placeholder placeholder placeholder album cover
Approaching Tetepare across an unusually calm seaDawn comes to TetepareA coastal track enters the islands primary forest past limestone outcropsA Melanesian scrubfowl, or megapode, preoccupied with its scratchings in the leaf litterSacred KingfisherMale White-capped Monarch forages in the forest midstoryJuvenile plants attempt to gain a foothold in the shadow of a forest giantThe endemic Tetepare White-eye has unique epaulette feathers, <br>and lacks the white eye ring common to other species of its family.Looking up into the canopy of the primary rainforestThe rich and sometimes quite loud whistles of yellow-faced mynahs <br>are distinctive of the island soundscapeDucoups cockatoo has a relatively melodic call (for a cockatoo)Cicadas begin calling with the dawn, <br>and will continue to chorus in waves throughout the dayWhite-capped Monarchs begin singing in the very early dawn, <br>creating an ethereally musical effectA pair of juvenile olive-backed sunbirds huddle up for a rest in the afternoonThe singing parrot is aptly named, having a tuneful, if jangly, callIt is tempting to think that the female singing parrot has less colour <br>but she is quite a jewel herself!Island imperial pigeons give lovely low calls that carry through the rainforestThe irridescent plumage and fiery eye of a metallic starling <br>These birds hang out in vocal flocks, and are heard throughout the dayA massive starngler fig emerges clear of the surrounding rainforestA yellow-eyed cuckoo-shrike scans the midstory of the forestPeek-a-boo! A yellow-faced mynah observes warilyThis is the female white-capped monarch, who has an entirely different callThe primary rainforest of TetepareLace monitors are quite commonly encountered, <br>patrolling the forest floor for delicacies such as megapode eggs.Tiny jewel spider in its webAbstract leaf patternsThe un-birdlike growls and booming calls of the buff-breasted coucal <br>are both extraordinary and uniqueA cathedral of a treeDespite their size and colour, the first sign of Blythes hornbills <br>is often their noisy wingbeats and cackling callsRainbow lorikeets are common (and noisy!) throughout the western Pacific <br>with a number of races found on different island groupsA pair of Solomon sea eagles tumble through the air, <br>talons locked in a spectacular display flightClaret-breasted fruit doves are found throughout the islandsDown by the coast, in the intertidal zone, a tiny mudskipper draws itself out of the waterA beach stone curlew patrols the shoreline of Tetepares lagoonWaves crash on Tetepares barrier reef. <br>Beyond, the sun sets over nearby Rendova IslandPristine coral reefs and sea grass beds of Tetepares sheltered lagoon
previous

next
cover

Image gallery to accompany the album: 'The Last Wild Island - Tetepare'

Your browser does not support the audio element.