113th CBC Hawaii/Pacific Islands Regional Summary

By Thane K. Pratt

The main Hawaiian Islands were blessed with the highest number of count circles ever, thanks to the continuation the Lanai circle initiated last year and the addition of the new Kahoolawe circle this year.  Kahoolawe is a sizable uninhabited island south of Maui, and the count there tallied 14 species, including non-native Gambel’s Quail (61 birds), virtually a Kahoolawe specialty within the Islands. 

In contrast to this year’s expanded coverage on the main islands, the three NW Hawaiian circles—the source of astounding seabird counts and numerous vagrants—were completely missed owing to a series of unrelated mishaps, the most serious being the destruction of the field station on French Frigate Shoals by a marine tornado that also killed many seabirds.  Johnston Atoll was the only remote island counted.  Winter weather conditions in the islands were relatively wet for Kauai and Oahu, but dry from Molokai eastwards owing to continuing drought.  As a result, counts of waterfowl and shorebirds were generally down except at managed wetlands.

Due to the missed atoll counts, there is little to report on seabirds.  Of note however, is the marked decrease in tern numbers on Johnston Atoll, especially White Terns (only 5 counted), attributed to predation by the Short-eared Owls (4 counted) that have recently become established.  Also worrying for the seabirds breeding on Johnston is the high count of 18 Cattle Egrets, a species that preys upon chicks.  The only vagrant seabirds reported for the region were three Least Terns that overwintered at the wastewater treatment plant on the North Kona circle, Hawaii Island. 

Nene geese continue to deliver high counts on the Kapaa circle (308 birds this year), despite deportations of nuisance birds near the Lihue airport.  A highlight among the migratory waterfowl was a family of four Tundra Swans on the Kualapuu Reservoir, Molokai.  Readers may remember Tundra Swans reported on the Molokai CBC in 2006, but those birds were of the Bewick’s race, whereas this year’s birds appeared to be of the North American Whistling Swan subspecies. Two vagrant Cackling Geese were also reported, one on the Kapaa circle and another in North Kona during the count week.  At the Kealia N.W.R. (Iao, Maui circle), a water management regime favorable to shorebirds probably explains the extraordinarily count of 199 overwintering Sanderlings.  Lone Peregrine Falcons were reported for Iao, Maui and Johnston Atoll circles.  The last vagrant of note was a Great-tailed Grackle on the Honolulu circle, possibly ship assisted.

An Iiwi, the iconic scarlet Hawaiian honeycreeper, was not just counted but brilliantly photographed in the Waianae Mountains on the Waipio, Oahu circle—a rare find indeed.  The species has all but vanished from this island, far from its strongholds on Maui and Hawaii Islands.

Introduced species new to individual Hawaiian count circles included Kalij Pheasant (1 bird) in the Waianae Mountains on the Waipio circle, Common Peafowl (2) on Molokai, Chukar (21) on Lanai, and Red Avadavat (or Strawberry Finch, 2) on the Kapaa, Kauai circle.

All five Pacific Region count circles were covered this year.  Records continue to be set for migratory herons: 16 Intermediate Egrets on Rota, four Great Egrets on Saipan, and two Grey Herons, also on Saipan.  Some exceptional shorebirds were a Bristle-thighed Curlew on the Dededo, Guam circle during the count week; a high count of nine Black-winged Stilts also at Dededo; a Black-tailed Godwit new for Saipan; and two Common Redshanks on Saipan.  Black-naped Terns appear to be increasing on Guam, with 16 birds reported from Dededo.  Four Micronesian Scrubfowl was a high count for a rare native species on Saipan.