NEW CALEDONIA, FIJI, VANUATU & SAMOA – the wonderful Kagu and a multitude of other endemics

NEW CALEDONIA, FIJI, VANUATU & SAMOA BIRDING TOUR:  DETAILED ITINERARY

NEW CALEDONIA & FIJI

New Caledonia & Fiji: Day 1  Our tour begins this evening at Noumea in New Caledonia. We will spend five nights in this far-flung overseas territory of France (we will divide our time between three nights at Noumea and two nights at La Foa in central New Caledonia).

New Caledonia & Fiji: Days 2-5  Some of our time on New Caledonia will be spent birding in the magnificent forest of the attractive Rivière Bleue reserve. The reserve preserves the finest remaining forests in New Caledonia and is home to the incomparable Kagu.

The Kagu is an extraordinary bird: like much of the flora and fauna of New Caledonia, it seems to belong to another age, having evolved in isolation during the millions of years since the island broke away from Gondwanaland and drifted eastward into the Pacific Ocean. The Kagu is a little larger than a domestic chicken. It is flightless, the only member of the family Rhynochetidae, and is thought to be most closely related to the rails and cranes. The Kagu is endemic to New Caledonia and is the island’s national bird, but due to deforestation and predation by dogs the species is now in serious danger of extinction: estimates put the remaining population around 1500 individuals. A puppy-like yelping echoes though the forest as the Kagu gives its far-carrying call. With some persistence we should all be able to observe this intriguing and unusual bird, and with luck we will even witness the bird’s spectacular display, in which the wings are spread wide and moved in a fanning motion.

Another high priority species is the critically endangered, crow-sized Crow Honeyeater, whose rather dull name belies the beauty of both its melodious song and its striking appearance, complete with large red facial wattles. We should also happen upon the strange and rare endemic Horned Parakeet, a beautiful parrot with a wispy crest.

Other species seen regularly within the reserve include a series of additional endemics: White-bellied (or New Caledonian) Goshawk, Goliath (or New Caledonian) Imperial Pigeon (the world’s largest arboreal pigeon), New Caledonian Parakeet (split from Red-fronted), New Caledonian Myzomela, Barred Honeyeater, New Caledonian Friarbird, Yellow-bellied Flyrobin, New Caledonian Whistler, New Caledonian Cuckooshrike, Striated (or New Caledonian) Starling, Green-backed White-eye and the superb Red-throated Parrotfinch.

We should also see a variety of more widely distributed species such as Coconut Lorikeet (now treated as a different species from Rainbow Lorikeet), Glossy and White-rumped Swiftlets, Grey-eared (or Dark-brown) Honeyeater, Fan-tailed Gerygone, Streaked and Grey Fantails, Melanesian (or New Caledonian) Flycatcher, White-breasted Woodswallow and Long-tailed Triller.

We will also visit the forested Farino area, which is better than Rivière Bleue for such endemic species as the exquisite Cloven-feathered Dove, the famous tool-using New Caledonian Crow and the rather elusive New Caledonian Thicketbird (or New Caledonian Grassbird), as well as the more widely distributed Metallic Pigeon, Pacific Emerald Dove, Rufous Whistler, Southern Shrikebill and South Melanesian Cuckooshrike.

Amongst New Caledonia’s open savanna woodland or at small ponds or coastal habitats we should find such additional species as Little Pied Cormorant, Pacific Reef Heron, White-faced Heron, Nankeen (or Rufous) Night Heron, Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Eastern Osprey, Whistling Kite, Swamp Harrier, Brown Goshawk, Buff-banded Rail, Australasian Swamp-hen (split from Purple), Dusky Moorhen, Pacific Golden Plover, Eurasian Whimbrel, Wandering Tattler, Ruddy Turnstone, Silver Gull, Greater Crested and Black-naped Terns, Sacred Kingfisher and Silver-eye, plus the introduced Wild Turkey, Spotted Dove, Red-vented Bulbul, Common Myna, Common Waxbill and Chestnut-breasted Munia.

On one day we will catch an early flight to Ouvea (or Uvea) island, one of the more remote islands in the Loyalty group. The island, which is surrounded by pristine white sand beaches, is covered in low scrubby forest which is home to the beautiful Ouvea (or Uvea) Parakeet (now split from Horned). Some seawatching here may produce Tahiti Petrel (and perhaps also Gould’s Petrel), Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Brown and Red-footed Boobies, Great and Lesser Frigatebirds, and Brown and Black Noddies.

On another day we will take a short flight over to the beautiful, unspoilt island of Lifou (or Lifu), the largest of the Loyalty Islands. Here we shall search for two species of white-eyes which are found nowhere else in the world, the exceedingly common Small Lifou (or Small Lifu) White-eye and the aberrant Large Lifou (or Large Lifu) White-eye, which is quite scarce. In addition, we can expect to find Red-bellied Fruit Dove and Cardinal Myzomela, the first being rare on Grande Terre and the latter completely absent.

New Caledonia & Fiji: Day 6 After some final birding in New Caledonia we will catch an afternoon flight to Nadi (or Nandi) in Fiji for an overnight stay.

New Caledonia & Fiji: Day 7  This morning we will take a short flight across to the island of Kadavu (or Kandavu) for a two nights stay. Once we have settled into our comfortable resort we will begin our exploration of the island.

New Caledonia & Fiji: Day 8  The relatively undisturbed island of Kadavu has four species of birds that are found nowhere else in the world: Velvet (or Whistling) Fruit Dove, Crimson Shining Parrot (split from Maroon), Kadavu Fantail and Kadavu Honeyeater. These four birds will be the main focus of our attentions as we bird the island’s rainforests. The local form of the Fiji Whistler is occasionally split as White-throated Whistler.

There is also a chance of finding Shy (or Friendly, or Tongan) Ground Dove while on the island. (Interestingly this species was renamed Shy Ground Dove in one well-known field guide because the author was blissfully unaware that it was named, not for its habits, but because it was found in the Friendly Islands, the other name for Tonga!) We will also spend some time checking the birdlife along the coast, searching the mudflats and some excellent rocky areas where we may find a few migrant waders such as Wandering Tattler.

New Caledonia & Fiji: Day 9  After some early morning birding on Kandavu we will take a flight back to Nadi and an onward flight to Taveuni. From the air this spectacular South Pacific island, ringed by green and azure reefs, is the essence of a tropical paradise. Following our arrival on Taveuni, the least spoiled of the larger Fijian islands, we will drive the short distance to a small resort where we will stay for two nights. Our resort has a quiet and relaxed atmosphere and is built right on the beach, surrounded by tropical native gardens, volcanic hills and splendid reefs with multitudes of colourful tropical fish. The hosts are gracious, and the food is excellent. It is an ideal place to enjoy some exciting Fijian birding and even have some quiet moments for snorkelling and relaxation.

New Caledonia & Fiji: Day 10  Early morning will find us birding at 1320m on Des Veoux Peak, the highest point on Taveuni, the mountainous backbone of which is almost entirely covered in dense forest. Subsequently we will slowly descend the mountain, birding in a variety of habitat types ranging from dense cloud forest and bamboo thickets at higher altitudes down through tall rainforest into open drier woodland with patches of cultivation on the lower slopes.

The specialities here are the outrageously-coloured Orange Fruit Dove (endemic to Taveuni and Vanua Levu) and the puzzling but exquisite Silktail (also endemic to Taveuni and Vanua Levu). There is a great deal of uncertainty as to which family the Silktail belongs to, but it is now generally regarded as most closely related to the fantails, although some consider it may be a diminutive bird-of-paradise while others think it should be placed in its own bird family along with the Pygmy Drongo of New Guinea!

Many other Fijian endemics occur on Taveuni, including Maroon (or Red) Shining Parrot, Fiji Wattled Honeyeater and Yellow-billed Honeyeater (split from Giant). There is also another chance for Shy Ground-Dove in the forest.

The warm, shallow reef that surrounds the island supports a great variety of corals and a high diversity of fish species and other marine life, making a midday break for snorkelling here an exciting experience. A small islet, situated only a few hundred metres off the west coast, is home to a number of Lesser Frigatebirds, Brown and Red-footed Boobies, and elegant Black-naped Terns, while at dusk we will see Tahiti Petrels passing far offshore (and Collared Petrel as well if we are extremely fortunate).

New Caledonia & Fiji: Day 11  After some final birding on Taveuni we will take an afternoon flight to Suva (often this involves going via Nadi) for a three nights stay at Fiji’s capital city.

New Caledonia & Fiji: Days 12-13  Viti Levu is the largest of the Fijian islands and the most densely populated; sadly, most of the island’s natural forest was cleared for farming many generations ago. During our visit to Viti Levu we will explore the mid-montane forests of the central massif, which has the best birding on the island. Lush tropical rainforest cloaks jagged volcanic mountains, but most species can be seen from the roads.

Here amidst the dense vegetation, where hanging creepers and twisted branches provide concealment for some of Fiji’s most sought-after birds, we will stand spellbound at the virtuosity of the endemic Giant (or Giant Forest) Honeyeater whose call is reminiscent of the siren on an emergency vehicle.

We will concentrate on searching for such other Fiji endemics as Fiji Goshawk, the dazzling Golden Fruit Dove (with its characteristic ‘wing whistling’), Barking (or Peale’s) Imperial Pigeon, Masked Shining Parrot, Collared Lory, Kikau (split from Fiji Wattled Honeyeater), Sulphur-breasted (or Orange-breasted) Myzomela, Slaty Monarch, Azure-crested (or Blue-crested) Flycatcher, Fiji Whistler, Fiji Bush Warbler, Fiji (or Layard’s) White-eye, Fiji Woodswallow and Fiji Parrotfinch (which is sometimes lumped in Red-headed Parrotfinch).

More widespread birds of interest include Many-coloured Fruit Dove, White-rumped Swiftlet, Wattled Honeyeater, Pacific Robin (now treated as a separate species from Scarlet Robin), Fiji Shrikebill, Vanikoro Flycatcher, Polynesian Triller, Island Thrush and Polynesian Starling.

We should also come across the strange and increasingly rare Black-throated (or Black-faced) Shrikebill, which is endemic to Fiji and the Santa Cruz Islands. A short scramble will bring us to the area where the very rare and elusive endemic Long-legged Thicketbird (or Long-legged Warbler) was rediscovered in 2003. We have a good chance of success with this shy bird, but we may have to be patient. In recent years the endangered and endemic Pink-billed Parrotfinch has been rediscovered in several places on Viti Levu, and we will try to see the species, but we would have to be very lucky to find this extremely rare bird.

Other species found within the forest or close by along the coast include Pacific Reef Heron, Pacific Swallow and the introduced Red-vented Bulbul and Jungle Myna.

New Caledonia & Fiji: Day 14  After some final birding on Viti Levu an afternoon flight will take us back to Nadi airport where our tour ends.

VANUATU EXTENSION

Vanuatu: Day 1  The tour begins this morning at Luganville on the large island of Espiritu Santo where we will stay for three nights. This afternoon we will begin our exploration of the island.

Vanuatu: Days 2-3  The Loru and Vatthe conservation areas protect some of the largest tracts of lowland forest on the island. We will explore both areas of forest, concentrating on two of the more difficult Vanuatu specialities, Vanuatu (or New Hebrides) Scrubfowl and Vanuatu (or Chestnut-bellied) Kingfisher. These two lowland endemics are easily heard, but we may need patience before we get to see them. The forest resounds to the loud songs of Melanesian Whistlers and we should soon chance upon the very attractive endemic Buff-bellied Monarch (which belongs to a genus endemic to Vanuatu) as well as the endemic Tanna Fruit Dove and the endemic Vanuatu (or Yellow-fronted) White-eye. More widespread species include Pacific Imperial Pigeon, Mackinlay’s Cuckoo-Dove, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Uniform Swiftlet and Collared Kingfisher.

Vanuatu: Day 4  This morning we will take a short flight from Espiritu Santo to Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu and then an onward flight to Noumea in New Caledonia, where we join up with those arriving for the main tour.

SAMOA EXTENSION

Samoa: Day 1  This evening we will take a flight from Nadi in Fiji to Apia in Western Samoa. We will stay at Apia for three nights.

Samoa: Days 2-3  The Western Samoa group consists of nine islands, four of them inhabited, and is Polynesia at its purest. Apia, the capital, is located on Upolu, one of the two major islands and the most densely populated. Our hotel is situated outside the centre of Apia, but only a short drive from the Mount Vaea Scenic Reserve, the hill where the famous writer Robert Louis Stevenson is buried, and other interesting birding areas. Here we can expect to see our first Samoan endemics, including Flat-billed Kingfisher, Samoan Whistler, Samoan Flycatcher, Samoan Fantail and Samoan Starling. Other birds in this attractive area include Crimson-crowned Fruit Dove (now treated as a separate species from Purple-capped), Many-coloured Fruit-Dove, Metallic (or White-throated) Pigeon, Pacific Imperial-Pigeon, Blue-crowned Lorikeet, Polynesian Triller, Pacific Robin, Island Thrush, Polynesian Starling, Cardinal Myzomela and Wattled Honeyeater, and also the introduced Red Junglefowl, Red-vented Bulbul and Jungle Myna. We will also visit the nearby Vaisigano watershed which has some remnant forest patches that are good for the remaining two endemics on Upolu, the rare and extraordinary Mao, a large and noisy honeyeater, and Samoan Triller, and we should also encounter Red-headed Parrotfinch. We can also expect some waterbirds, including Grey Teal and Australasian Swamphen (split from Purple). Buff-banded Rails are numerous and if we are lucky we will also find White-browed Crake. At dusk we can observe Tongan Flying Foxes flapping above the treetops.

O Le Pupu-Pu’e National Park, a large 2850-hectare park created in 1978, protects a strip of land extending from the summits of Mounts Fito (1100m) and Lepu’e (840m) to the southern coast. The name of the park means ‘from the coast to the mountaintop’. This was one of the last haunts of the Tooth-billed Pigeon, a species now feared extinct on Upolu.

Seawatching off the spectacular coastline may well produce White-tailed Tropicbird, Red-footed Booby, Great Frigatebird, Spectacled (or Grey-backed) Tern, Brown Noddy and Common White Tern.

Samoa: Day 4  There will be time for a final full day of birding and a farewell dinner before the tour ends this evening at Apia.