Western Pacific Odyssey New Zealand to Japan 2008. No.4
As we were leaving a Collared Kingfisher Todirhamphus chloris showed well on Kolombangara Island. It has a wide range extending from the Red Sea across Southern Asia to Polynesia anf has a long list of subspecies.
We continue with our cruise from New Zealand to Japan. We are now spending several days at sea as we head towards Chuuk which is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia. We commenced the five days at sea on the 18/4 until the 22/4.
Wilsons Petrel - We recorded 10 on the 19/4.
Heinroth's Shearwater Puffinus heinrothi whilst chumming on the 18/4, three Heinroth's Shearwaters came along, they unfortunately stayed a little way out from our vessel and I just managed to take a couple of distant photographs. This shearwater ranges from NE New Guinea to the Solomon Islands and Moluccas.
Roger and Liz looking for Beck's Petrel
Les dreaming for one
Tony wasn't to bothered at this time
Pete looking smug, he had just seen a Becks
Beck's Petrel Pseudobulweria becki Six of these very rare petrels were attracted to the chumming and flew around the boat on the 19/4 and proved to be one of the main highlights of our trip. It is poorly known, being a small version of the Tahiti Petrel, and ranges between Bismarcks and the Solomons.
Various Black Footed Albatrosses Phoebastria nigripes We recorded this Albatross on just three dates with a daily maximum of forty on the 1/5. Present in the North Pacific mainly in Hawaii with smaller numbers on islands of S. Japan. Ranges at sea widely in N. Pacific.
Approaching Chuuk
Rufous-Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus flying over Chuuk. We recorded just three birds during our visit to Chuuk. It is found throughout much of Australia except in the arid inland, Indonesia, the Phillippines, Papua New Guinea and Melanesia.
Oceanic Flycatcher Myiagra oceanica on Chuuk. We were delighted to see this fine Oceanic Flycatcher. We saw it on both days on Chuuk with one on the 23/4 and 4 on the 24/4.
Juvenile & Adult Micronesian Starling Aplonis opaca on Chuuk. We recorded forty birds on both days on Chuuk. It is found in Micronesia, N. Mariana Islands and Palau.
Micronesian Myzomela on Chuuk Myzomela rubratra We found it common on Truk with a daily maximun of 50. Its a member of the honeyeater family with seven subspecies. It is distributed throughout the Northern Mariana Islands.
Intermediate colour morph Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra on Chuuk. Just two were recorded on Chuuk.
Black-naped Terns Sterna sumatrana with Black Noody on Chuuk. We recorded fifteen Black-naped Terns on Chuuk, we also saw 2 on New Caledonia and one near Torishima on the 1/5. Two subspecies and is an oceanic tern mostly found in tropical and subtropical areas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and it is rarely found inland.
Great Crested Tern Sterna bergii. We recorded this tern on six dates totalling fortyeight individuals with a daily maximum of twenty off New Caledonia. We also recorded one off Chuuk.
Crimson Crowned Fruit-dove Ptilinopus porphyraceus on Chuuk. We just recorded two on the 23/4 and four on the 24/4. It is found in a number of tropical islands and its main habitats atr tropical forests and mangrove forests.
Caroline Islands Ground-dove Gallicolumba kubaryi seen near the area known as the Japanese Gun on Chuuk. Its endemic to Micronesia and its listed as endanagered due to habitat loss. We were very fortunate to find two on Chuuk, one of which came flying right over our heads and landed in a nearby tree.
Caroline Islands Reed Warbler Acrocephalus syrnix on Chuuk and it is found only on the Caroline Islands. We found a total of fifteen on our second day on Chuuk. Would be a good find by DC on Unst as he finds a good few of the other Acros on Unst. Note the short primary projection.
Caroline Islands Swiftlets Aerodramus inquietus on Chuuk. Its endemic to the Caroline Islands. We recorded fifty on both days we were on Chuuk.
Departing Chuuk Island.
We now had five full days at sea heading north from Chuuk into Japanese waters, but still some excellent sea-birds to be seen on this part of the cruise, and these details will be included on our No.5 blog which will be my final blog for this trip.
