Hawaii, anytime 2022 (1 Viewer)

[AdrianB70]

Hello,

I have just moved to Kauai to work on seabird conservation. I will be here until December 2022 or later and am interested in seeking all of the extant endemic birds of Hawaii (on Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Islands). Would be happy to plan weekend (maybe slightly longer) trip(s) to see endemic forest birds on any of the islands including Kauai with anyone who may be planning on coming out here. Birds that I would want to target specifically are Puaiohi, Akikiki, Akekee, Oahu Elepaio, Oahu Amakihi, Maui Alauahio, Akohekohe, Maui Parrotbill, Hawaiian Hawk, Hawaii Elepaio, Omao, Palila, Akiapolaau, Hawaii Creeper, and Hawaii Akepa. I would also be interested in chartering a boat from Kauai to look for pelagic seabirds. Eventually I would try for all of these myself, but I wanted to post here in case anyone else would be interested in joining me for some of it in order to split costs and add an extra set(s) of eyes and ears. I do not have a vehicle on Kauai. I will not be able to join anyone for a trip to all of these islands consecutively, but I would be very interested in a full weekend, or longer (perhaps a week+ and multiple islands) if later in the year (September onwards).

 

[diomedea1965]

Hi Adrian

That sounds very interesting to me. Since November (Biden said we could travel....)
I also thought to try the endemics before all of them are gone.
After I found out that our winter is just about the worst time for a pelagic I opted for a different trip to have a break in winter.
What I found out then also is that some boats are not going out due to Covid.
Now this may be different.
What do you think is the best time to combine the search of the endemics with one or two pelagic boattrips?

Michiel de Boer

 

[Hamhed]

My wife and I are currently planning an October trip to just two Hawaiian islands - Oahu and the Big Island. Kauai was initially a third island on our list but, for once, we don’t want to cram too much into too little time so we opted to spend more time in fewer locations. We don’t have a set itinerary yet but are thinking the first half of October. Week one on the Big Island then Oahu for a slightly shorter time frame. Our focus will be on birds first, snorkeling second and everything in nature along the way. We’ll rent cars on both islands and stay at Airbnb’s within our budget. No pelagic trip planned at this time but on our optional list. That would likely be only from leeward side of the Big Island.
From what I’ve been reading, a few of the Big Island endemics will be difficult to find unless you can fork out the big bucks for a guided trip to a reserve. The rates are unreasonable for our budget. However, there are options for seeing those rarer endemics which we intend to pursue.
Very near to setting dates and securing our plane tickets. Here’s hoping Covid doesn’t do a 180 and make a mess of these plans!

Steve

 

[Mysticete]

I was researching a trip to Hawaii for this summer, however unfortunately I found that the costs were getting to be a bit much, and many of the companies which you need to use to visit some restricted access site just don't do many trips outside of tourist season. Guides are VERY expensive, especially for places like Hakalau. My sense is that winter is a much better time, as the various companies offer more trips and there are more scheduled pelagics out of Kona. Also diversity is a bit higher, as wintering shorebirds and ducks are around, including Bristle-thighed Curlew and the possibility of Asian species like Gray-tailed Tattler or Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

Going in summer would give you a different assortment of pelagic species however, and I think some places like Kauai might be a tad bit dryer.

I'll eventually get to Hawaii, but I think my plan will be to target the big island in one trip (which has direct flights), probably in January, and target the other places on other trips.

 

[Hamhed]

Mysticete-
We considered time of year first when planning began. We like to hike for birds and winter is the rainy season. From what I’ve seen on many YouTube videos, pathways will be muddy from heavy traffic. Which is typical in the busy tourist season of those months. October is the end of the dry season. Dry trails; fewer mosquitos.

Costs for cars and lodging also increase dramatically in that season. October is actually considered an “off” month for tourism. Even so, we will have to forgo those expensive guided tours you mention.

If you spend some time on eBird, you may see that both the Curlew and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper may be seen in October. Fingers crisscrossed on those!

Steve

 

[AdrianB70]

What I've gathered having been here a couple months now:

For the native songbirds, I don't think time of year really matters, although it does seem there is a slightly lower eBird frequency of reports of some of the honeycreepers in July (could just be random chance honestly). I've been doing dedicated seawatches from a spot right near my town (Hanapepe) and have been getting Hawaiian Petrel, Newell's Shearwater, and Wedge-tailed Shearwater every single time, Bulwer's Petrels every time very recently, and Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (Hawaiian population almost inevitably will be split into its own species) twice. All these species should be reliably gettable from land through their breeding season which ends around the start of the fall. They should still be possible to some extent on pelagics after that but now through summer is definitely the time for them. I've also had Pomarine Jaegers (5), South Polar Skuas (3), Buller's Shearwaters (3), White-tailed Tropicbirds (common), Great Frigatebirds (common), Sooty Shearwaters (common in spring), Brown Boobies (common), and Red-footed Boobies (common) from this spot on land. Pelagics in fall/winter will have a lower chance at the local breeders but a better chance at faraway breeders like Juan Fernandez Petrel, Cook's Petrel, Mottled Petrel, etc. Fall seems like the time to get migrant/vagrant shorebirds and ducks from North America and Asia, with Sharp-tailed Sandpiper apparently regular and Garganey apparently annual. As for wet trails and mosquitoes, I wouldn't worry too much about mosquitoes unless you'd want to spend a lot of time chasing all the introduced species, given that mosquitoes carry avian pox and avian malaria which are the very things making the honeycreepers and other native songbirds go extinct. So where mosquitoes aren't, the birds are, and that's presumably where you'd want to be. Unfortunately climate change is allowing them to move higher and higher up into the mountains and it is likely that Akikiki and Akekee on Kaua'i and Akohekohe and Maui Parrotbill on Maui will be extinct in the wild in a matter of a few years.

Kaua'i's very rare forest birds (Akikiki, Akekee, Puaiohi) require a 4wd vehicle (and the road can be flat out impassable at times) and a 3+ mile somewhat strenuous hike to reach, while Kauai Elepaio, Anianiau, Kauai Amakihi, Apapane, and perhaps a few Iiwi (don't count on Iiwi on Kaua'i) can be accessed with a sedan driving high into the mountains.

I haven't been yet, but it seems like O'ahu's endemics aren't too hard to get, especially Oahu Amakihi which is fairly common in native montane forest. There are reliable spots to see Oahu Elepaio, likely requiring some hiking. Apapane isn't hard on O'ahu; Iiwi is likely extirpated.

Maui's birds sound like they are the toughest as there doesn't really seem to be any trail or road access into the forests in which they persist. The Nature Conservancy's Waikamoi Preserve is THE spot to get Akohekohe and Maui Parrotbill, but they only allow access through their own guided tours which are by no means birding tours. Maui Alauahio sounds relatively easy to get in the area of Haleakala National Park right near Waikamoi, as are Iiwi and Apapane.

On Big Island, by far the best bet for Hawaii Akepa, Akiapolaau, and Hawaii Creeper is a guided tour into Hakalau NWR, which costs upwards of $225 per person for a more or less full day. All three of these, especially Akiapolaau and Hawaii Creeper should be gettable on publicly accessible trails but are by no means guaranteed. The Palila Forest Discovery Trial is accessible to the public (4wd vehicle required), and it seems that species is reliable there, albeit requiring some patience and effort. Iiwi, Apapane, Hawaii Elepaio, and Omao apparently are all fairly common up in native forests on Big Island. Hawaiian Hawk is widespread on the Island although might not be easy to get.

Kaua'i the place for Hawaiian Duck and an easy place to get Hawaiian Goose, Hawaiian Coot, Hawaiian Common Gallinule, and Hawaiian Black-necked Stilt.

If only Laysan and Nihoa were (ecologically safely) open to the public...

 

[pbjosh]

Just a comment that 4WD is not needed for Palila Discovery trail. I would not take a very low clearance car there but most small cars would get there fine assuming you’ve driven on a dirt road or two before. Palila is seemingly getting harder every year, it took me two visits and about 10km of hiking all in to find one though many people do still succeed from the Discovery Trail.

 

[Hamhed]

Liz and I are now most of the way through securing our late October, early November stay on Hawaii and Oahu. Hawaii being a much bigger island, we opted to stay from 10-27 through 11-4 or 8 full days before we take the short hop to Oahu on the 5th of November. Once on that island, we stay until midday of the 11th, heading back to Los Angeles, eventually to return to home in western North Carolina.

Including both islands, we have a target list of birds of give or take 50 species, depending how difficult or rare a particular bird may be. Of those, I expect to see 40 of these, most of which will be non-native species. Such is birding in the Hawaiian islands. Some will be nearly unavoidable. Others will likely be challenging and quite expensive. As in the guided trip to Hakalau to see several species nearly impossible to see anywhere else on earth. Though the expense first put us off, we found unexpected funds through two plus years of credit card points (thanks to Covid for allowing us to build those miles)
and moved our flights to late October versus earlier in the month, saving nearly enough in the date change to pay for our Hakalau visit. No pelagics scheduled. They were always optional. That expense disappeared in higher than expected lodging fees. Hawaiian taxes are a bit stiff at 17% and we also wanted a place with a kitchen or kitchenette to be sure to satisfy our vegetarian diets.

Next on the list is a rental car for both islands. One consideration for the Big Island is getting up to the Palila Discovery trail. If that is accessible as pbjosh relates and we find the rental company that agrees, then most of the birding difficulties I can foresee are accounted for.

Adrian, if this suits your schedule, you are welcome to join us. I can post our birding schedule later. Our Hakalau trip is on November 1.

The only other activity that will likely distract us from intense birding is snorkeling, which can easily be compared to birding. Not knowing what ocean life we’re seeing may not matter. A break from identifying and listing everything we see may be very relaxing In itself.

This will be our first non-domestic trip in years. To say I’m stoked would be putting it mildly!

Steve

 

[HawaiiBirder]

Liz and I are now most of the way through securing our late October, early November stay on Hawaii and Oahu. Hawaii being a much bigger island, we opted to stay from 10-27 through 11-4 or 8 full days before we take the short hop to Oahu on the 5th of November. Once on that island, we stay until midday of the 11th, heading back to Los Angeles, eventually to return to home in western North Carolina.

Including both islands, we have a target list of birds of give or take 50 species, depending how difficult or rare a particular bird may be. Of those, I expect to see 40 of these, most of which will be non-native species. Such is birding in the Hawaiian islands. Some will be nearly unavoidable. Others will likely be challenging and quite expensive. As in the guided trip to Hakalau to see several species nearly impossible to see anywhere else on earth. Though the expense first put us off, we found unexpected funds through two plus years of credit card points (thanks to Covid for allowing us to build those miles)
and moved our flights to late October versus earlier in the month, saving nearly enough in the date change to pay for our Hakalau visit. No pelagics scheduled. They were always optional. That expense disappeared in higher than expected lodging fees. Hawaiian taxes are a bit stiff at 17% and we also wanted a place with a kitchen or kitchenette to be sure to satisfy our vegetarian diets.

Next on the list is a rental car for both islands. One consideration for the Big Island is getting up to the Palila Discovery trail. If that is accessible as pbjosh relates and we find the rental company that agrees, then most of the birding difficulties I can foresee are accounted for.

Adrian, if this suits your schedule, you are welcome to join us. I can post our birding schedule later. Our Hakalau trip is on November 1.

The only other activity that will likely distract us from intense birding is snorkeling, which can easily be compared to birding. Not knowing what ocean life we’re seeing may not matter. A break from identifying and listing everything we see may be very relaxing In itself.

This will be our first non-domestic trip in years. To say I’m stoked would be putting it mildly!

Steve

 

[HawaiiBirder]

If you are flying from NC, it would be considered a domestic trip 🤙🏽

 

[Hamhed]

If you are flying from NC, it would be considered a domestic trip 🤙🏽

Very true. Those islands are so far removed and so tropical with such exotic bird species, we could be in another country. For us travel-starved birders, this will be close enough!

Steve