2007 Cruise Narrative
This amazing trip starts in New Zealand and ends in Japan, crossing over 4000 miles of ocean in the western Pacific. The islands visited en route in 2007, the inaugural voyage, included Norfolk Island (home of the Norfolk Island Pine, as well as great birds), New Caledonia (with the unique Kagu, plus Crow Honeyeater and Cloven-feathered Dove), the Solomon Islands (lots of great birds, including Solomon Sea-Eagle, Moustached Treeswift, Rennell Shrikebill, Finsch’s Pygmy-Parrot, Eclectus Parrot, Buff-headed Coucal, Blyth’s Hornbill, and Midget Flowerpecker), and Truk, in the Federated States of Micronesia (with Caroline Islands Fruit-Dove, Swiftlet, Reed-Warbler, and White-eye among others).
And then there were the seabirds, including nearly 40 species of tubenoses, starting with New Zealand Storm-Petrel, ending with Steller’s (Short-tailed) Albatross, and in-between including Parkinson’s, Beck’s, Tahiti, White-necked, Collared, and Bonin Petrels, Heinroth’s and Bannerman’s shearwaters, and Polynesian, Tristram’s, and Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrels! And there were some great whales and dolphins as well as spectacular flying fish in many colors.
The itinerary for 2008 will be a little different (including more islands, I suspect) based on what we learned in 2007 and it’s sure to be an exciting and bird-filled adventure.
Daily Log (Steve Howell)
Day 1. We all boarded the Spirit of Enderby in Auckland in time for introductions, a great dinner, and sleep before the trip of a lifetime began.
Day 2. The Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand’s North Island is a center of seabird endemism, with the breeding ranges of at least five species limited or mostly limited to islands in the Gulf. We spent the day here, amid good numbers of Parkinson’s Petrels, Buller’s and Flesh-footed shearwaters, and Australasian Gannets, seeking some of the smaller and more elusive species. With some work (and luck) we found Pycroft’s and Cook’s Petrels, White-faced Storm-Petrel, Little Shearwater (of the endemic race haurakiensis), and the recently rediscovered New Zealand Storm-Petrel, an icon of the Gulf. Other seabirds included Common Diving-Petrel, Campbell Albatross, and Gray Ternlet, making for an amazing first day. Sunny to mostly cloudy, 15 knot increasing to 20-25 knot NE wind and a little bumpy.
Day 3. At sea heading NNW towards Norfolk Island in rolling seas with 20-30 knot NE winds courtesy of a storm system nearby. Birds were unconcerned though, and included a couple of Wandering Albatross, our first tropicbird (Red-tailed), and good views of Black-winged, White-necked, and Kermadec petrels. Variably cloudy; warm and humid. 33o42’ S 172o54’ E to 32o49’ S 172o08’ E.
Day 4. At sea heading NNW towards Norfolk Island in gently rolling seas with 10-15 knot SW winds and a good diversity of seabirds. Highlights included a light-morph Collared Petrel (apparently new for Australian waters), Solander’s and Great-winged Petrels, and our first Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (totaling 70 by the day’s end) and White Terns. Variably cloudy; hot and humid. 31o30’ S 170o40’ E to 30o12’ S 169o16’ E.
Day 5. Arrived overnight off Norfolk Island and awoke to the sight of redstone cliffs capped with eponymous Norfolk Pines and turquoise waters dotted with noddies and tropicbirds. Most of the day was spent ashore in idyllic island settings with sunny skies and refreshing breezes: the morning at the botanical garden (where the endemic parakeet, gerygone, and white-eye were all seen), then a great lunch at Margaret Christian’s home (with Masked Boobies and Pacific Golden Plovers), and afternoon options for more landbirds or a seabird walk. The latter featured stunning views of Red-tailed Tropicbirds, plus pines full of wheezing and chattering Black Noddies. Late afternoon seabirds as we pulled away included the nominate assimilis subspecies of Little Shearwater.
Day 6. At sea heading NW towards New Caledonia in very pleasant, gently rolling seas with 10-15 knot SE winds and another good selection of seabirds. Highlights included eight species of gadfly petrels, including Gould’s Petrel, stunning dark-morph Collared Petrels, and our first Tahiti Petrels, plus both White-tailed and Red-tailed tropicbirds. Variably cloudy; hot and humid. 26o56’ S 167o26’ E to 25o16’ S 167o00’ E.
Day 7. At sea heading NW to New Caledonia, where arrived in late p.m. at the wharf in Noumea under gray and rainy skies. Our sea transit was through gently rolling seas with 10-15 knot SE winds and mostly cloudy skies. Birds included Masked, Red-footed, and Brown boobies, a stunning Solander’s Petrel, hundreds of Gould’s Petrels and dark Wedge-tailed Shearwaters on our approach, and small groups of migrating Short-tailed Shearwaters. Variably cloudy; hot and humid. 23o27’ S 166o30’ E to Noumea.
Day 8. A full day on shore to visit Riviere Bleue provincial park in the hills to the east. Overcast skies and intermittent drizzle could not dampen an incredible day in the rainforest and tropical scrub of this spectacular site; the highlight today was undoubtedly the unique Kagu, of which we saw several - some feeding unconcerned within a few feet of us! Other highlights (half of the 30 species seen being endemic to New Caledonia) included the handsome Cloven-feathered Dove, bizarre Crow Honeyeaters, confiding Yellow-bellied Robins, and flashy little New Caledonian Myzomelas.
Day 9. An optional morning up to Mount Koghi was rather rainy but some good birds were seen nonetheless, including Metallic Pigeon, White-bellied Goshawk, and Striated Starling. Other folks chose to sleep in and spent time in town, shopping and sending postcards. At lunch we pulled away (with Silver Gulls and Crested Terns in the harbor) and headed NW off the “inside” coast, with a following sea and 20-25 knot SE winds. Hundreds of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters and Gould’s Petrels marked the sea time, plus single Sooty and Short-tailed shearwaters. Ended at 22o05’ S 165o42’ E, under overcast and humid skies.
Day 10. At sea heading NW off the inside coast, finally turning NNW late in the day as we cleared the last area of reefs off the NW corner of New Caledonia. Numbers of Gould’s Petrels were way down but instead there were good numbers of Tahiti Petrels, and small numbers of Solander’s, White-necked, and Collared petrels, plus Lesser Frigatebirds and boobies. The afternoon highlight, though, after a live Sperm Whale, was a decomposing dead whale attended by large numbers of Tahiti Petrels, 20 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, a few Polynesian Storm-Petrels, and one or two large sharks. Variably cloudy to overcast with 20-25 know SE winds and following seas; hot and humid. 22o04’ S 164o02’ E to 19o30’ S 163o07’ E.
Day 11. At sea heading NNW towards Rennell Island in the Solomons. The following seas and 20-25 knot SE winds continued; birds were slow but steady and interesting through the day, including dark Kermadec and Collared petrels, Wedge-tailed and Short-tailed shearwaters, Polynesian Storm-Petrels, White-tailed Tropicbirds, and both Brown and Black noddies. Variably cloudy to mostly cloudy; hot and humid. 17o50’ S 162o12’ E to 16o05’ S 161o31’ E.
Day 12. At sea heading NNW towards Rennell Island in the Solomons. Overnight the weather switched and we awoke to near-calm, low rolling seas and a light NW breeze. Both dawn and sunset were spectacular, and birds through the day included large feeding flocks dominated by dark Wedge-tailed Shearwaters and Sooty Terns, plus frigatebirds, tropicbirds, and boobies. The near lack of wind correlated strikingly with an absence of Pterodroma petrels, but a small group of beaked whales in the morning added some excitement and controversy. Variably cloudy; hot and humid with refreshing head-on breeze. 14o25’ S 160o50’ E to 12o41’ S 160o10’ E.
Day 13. Awoke off Rennell, the first tourist ship to visit the island in 21 years. Our morning in the evergreen forest and village edge were bird-filled, and the locals put on a great lunch in the village. After lunch there were options for more birding, swimming, or resting in the shade. The six Rennell endemics were found easily, and other notables included Mackinlay’s Cuckoo-Dove, Silver-capped Fruit-Dove, Finsch’s Pygmy-Parrot, variable Collared Kingfishers, a superb Moustached Treeswift, and spectacular Rennell Flying Foxes. In late afternoon we headed off into a stunning cloudscape and calm tropical seas. Hot and humid, light breeze at times.
Day 14. In transit off the coast of Guadalcanal, arriving at Honiara in mid afternoon with time for an optional short birding trip up to Mount Austin and a good selection of new and spectacular species, including Eclectus Parrot, Buff-headed Coucal, and Midget Flowerpecker. Sealife on the transit included our first Bridled Terns, an undescribed taxon of small black-and-white shearwater, and a logging Kogia sp. (Pygmy/Dwarf Sperm-Whale).
Day 15. An early morning start found us back on Mount Austin for dawn and a superb morning’s birding in tropical forest. Highlights included a displaying pair of Pied Goshawks, perched Ducorps’ Cockatoo, brilliant red Yellow-bibbed Lories, incredible Blyth’s Hornbills, four species of cuckoo-shrikes, and a grand finale of Solomon Sea-Eagle circling over the road as we headed back to the ship! After lunch we headed out to sea and west through the Solomons, where life included migrating groups of Short-tailed Shearwaters, a group of pilot whales, and a small group of Pygmy Killer Whales.
Day 16. In transit heading west and then WNW through the Solomons in hot and humid conditions with low rolling seas and a gentle breeze. Unidentified beaked whales and dolphins never came close enough for positive identification but birds included numerous frigatebirds (both Lesser and Great), our first Streaked Shearwater and Gray-backed Tern, four Long-tailed Jaegers, and, in late afternoon, an obliging Heinroth’s Shearwater that everyone was able to watch and appreciate - this enigma has been seen by very few birders and its breeding grounds remain unknown. 9o16’ S 159o10’ E to 7o59’ S 155o59’ E.
Day 17. At sea heading N off the W side of Bougainville Island, ending late in the day at the channel between Buka and New Ireland, where a Beck’s Petrel (an enigmatic taxon seen by very few people) and several Tahiti Petrels were seen. At least eight Heinroth’s Shearwaters were seen through the day, and good numbers of marine mammals featured hundreds of dolphins (including Rough-toothed), Pilot Whales, False Killer Whales, 2 Minke Whales, and the “usual” unidentified beaked whale. Calm or with variable light winds. 6o35’ S 154o44’ E to 5o08’ S 154o20’ E.
Day 18. At sea heading N in low rolling seas with calm to light winds, hot and tropical with a barbeque dinner on the front deck and a refreshing rain squall. A steady variety of birds and mammals included thousands of Black Noddies, hundreds of Brown Noddies and Sooty Terns, numerous Red-footed Boobies, Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, our first Leach’s Storm-Petrel, a bird late in the day that appeared to be a Fiji Petrel (a species never for certain seen at sea and only rediscovered in 1983), plus Bryde’s Whale and another Kogia. 3o30’ S 154o18’ E to 1o42’ S 153o56’ E.
Day 19. At sea heading N in gentle equatorial seas. Equatorial ocean birding is typically quiet, and today was typical, with highlights being excellent views of single Tahiti and Bulwer’s petrels and a small group of Striped Dolphins. We crossed the equator after lunch and celebrated with a champagne toast on the bow. Hot and sunny, variably cloudy. 1o10’ S 153o54’ E to 0o36’ N 153o31’ E.
Day 20. At sea heading N towards Truk, through mostly glassy seas with light breezes and some spectacular cloudscapes. Birds and mammals throughout the day included a close Kermadec Petrel, lots of White-tailed Tropicbirds, four Red-necked Phalaropes in the middle of nowhere, a scattering of miscellaneous terns, a close group of Pilot Whales, hundreds of dolphins, and four Kogia. As in the past two days, light-morph Wedge-tailed Shearwaters were seen, indicating a different origin from the 100% dark morphs of earlier in the trip. 2o26’ N 153o07’ E to 4o18’ N 152o43’ E.
Day 21. At sea heading N to Truk, where we dropped anchor off the main island at 4.30 p.m., having entered through the reef and past numerous “textbook” tropical palm-clad islands and islets set in pale turquoise waters. Birds included hundreds of noddies and White Terns, good views of Black-naped Terns, and also the local small black-and-white shearwaters, (traditionally “Audubon’s Shearwater,” more recently “Tropical Shearwater,” but more realistically a species endemic to the tropical Pacific, Puffinus dichrous, which could be called Atoll Shearwater). After anchoring we were treated to remarkable red-tape paperwork but all was finally filled in so we would be able to go birding tomorrow. 6o08’ N 152o10’ E to 7o27’ N 151o50’ E (Truk).
Day 22. Our last day on land for a while included birding options to the secondary (and later primary) forest and other habitats near town. All of the island’s specialties were fairly easy to find with the exception of the Truk Monarch, and we enjoyed good views of the ground dove, fruit dove, swiftlet, reed warbler, and white-eye, as well as of Micronesian Myzomela, Blue-faced Parrotfinch, Oceanic Flycatcher, an adult Rufous Night-Heron, and numerous Pacific Golden Plovers. Afternoon options after lunch at the Truk Stop Hotel included snorkeling, more birding in search of the monarch, or simply rest and relaxation before we headed back out to sea.
Day 23. At sea heading NNW in a light NE breeze and gentle seas. A pleasant and fairly quiet day, enlivened in the afternoon by our first Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrels; other wildlife included a South Polar Skua and Spinner Dolphins. Sunny, hot. 8o49’ N 150o51’ E to 10o37’ N 150o06’ E.
Day 24. At sea heading NNW on the long transit to Torishima. Numbers of Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrels increased, we started to get into the edge of the northward migration of Short-tailed Shearwaters, and also had a scatter of tropical seabirds such as Bulwer’s Petrel and Sooty Tern, as well as a spectacular white-morph Red-footed Booby catching flying fish. Sunny, hot, and humid with 15 knot ENE winds. 12o21’ N 149o21’ E to 14o15’ N 148o32’ E.
Day 25. At sea heading NNW across a desert of water where Bulwer’s Petrels were at home but Short-tailed Shearwaters were transiting quickly en route to the cold, food-rich waters of the Bering Sea. Other odds and ends included jaegers, boobies, and noddies. Sunny, hot, and humid. 16o08’ N 147o43’ E to 17o59’ N 146o54’ E.
Day 26. At sea heading NNW, about 50-60 nautical miles east of the Northern Marianas and coming out of the desert with birds throughout the day including three species of boobies, lots of Sooty and White Terns, a superb adult Gray-backed Tern, our first Bannerman’s Shearwaters and Bonin Petrels, a Kermadec Petrel, hundreds of Wedge-tailed and Short-tailed shearwaters, and a surprise Little Curlew that flew around the ship for some time. Cetaceans included good views of Bryde’s Whale and False Killer Whales. Sunny and hot but with refreshing rain squalls, light NE breeze in a.m., changing to 25-30 knots in the late afternoon. 19o35’ N 146o12’ E to 21o17’ N 145o30’ E.
Day 27. At sea heading NNW towards the Bonin Islands, starting about 250 nautical miles to the south of this seabird-rich archipelago. The day was dominated by a northward passage of thousands of Short-tailed Shearwaters, with other highlights being lots of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, Bonin Petrels, and Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrels, plus a Streaked Shearwater, Leach’s and Wilson’s storm-petrels, and a fly-by Pacific Golden-Plover. Overcast to variably cloudy, a.m. squalls, 25 knot ENE winds. 22o48’ N 144o49’ E to 24o13’ N 144o04’ E.
Day 28. At sea passing to the south and then west (“inside”) of the Bonin Islands. The spectacular if overcast and rainy morning was filled with birds, including hundreds of Bonin Petrels, Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, and Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrels streaming past, plus smaller numbers of Tristram’s Storm-Petrels, our first Black-footed Albatrosses, a Red-tailed Tropicbird, South Polar Skua, and all three jaeger species. Undercast and wet becoming partly cloudy, warm to mild. 25o24’ N 142o45’ E to 26o59’ N 141o38’ E.
Day 29. At sea heading NNW towards Torishima, where we arrived 12 nautical miles to the south by mid p.m., with winds increasing to 30 knots and whipping up the sea - a fitting precursor to seeing the iconic Steller’s (Short-tailed) Albatross. Black-footed Albatross, Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, and Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrels followed the ship all day, but it wasn’t till late p.m. that a Steller’s was spotted, a stunning adult that gave great views as it towered in the wind. Other birds included Bonin and Kermadec petrels, our last Sooty Terns and Brown Noddy, and groups of spotted dolphins. Mostly cloudy to overcast with p.m. rain squalls, 15 knot SW winds in a.m. increasing to 20-30 knots by p.m., mild. 28o53’ N 141o03’ E to 30o42’ N 140o18’ E.
Day 30. At sea heading W towards Japan across the northern Philippine Sea, and a quiet day after yesterday’s high point. Highlights were northbound migrants including Wood Sandpiper, Siberian Rubythroat, and an unidentified bunting; seabirds were few in contrast to the preceding few days, but with an increase in numbers of northbound Pomarine and Long-tailed jaegers. Low rolling seas with light NE winds, mostly cloudy and excellent light, becoming rainy at night as a front hit. 30o45’ N 138o36’ E to 30o57’ N 136o33’ E.
Day 31. At sea heading W towards Japan. Northbound migration continued, with many birds grounded on the ship overnight (including egrets, Chestnut-cheeked Starlings, and swallows) or passing by during the day (including Terek Sandpiper, Intermediate Egret, and Pacific Swift). Seabirds included some flocks of Streaked Shearwaters in late p.m., a few Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrels, and northbound jaegers. Overcast to partly cloudy, rain in a.m. clearing, mild. 31o16’ N 134o31’ E to 31o33’ N 133o09’ E.
Day 32. At sea heading W towards Japan with scattered Streaked Shearwaters and a varied northward migration of shorebirds and landbirds on and off through the day, including Gray-tailed Tattlers and Blue-and-white Flycatchers. 31o28’ N 132o51’ E to 31o03’ N 131o14’ E.
Day 33. Arrival in Kagoshima under gray, hazy skies with Black-eared Kites circling the dock. Transport to airport and flights home.
Steve Howell