After arriving in Kauai and picking up our rental car we traveled
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/kilauea_point/ Kilauea Point NWR in search of off shore waterfowl in particular the Laysan Albatross, Red Tailed tropicbird and Red Footed Booby.
We paid our entrance fee and found a parking spot at the near full lot and walked a short distance to the overlook and were stunned and amazed at the site before us.
There on the cliffs where over 600 Red Footed Booby's. I was speechless at the site. I have heard stories but never expected what I saw...it was a birders paradise.
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| Red Footed Booby |
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| Red Footed Booby |
After recovering my senses, and a many minutes of observation, we moved on in search of our other target birds. We didn't have to go far before we spotted a Laysan Albatross & Wedge Tailed Shearwaters.
The Laysan Albatross where taking off from the so called 'albatross hill' and watching them making the running start before taking flight was an amazing experience.
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| Laysan Albatross - lifer 542 |
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| Laysan Albatross |
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| Laysan Albatross in flight - and amazing wingspan |
The wedge tailed Shearwaters where nesting in the sands right along the walkways...quite and amazing site.
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| Wedge Tailed Shearwater - lifer 541 |
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| Shearwater's in flight |
As we moved toward the lighthouse, we spotted both Red & White Tailed tropicbirds - all our target birds in less than 1 hour...amazing.
We spend the next 2 hours there (until they closed and we had to leave) and planned on returning before leaving and the 14th.
In addition, I added a Warbling White Eye to my life life...which now stood at 545
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| Warbling White Eye lifer - 543 |
I have already added 41 species to my life list - how many more would I add before leaving in two days...the next post will hi-light the birds I saw on our last two days in Hawaii.
Until next time - good birding.
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