FNWinter93.html

FNWinter93.html

8 March, 1993
Jerry R. Oldenettel
P.O.Box 1714
Wailuku, Maui, HI 96793

Dear Bob,

Not a very eventful winter. The high water levels at Kealia and Kanaha Ponds discouraged wintering birds or forced them into remote areas where I did not locate them. Even ducks were far below last years numbers and variety. I made about 4 visits to Waikamoi in Dec. and Jan. (including the Christmas Count), but had nothing unusual. Leothrix remained a common bird.

The one interesting area of endeavor was the discovery of Boobys off Hookepa and other coastal locations in early Jan. After the initial sightings, I spent 1-2 hours each weekend morning scanning the horizon at Hookepa for pelagics. This produced birds on most weekends through mid-Feb., including Brown & Red-footed Boobys, Fairy Tern, and Laysan Albatross. These were very sparsely distributed with about 1-2 birds/hour of observing time. This excitement petered out in mid-Feb. and nothing has been seen or reported from there since.

OBSERVATIONS.

The observations below were made between 1 December, 1992 and 28 February, 1993 on Maui.

Laysan Albatross. Two birds were off Hookepa point on 2/14.

Wedge-tailed Shearwater. Two birds flying toward shore at Hookepa on 1/9 were the only ones seen.

Brown Booby. On 1/9, 3 birds were seen off Hookepa point, 1 at the surf line just west of Paia, and 1 off the Maalaea lookout. Later birds at Hookepa were 2 on 1/10, 1 on 1/16, and 4-5 on 2/6. All birds were adults. None were seen after 2/6 in spite of several hours looking. Phone conversations with Bill Principe (vacationing from San Diego) in mid-January, and Gil Ewing (vacationing from Sacramento) in late Jan.-early Feb. indicated that they also had birds on Maalaea Bay with regularity (4-5 at a time).

Red-footed Booby. A single bird was off Hookepa point on 1/16. For plumage pattern, see Harrison, plate 156e.

Green-winged Teal. A flock of 5 birds in flight over the marshes at the north end of Kealia Pond on 1/2 were the only ones seen.

Mallard. The resident flock of 10 or so mixed lineage birds were present at Kanaha throughout the period. Two birds were present at Kealia on 1/2.

Koloa. A pair of birds which Fern though were definitely of this species were inside of Kanaha ponds on 1/24.

Northern Pintail. Counts at Kealia were 15 on 12/19, 70 on 12/20, 90 on 12/29, 15 on 1/2-1/3, 1 on 1/8, 60 on 1/10, 63 on 1/16, 61 on 2/6, 110 on 2/11, 64 on 2/14, 60 on 2/27, and 82 on 2/28. None were seen at Kanaha pond during the period.

Northern Shoveler. A high count of 15 were seen at Kealia on 12/20. Only 1-2 birds were intermittently seen at Kealia after 1/1. Counts at Kanaha were 70 on 1/2, and 55 on 2/25.

Eurasian Wigeon. Three were present at Kealia on 12/20, 1 on 12/27, 2 on 12/29, 2 on 1/2-1/3, and none thereafter.

American Wigeon. Counts at Kealia pond were 15 on 12/20, 40 on 12/29, 25 on 1/2, 35 on 1/3, 15 on 1/10, 5 on 2/11, and 1-4 thereafter. At Kanaha pond, 9 were present on 1/2.

Lesser Scaup. A single immature/female plumaged bird was intermittently seen at Kanaha pond from 12/5 through 1/2/93. Possibly the same bird was at Kealia pond on 12/20. A male and female were at Kealia on 1/25.

Osprey. The Kanaha bird was present at least through 2/21 and was seen at Kealia on 12/20

Hawaiian Coot. Two downy chicks were at Kanaha on 2/28. Three appeared at Long's on 2/6, 1 remained throughout the period.

Black-Bellied Plover. One to two winter plumaged birds were often present (especially at low tide) on the Maalaea Bay shoreline across the road from Kealia throughout the period.

Semipalmated Plover. A single bird was intermittently present at Kealia (Maalaea flats and the shoreline) from 12/3 through 2/6. Two birds were present at Kanaha on 12/5. One bird remained through 2/20. A second bird appeared on 2/21, and a third bird on 2/27. It is likely that 3 birds were wintering on the Island, see my discussion in the fall report.

Black-necked Stilt. The two banded birds remained at the mitigation ponds behind Long's in Kihei throughout the period. About 12-14 birds seem to be resident at the ponds. There were 65 birds at Kanaha pond on 1/2.

Least Sandpiper. Two adult winter plumaged birds were present at Kanaha from 12/3 through 12/26 and reappeared on 2/25 as the pond dried down. They were joined by a 3rd bird on 2/27 (I don't know where it came from!).

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Two birds were at Kanaha pond from 12/3 through 12/26. A single bird was at Kealia pond on 12/5. A single bird was at the Long's mitigation ponds from 12/19 through 12/24.

Long-billed Dowitcher. A single winter plumaged adult was present at Kanaha Pond throughout the period.

Laughing Gull. A single first winter bird arrived at Kealia pond on 1/10 (after a major storm) and remained throughout the period.

Common Tern. A single winter plumaged adult was at Kealia from 12/27 through 12/29.

White Tern. A single bird was seen well off shore at Hookepa point on 1/10.

Pueo. The bird at Kealia was seen at the north-end salicornia marsh on 12/27.

Red-cheeked Condon Blue. A single male plumaged bird was at the Kihei R&T park on 1/17 (mauka of Silversword Golf Course).

Orange-cheeked Waxbill. Gil Ewing checked the Hansen/Omaopio Road spot on about 2/20 and was unable to find any birds.

OTHER OBSERVER REPORTS

A couple from Vancouver reported a Buteo heading west over Maalaea flats on about 2/28. They were novice birders, but the fellow said that the wings were too broad for Osprey (with which he was familiar) and that the bird had the wrong head and bill shape for Poeo. No other details. He seemed intent on counting it as Hawaiian Hawk.