Hawaii - Maui birding - April 10, 11, 2019

We arrived in Maui after a short flight from the Big Island and after picking up the rental unit drove to our hotel - the Grand Wailea  Grand Wailea hotel - Maui . After checking in, we decided to drive to the nearby Wai'Anapanapa State Park - where I observed two more life birds - a White Tailed Tropic bird and a Black Noddy. As it was getting late, we returned to the hotel for dinner and plan the next day's activities.

White Tailed Tropic Bird

Black Noddy

After breakfast we drove the the Kelia Pond NWR in search of the endemic Hawaiian Coot. We arrived shortly after 7am and were no sooner there when we spotted our taget bird: the Hawaiian Coot - another life bird for the trip #24

Hawaiian Coot

While at Kealia Pond NWR I also added Pacific Golden Plover, Wandering Tattler and African Silverbill before leaving for Homers Grove and Haleakala Natl Park. Haleakala Natl Park 

African Silverbill

As it was raining and very foggy we really didn't get to see much at the top of the volcano, although they told us the view is spectacular -maybe next time -  but we where there!

On the way back from the top of the volcano, we stopped at Homers Grove and I picked up two more lifers: Maui Alauahio and a Red Crested Cardinal #29 for the trip. 

Red Crested Cardinal

We returned to the hotel (after some stops a few beaches & lookoutd) for dinner and while walking around the grounds I spotted a Gray Francolin - lifer #30 for the trip.

Gray Francolin

After two days in Maui my life list now stands at 535.

The next post will look at our last half day in Maui and our first afternoon in Kauai and my search for a Laysan Albatross.

Until next time - good birding.

Hawaii - Big Island Birding - part 2

after we finished lunch on our guided tour of the Hakalau Forest NWR forest, we continue to travel along the downward trail continuing to see some of the same species as in the morning. There was still four endemic that I need to see to complete my target list: the Iiwi, Hawaii Akepa, Akiapolaau, and the Omao.


We saw several more  Hawaiian Creeper and the Hawaiian Goose or Nene.

We kept looking for the needed species and finally heard a Omao calling. We searched for the calling Omao for about 25 minutes before it finally showed itself...a rather secretive bird. I now only had 3 more endemics to go.

After watching the Omao for several minutes our guide heard another trget bird calling the Iiwi - and again we started our search. The Iiwi didn't prove to be as elusive as the Omao and we found several rather quickly. This quickly became one of my favorite birds for the entire trip - as you will see.

We watched to Iiwi feeding in the tree tops for several minutes and then continue our quest for the last 2 endemic species. We first heard and then a  Akepa while we where still watching the Iiwi's - a nice site watching them both in same view. The Akepa is a striking orange color and a species you willnot soon forgot after seeing them.

  We now only have 1 more endemic species to go and it would prove to be the hardest to find. We continue walking down and then ack up the trail several times over thec ourse of abut 2 hours...hearing Akiapolaau calling on several occasions but not being able to see them. 

Finally the guide found a pair and we all quickly rushed over to get some great looks at what because the #1 bird species for the day and maybe the entire trip. The Akiapolaau are absolutely stunning to see and watch. The needle beak is until anything have I ever seen...simple stunning! 

the finding of the Akiapolaau capped off a great day of birding and with some regret we started the trek back to our vehicle and the return trip. I must say it was one of the most interesting days of birding I have had and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Big Island. 

We arrived back at the guides vehicle with a total species count of 28 - not a particularly high count - but we had found al the endemics and the was the main purpose of the trip.

My next post will be on the birds I observed in Maui


Until then - good Birding

Hawaii - Big Island Birding

I traveled to Hawaii on a family vacation from April 4 - 13 and visited the Big Island, Maui and Kauai. while the intend of the trip was a family vacation - I did find some time to do a little birding.
On Monday, April 8 I had a guide hired for a day of birding in the Hakalau Forest NWR forest - the intend was to look for and find all the endemic honeycreepers on the Big Island.
I met the guide at 8am and we proceeded to the forest - a rather interesting drive over some unimproved dirt roads that took us over an hour to travel about 15 miles. But as you will see, it was worth the drive and wait. Here is a link to the refuge: refuge/hakalau



As we arrived at the restricted gated tract forest - you could only be impressed by the site of the native trees and plants and the work that we being done by a group of dedicated people to preserve the area.



After a short intro about the area, we started our walk and had not gone 100 yards when we spotted our endemic species - a Hawaiian Creeper (actually several at very close views). we also saw several other species with one of my favorites being the red-billed-leiothrix

Red Billed Leiothrix

Hawaiian Creeper

After watching the Creepers , we continued our walk toward the Old Barn Area and encountered a several more endemic species including: Apapane, Hawaii Amakihi (Hawaii),  and Hawaii Elepaio (Hilo coast), and Hawaiian Hawk.

Apapane - #1 target bird for the trip

Hawaii Amakihi

Hawaii Elepaio - Hilo

As we where taking a short rest break - a Hawaiian Hawk flew over - and we had apanane in the tree tops...does it get any better than that.

Hawaiian Hawk flying overhead 

We moved further down the trail and as 1pm approached we decided to stop for lunch. We ended our morning with 18 species.

The next entry will be on the afternoon of birding we had, and the many more species we saw and one that was rather difficult to find and took us almost 2 hours till we finally got some good looks at it.

Until then - good Birding

Bluefox's Travel & Birding Notes : QAS Barnegat Lighthouse, New Jersey day trip On Sa...

Bluefox's Travel & Birding Notes : QAS Barnegat Lighthouse, New Jersey day trip On Sa...: QAS Barnegat Lighthouse, New Jersey day trip  On Saturday, Feb 9th I lead a group of ten people from the Quittapahilla Audubon Society t...

QAS Barnegat Lighthouse, New Jersey day trip 

On Saturday, Feb 9th I lead a group of ten people from the Quittapahilla Audubon Society ti Barnegat lighthouse in our annual search for Harlequin Ducks, Purple Sandpipers, Scoters and Eiders. It was a rather mild winter day (compared to the near zero cold days we where having recently) and the waterfowl cooperated.

As we started out the jetty, we spotted Surf scoters, Long Tailed Ducks, Great Cormorants and Dunlin....the day was starting out nicely.

We didn't have to go much further to start seeing our target species: Harlequin Ducks and Purple Sandpipers.

We explored the jetty for about 2 hours and ended the morning with 21 species including all our target species.

Harlequin Ducks on jetty 

Purple Sandpiper

Surf Scoter

Long Tailed Duck

Brant

WEEK REPORT:  High Count	Printable version | Download this report
Report Details Date range: Feb 9, 2019 - Feb 15, 2019 Total # of Species: 39 Total # of Checklists: 2 Location(s):   Barnegat Inlet; Edwin B. Forsythe NWR--Wildlife Drive Summary Feb 9 Feb 10 Feb 11 Feb 12 Feb 13 Feb 14 Feb 15 Number of Species 39 -- -- -- -- -- -- Number of Individuals 2,039 -- -- -- -- -- -- Number of Checklists 2 -- -- -- -- -- -- Highest Count for a Species   (sample size) Hide Sample Size Species Name Feb 9 Feb 10 Feb 11 Feb 12 Feb 13 Feb 14 Feb 15 Brant 250 (2) -- -- -- -- -- -- Canada Goose 200 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Mute Swan 2 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Northern Shoveler 35 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Gadwall 25 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- American Wigeon 55 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Mallard 38 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- American Black Duck 300 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Northern Pintail 80 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Green-winged Teal 28 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Common Eider 5 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Harlequin Duck 11 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Surf Scoter 3 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Black Scoter 150 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- scoter sp. 5 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Long-tailed Duck 55 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Bufflehead 18 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Hooded Merganser 22 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Common Merganser 18 (2) -- -- -- -- -- -- Red-breasted Merganser 8 (2) -- -- -- -- -- -- Ruddy Duck 21 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Pied-billed Grebe 1 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Sanderling 4 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Dunlin 150 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Purple Sandpiper 1 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Ring-billed Gull 200 (2) -- -- -- -- -- -- Herring Gull 75 (2) -- -- -- -- -- -- Great Black-backed Gull 11 (2) -- -- -- -- -- -- Red-throated Loon 3 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Common Loon 5 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Great Cormorant 2 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Double-crested Cormorant 2 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Great Blue Heron 9 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Turkey Vulture 1 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Bald Eagle 4 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Peregrine Falcon 1 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- American Crow 5 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- European Starling 11 (1) -- -- -- -- -- -- Savannah Sparrow 2 (1) -- -- -- -- -- --

Until next time - good birding.

Snow Buntings & Lapland Longspurs

After a failed attempt to locate the Snow buntings and Lapland Longspurs on Monday, I decided to try again today as they are still being reported. As I arrived in the area, I decided to drive a circle route around the roads closest to the area they where being seen in. It didn't take long to spot some Horned Larks foraging along the roadway and so I pulled over and started to scan the fields.

In a few minutes, I located several Lapland Longspurs and shortly thereafter a Snow Buntings mixed in with the Horned Larks.

Lapland Longspur with Horned Larks

Many birds in field and flying around

  I started scanning the hundreds of Horned Larks and quickly found more Snow Buntings. I counted at least 20 Snow Bunting - the largest number of them I have ever seen in one location...quite the site watching them fly back and forth across the road mixed in with Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs.

Snow Bunting

I spent the next 55 minute watching them fly about before I decided to leave....all in all a good morning of birding.

Until next time.

Evening Grosbeaks in Pennsylvania

On Friday, January 11, I embarked on a quest looking for the Evening Grosbeaks that have been reported near Animal Drive, Centre County, Pennsylvania, US. I left my home at 6:30am and after stopping for a quick breakfast arrive in the area at 8:45 am. There was one other birder in the area when I arrived. As I exited my car, I saw several dozen birds flying off, and talking to the other birder - they where indeed the grosbeaks. I didn't get really good looks at them (and as a lifer I wanted better looks) and according the other birder, they where coming and going quite frequently during the last hour he was there. We chatted for about 10 mins (as it was very cold 17 degrees - but luckily there was no wind) and he decided to leave for work. 

After about another 10 minutes, I spotted my first Evening Grosbeak - a nice male - sitting in the tree directly in front of me. The colors are striking on the male Evening Grosbeaks - as seen below. After another few minutes, a flock of about 15 birds was observed flying into the trees right above me...quite the site!!! I watched them for about 20 minutes, just flying back and forth to the feeder and other perches in the area. They eventually, flew off and I packed my gear and headed for home. I was there a total of about 1 hour and 10 minutes and recorded 10 species - including 19 Evening Grosbeaks - Life bird #505 .

Male Evening Grosbeak - life bird #505

Evening grosbeaks perched in tree

Evening grosbeak

Evening grosbeak perched in tree

Until next time - good birding.