ALOHA from Hawaii – From 3/1/23/ to 3/19/23 we were on three islands of Hawaii: Hawaii the Big Island, Oahu, and Kauai. Many of the great birding spots are restricted or hard to get to, so we hired two wonderful guides to make sure we saw it all. A big, big thanks to Mandy Talpas at Hawaiian Bird Tours (12 days including 2 pelagic trips and 2 Hakalau NWR visits) and Lance Tanino at Hawaii Birding Guide (2 days including a Hakalau NWR visit.) Unfortunately, so many endemic birds are vanishing due to avian malaria (increasing due to global warming), so while the trip was amazing, it was also so sad to see these beautiful birds in terrible decline and so near extinction.
GOING BACK IN TIME…….
3/19/23 Big Island, HI – OUR LAST DAY – what a great trip its been! On our own, we wandered the Big Island and caught cool pics of a very friendly Short-eared Owl (HI subsp.) feeding along the field fences, the Hawaiian Hawk (Big Island endemic – lightmorph), and a Wandering Tattler (Lance suggested a possible site the previous day) . Also: As a farewell, one last visit to the trails along Saddle Rd. : Apapane (HI endemic), Hawaii Amakihi (Big Island endemic), and the skulky Omao (BI endemic).
3/19/23 Big Island, HI: On the last day we also caught Chukar , Erckle’s Spurfowl , Pacific Golden-Plover in various molts, Red Avadavat , and Yellow-billed Cardinal at dawn.
3/18/23 Hakalau Forest NWR, Big Island, HI, with Lance Tanino guiding: Lance found us a beautiful, bright male Akiapolaau (BI endemic) feeding. We watched with fascination as the bird dug at the bark with that strange bill of his. Another treat was a Hawaii Akepa pair (BI endemic) and we were able to see both the male and female well. Also: Hawaii Elepaio (BI endemic) , Hawaii Amakihi (BI endemic) , Iiwi (ad., juv., HI endemic), Omao (BI endemic), and Kalij Pheasant (m). An amazing day – Thanks, Lance!
3/17/23 We said a fond farewell to Mandy (Thanks again, Mandy!) and stopped by the End of the World, HI, to try for the Lavender Waxbill she said was there: Lavender Waxbill , Safron Finch , Yellow-billed Cardinal (ad,juv) , Yellow-fronted Canary , Common Waxbill (trio taking a puddle bath), House Finch , and Common Myna . Then, playng tourist, we headed to Volcano National Park and caught a Eurasian Skylark sitting out and a Black Noddy group (Hawaiian subsp. with red legs and light tails) roosting in the caves along the coast.
3/16/23 Hakalau Forest NWR, Big Island, HI: Awesomeness continued with Mandy Talpas on our last day with her guiding us: we focused on the Akiapolaau (BI endemic) , Hawaii Akepa (m,f – BI endemic), Hawaii Creeper (BI endemic), and Hawaii Amakihi (BI endemic). Also shown: California Quail (m,f) (off Saddle Rd.) and Hawaiian Goose (Nene – HI endemic).
3/14 and 3/15/23 We had lots of fun on two Pelagics trips with Mandy from Kona, Big Island, HI: A Wedge-tailed Shearwater study of various individuals.
3/14 and 3/15/23 2 Pelagics trips from Kona, Big Island, HI: Brown Booby , Masked Booby , Black Noddy (Hawaii subsp.), Leach’s Storm-Petrel , Sooty Tern , Mottled Petrel , a very distant Kermadec Petrel, and some fun Mellon-headed Whales!
MOONBEAMPUBLISHING.ORG 