Many of the same species appeared again, and we added our first Melanesian Kingfishers as well as a pair of hunting Oriental Hobbies, but the tricky rarities we were after failed to materialize. ![]() The following day we were out early again, trying a different area of Mount Austen. We also had a poke around after dark, and although we found another Ultramarine Kingfisher, the hoped-for Guadalcanal Owl only posed briefly in the light, and refused to return. The trail through the forest was lovely, and we soon added more species including the smart Solomons Cuckooshrike, Chestnut-bellied Monarch and the shy Solomons Monarch. In the afternoon we visited another area of forest just outside of Honiara, at Parangiju. ![]() We returned to town and had lunch at what was soon to become a favourite past-time of the tour… the Chinese buffet. Bird of the morning was probably the delightful Ultramarine Kingfisher, a pair of which performed admirably, and other goodies included our first Chestnut-bellied Imperial Pigeon, the huge Buff-headed Coucal (the first of many) the scarce Black-headed Myzomela, Oriole Whistler, the energetic Steel-blue Flycatcher, and the tiny Midget Flowerpecker. Here we had an excellent introduction to the birding and the birds of the Solomons… pretty tough going! Early on we were pleased to find Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeons and numerous Claret-breasted Fruit Doves perched up alongside huge Blyth’s Hornbills, our first Solomons Cockatoos, impressive Yellow-bibbed Lories, Papuan Eclectus Parrots, Long-tailed Mynas and endemic Brown-winged Starlings. We began the tour in the capital Honiara, on the island of Guadalcanal, and took an early transfer out to Mount Austen on the outskirts of the capital. In addition, we had fantastic looks at four genera that are endemic to the Solomon Islands: Rigidipenna (Solomons Frogmouth), Nesoclopeus (Woodford’s Rail), Meliarchus (Makira Honeyeater) and Woodfordia (Bare-eyed White-eye). Particular highlights included the amazing Solomons Frogmouth, the rare Solomons Nightjar, Guadalcanal, Makira and West Solomons Owls, the impressive Sanford’s Sea Eagle, the elusive Black-faced Pitta, Duchess Lorikeet, numerous Solomons Cockatoos, Ultramarine Kingfisher as well as three smart species of dwarf kingfishers, brilliant monarchs including the smart White-capped Monarch, the gorgeous Solomons Robins, the stunning Makira Thrush and a host of white-eyes including the lovely Gizo White-eye (formerly known as Splendid White-eye). In the end we came away with an impressive list of endemics and specialities, including a high percentage of the available endemics. It had been a few years since our last tour around the Solomon Islands, an itinerary which is well-known to be logistically as well as physically, one of the more difficult in our programme! Well in both regards, this year’s tour lived up to its reputation! Fortunately, we had an adventurous group that were prepared to put in the hard yards and put up with some truly awful weather and at times difficult conditions.
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