The Future Is not Bright
Gravity always wins!
Kauai needs only to look to the northwest to see its future. As the pacific plate continues its slow but relentless crawl to the northwest the islands no longer being formed slowly fall back into the sea leaving nothing but an atoll before finally disappearing below the waves. Ok, that is still a million years away, but still, its the future.
The state of erosion of Kauai is unfortunate for the endemic forest birds. These birds which have little immunity to avian malaria have a precious small area with which to survive. The mosquitos transporting the disease can reach all but the highest elevations of Kauai.
There are currently 6 endemic forest birds on Kauai. Kauai Elepaio, Kauai Amakihi and Anianiau are listed as Vulnerable. Akekee, Puaiohi and Akikiki are listed as Critically Endangered. The first three can be found throughout the Alaka’i Plateau. The latter three are restricted to the eastern section of the Alaka’i Plateau where the elevation can reach 5000 ft.
Its Great to Have Friends in Hawaii
Upon arrival in Kauai, we were greeted by our long-time friends Mike and Colleen who are fortunate to live full time on the island. They would play host for our visit. They have a spacious yard with many fruit trees and other flowering plants. It is a natural aviary, and I may have been a bit unsocial as I spent lots of time observing and photographing birds in the yard.
It was in Mike’s yard that I got a good look at the lovely Rose-Ringed Parakeet. It was also here that I got a firsthand experience of the old adage “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. In this case I was quite excited to add photos of this bird to my collection and enjoy watching the birds forage in a mango tree. Unfortunately, it was Mike’s mango tree and Mike’s mangos that were being foraged. He was not very pleased to see Rose-ringed Parakeets in his yard.
The Rose-ringed Parakeets are one of the more successful of the introduced species. They are also, without a doubt, the most destructive of the introduced avian species. There is data suggesting that this bird destroys 10-25% of many farm crops in the islands including mangos, corn, lychee, papaya and citrus. I guess that all these birds should go back to their native home in India.
Coastal Birding, Hawaii Style
Kauai offers great birding locations where waders, seabirds and even some pelagics can be seen from the shore.
One of those locations is Salt Pond Beach Park. As the name suggests, there are salt ponds and there is a beach. The salt ponds are a great place to find the Hawaii Duck. This bird is found in its genetically clean form only on Kauai. The species suffers from hybridization with imported mallards. Also seen here are both forms of the Hawaiian Coot, red-shielded and white-shielded. Other waders are the Hawaiian sub-species of the Black-necked Stilt and the Wandering Tattler.
During migration I am sure that there would be many other species at this location.
Sitting on the beach and carefully scoping the horizon out to sea other birds are regularly seen. In my case, I saw Bulwer’s Petrel, Brown Booby and Great Frigatebird.
One additional advantage of the birding spot is that the Kauai Island Brewing Company is right around the corner serving up some nice cold brew after a day in the heat.
One other spot worth mentioning is the Poi’pu Beach area. Not only can seabirds and pelagics be seen from the shore, but green sea turtles come onshore to sleep every evening. A very interesting behaviour. From here I was able to identify Newell’s Shearwater, Hawaiian Petrel and Red-footed Booby.
The Top Kuaui Birding Attaction
Now for the main attraction in the coastal birding category. No self-respecting birder would go to Kauai and not visit the Kilauea Point NWR and Lighthouse.
You must plan your visit here. The days and hours of operation are restricted. You must go to their website and book your entry time. We were there in May.
The reserve was teeming with birdlife. Countless wedge-tailed shearwaters were nesting. To hear the sounds of these nesting birds would make you think that a lost child is moaning in fear.
Two species of tropicbirds (white-tailed and red-tailed) are common as are red-footed and brown boobies. Laysan Albatrosses are a sight to behold, especially if you witness one taking off like an airplane running down the runway and slowly lifting off the ground.
You will have amazing photo opportunities of Great Frigatebirds soaring in the wind at eye level. With a scope or even binoculars there are pelagics that can be seen regularly offshore. This is one of the premiere birding locations in all of Hawaii and is not to be missed.
The Alaka'i Plateau
One of my main objectives for the entire Hawaiian trip was to find as many of the forest birds as I could. On Kauai this means going up the Waimea Canyon Road and hiking the trails of the Alaka’i Plateau. From Mike’s house this would be a very long haul to get some good morning birding in. We decided to stay in the Koke’e State Park for two nights so that we could hit the Alaka’i Swamp Trail early.
The cabins are basic and there are no facilities including cell signal. There is a restaurant with limited hours. Overall, I have no complaints and would recommend this option as a starting point for exploring the Alaka’i Plateau.
The Alaka’i Swamp Trail in combination with the Pihea Vista trail is a 9 mile round trip. It can be quite muddy in some areas and steep and slippery in other areas. All Trails considers the trail to be moderately challenging. I decided not to carry my camera on this trek given the distance and difficulty.
We began our trek at first light. What a beautiful trek it was. The Japanese Bush Warblers were the dominant vocalizers through most of the trail. The native forest of the Alaka’i Plateau was different. Not the majestic tropical trees towering above all else that I was accustomed to seeing in Vietnam and Central America but smaller trees that twist and gnarl with thick underbrush. These are the Ohi’a trees and represent almost 90% of the large flora on the plateau. It was a forest like no other forest I had seen before.
The Alaka’i Swamp is also one of the wettest places on earth with about 400” of rain a year. May 23, 2023, was an average day. Meaning, we were rained on most of our hike. Just a slow drizzle that occasionally gave us a few minutes to hope that the rest of the day would be dry. We didn’t mind. We were mesmerized at the otherworld beauty of the swamp.
After we switched from the Pihea Junction to the Alaka’i Swamp trail, we were alone in this paradise.
It did not take long to start finding the forest birds. The Kauai Elepaios were living up to their curious reputation and coming in close as evidenced by an iPhone photo. Apapane were everywhere. The Kauai Amakihi was heard and seen several times. The treat was the Anianiau which is a more difficult bird. We heard and saw it twice. When reported, the most well-known bird guide in Hawaii reached out to me to ask exactly where it was seen. Unfortunately, the three critically endangered Kauai endemics were not seen.
Birding around the cabins and at stops along the Waimea Canyon Road was good for picking up a few of the introduced birds that I had not yet seen. It was odd seeing the orange and yellow house finches. This difference is due to diet. Northern Cardinals were seen as well around the cabins. The Chinese Hwamei is a beautiful import that is more easily heard than seen. I was fortunate to get some good photos of these skulky birds around the cabins. I also picked up chestnut and scaly-breasted munias along the way to the cabins.
As I wrapped up my birding experience in Kauai, I thought of two things. One how sad it was to think that my island-hopping adventure was half over and two how nice it was to catch up with an old friend from my younger days as an oil refining professional.
Off to Molokai!
Joel and Mirka, you report everybody’s dream. So impressive. You revealed more invasive, introduced species than I expected. That happens around the globe, especially in Florida–a catch-all place. Humans feel the compulsion to introduce something pretty or new or commercial to other lands, both fauna and flora. I am guilty in a small way of spreading plants to other places, like to Florida or Hospital Point……….but I don’t spread animals.
The two Tropic birds were impressive. I never knew they existed. You are finding habitats where species have evolved in exclusive nitches, like the wet, twisted, elfin swamp. Each nitch on the planet gives us new variants to enjoy and wonder at. If they did not evolve, they would not be there. Many become extinct quite fast if they don’t adapt.
So see all you can, while you can. Enjoy this world of wonders. Clyde
This trail is an amazing experience, definitely worth of doing it in spite of the terrain challenges. I could recommend other hikers to add good hiking poles to your journey. You never know when you might need them.
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