3 Years Around the World

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Adventuring In Nuku Hiva

Day 462-463: January 5-6, 2026 – Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia



Lyn and Ben rented a 4-wheel truck and invited me to join them on a tour of Nuku Hiva, the largest of the Marquesas Islands. We drove for hours up and down mountain roads with beautiful vistas around every turn. Lyn was our 4-wheel goddess; she handled the crazy switchbacks like a pro, while dodging feral pigs, free-range horses, rockslides, and mountain goats along a rocky dirt road that clearly had not seen another vehicle in days. I was just grateful I wasn’t the one doing the driving!

The adventurers: Ben, Lyn, Doug, Basia, Eddie
Tendering to shore: Ben, Lyn, Basia, Eddie
Lyn & Basia
Photo credit: Doug
Local kids
Mountain goat
Free-range horses crossing the road
White-capped Fruit Dove

I also spotted this beauty which I’m pretty sure is a lifer for me. Merlin (my bird app) was not able to identify it, but I think it’s some sort of warbler; it had a beautiful warbler trill.

[Vitelline or Icterine?] Warbler
Little White Tern

Stone tikis (statues) are scattered throughout the island.

Tiki Tuhiva
Fish drying. Odyssey is in the way back.
14 responses to “Adventuring In Nuku Hiva”
  1. Donna Kruszewska Avatar
    Donna Kruszewska

    You have so many unique images that you could write your own version of the 12 days of Christmas Adventure
    On the first day………1 mountain goat
    2nd – 2 free range horses
    3d- 3 local kids
    4th 4 flying birds
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10
    11th 11 tikis scattering
    12th 12 fish a drying

    1. Basia Avatar
      Basia

      You’re right! Love this.

  2. Elaine Smith Avatar
    Elaine Smith

    Did some research for you.
    Icterine, found on Cayman and Swan Islands of the W. Caribbean
    Vitelline, found in Europe, winters in Sub-Saharan in Africa
    Common endemic of Nuku Hiva is the N. Marquesan Reed Warbler. Your photo matches the online photo perfectly.
    If you happen upon a like bird of more subtle coloration on a Southern Marquesa island, you have found yet another lifer, the S. Marquesan Reed Warbler.
    Excellent job picking up the Warbler trill!

    1. Basia Avatar
      Basia

      Thanks, I did figure it out after I posted this.

  3. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    Those statues are something to behold – I feel some symbolic interpretations floating around my mind. And those two birds are not only glorious, but their position and the activity they’re engaged in against such a stunning background is so amazing too! Great photos is an understatement!

    1. Basia Avatar
      Basia

      Yeah, they’ve become two of my favorites also.

  4. Shannon Clubb Avatar
    Shannon Clubb

    Magnificent as always!!!!!!!!!!

    1. Basia Avatar
      Basia

      Thank you dear Shannon.

  5. Ron Walker Avatar
    Ron Walker

    Wow, just WOW!

    1. Basia Avatar
      Basia

      Tell me what you really think… ❤

  6. Sharon Breitenfeld Avatar
    Sharon Breitenfeld

    I love the 2 beautiful bird pictures!

    1. Basia Avatar
      Basia

      Me too. They’re two of my favorites.

  7. Jordan Brown Avatar
    Jordan Brown

    I tried feeding your unknown bird to iNaturalist. Alas, it said little more than “it’s definitely a bird!”.

    1. Basia Avatar
      Basia

      Good to have that confirmed! 🤣