Hawaii Big Island trip report for April, May, 2004.
The wife and I went to the big island of Hawaii for a few days between the
27th of April & the 3rd of May, not long enough but it was all the time we
could spare!
Most days were fairly easy walking and the locations easy to find. Although
the island is only about 86 miles wide by some 95 miles long, we drove some
975 miles plus in a 4 wheeled jeep.
The biggest thrill we had was the finding of the Hawaiian crow sanctuary
outside of the Volcanic national park, we met a Ranger 2 days before in Kon=
a
who knew the people who ran the sanctuary and set up a meeting with us, not
to see the crows as this is strictly not allowed, but to hear them, I was
about 60 ft from this fairly sized aviary and was able to hear and record
many vocalizations of these wonderful birds, there are only some 24 birds
left on Hawaii and probably as many again on Maui, many of these birds are
getting old and are just running out of time basically, They released some
birds last year and were ironically gobbled up by the endangered Hawaiian
Hawk! Crows need to be in family groups and in numbers to survive, this jus=
t
will not happen in my book, apart from the total destruction of much habita=
t
and the hatred from ranchers, the crow is on a hiding to nothing!
it was one of the saddest times in my life to hear what maybe the last call=
s
ever from a species ready to leave this planet and with it a million years
of history.
I am totally indebted to the people who run the sanctuary and will not give
out their names as this was done in confidence.
Back to the birding
We tried to record the endemics and found many including many introduced
species. Iiwi, Apapane, and Amakihi most of these are relatively common.
Red-billed Leiothrix, Elepaio, Japanese White-eye, Omao, House Finches, and
Akiapolaau.
We found Yellow-fronted Canary, N. Mockingbird, many Skylarks, N. Cardinal
and Pacific Golden Plover.
In the Volcano National park we found a Palila. We saw many Yellow-billed
Cardinals, Saffron Finches, and Zebra Doves. Several Gray Francolin, Spotte=
d
Doves, and a solo Black Francolin.
Back in Hilo, we found A Black-crowned Night-Heron 3 Nutmeg Manikins and 2
Hawaiian Ducks..
We found a single Akiapolaau back at the Volcano Park and a Hawaiian Hawk
flew above the crater with 6 White-tailed Tropicbirds.
Plenty of Kalij Pheasants littered the forests.
On the Coast road at the foot of the Lava flow we saw many Black Noddies!
In the evening hours, the introduced frog (Coqui Frog, Eleutherdactylus
coqui.) was in full voice!
I will get some vocalizations on the Website for all to listen, at the
moment I am still trying to catch up on some sleep in-between work!!
Regards
Martyn
Martyn Stewart
Bird and Animal Sounds Digitally Recorded at:
http://www.naturesound.org
N47.65543 W121.98428
Redmond. Washington. USA
Make every Garden a wildlife Habitat!
When the animals come to us,
Asking for our help,
Will we know what they are saying?
When the plants speak to us
In their delicate, beautiful language,
Will we be able to answer them?
When the planet herself
Sings to us in our dreams,
Will we be able to wake ourselves, and act?
-Gary Lawless
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