Pterodroma ultima) winter breeder
Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)
Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra)
Red-footed Booby (Sula sula)
Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor)
Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus)
Black Noddy (Anous minutus)
Blue-Grey Noddy (Procelsterna cerulea)
Fairy Tern (Gygis alba)
Pacific Golden-plover (Pluvialis fulva)
Wandering Tattler (Heteroscelus incanus)
Bristle-thighed Curlew (Numenius tahitiensis)
Pacific Reef Heron (Egretta sacra)

We plan to arrive back in the Gambier Islands on Sunday or Monday and will anchor at Rikitea village to enable visits to this picturesque town. Other things you can do are a tour around the big island (Mangareva) by car, and/or a visit to a pearl farm.

Price: Our two-weeks 'Pitcairn-Tuamotu Birding Expedition' package is priced at US$3,900 per person.

*********************

For the detailed trip report of our June 2006 birding
expedition to the Pitcairn-Tuamotu click here


For a map of the Pitcairn Islands click here


For the Pitcairn summary page click here