Trip Report: French Polynesia (2010-07-03 - 2010-07-18)

Blue Lagoon

Solar Eclipse - Diamond Ring

Eclipse - Bailey's Beads, Prominences, and Corona

Anaa Bridge

Blue Lagoon

Pacific Reef-Egret (Egretta sacra) - Dark Morph

Great Crested-Tern (Sterna bergii) - Non-breeding

Blue Lorikeet (Vini peruviana)

For the solar eclipse of July 11, 2010, we had intended to visit Easter Island. However, difficulty buying plane tickets from LAN Chile Airlines prompted us to change our plans to visit French Polynesia instead. Here is the story of two weeks of the torture of sun, sand, blue water, and perfect temperatures.

Sites Visited

Country: French Polynesia (4 sites)

Species Seen

Kingdom: Animals (40 records)

Phylum: Chordates (40 records)

Class: Birds (36 records)

Order: Anseriformes (1 record)
- Family: Swans, Geese, and Ducks
- Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)

Order: Boobies (2 records)
- Family: Boobies and Gannets
- Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster)
- Red-footed Booby (Sula sula)

Order: Doves and Pigeons (3 records)
- Family: Pigeons and Doves
- Gray-green Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus purpuratus)
- Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
- Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata)

Order: Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies (1 record)
- Family: Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans)

Order: Hummingbirds and Swifts (1 record)
- Family: Swifts
- Tahiti Swiftlet (Aerodramus leucophaeus)

Order: Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Motmots (1 record)
- Family: Kingfishers
- Society Kingfisher (Todiramphus veneratus)

Order: Parrots (1 record)
- Family: New World Parrots
- Blue Lorikeet (Vini peruviana)

Order: Pelicans (6 records)
- Family: Frigatebirds
- Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor)
- Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel)
- Family: Herons
- Pacific Reef-Heron (Egretta sacra)
- Family: Sandpipers and Allies
- Bristle-thighed Curlew (Numenius tahitiensis)
- Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana)
- Family: Tropicbirds
- White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus)

Order: Perching Birds (11 records)
- Family: Bulbuls
- Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)
- Family: Jays and Crows
- Tahiti Monarch (Pomarea nigra)
- Family: Old World Sparrows
- Chestnut-breasted Munia (Lonchura castaneothorax)
- Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild)
- Red-browed Firetail (Neochmia temporalis)
- Family: Old World Warblers and Gnatcatchers
- Tahiti Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus caffer)
- Tuamotu Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus atyphus)
- Family: Starlings and Mynas
- Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
- Family: Swallows
- Tahiti Swallow (Hirundo tahitica)
- Family: Tanagers and Allies
- Crimson-backed Tanager (Ramphocelus dimidiatus)
- Family: White-eyes
- Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)

Order: Shorebirds and Allies (7 records)
- Family: Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
- Black Noddy (Anous minutus)
- Blue-billed White-Tern (Gygis candida)
- Blue-Gray Noddy (Anous ceruleus)
- Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus)
- Gray-backed Tern (Onychoprion lunatus)
- Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)
- Family: Plovers
- Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva)

Order: Tubenoses (1 record)
- Family: Shearwaters and Petrels
- Tahiti Petrel (Pseudobulweria rostrata)

Order: Turkey-like birds (1 record)
- Family: Grouse, Turkeys, and Allies
- Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus)

Class: Cartilaginous Fish (1 record)

Order: Ground Sharks (1 record)
- Family: Reef Sharks
- Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)

Class: Mammals (2 records)

Order: Even-toed Ungalates and Cetacean (1 record)
- Family: Delphinidae
- Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris)

Order: Rodents (1 record)
- Family: True Mice and Rats, Gerbils, and Allies
- Black Rat (Rattus rattus)

Class: Reptiles (1 record)

Order: Lizards and Snakes (1 record)
- Family: Skinks
- Azure-tailed Skink (Lygosominae cyanurum)