Hawai’i Volcanoes and Silverswords A Greentours Tour Report 15th May to 2nd June 2015 Led by Paul Cardy and Vanessa Handley Trip Report and Systematic Lists written by Paul Cardy, with much input from Vanessa Handley Paul’s 200th Greentours Our first tour to Hawai’i was particularly memorable for me, part of a trilogy between Northern California and the Canadian Rockies, it was the 200th I had led for Greentours. Hawai’i Days 1 & 2 Friday 15th & Saturday 16th May Arrival Vanessa and I met Heather and Gordon, Graeme and Gael, at Hilo’s small airport. All New Zealanders, they arrived on the short flight from the bustling airport at Honolulu. We drove straight to the hotel in the verdant small settlement of Volcano, and after leaving luggage there went straight into the adjacent Volcanoes National Park for an afternoon walk. Centred on Mauna Loa, the world’s largest volcano, and the younger Kilauea the world’s most active, the park is a refuge for biodiversity on the island and is an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site. At the Steam Vents we walked the Sulphur Banks Trail, where progress was slow as we were seeing everything for the first time. Leptecophylla tameiameiae was a feature and the red ‘shaving brush’ flowers of the endemic Metrosideros polymorpha, ohia, were admired. The shrub Waltheria indica was here, and the endemic Smilax melastomifolia. The non-native terrestrial orchid Arundina graminifolia was in impressive flower. Among the many other naturalised species were Wahlenbergia gracilis, Polygala paniculata, Chamaecrista nictitans, Lonicera japonica, Crotalaria lanceolata, and Spermacoce assurgens. A boardwalk took us past steaming sulphur vents coloured yellow and orange from the sulphuric gasses. Long-tailed Blue was our first butterfly, a very widespread species. Our first endemic bird, Apapane, our first Hawaiian Honeycreeper, was much in evidence, with numbers of them flying into the ohia trees. Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 1 After time back at the hotel to settle in, our first dinner together was eaten in a very good Thai restaurant a short walk down the road, with a great choice available. The calls of Coqui Rainfrogs were a constant soundtrack here, a problematic alien from Puerto Rico that has proliferated here. Day 3 Sunday 17th May Volcanoes National Park We awoke to persistent rain and it had in fact rained all night. Undetered we set out again into the park, and managed to avoid the worst of the weather, seeing much of interest. Initially we sheltered in the two visitor centres, where fascinating displays on the geology and wildlife of the park were very informative. A good selection of publications on the islands’ flora and fauna was available. White-tailed Tropicbirds glided gracefully over the extensive Kilauea crater, and the attractive Saffron Finches around the car park originated from South America. The views of the smoking Kilauea were sublime. Despite the continuing rain we set out along one of the trails. Cibotium tree ferns were a feature, and among the many other ferns was fine Lace Fern. Luzula hawaiiensis was an endemic wood-rush, and Microlaena stipoides was a distinctive naturalised grass. Wikstroemia sandwicensis represented the Thymelaeaceae and Oenothera laciniata was naturalised. Fine views were had of the Hawaiian Honeycreepers Apapane and Hawaiian Amakihi, both much in evidence. Japanese White-eyes, probably the commonest passerine on the islands, was often encountered. Both endemic Vaccinium reticulatum and Vaccinium calycosum were here, and the endemic lily Astelia menziesiana. Dodonaea viscosa was in flower and distinctive fruit. Lycopodiella cernua carpeted the ground. The endemic Gesneriaceous Cyrtandra platyphylla was seen, and Hypericum parvulum flowered at the tracksides. Kyllinga brevifolia and Bulbostylis capillaris were attractive sedges, and Boehmeria grandis was an endemic nettle. Lunch was eaten in the shelter of the HQ visitor centre. In the afternoon we set out on the excellent Kilauea Iki Trail. Initially through forest this led us down onto an extensive lava field. Filmy ferns grew on lush mossy trunks, and naturalised Phaius tankervilliae was in impressive flower. The endemic begonia Hillebrandia sandwicensis was in flower. The endemic shrubby composite Dubautia scabra, and the rubiaceous Coprosma erneoides grew on the lava, where Polypodium pellucidum vulcanicum grew in crevices, and the attractive lichen Stereocaulon vulcanum was a feature. Other species included Pipturus albidus, a Rubus species, Morella faya, and particularly impressive Rumex maximum. Day 4 Monday 18th May Volcanoes National Park Birds in the hotel gardens included Kalij Pheasant. Among sedges near the lodge were Mariscus hypochlorus, Carex echinata, and Rhynchospora caduca. Fine weather saw us driving the short distance to a fine patch of forest, where we walked the Kipukapuaulu Trail. Here Koa and Ohia forest Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 2 supported a fine flora, with much naturalised, but also many endemics. Where we parked the rosaceous Osteomeles anthyllidifolia was in flower and fruit at the roadside. Whilst Vanessa led everyone on the clockwise circuit, I went in the other direction to see what birds the area supported. There was indeed much bird activity, although it was something of a cosmopolitan birding walk with most being non-native species. Kalij Pheasants were seen again, remarkably closely (much more so than we see them in Burma!), and also from Asia were Red-billed Leiothrix and Hwamei. Northern Cardinal represented North America. But there were endemic birds here too, and Omao was seen very clearly, and sang beautifully. This is a Hawaiian native thrush, belonging to the same genus as the new world solitaires, and an endangered species. Hawaiian Creeper worked tree trunks, the characterful Elepaio, an endemic named after it’s call, was seen for the first time, and of course Apapane and Hawaiian Amakihi were much in evidence. A highlight here was several Hawaiian Blues, a striking endemic butterfly, green on the underside. The foodplant is Koa, and we watched a female ovipositing. Long-tailed Blue and Red Admiral were also on the wing. Small Indian Mongoose scampered across the trail, an introduced mammal we would see all too many of during the tour. Plants continued with Pittosporum hosmeri, Coprosma rhyncocarpa, and Rubus hawaiiensis with its golf ball sized fruits. Ferns included Microlepia strigosa, there was the endemic tree Xylosma hawaiiense, and the endemic nettle Urera glabra. Peperomia cookiana formed terrestrial mats, whilst Peperomia tetraphylla was epiphytic. Among the many other ferns were Nephrolepis exaltata and Nephrolepis cordifolia. Psychotria hawaiiensis hillebradii had a very small endemic snail on its leaves. A highlight was the translocated Hibiscadelphus giffardianus in flower, an endemic extinct in the wild. Ochrosia haleakalae was from Maui, and among the many other plants were Linaria canadensis, a Gnaphalium, Oenothera stricta, Verbena litoralis, Neostegia sandwicensis and Cordyline fruticosa. Gordon spotted a Garden Skink and there was an interesting selection of spiders and various other invertebrates. Back near the vehicles, Erckel’s Francolin was especially interested in our picnic lunch! In the afternoon we drove to the highest point of the road up Mauna Loa via a beautiful narrow little-driven road. At the end of the road starts the testing Mauna Loa Trail, but we just pottered across to an Argyroxiphium kauense ‘enclosure’, but the silverswords here were only in leaf and not especially striking. We would however see superb examples of a different species on Maui. Omao was again here. Carex wahuensis and Deschampsia nubigena were identified. On the drive down a stop was prompted by the distinctive fern Pellaea ternifolia. Back down the mountain, we made a short visit to the golf course where several Hawaiian Geese, or Nene, were resident. Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 3 Last stop of the day was at the Thurston Lava tube. Tonight the hotel restaurant was open and we enjoyed a fine dinner there. Day 5 Tuesday 19th May Hilo, Saddle Road, Mauna Kea, or Hamakua Coast, to Hapuna Saying farewell to the comfortable lodge we drove down to the tropical heat of Hilo. There we visited the Farmer’s Market with its extensive selection of fruits, and a bookshop with a fine selection of natural history books. Vanessa and I were particularly pleased to each get a copy of the excellent Hawai’an Fern flora. We then split into two. Vanessa drove Gordon and Heather along the scenic Hamakua Coast, and they had a produtive visit to the a botanic garden, seeing much of interest during an enjoyable day. Meanwhile I drove Gael and Graeme along the saddle road across the island, between the volcanoes of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. Near Hilo was a pink flowered melastomaceous herb on roadsides. Our first kipuka had many ferns including Asplenium aethiopicum, Elaphoglossum paleaceum, a Dryopteris sp., Sadleria cyatheoides and Lepisorus thunbergianus. Wahlenbergia gracilis was in flower. Rain came again but we continued undeterred. A highlight in this patch of ohia was the stunning Iiwi, a bright red Hawaiian Honeycreeper with a curved bill. A large Aeschnid was on the wing, but the dull weather precluded a good look. Next we visited Kipuku Pu’u Huluhulu, a place Vanessa and I had visited before the start of the tour. There Koa was co-dominant, with flowering Sophora chrysophylla and Metrosideros. The latter attracted Apapane and Amakihi. The Myoporum sandwicense was here pink flowered, and we saw Santalum paniculatum and Dodonaea viscosa. Hawai’ian Blue was associated with the Koa, and Red Admiral was here. The endemic Solanum incompletum had rather oak like leaves. Sicyos lasiocephalus was an endemic cucurbit, there was the widespread Asplenium trichomanes, and Morella faya. Trifolium arvense var. arvense was robust, and other weeds included Senecio madagascariensis, Sherardia arvensis, Rumex acetosella, Dianthus armeria, and Silene gallica.