114th CBC Hawaii/Pacific Islands Regional Summary

By Thane Pratt

Excellent coverage in the Hawaiian Islands this year, including Kahoolawe Is, was comparable to last year, and moderate weather conditions favored most counts, although the Honolulu count experienced heavy rains. Unfortunately, the Northwest Hawaiian count circles were again missed this year, so Johnston Atoll was the only remote island counted.

Reports of seabirds were disappointing owing to the absence of the Northwest Hawaiian Island counts. On Johnston Island, the decline in White Terns noticed in previous years was manifested this year in no birds being counted at all. Depredation by the recently established population of Short-eared Owls--with a high count of nine birds--has been blamed. A high count of 1967 Great Frigatebirds on Johnston must have been quite a spectacle. Highlight of the seabird counts from the main islands was the 2760 Red-footed Boobies on the Kapaa Count Circle, Kauai.

Nene numbers again rose on the Kapaa circle, with 365 counted, and Hawaiian Duck numbers there were also high, with 531 tallied. There was a flurry of Snow Goose sightings across the state, with one on the Kapaa circle; one on the Waimea, Kauai circle; and two on the Kualapuu, Molokai circle. A single Bufflehead was a Molokai rarity. Lesser Scaup numbers were unusually high on some Hawaiian islands this winter, with 32 reported on the Molokai count and 12 on the North Kona, Hawaii circle. The only gull of note was a Bonaparte's Gull on the Iao, Maui circle. Two Peregrine Falcons also turned up on the Iao circle.

At Kaloko-Honokahau National Historical Park, the most important wetland in Kona, a mysteriously low number of only one Hawaiian Stilt and an alarmingly high count of 71 Cattle Egrets were disturbing and perhaps related developments. An encouragingly high count of 31 Bristle-thighed Curlews was reported from Johnston, and a record count of three birds of this species from the Honolulu circle. Interestingly, there were extraordinary high counts of Ruddy Turnstones on the Honolulu, Waipio, and Iao Valley Circles, with 561, 233, and 375 birds respectively. A few interesting vagrant shorebirds were reported this year: a Spotted Sandpiper and Red Knot from Waipio, Oahu; a Lesser Yellowlegs from Molokai; and a Dunlin in the North Kona circle.

Counts of native forest birds on Kauai were dismal this year, reflecting current decreasing trends; the only rarity detected was a lone Akekee on the Waimea circle. A spectacular find on Molokai was an Iiwi in Kamakou Preserve. Solid numbers of native forest birds on the Volcano count included 20 Akiapolaau, nine Hawaii Creeper, and one Hawaii Akepa.

For introduced birds in Hawaii, the CBC continues to document expanding populations. Moving down the chain, this year's count picked up two African Silverbills on the Kapaa, Kauai circle; high counts of 233 Red-whiskered Bulbuls and 68 Red-billed Leiothrix on the Waipio, Oahu circle, and 13 Gray Francolin on the Honolulu Circle; a high count of four White-rumped Shamas and a first record Saffron Finch on the Lanai circle; a high count of 27 Mitred/Red-masked Parakeets on the North Kona circle; and a first record Japanese Bush-Warbler on the Volcano circle.

Each year the Christmas Birds Count for the Pacific Region (functionally the Mariana Islands) has yielded amazing records from this well-favored migrant trap for Asian birds. Yet, few readers know that the counts are carried out by just a small dedicated band of birders. One of those birders, and none could be more dedicated than he, was Dan Vice who compiled the counts for Guam Is. It is my sad duty to report Dan's passing this year. In the words of Doug Pratt: "This is a huge loss for both the birding and ornithological community in the Pacific. He leaves a big hole that will be hard to fill."

This year, his last CBC, Dan reported a slew of new species for Guam's two count circles: two Gadwalls and a Yellow Wagtail on the Dededo circle; and a Latham's Snipe, a Curlew Sandpiper, and an Oriental Pratincole for Southern Guam. The 16 Long-toed Stints from Southern Guam were a record high. The Saipan count tallied high counts for most of the resident land birds and some migrants, owing to excellent turnout of counters. Four Black-headed Gulls were a highlight. The Tinian count, however, produced something extraordinary: two Gray Frog-Hawks (Chinese Sparrowhawk). There was also a high count of 16 Whiskered Terns, an unexpected species 20 years ago.

Thanks to all participants in this year's bird count.  Hopefully, next year we will be able to reinstate the Northwest Hawaiian Island counts.