13 April: KOLOMBANGARA ISLAND is a classic volcanic cone which is 30 km
across and rises to 1770 m. Most of the lowland forest was felled below 400
m by 1990. We made an afternoon Zodiac landing at the site of a Seventh Day
Adventist College. Two walks were on offer: one climbing a steep, muddy hill
and one around the campus of the college through a small secondary forest. I
opted for the second walk and was not disappointed. Here I caught up with
several of the archipelago endemics which I had previously missed: Pied
Goshawk, Buff-headed Coucal, White-capped Monarch, Mackinlay's Cuckoo-dove,
Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeon, Singing Parrot, Moustached Treeswift,
Melanesian Cuckoo-shrike and Singing Starling. A pair of Duchess Lorikeets,
endemic to this island were a quick fly-by. Finally, both groups met to
search for the Rovianna Rail. After trying many areas, including the village
itself (despite the numerous feral cats about!), and after extending our
time on shore, we had to give up the search to get underway, again. However,
on our return to the ship, Adam Riley of Rockjumper Bird Tours, called out,
"There it is!" I looked down a mowed patch in the midst of a tapioca garden
and saw the rail, dashing across the open area! Only one other person saw
it. Our leader, Chris, tried to tape it out into view again without any
success. We returned to our ship and got underway, once again.
Debi Shearwater, birding in the New Georgia Islands of the Solomon Islands
Showing posts with label Solomon Islands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Solomon Islands. Show all posts
Saturday, April 17, 2010
GUADALCANAL ISLAND: SOLOMONS
12 April: GUADALCANAL ISLAND in the Solomon Islands. This is the largest
island in the archipelago and is home to the national capital, Honiara where
about 57,000 people live. Most of us did not have any time in the city and
spent all of our time ashore in search of birds. The wake-up call was at
3:45 am. At 4:30 am, we made a dry landing by Zodiac at the rather dingy
dock. It was still dark and the rank smell of bagged copra hung in the humid
air. We boarded the bus for the 45 minute ride up to Mount Austin. Once at
the top, we walked downhill along a logging road to the Lungga River.
Birding was excellent! Some of the species I encountered were: Ducorp's
Cockatoo, Solomon Islands Cuckoo-shrike, Steel-blue Flycatcher, White-winged
Fantail, Brown-winged Starling, Cardinal Lory, Claret-breasted and Superb
Fruit-doves; and Black-headed Myzomela. I walked alone for part of the time.
At one point I could hear the calls of the Blyth's Hornbill— even its wings
beating as it flew from one tree to the next. Finally, our local guide got
me on this magnificent hornbill, as it was feeding in the treetops, only a
few feet off the road! At the river, I took photos of my friend, Jim, for
whom Guadalcanal held a special significance due to the war. Sitting around
and taking in the view, we spotted a beautiful male Electus Parrot, which
Jim got in his scope. Finally, we both saw a White-billed Crow flying over
the canopy. It was a very successful landing for us! By 1 pm, we had boarded
the bus to return to our ship and head for our next stop.
Debi Shearwater, birding in the Solomon Islands
island in the archipelago and is home to the national capital, Honiara where
about 57,000 people live. Most of us did not have any time in the city and
spent all of our time ashore in search of birds. The wake-up call was at
3:45 am. At 4:30 am, we made a dry landing by Zodiac at the rather dingy
dock. It was still dark and the rank smell of bagged copra hung in the humid
air. We boarded the bus for the 45 minute ride up to Mount Austin. Once at
the top, we walked downhill along a logging road to the Lungga River.
Birding was excellent! Some of the species I encountered were: Ducorp's
Cockatoo, Solomon Islands Cuckoo-shrike, Steel-blue Flycatcher, White-winged
Fantail, Brown-winged Starling, Cardinal Lory, Claret-breasted and Superb
Fruit-doves; and Black-headed Myzomela. I walked alone for part of the time.
At one point I could hear the calls of the Blyth's Hornbill— even its wings
beating as it flew from one tree to the next. Finally, our local guide got
me on this magnificent hornbill, as it was feeding in the treetops, only a
few feet off the road! At the river, I took photos of my friend, Jim, for
whom Guadalcanal held a special significance due to the war. Sitting around
and taking in the view, we spotted a beautiful male Electus Parrot, which
Jim got in his scope. Finally, we both saw a White-billed Crow flying over
the canopy. It was a very successful landing for us! By 1 pm, we had boarded
the bus to return to our ship and head for our next stop.
Debi Shearwater, birding in the Solomon Islands
Thursday, April 15, 2010
MAKIRA ISLAND: SOLOMON ISLANDS
11 April: MAKIRA ISLAND in the Solomon Islands. We left behind the outlier,
Rennell Island and reached Makira Island by early morning. It is also known
as San Cristobal Island. The forested mountains of this island support the
most single-island endemics of the archipelago. We had planned to land near
a logging operation and hike the logging road. However, as the first two of
our Zodiacs approached the landing area, we were met by a local boat of men,
one of whom was the Chief of this land. He informed us that we did not have
permission to land at the logging site. After much (valuable morning
birding) time was spent in launching the other Zodiacs, and following the
local chief by boat navigating around the coral reefs, we finally landed.
After landing, we hiked up a very steep, single file trail in search of
birds. As anyone who has birded rain forests anywhere in the world knows,
trying to find birds with a group size of 30 is nearly impossible. This
proved to be extremely frustrating! Still, we did manage to see: Brahminy
Kite, Solomon Islands Sea Eagle, Pied Goshawk, Chestnut-bellied Pigeon (very
rare), Rainbow Lorikeet, Glossy Swiftlet, Long-tailed Triller, Ochre-headed
Flycatcher, Golden Whistler and Sooty Myzomela. In the afternoon, we visited
the Anuatu Village, the village of the Chief.
Debi Shearwater, in the Solomon Islands
Rennell Island and reached Makira Island by early morning. It is also known
as San Cristobal Island. The forested mountains of this island support the
most single-island endemics of the archipelago. We had planned to land near
a logging operation and hike the logging road. However, as the first two of
our Zodiacs approached the landing area, we were met by a local boat of men,
one of whom was the Chief of this land. He informed us that we did not have
permission to land at the logging site. After much (valuable morning
birding) time was spent in launching the other Zodiacs, and following the
local chief by boat navigating around the coral reefs, we finally landed.
After landing, we hiked up a very steep, single file trail in search of
birds. As anyone who has birded rain forests anywhere in the world knows,
trying to find birds with a group size of 30 is nearly impossible. This
proved to be extremely frustrating! Still, we did manage to see: Brahminy
Kite, Solomon Islands Sea Eagle, Pied Goshawk, Chestnut-bellied Pigeon (very
rare), Rainbow Lorikeet, Glossy Swiftlet, Long-tailed Triller, Ochre-headed
Flycatcher, Golden Whistler and Sooty Myzomela. In the afternoon, we visited
the Anuatu Village, the village of the Chief.
Debi Shearwater, in the Solomon Islands
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
RENNELL ISLAND: SOLOMON ISLANDS
10 April: RENNELL ISLAND in the Solomon Islands. This island nation gained
its independence in 1978. It is, perhaps, best known for the World War II
battles on Guadalcanal in 1942. The islands have only been open for safe
tourist travel since 2007-09. We felt lucky to be able to visit. Travelers
to Rennell Island are an absolute rarity! Rennell is the most southerly and
geographically isolated island in the archipelago. It is largely flat and
lacks a central mountain range. About 80% of the island is still covered in
tropical forests. At 6:30 am, we landed near Lavanguu Village, on Rennell
Island, a raised coral atoll, for a morning of tropical rainforest birding.
Five bird species are endemic to only this island. I saw all of them:
Rennell White-eye, Bare-eyed White-eye, Rennell Starling and Rennell
Fantail. In addition, we added several species which are endemic to the
Solomon Islands as a whole. These included: Mackinlay's Cuckoo-dove,
Finsch's Pygmy Parrot, Singing Parrot, Island Thrush, Rennell Gerygone and
Cardinal Myzomela. The people of Rennell Island are Polynesians, whereas on
the other islands of the Solomons, the people are Melanesians. At Rennell
Island we took on four local Customs Officials from the Solomon Islands.
They were to remain on board our ship for the duration of our time in this
young island nation. Upon our departure of Rennell, we spotted a kettle of
nearly 350 frigatebirds! Unfortunately, they were too far away to be
identified as to whether or not they were Greater or Lesser Frigatebirds.
Finally, a single Lesser Frigatebird flew over our ship, a lifer for many on
board, if not all.
Debi Shearwater, in the Solomon Islands
its independence in 1978. It is, perhaps, best known for the World War II
battles on Guadalcanal in 1942. The islands have only been open for safe
tourist travel since 2007-09. We felt lucky to be able to visit. Travelers
to Rennell Island are an absolute rarity! Rennell is the most southerly and
geographically isolated island in the archipelago. It is largely flat and
lacks a central mountain range. About 80% of the island is still covered in
tropical forests. At 6:30 am, we landed near Lavanguu Village, on Rennell
Island, a raised coral atoll, for a morning of tropical rainforest birding.
Five bird species are endemic to only this island. I saw all of them:
Rennell White-eye, Bare-eyed White-eye, Rennell Starling and Rennell
Fantail. In addition, we added several species which are endemic to the
Solomon Islands as a whole. These included: Mackinlay's Cuckoo-dove,
Finsch's Pygmy Parrot, Singing Parrot, Island Thrush, Rennell Gerygone and
Cardinal Myzomela. The people of Rennell Island are Polynesians, whereas on
the other islands of the Solomons, the people are Melanesians. At Rennell
Island we took on four local Customs Officials from the Solomon Islands.
They were to remain on board our ship for the duration of our time in this
young island nation. Upon our departure of Rennell, we spotted a kettle of
nearly 350 frigatebirds! Unfortunately, they were too far away to be
identified as to whether or not they were Greater or Lesser Frigatebirds.
Finally, a single Lesser Frigatebird flew over our ship, a lifer for many on
board, if not all.
Debi Shearwater, in the Solomon Islands
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)