First thing in the morning in Hilo, a flock of birds chowed down on seeds in a gravel parking area. Brightly-colored Saffron Finches stuck out among the huge-billed Java Sparrows and Spotted Doves.
A double rainbow appeared along the beginning of the Saddle Road.
Our plan for our last day was to head for the west side of the island, then drive down and around its southern edge and back up to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Our first stop was the area around the post office in Waikoloa Village. There, we found our target bird, the Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse.
A Gray Francolin strutted along the street.
South of there, we checked out the Big Island Country Club at Pu'uanahulu. Pacfic-Golden Plovers, Japanese White-eyes, and more Saffron Finches were evident. We continued down Highway 190 and picked up Route 11, following it down the island's west coast. A stop at Manukā Natural Area Reserve produced the "Kona" form of Hawai'i 'Elepaio in addition to Yellow-fronted Canary and Red-billed Leiothrix.
Waiohinu Park in Waiohinu held the crestless Yellow-billed Cardinals.
From here, the highway swung northeast towards Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.
Inside the park, the roughly half-mile wide Halema'uma'u Crater vented its sulfur dioxide gases.
A short drive over to the Thurston Lava Tube area revealed a group of 'Apapanes.
It was back up to the Hilo Airport from there. While at the airport, I noticed one of the Hawaiian Airlines plane with "Akohekohe" painted on the nose. I told Jason, "Look, an 'Akohekohe!". Unfortunately, it was the only one we would see.
Our flight from Hilo to Maui passed alongside Mauna Kea with its observatories perched on top.
It is technically the tallest mountain on Earth. It protrudes 13,802 feet above sea level, but it's over 33,000 feet tall when measured from its base on the ocean floor.
Our return flights were an overnight flight from Maui to Seattle and then on to Philadelphia, arriving before 5 PM on the 22nd.
A total of 79 species were seen, not including the Newell's Shearwaters seen by Jason. Of these, 46 were life birds for me as were the three subspecies.
All photos from the trip can be found in my Hawaii Photo Album.
Hawai'i ~ April 12-22, 2016
1) Nene (Hawaiian Goose)***
2) Koloa (Hawaiian Duck)***
3) California Quail
4) Chukar
5) Erckel's Francolin***
6) Gray Francolin***
7) Red Junglefowl***
8) Ring-necked Pheasant
9) Kalij Pheasant***
10) Wild Turkey
11) Laysan Albatross
12) Kermadec Petrel***
13) Wedge-tailed Shearwater***
14) White-tailed Tropicbird***
15) Red-tailed Tropicbird***
16) Great Frigatebird***
17) Masked Booby
18) Brown Booby
19) Red-footed Booby
20) Cattle Egret
21) Black-crowned Night-Heron
22) Hawaiian Hawk***
23) Common Gallinule "Hawaiian" form
24) Hawaiian Coot***
25) Black-necked Stilt "Hawaiian" form
26) Pacific Golden-Plover
27) Wandering Tattler
28) Bristle-thighed Curlew
29) Ruddy Turnstone
30) Brown Noddy
31) White Tern***
32) Sooty Tern
33) Common Tern
34) Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse***
35) Rock Pigeon
36) Spotted Dove
37) Zebra Dove***
38) Mourning Dove
39) Barn Owl
40) Pueo (Short-eared Owl) "Hawaiian" form
41) Mariana Swiftlet***
42) Rose-ringed Parakeet***
43) Hawai'i 'Elepaio***
44) Kaua'i 'Elepaio***
45) O'ahu 'Elepaio***
46) Sky Lark
47) Red-vented Bulbul***
48) Red-whiskered Bulbul
49) Japanese Bush-Warbler***
50) Japanese White-eye***
51) Hwamei (Melodious Laughingthrush)***
52) Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush***
53) Red-billed Leiothrix***
54) White-rumped Shama***
55) O'mao***
56) Northern Mockingbird
57) Common Myna
58) Red-crested Cardinal***
59) Yellow-billed Cardinal***
60) Saffron Finch***
61) Northern Cardinal
62) Western Meadowlark
63) Maui 'Alauahio (Maui Creeper)***
64) Palila***
65) 'Apapane***
66) 'I'iwi***
67) 'Anianiau***
68) Hawai'i 'Amakihi***
69) O'ahu 'Amakihi***
70) Kaua'i 'Amakihi***
71) Hawai'i Creeper***
72) House Finch
73) Yellow-fronted Canary***
74) House Sparrow
75) Common Waxbill***
76) African Silverbill***
77) Scaly-breasted Munia
78) Chestnut Munia***
79) Java Sparrow***
*** = denotes life bird.
