Trip Report: Oahu & Kauai, December 13-26, 2000

Introduction

In December 2000 I had the opportunity to attend a scientific conference in Honolulu. The rest of my family joined me afterwards, and we spent another week in Kauai. There we stayed the entire week in Lihue, first in a condo then at the adjacent, friendly Garden Island Inn. The condo was also owned by the people at the hotel, but it was available only for the first four nights. A small beach park was just across the street from the hotel.

Lihue is on the east shore of the island and about the same distance from the end of the main coastal highway in both directions. The northwestern Na Pali coast is incredibly steep and not reachable by road. The interior of the island consists of wooded, largely inaccessible highlands with one of the wettest places on earth (Mt. Wai'ale, over 440 inches of rain per year).

From Lihue we undertook several day trips, e.g. to the Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Forest, and to the north shore. We also did some snorkeling at Lydgate Park (Wailua) and at Poipu Beach on the south shore. In the evening of Christmas Day we attended the luau at Smith's in Wailua: nice tropical garden setting, a buffet dinner with life entertainment, followed by a professional dance show complete with erupting fake volcano.

This was the first time that we spent Christmas away from home and not with relatives. It was a somewhat different experience, but it sure beat battling the snow problems at home!

For a complete bird list and notes on birding locations, see below.

Picture Gallery

Hawaiian Geese or Nene, Branta sandviciensis, in front of nesting burrows used by Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, Puffinus pacificus, at other times of the year. Kilauea Lighthouse, Kauai.	Laysan Albatross, Phoebastria immutabilis, Kilauea Lighthouse, Kauai.
Great Frigatebird, Fregata minor. Kilauea Lighthouse, Kauai.	Immature Black-crowned Night-Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, in a palm tree. Kapiolani Park, Honolulu.
Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis. Kualoa Co. Regional Park, Oahu. This species was introduced in the 1950s to control agricultural pests. It is now extremely common in the lowlands of Kauai and locally common on Oahu and elsewhere.	Red Junglefowl, Gallus gallus, the ancestral form of the domestic chicken. Waimea Canyon, Kauai. These birds were brought by the early Polynesian settlers and are now found all over the island of Kauai (the only main Hawaiian island without introduced mongoose). Only highland birds with gray legs and wild-type plumage are "countable".
The Pacific Golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva, is an abundant winter visitor found on every piece of grass on the islands, where each bird defends a feeding territory. This bird was photographed in a parking lot on Sand Island, Honolulu.	Zebra Dove, Geopelia striata. This is one of the most abundant introduced species, found almost everywhere except in the highest mountain forests. Their monotonous, Morse code-like cooing is now a characteristic sound of Hawaii.
Red-vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus cafer, in an Ironwood tree in Honolulu's Kapiolani Park. This introduced species is currently undergoing a population explosion on Oahu.	The Red-crested Cardinal, Paroaria coronata, is another very attractive introduced species. It is quite common on Oahu and Kauai. Kapiolani Park, Honolulu.
Yellow-fronted Canary, Serinus mozambicus, another introduced species. It is found mainly around Honolulu (photo: Kapiolani Park) and on the Big Island.	Java Sparrow, Padda oryzivora, a common bird of lawns and gardens. Photographed at our hotel's feeder in Lihue.
	Gulf Frittilary, Agraulis vanillae (or close relative), a member of the Heliconia group. Undoubtedly an introduced species, as there are only two native Hawaiian butterflies. Photographed along Oahu's north shore.

*: Life birds

English Name	Scientific Name	Oahu Dec.13-19	Kauai Dec.19-26	Notes
Laysan Albatross*	Phoebastria immutabilis		X	Nesting colony at Kilauea Lighthouse. While I didn't see any albatross on Oahu, friends told me that they encountered some at Ka'ena Point, the westernmost part of the island.
White-tailed Tropicbird	Phaethon lepturus		X	Surprisingly common in mountain valleys, e.g. Waimea Canyon. Also at Kilauea Lighthouse and at Wailua Falls.
Brown Booby*	Sula leucogaster	X	X	First encountered off Sand Island Park, Honolulu. Later seen, usually singly or in small numbers, at various locations over the ocean.
Red-footed Booby	Sula sula	X	X	Largest numbers at nesting colony next to Kilauea Lighthouse, but also seen in small numbers elsewhere over the ocean.
Great Frigatebird	Fregata minor		X	Mainly at Kilauea Lighthouse, a few also at other locations along the eastern shore of Kauai.
Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis	X	X	On Kauai practically everywhere, even (or especially) in sugarcane. On Oahu mainly in the Pearl Harbor area and locally along the north shore.
Black-crowned Night-Heron	Nycticorax nycticorax	X	X	Present in small numbers practically everywhere where there is exposed fresh water, even in Waikiki (e.g. Ala Wai, Kapiolani Park, Ala Moana Park).
Hawaiian Goose (Nene)	Branta sandvicensis		X	Nene are being reintroduced on Kauai, apparently with some success. The birds at the Kilauea Lighthouse are extremely tame but probably not countable (release site). Several Nene were seen in the Lihue area, mainly on harvested sugarcane fields and golf courses.
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	X	X	While not particularly common, this species usually outnumbers Hawaiian Duck in wetlands, especially on Oahu. Some individuals show signs of domestication and hybridization.
Hawaiian Duck (Koloa)*	Anas wyvilliana	X	X	Not always easy to distinguish from Mallards (esp. hens, and with the possibility of hybrids). I finally connected with this species at the Amorient Aquafarms on Oahu's north shore. Others were seen on Kauai, e.g. in the Huleia Stream Valley.
Erckel's Francolin*	Francolinus erckelii		X	Both visits to Waimea Canyon yielded single birds of this species. The first time one ran across the road, the second time I found a bird at the Pu'u Ka Pele Lookout.
Red Junglefowl*	Gallus gallus		X	See photo legend, above.
Common Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus	X	X	Several birds of this endemic race were seen at each of these locations: Amorient Aquafarm (Oahu), Hanalei N.W.R., Lihue-Nawiliwili Stream, Wailua-Smith's Luau Resort (all Kauai)
Hawaiian Coot	Fulica alai	X	X	In practically all freshwater locations on Kauai and on Oahu's north shore.
Pacific Golden-Plover	Pluvialis fulva	X	X	Can't miss this one during the winter months.
Black-necked Stilt	Himantopus mexicanus	X	X	Endemic race. On Oahu at Amorient Aquafarm and Kualoa Regional Park. On Kauai at Hanalei N.W.R.
Wandering Tattler	Heteroscelus incanus	X	X	Fewer birds than during previous visits: singles at the end of the road west of Waialua (Oahu), Kualoa Regional Park (Oahu), and Poipu Beach (Kauai).
Bristle-thighed Curlew	Numenius tahitiensis	X		A lucky find! One single, distant bird watched through the scope as it came in for a landing at Amorient Aquafarm.
Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres	X	X	Flocks at Sand Island Park (Oahu) and Nawiliwili Beach Park (Lihue, Kauai)
Pomarine Jaeger*	Stercorarius pomarinus	X		One adult and one immature cruising off-shore at Sand Island Park (Honolulu).
Brown Noddy*	Anous stolidus	X		Feeding flock of ca. 25 noddies far off Laie Point (Oahu north shore). Field marks suggest this species, but Black Noddy cannot be ruled out with certainty.
Common White-Tern	Gygis alba	X		Up to 6 seen flying over the trees and over the ocean at Kapiolani Park, Honolulu, where it is heavily outnumbered by white pigeons.
Rock Dove	Columba livia	X	X	Abundant in Honolulu. On Kauai, mainly seen at Lihue-Nawiliwili.
Spotted Dove	Streptopelia chinensis	X	X	Abundant, although not quite as numerous as the next species.
Zebra Dove	Geopelia striata	X	X	Abundant just about everywhere, except highland forest.
Elepaio	Chasiempis sandwichensis		X	Three birds seen in Kokee Forest (Kauai).
Red-vented Bulbul	Pycnonotus cafer	X		Very common on Oahu.
Red-whiskered Bulbul	Pycnonotus jocosus	X		At least 12 birds seen along Tantalus-Roundtop Drive in the hills above Honolulu.
White-rumped Shama	Copsychus malabaricus	X	X	On Oahu, only seen along Tantalus-Roundtop Drive. On Kauai, various locations, including our hotel's backyard.
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush*	Garrulax pectoralis		X	One bird seen in Huleia Stream Valley (Kauai).
Melodious Laughingthrush (Hwamei)	Garrulax canorus		X	Several birds in Huleia Stream Valley and near lighthouse at the entrance to Lihue Bay (behind the Kauai Marriott Resort).
Red-billed Leiothrix	Leiothrix lutea	X		One bird observed singing at Puu Ualakaa St.P. (Tantalus Drive, Honolulu). This species is said to be rather uncommon on Oahu.
Common Myna	Acridotheres tristis	X	X	Abundant, can't miss.
Northern Mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos		X	Three birds along highway on Kauai's southwest shore; also two near Kauai Marriott Resort in Lihue and one bird along Waimea Canyon Road.
Japanese White-eye	Zosterops japonicus	X	X	Omnipresent in trees and shrubs, all islands.
Red-crested Cardinal	Paroaria coronata	X	X	Common on both islands.
Northern Cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis	X	X	Common on both islands, although not quite as conspicuous as the previous species.
Western Meadowlark	Sturnella neglecta		X	Heard various times along road in fields (even sugarcane). Finally seen well near the Kauai Marriott Resort in Lihue.
House Finch	Carpodacus mexicanus	X	X	Common in parks and gardens, even seen in Kokee Forest.
Yellow-fronted Canary	Serinus mozambicus	X		Common in Honolulu's Kapiolani Park, but local elsewhere in Oahu. Not seen in Kauai.
Oahu Amakihi*	Hemignathus flavus	X		One or two birds feeding with White-eyes at Puu Ualakaa St.P. (Tantalus Drive, Honolulu).
Kauai Amakihi*	Hemignathus kauaiensis		X	One bark-gleaning bird observed well along Puu Ka Ohelo (Berry Flat) Trail (Kokee Forest, Kauai).
Anianiau*	Hemignathus parvus		X	One bird observed well along Puu Ka Ohelo (Berry Flat) Trail (Kokee Forest, Kauai).
Akekee*	Loxops caerulirostris		X	Poor but diagonistic view of one bird along Pihea Ridge Trail (Kokee Forest, Kauai).
Iiwi	Vestiaria coccinea		X	Poor views of several birds along Pihea Ridge Trail and Mohihi Road, where diagnostic "rusty-hinge" call was also heard (Kokee Forest, Kauai).
Apapane	Himatione sanguinea		X	Common and conspicuous in Kokee Forest, esp. along Pihea Ridge.
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	X	X	Common around settlements.
Common Waxbill	Estrilda astrild	X	X	4 birds seen at Kualoa Regional Park (Oahu north shore).
Nutmeg Mannikin	Lonchura punctulata	X	X	Two birds at Kapiolani Park, Honolulu. On Kauai, seen sporadically, e.g. along road to Kilauea Lighthouse, Sugar Cane fields near Lihue, and along trail to Waita Reservoir near Koloa (The reservoir is now completely fenced off and very clearly off-limits!).
Chestnut Mannikin*	Lonchura malacca	X	X	Two birds in the Pearl Harbor area near Ewa (Oahu). Various numbers almost daily at Kalapai Beach Park (Lihue). Often seen in flight in sugar cane fields near Lihue and elsewhere.
Java Sparrow	Padda oryzivora	X	X	Fairly common, at times numerous, in parks and on lawns. Both islands.
		35	41	Total: 51 species

Birding Locations - Oahu and Kauai

Most of the birding locations are described in H. D. Pratt, Enjoying Birds in Hawaii (1993), Mutual Publishing, Honolulu. Numbers below refer to sites listed in this book. On Oahu, I had a car for 24 hours, which I used for a trip to Sand Island Park - Pearl Harbor - Wailua - along the north shore to Kane'ohe and back to Waikiki. The next morning I drove up Tantalus Drive before I had to return the car. On Kauai, I had a rental car the entire week but was usually accompanied by non-birding family members.

Oahu

• Kapiolani Park, Honolulu (Oahu-3). Good for many introduced land birds, White Tern, and for scanning over the ocean for seabirds. Near the aquarium is a coral reef that is pretty good for snorkling. I visited there almost every day, as it was within walking distance of my hotel.
• Sand Island Park, Honolulu (Oahu-17). Primary targets were seabirds, and it delivered two life birds: Pomarine Jaeger (just as Pratt says) and Brown Booby.
• Pearl Harbor Area. As indicated in Pratt the wetlands (Oahu-15) are essentially off-limits, but I was able to do some birding in the scrublands near Ewa. Take Weaver Rd. south from H1 for ca. 3 miles, then turn left at a light and park within the next 100-200 yards (the intersection has a gas station and 7-11 at the NW corner, and the road to the right leads into Ewa). There is a paved bike trail and a natural gas right-of-way between the subdivision and the scrub which isn't particularly fenced off. Some houses there have feeders. Good for estrildid finches.
• Waialua area (Oahu-14). The Lotus Ponds in Wailua were dry and unproductive. The road to the west past Dillingham airfield was little traveled on a weekday, and it ends at a picturesque place about 3 miles from Ka'ena Point (where friends observed several Laysan Albatross a few days earlier). A distant Red-footed Booby and a Wandering Tattler were seen there. Loko Ea Pond in Haleiwa held Hawaiian Coot just as Pratt predicted.
• Marconi Road (Oahu-12). I think I found the correct road (not marked)... I parked at the entrance so as not to get trapped if someone closed the gate and walked in a bit. I was able to glimpse open water here and there but never saw a large pond. There were birds around, but nothing memorable was sighted except for large numbers of butterflies and dragonflies. Some of the bird sounds heard might have been Japanese Bush-Warblers which are supposed to be numerous there, but I wasn't able to confirm this.
• Amorient Aquafarm and entrance road to Kii Unit, James Campbell N.W.R. (Oahu-11). What a great road sign for a refuge that's essentially closed to the casual visitor! Check the ditch along the entrance road for Moorhen etc. The Aquafarm is easily viewed from the extra wide shoulder along the highway. Koloa, Moorhen, Coot, and Stilt were all easily seen. Through the scope I observed a distant Bristle-thighed Curlew land in the refuge behind the Aquafarm.
• Laie Pont (Oahu-10). Scenic rock formations and great waves make this place special. I scanned the ocean for a while and spotted a flock of (Brown?) Noddies and a Red-footed Booby pretty far out.
• Kualoa County Regional Park (Oahu-9). This park contained large numbers of Cattle Egret and Golden-Plovers, and the pond behind the stone wall held Stilt, as usual, and a Wandering Tattler. The only Common Waxbills of the trip were near the restroom facility.
• Tantalus-Roundtop Drive (Oahu-1). One early morning visit in light rain. I wasn't able to complete the loop because of construction (apparently only short-term) near the top and was lucky that I went up on the Tantalus side, where I birded Puu Ualakaa State Park. Red-billed Leiothrix and Oahu Amakihi were the best birds found there.

Kauai

• Wailua River Valley (Kauai-1). We drove up there one late afternoon under dark skies. Wailua Reservoir only held Coot, Mallard, and Night-heron, while Hwamei sang unseen. I went as far as the "4-wheel drives only beyond this point" sign (although some books say that the dirt road remains passable for passenger cars for some stretch beyond), right after the stream ford, and poked around the arboretum for a while, without finding anything interesting.
• Kilauea Point Lighthouse and N.W.R. (Kauai-2). Three visits, the best was in windy weather under overcast sky. Laysan Albatross, Red-footed Booby (large breeding colony) and Nene (countable?) are given in the winter, but Wedge-tailed Shearwater whose burrows are right adjacent to the trail are absent, as are other tubenoses and Red-tailed Tropicbird. These should easy in other seasons. Great Frigatebird, Brown Booby, and White-tailed Tropicbird were seen on most visits. This place is also supposed to be good for whales (none seen) and sea turtles (one seen).
• Hanalei N.W.R. (Kauai-3). Due to time constraints, this area was only scoped from the scenic lookout along the highway. Koloa, Coot, Moorhen, and Stilt were very evident.
• Huleia Stream Valley (Kauai-5). I visited this area one morning early just before a downpour. Haiku Road has a very "jungly" look and delivered with several Hwamei, White-rumped Shama, and one Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush. A walk along the trail from the end of the road to the taro fields by the stream yielded several Koloa. I never saw any waterbirds at Menehune Fishponds (three stops).
• Waita Reservoir (Kauai-6) is now completely fenced off with "No trespassing" signs, thus this location is probably lost to the birding public. Along the trail leading to the gate were several Nutmeg Mannikin.
• Makahuena Point (Kauai-7) was more scenic than birdy. The cinderblock buildings mentioned in Pratt are gone, and there is an empty waste lot. One cannot drive onto the property, but there are no signs to keep out on foot. Easiest parking is on the hotel lot just east of the empty property.
• Hanapepe (Kauai-8) was largely unproductive: no parakeets at the scenic overlook, and the salt pans looked totally dry and didn't seem to be worked anymore.
• Waimea Canyon (Kauai-9). Apart from its scenic splendor, this was the place to see many White-tailed Tropicbirds soaring around the cliffs. Chicken/Junglefowl at every parking lot, and Erckel's Francolin were seen on both visits.
• Kokee Forest (Kauai-10). On our first visit, we arrived too late and were stuck in clouds and rain. The second visit was much better, with nice weather and a great view into Kalalau Valley. I birded the first 0.75 miles of Pihea Trail and most of Berry Flat Trail, as well as stopping several places along Mohihi Road. Apapane were numerous, and of the other endemics, Elepaio, Iiwi, Akekee, Kauai Amakihi, and Anianiau were found.
• Nawiliwili Bay, Lihue. The common park birds (including a flock of Chestnut Mannikin and occasional Night-herons) were found at Nawiliwili Park, adjacent to our hotel. Great Frigatebird and Brown Booby were seen over the bay on a couple of occasions. On the last morning of the trip, I drove through the Kauai Marriott property (formerly Westin Kauai Resort, but now under new ownership). On the golf course and ponds along the road were Nene, Coot, and Moorhen (a pair of the latter is also resident on Nawiliwili Creek right by the Hwy.51 bridge) and some exotic waterfowl (e.g. Mute Swan, Ruddy Shelduck). From the end of the road (restaurant, pro shop) it is possibly to walk the edge of the golf course to a trail that leads out the lighthouse (scenic). I think there is official public access along the dirt road between the airport and the Marriott property which avoids walking along the golf course. The scrubland there held a number of Hwamei, Shama, Mockingbird, and lots of cardinals (both species), and in the short grass near the end of the airport runways were singing Western Meadowlarks. Landing airplanes are very low overhead!

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