Trip Report: Hawai'i, August 8-31, 1995

This was not a birding trip, although some birding was done whenever possible. From 10 to the 17th August I was attending a conference in Waikiki (Honolulu, Oahu). After that, some holidays were spent with my girlfriend and a cousin, both non-birders: 18-19th August around Oahu, 20th in Honolulu, 21-27th around the "big island" (Hawai'i), and 28-30th back in Honolulu.

The following is a list of the observed fauna. * represents a species seen for the first time:

Birds

• Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus. North Kohala (Hawai'i): offshore at Keokea Beach Park and Pololu Valley.
• White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus. North Kohala (Hawai'i): birds circling cliffs near Pololu Valley; Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: birds flying inside Kilauea Caldera.
• Great Frigatebird Fregata minor. Waikiki (Honolulu, Oahu) and Sandy Beach (South-east Oahu).
• Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis. Oahu. Seemed more abundant on the windward side.
• Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax. One adult in the Waipio Stream (Hamakua Coast, Hawai'i).
• *Hawaiian Goose Nesochen sandvicensis. Five birds, all colour-ringed, at Kipuka Nene Campground, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Hawai'i).
• One duck Anas sp., probably mallard, Amorient Aquafarm (Windward Oahu).
• *Hawaiian Hawk Buteo solitarius. Five observations in Hawai'i: 3 birds together east of Kailua-Kona, single birds at three places in Hamakua coast and one place in Kau.
• *Kalij Pheasant Lophura leucomelana. Seen at two sites in Hawai'i: Kalopa State Park (Hamakua Coast) and ohia-tree fern forest, windward slope of Kilauea Caldera (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park).
• Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus. Mana/Keanakolu Road, Waimea (Hawai'i).
• *California Quail Callipepla californica. Seen near the visitor's centre in Mauna Kea (Hawai'i).
• *Hawaiian Coot Fulica alai. Seen at the Amorient Aquafarm (Windward Oahu) and at Aimakapa Fishpond (North Kona, Hawai'i).
• Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica. Seen at several places in both islands (Oahu and Hawai'i). [Now considered Pacific Golden-Plover, P. fulva. UG]
• *Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus. Seen at the Amorient Aquafarm (Windward Oahu; +10, at least two colour ringed), and at the Aimakapa Fishpond (North Kona, Hawai'i).
• Wandering Tattler Heteroscelus incanus. Seen at Honokohau Beach (North Kona), Hyatt Regency Waikoloa Resort (North Kona) and at Kamehameha's Birthplace (North Kohala) (all in Hawai'i). A wader species seen at the Amorient Aquafarm (Windward Oahu) was probably a Wandering Tattler too.
• Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres. Seen in both islands: Honokohau Beach (North Kona, Hawai'i) and Kualoa Point (Windward Oahu).
• Sanderling Calidris alba. Seen in both islands: Honokohau Beach (North Kona, Hawai'i) and Amorient Aquafarm (Windward Oahu).
• Unidentified noddy species, Anous sp. At Keokea Beach Park and Polulu Valley (North Kohala, Hawai'i). Always seen flying well offshore. Probably Black Noddy A. minutus.
• Common Fairy-Tern Gygis alba. Seen around Kapiolani Park (Honolulu, Oahu).
• Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis. Everywhere in both islands.
• Zebra Dove Geopelia striata. idem.
• Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis. Seen at Mana/Keanakolu Road (Waimea, Hawai'i).
• Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer. Seen in many places on Oahu.
• *Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus. Seen in Honolulu and Manoa Falls (Oahu).
• *White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus. Seen in Koko Crater (Southeast Oahu) and Manoa Falls (Honolulu, Oahu).
• *Melodious Laughing-Thrush Garrulax canorus. Seen in Kalopa State Park (Hamakua Coast, Hawai'i).
• Common Myna Acridotheres tristis. Seen everywhere in both islands.
• *Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus. Seen in many places in both islands.
• Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis. Seen in many places in both islands.
• Red-crested Cardinal Paroaria coronata. Seen in many places in Oahu.
• *Yellow-billed Cardinal Paroaria capitata. Seen around Kailua- Kona, Hawai'i.
• *Saffron Finch Sicalis flaveola. Seen at Hywatt Regency Waikoloa resort (North Kona) and Kainaliu (South Kona), Hawai'i.
• House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus. Seen in both islands.
• *Yellow-fronted Canary Serinus mozambicus. Seen in Honolulu (Oahu) and Kealakekua Bay (South Kona, Hawai'i).
• *Common Amakihi Hemignathus virens. Seen at Kipuka 21, Saddle Road (Hawai'i).
• *Iiwi Vestiaria coccinea. Seen at Kipuka 21, Saddle Road (Hawai'i).
• House Sparrow Passer domesticus. Seen in both islands.
• Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild. Seen in Oahu.
• Nutmeg Mannikin Lonchura punctulata. Seen in both islands (in Hawai'i at Keokea Beach Park, North Kohala).
• Java Sparrow Padda oryzivora. Seen in both islands (in Hawai'i at Kailua-Kona).

Other Animals:

• Mongoose species, Herpestes auropunctatus. Seen in many places in both islands.
• Rat species. Seen in Honolulu (Oahu).
  
  
• Toad species. Seen in Makapala (North Kohala, Hawai'i).
• Gecko species. Seen in many places in both islands.
• Green turtle Chelonia mydas. Seen in Hanauma Bay (Southeast Oahu; 3 observations of single turtles), Banzai pipeline (North Shore, Oahu; 2 turtles together), Honokohau Beach (North Kona, Hawai'i; +15 turtles feeding) and Punaluu Beach Park (Kau, Hawai'i; +5 turtles feeding, one resting on the beach).
  
  
• Manta ray Manta alfredi. One big manta feeding on plancton attracted by the lights of the Kona Surf Resort (Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i).

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