Common Diuca Finch
We wind our way through the
countryside, dodging the intermittent
potholes and swerving to miss the horses
and cows meandering from the scrub.
Foraging among the bovines are several
Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis, eager to
snatch up any delectable insects disturbed
by the grazing herds. We snicker at one
of these statuesque, white pasture herons
perched atop a cow. The female continues
chewing her cud without interruption. The
bird gently pecks at ticks imbedded in the
hide along her withers, while a nursing
baby heifer suckles at a teat—nature’s
perfect balance.
We stop just ahead, at the fi sh-shaped
signpost for Papa Vaka. Like the majority
of Easter Island, the archaeological site
is located in the midst of vibrant green
fi elds of swaying grassland and irregularly
shaped outcroppings of volcanic slag.
Here the attractions worth note are
the strange carvings in the rock—the
petroglyphs—inscribed by the Rapa
Nui ancestors of long ago. The path to
the largest bas relief, that of a gigantic
double canoe (‘vaka’ in the local lingo),
is well marked, and a proliferation of
House Sparrows Passer domesticus perch
along the wooden handrails, chirruping
happily, completely heedless of our
presence. We leave the ancient site and
near the Papa Vaka entrance, I spy a fl ock
of Chimango Caracaras Phalcoboenus
chimango frolicking in the Paper Mulberry
shrubs surrounding a slough across
the road. I love the permanent ‘scowl’
which that streak of black across the
forehead affords—a persistent glower
that distinguishes these scavenging
birds of prey from other members of the
Falconidae family.AUTHOR AND IMAGES VICKIE LILLOTONGARIKI AT SUNRISE
We are disappointed in the morning’s
weather as we wait for sun-up here at
Tongariki. Grey storm clouds blot out the
red, yellow and orange hues of daybreak
just beginning to fan out from the horizon,
allowing only the smallest glimmers of
golden sunshine to peek through.
A faint glint of rose-coloured light
penetrates the nebula and washes over
the 15 moai statues, standing like sentries
against a backdrop of ocean. Perched
upright on ceremonial wooden stands
(ahus), the multi-tonne stone statuaries
that represent the likeness of a person,
according to Rapa Nui legend, create
eerie shadows on the shoreline. Carved
out of volcanic tuff from the nearby
quarry of Rano Raraku, with nothingOVER 2000 MILES from the nearest
continent (South America) and its parent
country (Chile), Easter Island is a wind-
swept territory in the beating heart of
Polynesia. Tall grasses envelop 90% of the
island, with cropland/forest accounting
for another 5%. The remainder is parched,
dry earth, incapable of sustaining much
vegetation.
Only sporadic groves of coconut palm,
mimosa, and Eucalyptus trees dominate
the ruddy-brown landscape of Rapa Nui
National Park. Occasionally, yellow and
hot pink blooms—nothing more than
weeds—sprout along the coastline with
the approach of summer. By all accounts,
an environment so devoid of plant life and
blossoming fl orescence ought to be equally
lacking in avifauna, so I am not really
expecting to see an abundance of birds.
You can imagine my surprise when we
awaken to the cadence of crashing surf
and the twittering of birds. Common Diuca
Finches Diuca diuca—literally dozens of
them—are prancing across the wet grass
of our campground, singing atop a fl ap
of canvas and spluttering in a puddle of
rainwater left from last night’s downpour. I
am greeted by a cacophony of avian chatter.
PAPA VAKA
After the thorough dousing we received
the previous evening, during our fi rst few
hours on the island, we decide to swap
our motorbike for an SUV. The forecast
clearly indicates another storm and the
dreary skies attest that a cloudburst is fast
approaching. We throw our gear in the
back seat of the four-wheel drive and set
out for the north-eastern coast. We plan to
be in Tongariki tomorrow morning for the
sunrise.
Easter Island Reveals
Dark-bellied Cinclode