Subject: Re: Hawaii
Date: Dec 22 23:50:31 1998
From: Pterodroma at aol.com - Pterodroma at aol.com


98-12-22, Steve Mansfield writes:

<< Does anyone have good recommendations on field guides to take with to Hwaii
(specifically Kauai), and/or some good places to go birding in February?
>>

*****Please note that I'm operating under a NEW screen name: formerly
PAGODROMA, now becomes Pterodroma at aol.com*****

I've just returned to Seattle following a long 5-month journey at sea (a VERY
LONG pelagic trip indeed!!) which included a 5-day port-o-call on the 'Big
Island' (Hawaii) in late August and was pleased to discover quite a nice
assortment of birding books on Hawaii (the state). The two I most highly
recommend are :

(1) Pratt, H. Douglas. 1993. Enjoying Birds in Hawaii. A Birdfinding Guide
to the Fiftieth State. 195pp.

(2) Soehren, Rick. 1996. The Birdwatchers Guide to Hawai'i. 215pp.

These two are largely site guides to various areas on all the islands,
illustrated to some extent, or at least enough to get you through most
species. I found Pratt especially well done and includes an excellent photo
section on the various plants relevant to the various forest communities where
various endemic forest birds may be found. Especially useful, say, if you
don't know the difference between a Koa, Mamanae, or Ohia :-)). Some of the
very rare and endangered species are quite specific to certain trees, shrubs,
and forest types in addition to being extremely local.

A couple others which I would suggest are small pocket size books and are
fairly well illustrated with all (or nearly all) species likely to be found
around the islands. Very handy for quick reference. You won't exactly be
overwhelmed with enormous species diversity anywhere around the islands; at
least certainly not endemics!

(3) Pratt, H. Douglas (text) and Jeffrey, Jack (photos). 1996. A Pocket
Guide to Hawai'i's Birds. 112pp.

(4) Hawaii Audubon Society. Hawaii's Birds. 96pp.

If you can't get your hands on any of these around here right away, the
"Borders" bookstore chain scattered around Hawaii (the state) is well stocked!
Kind of the Barne's & Nobel of Hawaii. Seattle's "Flora & Fauna" might have
some of them or some may be ordered through the internet's "Amazon.com".

The 'Hawai'i' port-o-call for me proved to be one of the best of all time in
all these 25 years of chasing seabirds, whales, and dolphins around the world.
I rented a Toyota 4-Runner to access areas off the beaten track which proved
absolutely mandatory for going it alone, leaping off the ship after the first
30-day leg from Panama, and on the spur of the moment without a moment of
advance preparation, and then coming away in those short but ultra high geared
5-days to nail ALL of the 'Big Island's' endemic species and subspecies still
known to exist... [...minus the crow which is virtually a goner and I didn't
try for it. To quote the hardline environmental (wacko) stand: "Leave it be
and let it die out with dignity" (??!!!??) -- quite poetic don't you think
(sic!), hence one of the fundamental problems faced by the Fish & Wildlife
Service in efforts to save it. The few remaining crows (maybe only 4 now) are
found only on private property and requires paying a hefty fee to the property
owners ($200) just for access with no guarantees.]

Otherwise, nothing was a disappointing 'wish I could have had a better look'
at that one. They were all seen to exquisite perfection. Most memorable,
exciting, and among the most remarkable and fascinating birds I've ever seen
in my life was without question the quaint little _'Akiapola'au_ ('Aki' for
short since I can't pronounce it). I could sit there for hours and watch
these guys as the pecked and probed grubs from under the moss festooned bark.
The bill adaptation is among the most remarkable of any passerine on Earth.
The lower mandible is stout and works like a woodpecker, while the upper part
is long and curved and designed to pry out the little bugs exposed by the
lower pecker part. Saw at least a half-dozen in two different places, but
most and by far best and worth the 4WD effort to get there were in the Hakalau
Forest NWR on the southeastern slopes of Mauna Kea. Connecting up with Jack
Jeffrey in Hilo helped enormously at the start. This man is possessed with
such intense enthusiasm, a gold mine of information, and to just spend some
time with him was indeed a real treat and paid off big time in the end. Then
after all that with all the endemics seen and one and still with some time to
kill, I took a chance and chalked up a long shot bonus with a sensational and
priceless encounter with a single _Bristle-thighed Curlew_ on Hawai'i's 'South
Point'. My ships have called on the 'Big Island' several times over the
years, but this chance and unplanned visit most certainly exceeded all hopes
and expectations! Next summer, assuming I'm on the ship that calls in Hilo
again, I plan to bolt for Maui and take on the endemics there.

As for Kaua'i, I birded there several years ago. Great birding and without
question the most arduous and painstaking effort was the 'death march' across
the Alakai Swamp. I was up to my knees and hips in mucky mud every step of
the way. I was prepared for a cold rainy trip, but as fate would have it on
the appointed day, the trade winds failed to materialize and I endured the
whole day under a cloudless sky and windless in the brutal sunshine and
relentless heat and humidity. Way short on water, I thought I was going to
die. I thought two quarts was enough -- WRONG!! Nice birds, but none of the
really rare target endemics were located. Unless you are in really good
shape, I don't recommend going very far into the mud zone. The most awful
realization for me came only after I'd trudged all the way across to the
overlook, the only way out was the way I'd come. I'd have given anything for
a 'courtesy bus' at that point! :-)) Be sure to carefully read to sections on
the Alakai in Pratt (1) and Soehren (2). Too bad these books weren't
available when I trekked Kaua'i so long ago.

Oh, P.S. -- So... umm... who's this Monica person?? Is she a birder?? I've
been oh so totally and utterly out of touch with any worldly news and reality
now for a really really long time it seems. Talk about being left out in the
cold! No news service on the ships and urgent full bore land birding at
various ports-o-call precluded leaving time to run down a newspaper or
magazine or do anything else. No one else knew anything either, so there was
nothing on the USA home front to talk about. BTW, back in town now looking
into the teeth of a temporarily forgotten reality again, the strange political
scene, traffic, and Christmas panic; I find it quite unreal and downright
bizarre around here! Youzer!! Rude reality check here!! :-)) So, while the
world has trudged on without me, maybe those 12 awful days caught up in and
riding out Hurricane "Mitch" wasn't so bad afterall.

Richard Rowlett (Pterodroma at aol.com)
47.56N, 122.13W
(Seattle/Bellevue, WA USA)