Matt Eade's Blog: Western Pacific Odyssey (Part 4)

Saturday 5 August 2023

Western Pacific Odyssey (Part 4) - The Solomon Islands (Part 3)

3rd April 2023

It was another early start as we were to head to the island of Kolombangara. We docked at a small village and were hoisted into a handful of pick-up trucks who were to take us to a superb overlook of Mt Veve. The drive was mostly in the dark, but as light emerged, various parrot species were flashing across the road.

We finally arrived at a viewpoint but most were held back to listen to Collins shouting instructions, whereas I ignored this and got front row seats of the spectacular forest view. Pale Mountain Pigeon was the hoped for target here and I soon located a very distant flock. It wasn't until they flew that we could all be sure of their identity, until a much closer bird sailed through.

With the pigeon secured, it was then a case of slowly walking the access road, which myself and Barry Reed covered together, trying as best we could to evade the swarm of birders behind. The birding was very good and although most of the species were the same as yesterday, today they were in greater abundance and showed better too. New birds seen included Solomon's White-eye and the beautiful Oriole Whistler. We also saw many Finsch's Pygmy Parrots, Kolombangara and White-capped Monarchs, Cockerell's Fantail, 'Grey-capped' Cicadabird, many Solomon's Cuckooshrikes and a few Sanford's Sea Eagles were also drifting over every now and then. Most of these species were in a mixed species flock so the birding was constantly entertaining, however, there was still the Buff-headed Coucal which had eluded me, despite hearing a few of them this morning.

We reluctantly departed this site soon after lunch and headed back to the small town. A group of villagers greeted us and sang a number of songs, using their local instruments to full effect. While they were doing this, a group of Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins came into the river channel, much to our surprise.

The afternoon was spent out on deck as we skirted Kolombangara as this is renowned as a good area to see the range-restricted Heinroth's Shearwater. A few were spotted including some at good scope range allowing the underwing to be seen well, but not close enough for any decent photos. The usual Lesser Frigatebirds and Sooty Terns were also about.

MacKinley's Cuckoo Dove

Sanford's Sea Eagle

The distant mountain is home to
two endemic birds, but too far out of reach
for us.

4th April 2023

Unbeknown to us, today was going to be our last day of landings for the entirety of the trip, due to Micronesia and Japan being pansies about the COVID pandemic which was long gone - truly pathetic, but that's life.

This morning we arrived at a different location on Kolombangara, but had to be given permission upon arriving. Our chosen villager to let us through, was typically not a popular chap amongst the villagers, so it took some persuasion to let us enter their area, but eventually we managed to get permission... never mess with a women and her machete!

Anyway, we were soon birding and I joined Frank and a few others as we marched the various village trails, joined by a local. Whilst trying several attempts to lure in a rail, a Stephan's Emerald Dove flew through, and I even struck gold with a New Georgia Dwarf Kingfisher which zipped past me, calling as it went. More coucals were calling and so I sent a local to go and locate it, which he did. I rushed in and after much frustration, I latched onto a Buff-headed Coucal, obtaining brilliant views of this quite superb bird. The sighting was well worth the wait, but it was typical that I saw another one with ease about an hour later. After seeing a Shining Bronze Cuckoo, Moustached Treeswifts and a close Sanford's Sea Eagle, time was pressing on so we slowly returned back to the launch site. However, a calling Roviana Rail was too tempting not to try for, but frustratingly for me I was standing at the wrong end of the line to see it. Therefore, I persisted and walked into the habitat and laid down. Tentatively playing the call, a rail came hurtling towards me, but it was tiny, which soon revealed itself to be a Spotless Crake. A shout then went up for a couple of Duchess Lorikeet in the village, so we rushed over and saw these quite magnificent birds before we reluctantly had to leave. A very impressive morning, but there was still one more landing to do.

In the afternoon, we diverted from our itinerary and were given an hour only on the island of Ranongga. Us birders were the only ones excited by this, as this tiny island supports an endemic white-eye, and not just any white-eye, but one of the most impressive. Upon landing, it was a mad rush to get across to the village. Frank blasted the tape and almost instantly a Ranongga White-eye flew in. It took some time to perform but eventually did - mission accomplished. I then did a quick swim over a nursery reef before we had to head back.

Before departing the Solomon's, we had to head over to Gizo to get permission to leave, but despite scoping the trees from the deck, we failed to find Gizo White-eye, which would've been some find, with us maybe 300-metres offshore!

So that was it for the Solomon Islands. My next post may be my final one of the cruise itself as there were no more landings, and as we crossed the tropics, very few birds, although there were still a few special ones to try and find, including my most wanted of the trip.