Photo Gallery
Photos By Gavin Bieber, Derek Lovitch, Susie Nishio, Robby Kohley, Eric VanderWerf, Reginald David
We’ll begin our birding in paradise right away with the stunning White Tern in downtown Waikiki.
The wonderful Kapiolani Park abuts our hotel, providing a wealth of introduced species from all around the world such as these South American Red-crested Cardinal,
Asian Spotted and
Zebra Doves,
Saffron Finches
Common Waxbill,
and Red-vented Bulbul
and even chattering Rose-ringed Parakeets in the large hibiscus trees.
On our first full day we’ll head for the nearby hills and some native forest,
where we’ll seek out our first species of Hawaiian Honeycreeper, the Oahu Amakihi.
and some introduced forest birds like this Red-billed Leiothrix should entertain as well.
Along the coast we’ll look for the ethereal Red-tailed Tropicbird,
wintering Bristle-thighed Curlew
and native waterbirds such as the endemic Hawaiian Coot,
and the endemic subspecies of Black Noddy, surely another candidate for full species status.
Our Kauai experience will begin at Kiluea NWR…
where colorful Nene should be stalking the grassy fields,
Red-footed Booby should be sitting on the cliffside trees
and during spring tours Laysan Albatross should be nesting
If we are lucky a loafing Hawaiian Monk Seal might be along the shoreline.
The flooded taro fields of Hanalei NWR host a variety of waterbirds…
…including Hawaiian Duck…
and the endemic subspecies of Black-necked Stilt, surely an excellent candidate for specific status.
Kokee SP provides access to some highland native forest and some breathtaking views.
perky little Anianiau in the flowering Ohia trees,
and inquisitive Kauai Elepaio in the understory.
Kauai has its own interesting introduced species, like the omnipresent domestic chicken (and some countable Red Junglefowl as well),
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush
and even brightly colored Gold Dust Day Geckos from Madagascar.
Our final island of the tour is the Big Island of Hawaii, the largest and geologically youngest of the islands.
On our first full day we will head up to the Mamame Forests on the leeward slope of Mauna Kea volcano.
Here a few Palila remain in the drought damaged trees.
and the scarce endemic Hawaiian Hawk and
smart looking Black Francolin might be up in the grasslands.
On another day we’ll head over to the wet side of the island and the incomparable and restricted access Hakalau NWR…
which protects an excellent stand of native woodlands with an amazing complement of native forest birds.
Here we will be surrounded by birds, such as Hawai’i Amakihi…
Hawaii Creeper,
the stellar Iiwi
…and with luck, the critically endangered Akiapola’au.
The road into the reserve hosts a healthy population of Kalij Pheasant, which often strut down the verges in the early morning,
and the occasional Short-eared Owl as well
Our tour also offers a pelagic trip out of the Kona harbour
where we’ll hope to see an array of tubenoses from common species like Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Brown Booby
to more scarce ones such as this Christmas Shearwater
or Hawaiian Petrel.
Cetaceans such as Rough-toothed Dolphin can be plentiful in these waters as well.
As we’re voyaging around the islands we’ll encounter a nice array of reef fish such as this Fourspot Butterflyfish,
as well as a few butterflies including this endemic Hawaiian Blue
and maybe even a hauled out Green Sea Turtle, certainly not a sight you regularly see on US beaches!