SPRING FEBRUARY 27–MARCH 8, 2019

I’iwi © Erik Bruhnke

LEADERS: ERIK BRUHNKE & JACOB DRUCKER LIST COMPILED BY: ERIK BRUHNKE

VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM

By Erik Bruhnke

VENT’s Spring Hawaii tour blends together a colorful array of unique , incredible scenery, and delectable dining experiences. Every island we visit hosts endemic and a prominent conservation story to behold. The birding experiences left us in awe throughout the days to come.

The tour started with a pre-dawn walk from our hotel along Waikiki Beach. Common Mynas and Zebra Doves filled the air with their songs. Our morning target was to come just moments away. A brief light under the trees revealed several nesting White Terns, an all-white tern species that nests in trees using nothing but the branch the egg is laid on! A speckling of Rose-ringed Parakeets and Spotted Doves perched on the wires as Red-crested Cardinals fed among the expanse of grass throughout Kapiolani Park. We kept our optics White Tern © Erik Bruhnke handy during our oceanside breakfast and, while enjoying the delicious meal, we picked out several distant Brown Boobies flying along the horizon. Following breakfast, we visited the nearby Wiliwilinui Trail where we had views of the Elepaio, one of two Oahu endemics. Flocks of Red-billed Leiothrix caroled among the lower vegetation. Another natural area hosted views of the other Oahu endemic, the Oahu Amakihi. Following the woodland birding we scanned the waters from Kahauloa Cove, where Red-tailed Tropicbirds soared over our heads. After a Vietnamese lunch, we headed to the northern tip of the island where we savored the binocular views of the very special Bristle-thighed Curlew and Laysan Albatross flying over folks who were playing a round of golf. What a solid day of birding it was!

The next morning was an early one as we departed for . Kilauea Lighthouse was the first place to visit on our to-do list after flying to the island. We were greeted by Nene, the Hawaiian —also the state bird of Hawaii. They grazed the grass gently and took naps not far from the parking lot, allowing for great study and great photos. We even saw a few Nene goslings! In the hour to come we would be immersed in a high-energy whirlwind of seabirds coming and going among the Laysan Albatross © Erik Bruhnke waves. Some flew well below us near the base of the cliff edges. Some flew by at eye level too, while others seemingly took to the clouds. Red-footed Boobies soared all over, and Laysan Albatross and Great Frigatebirds ruled the skies. With a little scanning we picked out several White-tailed Tropicbirds too. Visiting Kilauea Lighthouse is, without a doubt, a continuing highlight of this tour year after year. Nene, The Hawaiian Goose © Erik Bruhnke After a tasty lunch complemented with from-scratch POG

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 Spring Hawaii, 2019 (passion fruit juice, orange juice, and guava juice blend), we birded Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge. We enjoyed the presence of a Koloa, the Hawaiian , seen among Hawaiian Black-necked Stilts and Hawaiian Coots. The grassy fields were home to African Silverbills, Scaly-breasted Munias, and Western Meadowlarks. A rare find included White-faced Ibis!

We departed pre-sunrise the next day for a drive around the western and northwestern limits of Kauai. Erckel’s Francolin cackled among the rolling fields of grass. We drove along canyons of reds and browns that led to rocky valleys of bright green forests. Along the other side of the road were rolling grassy fields. Numerous Erckel’s Francolins were observed cackling. Our drive took us to a little pull-off where we were greeted by Red Junglefowl, flocks of Zebra Doves, and on a very special note, a flock of feeding Apapane. Their crimson bodies glowed among the snow-white undertail coverts and pitch-black wings. A little further up the road we found Kauai Amakihi feeding in the ohia trees. After a little persistence, we locked our binoculars on two key birds for the island…the Anianiau and the Kauai Elepaio. On the drive home we picked out a beautiful Wandering Tattler along the coast.

The next day was our last island-hopping day of the tour, which would take us to the Big Island of Hawaii. The country roadsides treated us to several Io, the Hawaiian Hawk. The grassy expanses were home to numerous Eurasian Skylarks and roaming flocks of Java Sparrows. It was an exceptionally blustery day, and despite the howling winds our tour came through! We checked into the beautiful Kamuela Inn, where we would spend the next few nights. Io, the Hawaiian Hawk © Erik Bruhnke

Our first day of birding the Big Iisland was a full-day excursion to Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge. This highly remote refuge is one of the few remaining habitat strongholds on the Big Island that is still publicly accessible (through special permits). To reduce our chances of spreading ROD (rapid ohia death), non-native seeds, and potential vegetative diseases to the area, we scrubbed our boots and sprayed them down well with alcohol before entering the native forest. After a lengthy and bumpy road, we found ourselves within Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge. I'iwi © Erik Bruhnke The native ohia and koa trees there are truly ancient and provide a vital home-sweet-home to a rich spectrum of native honeycreepers, the Omao (Hawiian Thrush), and Io. Our search for all of the possible native bird species within Hakalau was a great success. I’iwis fluttered among the koa and ohia trees while singing back and forth to each other. With careful eyes we picked out the sneaky and Akepa up close! © Erik Bruhnke earthy-toned Hawaii Creeper. ‘Akepa, an orange-colored

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 Spring Hawaii, 2019 honeycreeper, is a rare possibility while visiting Hakalau. Our first glimpse was high up in the trees, as they are known for. Shortly after our picnic lunch, one flew very close to our group at eye level, no more than 30 feet away. What a sight! It’s truly hard to put into words how special this ancient, intact forest is. To the birds, it’s their home-sweet-home for their survival. We located the extremely rare 'Akiapölä'au on the hike back to the vans and witnessed this bird chiseling delicately into the bark using its incredibly long and decurved bill.

The second day of birding the Big Island had us in search of the rarest bird possible on the tour, the endangered Palila. We drove up Pu’u La’au Trail and admired the mamane trees, a vital food source for the Palila. Hawaii Amakihi chattered all over the tree edges and trails. After a little searching we found several small groups of Palila feeding among the mamane pods. Scope views of this amazing species took our breaths away. We observed them breaking the mamane pods for food, as the sunlight illuminated this species’ beautiful bright yellow, gray, and white plumage. There are estimated to be only about 1,000 Palila remaining in existence. After the morning along the Pu’u La’au Trail, we headed east to the city of Hilo where we would be based throughout the duration of the tour.

Visiting Volcanoes National Park was another exciting part of the tour. Massive historic lava fields sloped-into and cooled-along the coastal waters, leaving behind a surface of black with the most intricate rainbows of mineral concentrations. Hearty ohia trees have speckled this landscape in the earliest parts of succession. We made our way down to the coast and enjoyed the nesting Black Noddies coming and going from their cliffs. Waves of cerulean-blue Ohia tree among lava fields © Erik Bruhnke waters smashed against the base of the cliffs. A visit to the Volcano Art Center Gallery was in store next, where it is impossible not to be wowed by the craftsmanship and artistic skills of many local artists.

Our last day of birding started out at the legendary Ken’s House of Pancakes. We hiked the Pu’u O’o Trail and saw both light morph and dark morph Io, as well as dozens of Hawaii Amakihi and a handful of I’iwi chattering throughout the ohia trees. What a place!

The native habitat that remains throughout the Hawaiian Islands is unique, fragile, and beautiful. VENT’s Spring Hawaii tour made for exceptional memories while savoring the flora and fauna of the landscapes we visited. I’m already looking forward to returning to these islands for VENT’s Fall Hawaii tour!

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 Spring Hawaii, 2019 O = Oahu

K = Kauai

H = Hawaii

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Waterfowl (I) canadensis H Hawaiian Goose (Nene) (E) Branta sandvicensis K, H Hawaiian Duck (Koloa) (E) Anas wyvilliana K, H Mallard Anas platyrhynchos O, H Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera H Ring -necked Duck Aythya collaris H Muscovy Cairina moschata H Grebes Podicipedidae Pied -billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps H New World Quail Odontophoridae California Quail (I) Callipepla californica K, H Pheasants, Grouse and Allies Phasianidae Gray Francolin (I) Francolinus pondicerianus H Black Francolin (I) Francolinus francolinus H Erckel's Francolin (I) Francolinus erckelii K, H, Red Junglefowl (I) Gallus gallus K, H Helmeted Guineafowl (I) Numida meleagris H Kalij Pheasant (I) Lophura leucomelanos H Ring -necked Pheasant (I) Phasianus colchicus K, H Wild Turkey (I) Meleagris gallopavo H Pigeons and Doves Columbidae Rock Pigeon (I) Columba livia O, K, H Spotted Dove (I) Streptopelia chinensis O, K, H Zebra Dove (I) Geopelia striata O, K, H Mourning Dove (I) Zenaida macroura O, K, H Rails, Gallinules and Coots Rallidae Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata O, K Hawaiian Coot (E) Fulica alai O, K, H Stilts and Avocets Recurvirostridae Black -necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus O, K Plovers and Lapwings Charadriidae Pacific Golden -Plover Pluvialis fulva O, K, H Sandpipers and Allies Scolopacidae Bristle -thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis O Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres O, H Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius H Wandering Tattler Tringa incana H Gulls, Terns and Skimmers Laridae Black Noddy Anous minutus H Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus O White Tern Gygis alba O Tropicbirds Phaethontidae White -tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus K Red -tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda O, K Albatrosses Diomedeidae

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 Spring Hawaii, 2019 Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis O, K Frigatebirds Fregatidae Great Frigatebird Fregata minor K Boobies and Gannets Sulidae Brown Booby Sula leucogaster O, K Red -footed Booby Sula sula K Masked Booby Sula dactylatra O, K Herons, Egrets and Bitterns Ardeidae Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis O, K, H Black -crowned Night -Heron Nycticorax nycticorax O, K, H White -faced Ibis K Hawks, Eagles and Kites Accipitridae Hawaiian Hawk (Io) (E) Buteo solitarius O Barn-Owls Tytonidae Barn Owl (I) Tyto alba O Owls Strigidae Short -eared Owl (Pueo) Asio flammeus K, O Lories, Lovebirds, and Allies Psittaculidae Rose -ringed Parakeet (I) Psittacula krameri O, K Monarch Flycatchers Monarchidae Kauai Elepaio (E) Chasiempis sclateri K Oahu Elepaio (E) Chasiempis ibidis O Hawaii Elepaio (E) Chasiempis sandwichensis H Larks Alaudidae Eurasian Skylark (I) Alauda arvensis H Bulbuls Pycnonotidae Red -vented Bulbul (I) Pycnonotus cafer O, K Red -whiskered Bulbul (I) Pycnonotus jocosus O Bush-Warblers and Allies Cettiidae Japanese Bush -Warbler (I) Cettia diphone H White-eyes Zosteropidae Japanese White -eye (I) Zosterops japonicus O, K, H Babblers Timaliidae Hwamei (I) Garrulax canorus K Red -billed Leiothrix (I) Leiothrix lutea O, H Old World Flycatchers Muscicapidae White -rumped Shama (I) Copsychus malabaricus O, K Thrushes and Allies Turdidae Omao (Hawaiian Thrush) (E) Myadestes obscurus H Mockingbirds and Thrashers Mimidae Northern Mockingbird (I) Mimus polyglottos K, H Starlings Sturnidae Common Myna (I) Acridotheres tristis O, K, H Waxbills and Allies Estrildidae Common Waxbill (I) Estrilda astrild O, K, H African Silverbill (I) Euodice cantans K Java Sparrow (I) Lonchura oryzivora O, H Scaly -breasted Munia (I) Lonchura punctulata K, H Chestnut Munia (I) Lonchura atricapilla O, K Old World Sparrows Passeridae House Sparrow (I) Passer domesticus O, K, H Siskins, Crossbills and Allies Fringillidae

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 6 Spring Hawaii, 2019 Palila (E) Loxioides bailleui H Apapane (E) Himatione sanguinea K, H Iiwi (E) Drepanis coccinea H Akiapolaau (E) Hemignathus wilsoni H Anianiau (E) Magumma parva K Hawaii Amakihi (E) Chlorodrepanis virens H Oahu Amakihi (E) Chlorodrepanis flava O Kauai Amakihi (E) Chlorodrepanis stejnegeri K Hawaii Creeper (E) Loxops mana H Hawaii Akepa (E) Loxops coccineus H House Finch (I) Haemorhous mexicanus O, K, H Yellow -fronted Canary (I) Crithagra mozambica H Troupials and Allies Icteridae Western Meadowlark (I) Sturnella neglecta K, H Cardinals and Allies Cardinalidae Northern Cardinal (I) Cardinalis cardinalis O, K, H Tanagers and Allies Thraupidae Red -crested Cardinal (I) Paroaria coronata O, K, H Yellow -billed Cardinal (I) Paroaria capitata H Saffron Finch (I) Sicalis flaveola O, H

MAMMALS Rats & Mice Muridae Polynesian (Pacific) Rat Rattus exulans O Mongooses Herpestidae Small Indian Mongoose Herpestes javanicus O, H Pigs Suidae (Feral Pig) Sus Scrofa H Bison, Sheep & Goats Bovidae Feral Sheep Ovis aries H Feral Goat Capra aegagrus hircus K, H Rorqual Whales Balaenopteridae Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae O, K

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 7 Spring Hawaii, 2019