Recommended Sicklebill Safaris Tours . TOUR 1: GUADALCANAL & RENNELL TOUR 5: GENTLE SOLOMONS he largest raised atoll in the world, Rennell is home to 43 species of breeding birds and boasts his tour visits most of the major hotspots in the Solomons with the exception of Santa Isabel. 6 endemics. All of the endemics can be seen in close proximity to the airfield by walking along It does however, limit itself to the areas that are most easily accessed and does not attempt the logging tracks. The tour also visits Honiara and its environs including a morning visit the more strenuous climbs up into the mountains. While it provides a very good representation Tto Mt Austen where Ultramarine Kingfisher, Duchess Lorikeet and White-billed Crow are amongst Tof Solomons birds, the more difficult montane birds, only found at high altitude, will not be seen. the highlights. A relatively easy tour with no steep treks up into the hills though the surface of the Rennell tracks can be a bit rough. TOUR 2: SANTA ISABEL BLACK-FACED PITTA HUNT TOUR 6: COMPREHENSIVE SOLOMONS ffering you the chance of some of the Solomon’s most Iconic birds - the Black-faced Pitta, his exciting birdwatching tour visits all the major birding sites within the Solomons in its the Fearful Owl and the Solomon’s Frogmouth, this is one of our most popular Solomons search for as many as possible of the islands endemics. It requires a good level of fitness as destinations. The walk up to Tiritonga is steep and needs a reasonable level of fitness but it is not an easy tour, with long steep hikes up into mountains, and nights camping under Othe rewards are great. A morning up Mt Austen before flying out ends the tour. Tpossibly difficult conditions, but the rewards are many rarely seen and little-known species. TOUR 3: KOLOMBANGARA AND GIZO COMBINATION AND CUSTOMISED TOURS olombangara is one of our favourite islands. With relatively little highland clearance having e offer a number of “Combination Tour” packages such as Birds and Diving, Birds and occurred this is a great place for birding. While people of only a moderate fitness level can Surfing and Birds and Battlefields. We also offer more general tours suitable for families manage the trails around Hambere, Ringii and Imbu Ranu where some great birds including, and those who prefer a more relaxed experience. Our Isaisao or Tetepare packages offer KRoviana Rail, can be found, a much higher level of fitness is needed to access the cloud forest at Wthe chance for cultural activities, watching turtle hatchings, kayaking, snorkeling and beach and the lip of the caldera which is the only place to see Kolombangara Leaf Warbler. The islands of Gizo, forest walks. Photographic tours can also be arranged. Vella Lavella and Ranongga are all visited on this tour and each has an endemic White-eye, and We can develop customized itineraries for those with particular interests and requirements, and are chances of Heinroth’s Shearwater are quite good. happy to cater for those with just a passing interest in natural history through to the hardcore birder. Travel arrangements by Proudly supported by For Tour bookings TOUR 4: MAKIRA he island of Makira holds some of the world’s least known birds. Although the lowland trails around Kirakira are easily accessible to most people, a quite strenuous walk up to the Hauta SICKLEBILLSICKLEBILL Birding Conservation area and the inland mountains will allow the more serious birders a chance at SAFARIS Tsome little seen endemics including Shade Warbler, Makira Thrush, Makira Leaf Warbler and White- SAFARIS PO Box 387, Kuranda QLD, 4881. Australia Australia Toll Free Ph: 1300 36 88 55 headed Fruit Dove. Ugi Island also offers a chance to see Silver-capped Fruit Dove, White-collared T: 61(0)7 4093 7318 and Ugi Black Monarch. International Ph: 61(0)7 4080 4080 F: 61(0)7 4093 9855 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] web: www.solhols.com web: www.sicklebillsafaris.com the Solomons GHIZO SANTA ISABEL HONIARA AREA MALAITA Pied Goshawk Black-faced Pitta White-billed Crow Buff-headed Coucal Malaita Rail The Solomon Islands Santa Isabel Rail Solomons Sea Eagle Claret-breasted Fruit Dove Malaita Boobook Fearful Owl Pied Goshawk Ultramarine Kingfisher Red-vested Myzomela he Solomon Islands stretch in a south- species, many found only on a single island. There West Solomons Boobook Guadalcanal Rail Black-headed Myzomela Malaita Oriole Whistler Solomons Frogmouth Cardinal Lory Cockereel’s Fantail easterly arc between Bougainville (PNG) in are also many more that are Melanesian endemics, Malaita Starling Imitator Sparrowhawk Yellow-bibbed Lory Brown-winged Starling Malaita Fantail the north and down to Vanuatu to the south. only found on a handful of small Melanesian islands. Pied Goshawk Duchess Lorikeet Malaita White-eye TThis collection of 992 small islands covers an area Island Monarch Guadalcanal Boobook Malaita Monarch About Sicklebill Safaris of around 11,000 square kilometres. Forested White-capped Monarch With over 20 years’ experience Sicklebill Safaris is a SANTA ISABEL mountains, beautiful palm lined beaches and coral Heinroth’s Shearwater filled lagoons make the Solomons every bit the specialist tour company with significant expertise in Black Noddy MAKIRA South Pacific idyll! organising bird, wildlife and cultural tours for small Ghizo White-eye groups and individuals. We are actively involved with Vella Lavella White-eye NEW GEORGIA First discovered by the Spanish in 1568, the islands the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau in publicising Ranongga White-eye Vella Lavella Whistler were notorious for headhunting and cannibalism. the Solomons as an attractive place for birders, with The warlike local inhabitants made violent reprisals a number of visits undertaken throughout the islands on missionaries and other visitors, particularly to assess the birding sites, accommodation and after Europeans instigated “blackbirding” - the guides. We are now involved in a training programme M A L A I T A kidnapping of labourers for the sugar plantations for the local guides, and have developed a number of Queensland and Fiji. of ready-made itineraries, which range from a series Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeon KOLOMBANGARA Chestnut-bellied Imperial Pigeon For many people their knowledge of the islands of “Taste Of” Tours, which highlight particular areas, Yellow-legged Pigeon to comprehensive itineraries visiting all the major White-headed Fruit Dove is limited to their knowledge of World War 2. The H ONIARA Battle of Guadalcanal played a pivotal role in the birding sites, with possible extensions to the less Birding Hotspots GUADALCANAL Silver-capped Fruit Dove Makira Boobook war in the Pacific and there are a number of dive commonly visited ones. We also cater for those Chestnut-bellied Monarch sites based on sunken wrecks from this period, not specifically bird orientated, to suit the more Ugi Black Monarch with Iron Bottom Sound named for the shipwrecks adventurous family or people with special interests. White-collared Monarch We are happy to develop customised itineraries Makira Flycatcher there. of the Sooty Myzomela either for travel with one of our experienced guides, Makira Honeyeater The Solomons gained independence in 1978, with Roviana Rail or using local guides only. Shade Warbler an elected Prime Minister and Parliament and Pale Mountain Pigeon Makira Fantail New Georgia Dwarf Kingfisher the British Queen remaining as the Monarch as About Solomon Islands Holidays Makira Spangled Drongo Kolombangara Leaf Warbler M A K I R A Makira Thrush Pacific Robin part of the Commonwealth of Nations. Although Solomon Island Holidays is an Australian based Makira Starling Island Thrush there are ethnic tensions between different tribal Makira Oriole Whistler business that has been specialising in the region Kolombangara White-eye Solomon Islands Mottled Flowerpecker groups, things have now settled down, everything since 2005. We work in partnership with Sicklebill Solomons White-eye Makira Cicadabird is peaceful and the Solomons are a great place to Safaris for all their birdwatching tours. Our particular Oriole Whistler Kolombangara Monarch Makira Leaf Warbler visit. expertise is in independent and small group travel Solomons Cuckooshrike to the eco lodges, resorts and hotels throughout North Melanesian Cuckooshrike A South Sea Birding Paradise the Solomon Islands. We are also able to arrange RENNELL IS. The Solomon Islands have some of the rarest and surfing, World War 2 history tours, scuba diving, INSET least known birds on the planet with many Solomons kayaking, cruising, travel insurance, international birds seen by relatively few people. There is a high and domestic flights and airport transfers throughout degree of endemism with over a hundred unique the country. GUADALCANAL HIGHLANDS RENNELL SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS (TEMOTU) Solomons Sea Eagle Silver-capped Fruit Dove Melanesian Kingfisher Guadalcanal Moustached Kingfisher Australian White Ibis Guadalcanal Thicketbird Santa Cruz Shrikebill Rennell Whistler Vanikoro Monarch Guadalcanal Spangled Drongo Rennell Shrikebill Sicklebill Safaris offers small group bird, wildlife and Guadalcanal Thrush Vanikoro Flycatcher Rennell Fantail Guadalcanal Honeyeater Melanesian Whistler Rennell White-eye Brown Fantail Vanikoro White-eye cultural tours to numerous destinations either led by one Bare-faced White-eye “ Guadalcanal Hooded Whistler Rusty-winged Starling Island Thrush White-eyed Starling Polynesian Starling of our experienced guides or using local guides only. Grey-throated White-eye Cardinal Myzomela Santa Cruz White-eye Guadalcanal Dwarf Kingfisher Rennell Starling Sanford’s White-eye ” Background “Map of Solomon Islands by FreeVectorMaps.com”.