On Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 6:58 PM, Ross Macfarlane
<> wrote:
> Fellow birding-aus-ers,
>
> Life is very tough when you are required to travel to Rarotonga in the Cook
> Islands on business.
Now that is a sad story ;-)
> As I now face this "unpalatable" prospect I would
> appreciate any tips on birding there. I've downloaded a trip report from
> Bruce Wedderburn from February this year, which has given me some tips, &
> have also enquired about visiting Takitumu Conservation Area.
>
> I will be hoping to see the local endemic species:
>
> Lilac-crowned Fruit Dove Rarotonga & Atiu
> Rarotonga Monarch Rarotonga & Atiu
> Rarotonga Starling Rarotonga
>
> (Yes, OK, I admit it. I'm really just boasting in this posting... :-)
Rarotonga is a very lovely part of the Pacific - remarkably relaxed
compared to a lot of other destinations. The birding on the main
island is not the best, we had better luck on Aitutaki (the oddly
named Vini peruviana was widespread and easily seen - that's the bird
I most hoped to see.) As it's an oceanic destination, we did see
White-tailed Tropicbird, Fairy Tern, Reef Egret and Common Myna, and
some common migratory waders. I brought along "Birds of Hawaii and the
Tropical Pacific.
For the monarch, you've already sorted it out: Takitumu or Atiu. The
tours in Takitumu weren't available every day and we didn't make it.
The contact details I've got are:
682 29 906
The snorkeling on Raro is okay down south and there are lots of diving
options, if that's your preference. (We didn't do any dives but talked
with all of the operators. Our take was go with someone that's making
their own air/nitrox.)
Enjoy!
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
http://birding-aus.org
===============================
|
