LORD HOWE AND NORFOLK ISLANDS
TRIP REPORT
8 - 22 February 1998
Introduction
In February 1998, John Barkla and I organised a trip to Lord Howe Island
and Norfolk Island with a few friends and acquaintances. As part of the
preparation, we sought help from Birding-Ausers and received some very
useful advice and comment. This report is feedback to those people and
information for people who intend to go one day. (We highly recommend
the trip(s). They are great destinations with fantastic and mostly
accessible birds.)
In preparation, there seemed like a very limited amount of information on
the birds of these islands and the birding sites, particularly for
Norfolk Island. In retrospect, there is some good information, but it is
not readily available from Australia. As well, we were warned by many of
the people who gave us advice that Ball
?s Pyramid, one of the major
birding attractions of Lord Howe, was extremely difficult to get to as
the weather and sea conditions were usually unfavourable for the
necessary boat-trip. More below.
(This report is derived from an article I wrote for Australian Birding
and is reproduced here with the permission of the editor, Margaret
Cameron. There are some good pictures in that magazine as well as other
great material from around Australia and the world.)
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe is a delight. It still has much of its habitat intact and the
development is mostly contained and sympathetic. It is easy to get
around with a combination of walking and being driven by the courtesy
buses that all the lodges have. We did not indulge in the traditional
form of transport - bicycles. There are only 200 permanent residents on
the island, with only 400 tourists allowed at any one time.
The scenery is fantastic with the mountains, the sea and the coral reef.
I was continually assured that the snorkelling was great, but I didn?t
seem to get the time from birding to indulge. Mount Gower and Mount
Lidgbird are majestic and worth exploring as the Lord Howe Woodhens are
there and Providence Petrels and Red-tailed Tropicbirds breed there.
Unfortunately, Providence Petrels breed in the winter and they had not
arrived when we were there. Apparently, they come in late February.
The Woodhens, of course, have had a chequered history. Before
settlement, they probably occurred over most of the island. However,
they are apparently good to eat and, with the introduction of predators
and rats, their numbers declined significantly. In the seventies, it was
estimated that there were fewer than three breeding pairs and the
population was confined to the slopes of Mount Gower and Mount Lidgbird.
A captive breeding program and control of predators has meant that the
population has recovered and they again occur in the lowlands.
Our group did the fairly demanding walk up to the Goat House. It was a
steep haul half-way up the south side of Mount Lidgbird. It was worth it
scenically with fantastic views of the island and Ball?s Pyramid in the
distance and we saw breeding Red-tailed Tropicbirds on the ledges as we
scrambled past. However, it should not be attempted by unfit or more
elderly people. Our seventy-year-olds had to use great care and were
very tired at the end.
The seabirds are also great. White Terns are common in the Norfolk
Island pines; Black-winged Petrels breed along the cliffs; Masked Boobies
are easily scoped on the adjacent islands; Flesh-footed Shearwaters are
present in big numbers around the island; and Grey Ternlets are common
along the more remote cliffs. (These are best reached by boat in a
round-the-island trip or on a visit to the Admiralty Islets to the
north).
We found quite a reasonable number of waders on some of the beaches
(particularly North Bay), along the rocky shores and at the airport and
adjacent golf course. The best were Wandering Tattler and Latham?s
Snipe. Common Noddies were common and Black Noddies were present in
reasonable numbers, especially in North Bay, where there was a breeding
colony in the Norfolk Island pines. The vagrants we hoped to find (such
as Hudsonian Godwit and the New Zealand vagrants on migration) did not
appear.
The land birding is more limited, but still quite interesting. We saw
the New Zealand race of the Shining Bronze-Cuckoo on the Mount Gower
track and races of the Emerald Dove and Golden Whistler. The Pied
Currawong race here has quite a different call. The local Silvereye is
currently included with lateralis, which was introduced in 1918.
However, it may be a separate species, tephropleura, described by Gould.
One of the most exciting potential destinations is Ball?s Pyramid, 30km
southeast of the island. A 550m-high volcanic pinnacle, it has breeding
populations of interesting seabirds. However, getting there is very
difficult. This is because the local boat owners don?t like to operate
in rough weather, ?rough? apparently being defined as anything with waves
likely to upset the most delicate of constitutions. We had a very hard
time convincing two operators that birders were different and that we
were prepared to risk seasickness to get to the Pyramid. They were also
very unprofessional, strongly advising John and me not to go because of
the weather and then quietly telling the others that ?the leaders did not
want to get their binoculars wet?. Funny, if they hadn?t meant it.
Eventually (and nearly too late), we found a more sympathetic owner (from
the Beachcomber Lodge) and his boat driver (Jack Schick, who leads the
walks up Mount Gower), and so got to Ball?s Pyramid. But, be warned that
some operators string you along. Many (most?) people don?t make it
because they aren?t in a position to argue that the weather and sea
conditions really are all right (or at least safe) and that they are
prepared to risk seasickness.
However, getting to Ball?s Pyramid is more than worth the effort. It is
an amazing spectacle and we saw the two species that we did not expect to
see elsewhere (Kermadec Petrel and White-bellied Storm-Petrel) along with
thousands of other seabirds. It was also rough, as a big storm blew up
on the way back, and some of us got seasick, but it was one of the two
major trip highlights. The storm was also memorable, dumping more than
14 inches of rain on Lord Howe in less than twenty-four hours,
temporarily closing the airport. While we were returning in the boat, we
lost Lord Howe Island in the mist and rain for long periods. I don?t
think I would like to be out there without a GPS as a back-up, no matter
what the quality of the boat driver.
After a week, we moved on to Norfolk Island, having logged 46 species.
The inter-island plane normally seats eight, so in order to take nine of
us, I had to occupy the co-pilot?s seat (I thought I did the co-piloting
very well) and our luggage went via Sydney. It turned up twelve hours
later. There was a strict weight limit (and we were physically weighed
twice and allowed 5 kg of hand luggage). We were flying into strong
headwinds and there is no land between the two islands. The company is
quite concerned that the plane doesn?t run out of fuel when it is nearly
to Norfolk.
Norfolk Island
After nearly three hours flying, we arrived on Norfolk Island. The
contrast was amazing. While the Norfolk Island pines are quite
beautiful, most of the original rainforest has been cleared, except for
one area of 460 hectares. The remainder is farmland and modest
development. It was quite a shock to see urban sprawl, untidy front and
backyards and intrusive power-poles after the natural conditions of Lord
Howe. There are 2,000 people on the island, plus tourists, so it seems
overcrowded in comparison to Lord Howe. Our motel was servicable, but it
wasn?t located in the forest with the birds and scenery of our previous
abode. Most of the island?s motels offer free cars as part of the
accommodation package. Our cars were about the size of matchboxes with
not much go. We felt very sorry for the three ladies, one of whom had to
sit in a minute back seat.
Norfolk has a (relatively) long and interesting history and is one of the
duty-free shopping capitals of the world. We did not seem to find the
time to properly appreciate the former and only indulged modestly in the
latter. The birds were our attraction.
On Norfolk, we quickly contacted one of the birding stalwarts, Owen
Evans, who was incredibly helpful. On the first night (and on several
subsequent nights), he had us out looking for Norfolk Island Boobooks.
This turned out to be quite frustrating. We looked for them on five
nights in four locations. We heard several of them, but couldn?t get
near them in the thick vegetation, so in the end had to be content with
listening to them instead of seeing them.
This owl was nearly extinct. In the late eighties, there was supposedly
only one female left. (Owen thinks there were two.) On scientific
advice, two closely related New Zealand Moreporks were imported to breed
with the female(s). With more active rat control and the provision of
artificial nest-boxes, the recovery program has been very successful,
with over twenty owls now being recorded. The problem we did not get to
address if we had seen them is what do you record them as, given the
mixed gene pool.
While the Norfolk endemics have taken a significant battering since the
island?s settlement with quite a few extinctions, there are still some
endemics to find. We quickly located the Norfolk Island Gerygone, the
Slender-billed White
-eye and, surprisingly, the Red-crowned Parakeet. We
were led to believe the latter would be hard to see, but we had many good
views along the paths of the National Park. We were told that there is
now more than a hundred of them on the island. The local Flora and Fauna
Society on the island gave us some good information on current bird sites
and it also runs an excellent natural history museum.
We tried very hard to find the ?extinct? White-chested White-eye. The
locals still see it occasionally (the last time being six weeks before
our arrival), but the person in charge of the recovery plan for
Environment Australia does not believe it still exists. Much of our
birding time was spent on the few paths in the rainforest where there are
?recent? records, but it did not appear for us.
However, some of the endemic subspecies are most interesting, with the
Scarlet Robin particularly appearing and behaving quite differently from
ours. Other races of interest were the Golden Whistler (the males we saw
have no black or white patterning, only a yellow wash), Grey Fantail and
Emerald Dove.
The other major highlight of the trip was Phillip Island. Now under the
control of Environment Australia (from whom we had to obtain a permit),
it is slowly recovering from the ravages of goats, pigs and rabbits. It
was practically denuded in the late eighties when the last rabbits were
removed and had incredible erosion problems. Now, significant areas of
vegetation are coming back, some with human help, and the large seabird
rookery is thriving.
While not quite as bad as Ball?s Pyramid, getting there is still a major
effort. The landing is made on a rock shelf, a tricky exercise even if
there is not much swell. The local boat operator, Mike Simpson, is very
capable and experienced and got us on and off the island efficiently,
quickly and safely.
We spent on amazing twenty-four hours on the island, with Owen and his
wife, Beryl. There were myriads of nesting seabirds, including Grey
Ternlets, Masked Boobies and Black-winged Petrels. A long night?s
birding gave us nesting White-necked Petrels (discovered by Owen in early
1990?s), resting (and perhaps nesting) Kermadec Petrels (a small
population we did not expect) and lots of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters
(called Ghostbirds locally because of their eerie calls). Unfortunately,
we were too early here, as on Lord Howe, for Little Shearwater, which is
a winter nester and had not returned. On the island at the start of our
trip, it rained heavily (turning the clay slopes muddy and sticky) and
making the ascent up some quite steep slopes very laborious. For those
of us carrying extra luggage, it was very demanding and tiring.
Phillip Island then produced a long magic, starry night for our wander
among the various rookeries. It showed that nature?s powers of recovery
are substantial if the causes are reduced and some modest help is given.
It also proved what amateur birders can achieve as we came to fully
appreciated how much Owen, Beryl and their small band of helpers have
learnt from their observations and work over many years.
Conclusion
On 22 February, after seeing 45 species on Norfolk Island and 61 overall,
our party returned to Australia with a wonderful experience behind it,
made all the more amazing by the fact that four of us were in, or very
close to, the seventy age bracket. I think that several of us still
can?t quite believe what we actually got up to, with mountain hiking,
boat trips and cliff-climbing among some of the more interesting
exploits.
The timing of our trip aimed at seeing all the summer breeders to the
islands and at giving us a chance to see the returning winter breeders.
The two particular winter birds of interest, Providence Petrel and Little
Shearwater, were not seen, but whether they were not there or we just
missed seeing them I cannot say. In reality, February appears to be an
excellent month given the number of breeding seabirds we saw. I don?t
think it is probable that all the island breeders can be seen in one
visit. We will have to return for the winter possibilities. (We
subseuently learned on our return that the Little Shearwaters turned up
on Phillip Island the week after we left. Very frustrating.)
There are a number of useful and interesting books on the islands. The
Norfolk Island Flora and Fauna Society has a range of natural history
publications for sale. However, the most relevant, the ?Birds of Norfolk
Island? by Neil Hermes of Wonderland Publications, Norfolk Island, is out
of print. ?Birds of Lord Howe Island, Past and Present? by Hutton
(self-published) is very informative. More general tourist-type
information can be tracked down through a travel agent. For more
specific bird information, HANZAB covers these islands and has detailed
species accounts for many of the birds of interest.
The length of our trip, one week on each island, was the subject of some
comment from our correspondents, some of whom thought we needed much
longer. We found the timing quite reasonable. Most of the endemics and
sea-birds were easily and quickly located. The last few days on each
island were spent revisiting previous sites and looking for vagrants or
the near-extinct White-chested White-eye. While I wouldn?t claim I was
anywhere near bored, by the end of each week, I thought we had done
enough on each island and was ready to move on. The exception was
Phillip Island, where we could have spent a couple more days and nights.
Finally, our trip was made so successful because of the help we had from
many people. The most notable were Owen and Beryl Evans on Norfolk and
we extend them our heartfelt thanks. A good travel agent is also a
necessity for finding out detailed organisational information and
arranging bookings and ours did an excellent job. Thanks to Jetset
Travel Ormond and Hazel in particular.
Anyone who wants more detailed information or contacts should feel free
to contact John or me.
Chris Lester
Ascot Vale
Species List
Red Junglefowl NI
California Quail NI
Mallard LH NI
Pacific Black Duck LH NI
Kermadec Petrel BP PI
White-necked Petrel PI
Black-winged Petrel LH BP NI PI
Wedge-tailed Shearwater LH BP NI PI
Flesh-footed Shearwater LH BP
White-bellied Storm-Petrel LH BP
Red-tailed Tropicbird LH BP NI PI
Masked Booby LH BP NI PI
Great Cormorant LH
Great Frigatebird PI
White-faced Heron LH NI
Nankeen Kestrel LH NI PI
Buff-banded Rail LH
Lord Howe Woodhen LH
Purple Swamphen LH NI
Latham's Snipe LH
Bar-tailed Godwit LH NI
Whimbrel LH NI
Eastern Curlew LH
Marsh Sandpiper LH
Common Greenshank LH
Grey-tailed Tattler LH NI
Wandering Tattler LH NI
Ruddy Turnstone LH NI
Red Knot LH
Red-necked Stint LH
Pacific Golden Plover LH NI
Double-banded Plover LH NI
Masked Lapwing LH NI
Sooty Tern LH BP NI PI
Common Noddy LH BP NI PI
Black Noddy LH BP NI PI
Grey Ternlet LH BP NI PI
White Tern LH BP NI PI
Rock Dove LH NI PI
Emerald Dove LH NI
Crimson Rosella NI
Red-crowned Parakeet NI
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo LH
Norfolk Island Boobook (heard) NI
Sacred Kingfisher LH NI PI
Norfolk Island Gerygone NI
Scarlet Robin NI
Golden Whistler LH NI
Magpie-lark LH
Grey Fantail NI
Masked Woodswallow NI
Pied Currawong LH
House Sparrow NI
European Greenfinch NI
European Goldfinch NI
Welcome Swallow LH
Silvereye LH NI
Slender-billed White-eye NI
Common Blackbird LH NI
Song Thrush LH NI
Common Starling LH NI PI
LH ? Lord Howe Island
BP ? On boat trip to Ball?s Pyramid
NI ? Norfolk Island
PI ? Phillip Island
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