Day 1: The trip begins on Oahu this evening at 6:00pm in the lobby of our hotel where we’ll have an introductory meeting and dinner. Night in Waikiki.

Day 2: We’ll begin right out the front door of our hotel, where White Tern (Manu-o-Ku) will be wheeling over the spreading trees of Queen Kapiolani Park. Pacific Golden-Plover should be patrolling the field edges, and everywhere we look there will be a wealth of introduced birds, such as Common Myna, Red-crested Cardinal, Red-vented Bulbul, Yellow-fronted Canary, Java Sparrow, Common Waxbill, Spotted and Zebra Doves, and Rose-ringed Parakeet. After the park we’ll leave the city behind and head a bit inland for our first taste of forest birding.  We’ll first seek out the Oahu Amakihi, Oahu’s only remaining endemic species of honeycreeper, in the hills above Honolulu.  Later in the day we’ll concentrate our attention on a coastal forested valley, where along a short but somewhat steep trail we’ll hopefully encounter the engaging (and endangered) Oahu Elepaio, an endemic species of Monarch Flycatcher.  Not all of the introduced species on the island prefer city parks, and while on our endemic bird adventure we could also encounter White-rumped Shama, noisy flocks of Red-billed Leiothrix, an occasional Red-whiskered Bulbul, and chattering groups of Warbling White-eyes. Night in Waikiki.

Day 3: We’ll journey up the picturesque windward side of Oahu’s Northern Shore in search of visiting shorebirds such as Wandering Tattler and sought-after Bristle-thighed Curlew (Kioea). While cruising the coastline, famous for world class surf beaches and secluded coves with basking sea turtles, we are sure to find a few more flashy introduced species, such as the Saffron Finch and the handsome Chestnut Munia. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for foraging Hawaiian Black Noddy.  This subspecies greatly differs from other Black Noddies, with an ash gray rump and tail, all gray crown and nape and bright orangish feet and legs.  As it is resident around the islands, and breeds on rocky cliffs rather than in bushes like other Black Noddies, it would seem to be an excellent candidate for full species status.  The North Shore is also home to some of the last extant family farms on Oahu with crops of coffee, cacao, eggplant, papaya, pineapple, apple banana, and even scattered shrimp farms with endemic Hawaiian Coot (‘Alae Ke‘oke‘o) and three endemic subspecies: Common (Hawaiian) Gallinule (‘Alae ‘Ula), Black-necked (Hawaiian) Stilt (‘Ae‘o) - surely another prime candidate for splitting - and Black-crowned Night-Heron (‘Auku‘u).  Depending on our timing, we may spend the evening seawatching for the likes of Wedge-tailed Shearwater (‘Ua‘u Kani), Brown Noddy (Noio Koha), and Brown and Red-footed Boobies (‘A). We’ll keep a close eye on the Rare Bird Alerts for any exciting vagrants, which can come from either side of the vast Pacific. Night in Waikiki.

Day 4: After breakfast we’ll fly to the Big Island.  We’ll spend the rest of the day investigating the human-altered lower slopes of Mauna Kea, casually birding along Saddle Road looking for the endemic subspecies of Short-eared Owl, and introduced Eurasian Skylark, Chukar, California Quail, Wild Turkey, Erckel’s Spurfowl, and Black and Gray Francolins.  Around Waikoloa we may also find our first Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Saffron Finch, African Silverbill or Red Avadavat.  The lush plantings around our excellent Kona Hotel can be good for a wide variety of introduced birds as well, with Yellow-billed Cardinal and several other species of finches likely. Night in Kona.

Day 5: For our second day on the Big Island we’ll again drive up the slopes of Mauna Kea, this time over to the windward side, high up on the volcanos Northeastern slopes in search of native birds.  We’ll be largely birding at the incomparable Hakalau Forest Reserve, a site that is truly the mecca for Hawaiian Honeycreeper diversity.  We’ll spend the day exploring the reserve, a publicly restricted site that is home to many of Hawaii’s endangered plants, native arthropods, and endemic birds. Some of the particularly noteworthy birds here include Hawaii Creeper, the gorgeous day-glow orange Akepa, stunning long billed Akiapolaau, Hawaiian Hawk, and Omao (Hawaii Island’s endemic thrush). Our visit should coincide with the blooming period of the ancient Ohia trees, with beautiful I’iwi, Hawaii Amakihi, and Apapane all foraging over the bright red blossoms. Night in Kona.

Day 6: We’ll have a change of pace, as we embark on a pelagic birding trip from Honokohau Harbour. While onboard we’ll keep watch for a wide array of seabirds including Black and Brown Noddies, Sooty Tern, Wedge-tailed and Sooty Shearwaters, and Bulwer’s Petrel.  Along with this collection of expected birds we may encounter rarer local species such as Masked Booby, Hawaiian, Black-winged, Mottled, White-necked and Juan Fernandez Petrels, Newell’s and Christmas Shearwaters, Leach’s and Band-rumped Storm Petrels, all three jaeger species, South Polar Skua, and an array of possible cetacean species. Depending on the group’s energy level after the pelagic, we may have time for a bit of late afternoon birding for a few introduced birds, such as Black Francolin, Indian Peafowl, Red Avadavat, or Lavender Waxbill. We may as well stop at the Aimakapa Ponds and the Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant where we could encounter a nice mix of wading birds and waterfowl. Night in Kona.

Day 7: Following breakfast we’ll head to the airport for a mid-morning flight to Lihue, on the Garden Isle of Kauai. We’ll immediately be struck by the contrast between the urban Honolulu area, the somewhat desert-like Kona, and this lush and mostly rural island with its small population and extensive forests. Along Kauai’s North Shore we’ll stop at the famous Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, where the stunning coastline should host Red-footed and Brown Boobies, spectacular Red-tailed and White-tailed Tropicbirds, leisurely soaring Great Frigatebird, and in spring, the majestic Laysan Albatross. Because Kauai is miraculously free of mongooses, native waterbirds are much more abundant than on any other of the main Hawaiian Islands and we should have close views of Hawaii’s state bird, the Nene, and the more subdued Hawaiian Duck, which on Kauai persist without the influx of domestic Mallard genes. Night in Lihue.

Day 8: We’ll get an early start to drive up through scenic Waimea Canyon, dubbed by glossy tourist brochures as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Soon enough we’ll arrive in the lush jade valleys of Koke‘e State Park, surely one of the most breathtaking landscapes in all of Hawai‘i.  Here we’ll spend much of the day slowly walking along one of the park roads where Kauai ‘Elepaio, and ‘Apapane are likely, and the increasingly scarce ‘Anianiau and Kauai ‘Amakihi are still possible. Unfortunately there is now only a remote chance of the truly rare ‘Akeke‘e due to the continuing collapse of Kauai’s forest birds. Some non-native forest birds should be about as well, such as wild Red Junglefowl, Erkel’s Francolin, the skulky Japanese Bush Warbler, Red Avadavat, and melodious Chinese Hwamei. Night in Lihue.

Day 9: We’ll offer a second chance to head into the forest for any accessible missing Kauai species and perhaps the rare and beautiful Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush. We’ll search a few waterbird refuges for residents and migrants, and perhaps even have a few hours of R&R (you are on vacation, after all!). We’ll check out of our hotel in the late morning and head to the airport to connect with flights home.

2025 Narrative

IN BRIEF We were delighted to return to Hawaii after our successful birding adventure in 2023. Although Hawaii is known as the endangered species capital of the world, we were able to track down most of its endemic feathered gems still within reach, from show stopping Iiwi to the charismatic Oahu Elepaio, as well as an array of breeding seabirds. In addition to the endemics, Hawaii is home to a diverse collection of introduced birds from all corners of the world, from gaudy Rose-ringed Parakeets of India to flashy Java Sparrows of Indonesia. It was truly a unique experience to witness some of the rarest birds on Earth, in remnants of their native habitats, while learning about the conservation efforts in place to help save them. All this amongst myriad non-native birds, all of which are now countable within the recently expanded ABA-area! We endured some brief bouts of challenging weather while on land and mild seas on the boat trip. We managed to see 110 species, by far the most seen on any of our Hawaii tours! Some of the highlights must include a near full sweep of the remaining 11 accessible honeycreepers, including an entire family group of the critically endangered Akiapola’au on the Big Island, excellent views of several Laysan Albatross within close range including a fluffy chick, a stunning close-range Bristle-thighed Curlews on Oahu and a surprise Columbian Cocos Booby on the pelagic trip.

OAHU

Oahu is the third largest of the major Hawaiian Islands, and by far the most developed with the majority of the population living within Honolulu’s city limits. Much of the lowlands have been extensively cleared for various agricultural crops and over grazed by previously free roaming feral ungulates, meaning that very little native forest remains. As a result, the island supports only two species of endemics, the Oahu Amakihi and the Oahu ‘Elepaio. The plight of Hawaii’s endemic forest birds is dire. Of the original known 57 species of endemic Hawaiian Honeycreepers, we are down to less than 14 or so species. Oahu Amakihi seem to have adapted to the altered forests with introduced bird and mammals and the pressures imposed on them by novel avian diseases. In the forests overlooking Honolulu, we spent some time running from one side of the road to the other chasing a singing male Amakihi, and eventually we studied a young bird being fed by an adult female on an open branch. The road edge was excellent for some introduced species as well, with many Warbling White-eyes, Red-vented Bulbuls, several Red Junglefowl and a very bold White-rumped Shama all showing well.

On the way back down the twisty mountain road we stopped in a very busy urban environment to enjoy great views of perched White Terns nesting in trees planted in the median of a 4-lane road adjacent to a Fabric Mart. This species has only recently begun to breed in Honolulu. Why they chose the most densely populated area on the busiest island remains a mystery, but the local population has now increased to over 3000 birds.

Next we stopped near our local hotel property that overlooks Kapiolani In addition to more endemic White Terns and visiting ‘Kolea’, Pacific Golden Plover, the park is home to South American Red-crested Cardinals, flocks of Common Waxbill and Yellow-fronted Canaries from Africa and Common Myna, Spotted and Zebra Doves from Asia. A more metropolitan crowd of birds would be hard to imagine; or as Mandy put it “Oahu is the United Nations of the birding world, where all the continents come together”. After this we checked Paikō Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary for our first looks at the endemic “Hawaiian” Black-necked Stilts, checking the various bands adorning their long legs. Next, we traveled a bit to the east, picking up our lunches at Hanapa’a café, which we ate atop cliffs allowing us to spend some time with over a dozen Red-tailed Tropicbirds as they flew just overhead or past us at eye-level. A local non-profit conservation outfit is actively conducting predator controls around their only remaining nesting site on Oahu during the breeding season. While scanning out over the ocean, we also picked up a steady stream of passing Sooty Terns, a few distant Red-footed Boobies, and a rare Red-billed Tropicbird rumored to be in the area.

In the latter part of the afternoon, we turned our attentions to the other endemic forest bird on the island; the Oahu ‘Elapaio. These small monarch flycatchers are very charismatic and often inquisitive, as they bounce around at all levels of the forest with their cocked-up tails. Mandy has been working extensively with this species and her local knowledge of individual territories was invaluable. She walked us through a couple of the relatively low territories along a moderate trail. After an hour we heard one singing, and eventually tracked down a trio of these island endemics as they foraged through the sub-canopy right over our heads. Not a lot of recent census work has been done on this federally endangered species, but the best estimates seem to put the global population at around only 1250 individuals. After our success with both endemics, we elected to head back to the hotel allowing us to avoid the infamous Honolulu rush hour traffic.

Our second day was largely spent exploring around the eastern half of the island, where we took the remarkably scenic and slow coast road around the island’s northern tip. The first stop was near Makapu’u Point where we overlooked crashing waves, lava shorelines, and Mānana Island which hosts over 20,000 nesting Sooty Terns. We racked up a Booby trio with single Brown, a couple Masked, and a plethora of Red-footed all streaming by. Our next stop was at a small estuary on the far eastern side of Honolulu where we quickly located dozens of Hawaiian Coots, a few Common Gallinules and several handsome Black-necked (Hawaiian) Stilts. A dark Black-crowned Night Heron was walking up one of the house’s steps, perhaps awaiting a treat from the owners. A surprise bird here was a Brant, common on the mainland in large numbers, but exceedingly rare out in the south Pacific. We made a brief stop overlooking the Marine Corps Base where a raft of ducks added more waterfowl to our growing list. An exquisite male Eurasian Wigeon was nice to see, as was a male Gadwall that somehow found its way onto Oahu from who knows where.

Making our way around the island was a scenic adventure with crashing waves on lava shorelines and green mountains jutting up into the clouds. A quick stop at a park yielded two Great Frigatebirds that slowly floated overhead allowing a close look at their unique features. Further to the north we enjoyed amazingly close and lengthy views of a flock of over ten Bristle-thighed Curlews near the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge. This is a rare species globally, breeding only in remote sections of the Yukon-Kuskoquim Delta and Seward Peninsula in Alaska, and wintering over an amazingly large area in the South Pacific. It’s estimated that only a few hundred birds winter in the Hawaiian Islands; the rest continuing to even more far flung tropical beaches to the south. Most birders in the United States see their first Bristle-thighed after slogging up a damp and spongy tundra hill 70 miles north of Nome, Alaska to see one or two pairs, but our birds on Oahu involved a short walk across a golf course and a bunch of birds close enough to actually see their namesake bristle-like feathers at the base of their legs. Not only were the curlews a highlight here, but the monstrous Laysan Albatross sleeping on the golf course that allowed close approach was a treat for us all. Eventually it opened its huge wings and took off into the wind like flying fortress, seemingly effortlessly for this hefty individual.

Before calling it a day, we braved the notorious Honolulu traffic to check out Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge which hosts a few sizeable freshwater ponds and a vagrant list to be proud of throughout its existence. A couple of the rarest birds of the trip were tallied here and although common back where we were all from, are quite rare for the region. A few White-faced Ibis were easy to identify as all dark waders with long bills and legs. Also a pair of Hooded Mergansers eventually flew in and landed for great looks. Some scurrying game birds were making their way down the berm between the ponds. We were excited to see our first Gray Francolins that we would end up hearing a lot over the week, but not actually seeing very often. We ended our day at a pupu grill and bar, just down the road from our hotel, and wrapped up our two days on the island as we had a morning flight to the Big Island booked for the next day.

THE BIG ISLAND

The Big Island of Hawaii is over six times larger than Oahu, and is the youngest of the islands, with ongoing volcanic activity spouting off every few years. As was the case this year, and we noticed right away the vog (volcanic fog) evident from the currently erupting Kilaue Volcano on the Island’s southeast side. For our days around the island, we spent our time on the leeward (dry) side of the island. Here the lowlands are crisscrossed with fresh lava fields, with grassy savannahs dominating as one heads uphill. It’s a stark landscape, with some vistas dominated by reddish-black chunks of jagged rock (named A’a in Hawaiian, possibly due to the sound a traveler would make trying to cross the rough terrain). Around the resorts and small towns that ring the shoreline lush and tropical looking plantings, watered lawns, and all the trappings of a modern commercial society really set them apart from the more barren surroundings.

Our first afternoon was reserved for a trip up on the leeward slopes of Mauna Kea to the area surrounding Waikoloa. Before we climbed up to the higher elevations though we enjoyed a local style lunch at a small café that had several Rosy-faced Lovebirds that joined us for our meal. After lunch we went nearby and had excellent views of some groups of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse foraging on the roadside even before we parked. Also feeding in the area were several Eurasian Skylark, Gray Francolin, African Silverbill and Saffron Finches around the rather dusty looking baseball fields. From here we drove up Saddle Road which traverses a nice pastoral scene with flowing grasslands and volcanoes looming in the distance. As we began the ascent we stopped a few times for some roadside birding, adding exotic species such as flocks of Wild Turkey, stunning male Ring-necked Pheasants and sizeable Erkel’s Spurfowl. As we were pulled over, a distant raptor was spotted briefly before it disappeared over a nearby ridge. We jumped in the vehicles and shot up the road just in time to see a Hawaiian Short-eared Owl (Pueo) float across the road and land on the powerlines just above our heads. We all relished the close opportunity for photos and watched as it finally took off for another bout of hunting low over the grass. Perhaps the rarest bird along the drive was a Mourning Dove slowly strolling up a person’s driveway, just like home.

Our second day on the island found us birding in what many consider the finest mile of Hawaiian birding remaining on Earth. As we climbed up the mountain slopes once again, we one vehicle was lucky enough to spot a couple California Quail scurrying through the lava fields. Shortly following this our most eager Chukar searches were able to spot a pair of these birds as they sat on a grassy hillside. Our main goal for the day though was to reach the native forest in the Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge, where large stands of primary upland forest, draped with hanging lichens and bathed in near perpetual clouds remain on the upper windward slopes of Mauna Kea. Access to this area is granted by restricted permit, with fewer than 1000 visitors allowed in annually (and the actual number of visitors likely far below that number). The area was once a privately-owned ranch, with cleared fields interspersed with shallow gullies that were left to stands of native Koa and Ohia. The federal government has purchased the old ranch site and some adjacent properties, with an area of roughly 60 square miles now protected and reforestation projects underway. The 8 mile-long dirt road that winds around the upper slopes of the volcano to reach the refuge is bumpy and slow, passing through overgrazed savannah and dense stands of introduced gorse.

Once at the refuge, we stopped at the border to spray down our shoes and walking sticks with alcohol in order to remove any possible traces of an introduced fungus, Rapid Ohia Death, that can lead to the death of local Ohia trees. Task accomplished we drove down to the Fish and Wildlife clearing (complete with some lackadaisical pairs of Nene) and old farm shed and atmospheric outhouses the only signs of development. As we readied ourselves for the walk, we could hear an actual chorus of native birdsong emanating from the surrounding trees; a stark contrast to the other forested regions that we had traveled through in the islands, where non-native birds decidedly dominate. We spent a magical morning here, enveloped in a world that has virtually vanished from the islands. The bird list wasn’t huge, and the cold temperatures and eventual continuous rain weren’t favorable, but the entries of new species were all very special. To our amazement we were greeted by an entire family of Akiapolaau soon after setting out. We first heard a begging four-month-old juvenile who was soon joined by mom and dad. We watched this amazing family display amongst inquisitive Hawaii Amakihis bouncing around, and Hawaiian Creepers doing their best nuthatch imitations on the trunks and branches of the larger trees. We stopped to admire a pair of Kalij Pheasants that popped up along the roadside; yet another species brought in for hunters (although a particularly attractive one). Once we walked down the hill, we were greeted by dazzlingly red I’iwi and deep crimson Apapane at the flowering Ohia trees. The quality of birds was so high that we persisted through the rainy and chilly conditions and eventually had some good looks at a couple of Omao, a native species of thrush, after hearing it vocalizing well for quite some time. After finalizing our time in this amazing habitat, we made our way back to Kona. Before calling it a day, we successfully searched out another endemic, the Hawaiian Hawk (‘io). Eagle-eyed Mandy spotted one perched in a treetop along the road that sat long enough for us to have extended scope views of the only hawk on the Hawaiian Islands.

Our last full birding day on the Big Island was reserved for a completely different environment. Instead of focusing on coastal waterbirds or endemic or introduced landbirds we turned our attentions to the ocean surrounding the islands by taking a seven-hour pelagic trip out from Honokohau small boat harbor. Kona sits on the dry and leeward side of the island, meaning that the waters out from the shore tend to be much calmer than those of the island’s eastern side. We boarded the ship; a comfortable 40-foot craft with seating in the stern and bow, and a covered central cabin, and after a briefing from the captain and first mate were soon slowly motoring out of the harbor, with the sun rising at our backs over the peaks of the Big Island. As is the case in most tropical waters, we found bird diversity to be rather low (in contrast to bird densities in colder, more polar waters), but over the course of the day we tallied several noteworthy species. By far the most common species for the day was Wedge-tailed Shearwater. We found several flocks of these gray/brown and white shearwaters loafing on the water or flying past the bow. Many allowed us close approach, thus giving the participants a good idea of the most common “benchmark” species of tubenose. Soon a white bird was spotted sitting on the water off the bow of the boat. It turned out to be a stunning White-tailed Tropicbird slowly taking off and allowing close approach for our gracious photographers. Throughout the trip we constantly ran into small groups of Red Phalaropes, a normally rare bird this time of year here, all of which were in their gray basic plumages. Another group of smaller birds were acting bat-like as they swept low over the water and upon closer approach revealed themselves to be Leach’s Storm-Petrels replete with white rumps. We checked any buoy that we came into site of. One of them had a stoic Brown Booby sitting atop it. We crept the boat close to get great views of this bird we’d only seen at a distance up to that point.

Other delightful seabirds we encountered over the miles covered were Hawaiian and Bulwer’s Petrels, as well as both Christmas and Sooty Shearwater. All of a sudden Mandy yelled “GET ON THAT BIRD” and the boat came to a complete stop. Her instincts were right, as we followed and photographed a Cocos Booby of the Columbian subspecies. This is only the second record we know of for this subspecies around Hawaii! The largest bird we encountered was an early Black-footed Albatross. One of these handsome giants was following some of the smaller fishing vessels around waiting for handouts. This allowed close approach, so we got to study its ratty-looking plumage intensely. Birds weren’t the only highlights of the boat trip. We encountered Humpback Whales which come to Hawaii’s waters to give birth and raise their young. Also at one point, we were surrounded by a large pod of Spotted Dolphins that kept pace at the front of the boat.

Despite being quite tired after trying to stay upright on our boat trip, we decided to take a walk down the beach to a freshwater pond just beyond the sandy beach. Our main target was a dapper male Tufted Duck with namesake swept back crest that we found soon after our arrival. Other ducks utilizing this water source were Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, and a single Bufflehead, all quite rare in Hawaii. After returning to the hotel for a bit of a rest we had some time in the late afternoon to casually bird along the coast a bit south of our hotel. Here we enjoyed final views of the suite of lowland introduced birds that now call these islands home. Seeding grasses held lots of Common Waxbill and Java Sparrow, Northern and Yellow-billed Cardinals. The open lawns played host to uncountable numbers of Spotted and Zebra Doves, Common Myna and the odd Gray Francolin or Saffron Finch. 

We made our final stop at a site named “the end of the world”, a coastal heritage site where nearly 300 native Hawaiians that were fighting for their traditional belief system died at the hands of the son of King Kamehameha the first who wished to reform their common traditions. The battle was brief, and those holding to the old traditions lost decisively. Shortly thereafter the first waves of missionaries arrived, ushering in the final end to much of the traditional belief structure for the native Hawaiians. Immediately upon parking we had a flock of Red-masked Parakeets fly over the vans, the only ones of the tour. After walking beside the lava field that served as the battle site, we walked back up the paved road, finding a couple of handsome Lavender Waxbills (a species that is not yet sanctioned on the ABA list due to its relatively small population) along the way. We capped off the day at one of Kona’s most famous restaurants, Umeke’s, with glasses of delicious mai-tais clinking on the table.

The following morning, we had a couple hours before our flight to Kauai so we checked out the famed Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant. After all, it wouldn’t be a proper bird tour without stopping at one of these fruitful establishments. The place was ripe with birds including many Wandering Tattlers, Ruddy Turnstones, and bright white Sanderling. A rare for Hawaii Lesser Yellowlegs was spotted slowly walking down the edge of one of the ponds and a Cackling Goose swam slowly by, easy to spot given how large it was compared to all the other waterfowl. Other ducks we added to the list were both Green and Blue-winged Teal. Any gull is rare in Hawaii, so the pair of Laughing Gulls we spotted was a hoot. It was also interesting to see the dozens of Black-crowned Night Herons perched on anything that allowed, searching for unsuspecting prey in the frothy waters. As the sun came over the mountain, the heat picked up and we headed to the airport for our flight to Lihue. 

KAUAI

Kauai is the oldest and farthest west of the main Hawaiian Islands. With only 75,000 inhabitants, the island feels much less developed, though the traffic along the busier SE corner can still be an issue for daily commuters. In addition to being quieter and much less metropolitan than Oahu the island feels more tropical, with many rivers draining into the ocean, and a more lush and green vegetation. We arrived to the garden isle in the late morning, with time to get a little bit organized at our ocean front hotel before heading north to have lunch at a local café. Afterwards we headed a bit to the west for a visit to a large upscale golf course along the coast. We drove past the greens, and turned down one of the residential streets, to stumble upon lounging Laysan Albatrosses in the front yards of the houses, waddling across the road, or soaring over the roofs. It was simply a surreal scene, as by our assembled previous experience with these princes of the seas we thought that one had to go somewhere cold, remote, and windy to witness birds at such a close range. We soaked up every second with these astounding birds, even finding an adorable fuzzy gray chick. Leaving our albatross friends behind we headed back to the golf course greens, which were covered with foraging Hawaiian Geese (Nene).

A bit further to the west along the north shore we visited the Hanalei NWR, a somewhat bizarre refuge, in that the goal is seemingly to restore the wetland area to the aquatic Taro farming regimes of the native Hawaiians, rather than to a more natural state. On our previous visits a mudslide had blocked the highway a mile shy of the refuge, but happily on this occasion the road was clear and we were able to drive down into the edge of the refuge. Along a single-track gravel road, we quickly found quite a few Hawaiian Ducks. Unlike other locations on the islands, here the local populations of Hawaiian Ducks on Kauai remain genetically free of extraneous Mallard genes.  Although published population numbers for the species estimate roughly 2000 birds, they count the hybrid Oahu birds in the total. A better estimate would limit the population to Kauai, which would put the global count at only about 800 birds, scattered around the islands many small wetlands. We were excited to find a small flock of Scaly-breasted Munia in the brush road verge while observing the ducks. After having our fill of the array of foraging Hawaiian Stilts, Hawaiian Coots, Common Gallinules and Pacific Golden-Plovers that were also feeding in the small loi ponds, we drove to the Kilauea Point Lighthouse overlook. Here we spent a very enjoyable hour studying hundreds of Red-footed Boobies perched on the vegetated cliffs and soaring out over the ocean. A single Greater Frigatebird about too, wheeling lazily out over the bay. 

For our full day on the Kauai, we departed early and ate a picnic breakfast at athletic fields near the bottom of Waimea Canyon. The comparatively lush greens on the ball fields were attracting an impressive number of Pacific Golden-Plovers, Cattle Egrets, Common Myna and both Red-crested and Northern Cardinals. After breakfast we traveled uphill to take in views of the grand canyon of the Pacific, Waimea Canyon with a few tumbling waterfalls and some White-tailed Tropicbirds soaring below the vantage points. On the road up we spotted a dark mass moving quickly through the edge of the road that turned out to be a gorgeous male Black Francolin, eventually sitting up tall enough for us all to see.

For the rest of the day, we concentrated on Kauai’s endemic forest birds, and they were certainly worth our focus. We were able to locate several flowering Ohia trees, with their dainty little, fluffy flowers attracting brilliantly red Apapane and a couple diminutive Anianiau. After over twenty minutes or so of enjoying beautiful views of the two more common honeycreepers some cooperative young Kauai Elepaio came to greet us. All three of these endemics were often heard calling throughout our chilly and overcast morning together. We also succeeded in getting good looks at the Japanese Bush Warbler, a secretive bird very hard to actually see, but was not afraid to sing constantly from the forest understory.

Once down in the lowlands we spent the remainder of the afternoon visiting a couple of small wetland sites around the Southwest corner of the island. Our first stop was to the Kawaiele State Waterbird Sanctuary, a series of small shallow ponds that were accidentally created in the early 1990’s when local sand mining activities dug deep enough for the basins to fill with groundwater. It’s a locally important breeding and roosting site for Hawaiian Stilts, Hawaiian Ducks, Nene, and Common Gallinules. Our second stop was to some coastal salt evaporation ponds, where someone spotted a cryptic American Barn Owl concealed in a dense mesquite tree, a lifer for some! 

The next morning, we had time to search for one of the hardest of the ABA countable exotics in the Hawaiian Islands; the Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush. This retiring but quite attractive species was introduced over 100 years ago in Kauai, persisting in the non-native lowland forests of the island in small numbers. Unfortunately, this year we were unable to locate this species, but we were also able to see the elusive and pretty Chinese Hwamei well amongst the cacophony of White-rumped Shamas. We returned to the hotel in the late morning and to checkout before heading to the airport for our respective flights home. 

                                                                                                                                                                                     -          Jake Mohlmann

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