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The holiday season of 2017/18 was a rainyÌýoneÌýin theÌýHawaiian Islands, andÌýunfortunatelyÌýa few of theÌýlocal CBCsÌýcoincided with bad weatherÌýand sufferedÌýdeminishedÌýresults.ÌýWhileÌýtheÌýstormsÌýaffected some counts, participation forÌýcertainÌýothers, such as Waimea Circle onÌýKaua`i,Ìýsaw the biggest turnoutÌýin many years.Ìý

Highlights for seabirds this year includedÌýsevenÌý°Õ°ù¾±²õ³Ù°ù²¹³¾â€™sÌýStorm Petrel on MidwayÌýAtoll; nest-boxes had been put out for the species earlier in the season.ÌýGreatÌýFrigatebirds,Ìýan omen of stormy weather inÌýHawai`i,ÌýamassedÌýa high countÌýof 61 birds on theÌýKapa`aÌýCircle,ÌýKaua`i. On Johnston Atoll, the 4748 Red-footed Boobies added upÌýtoÌýa record number.Ìý

What is it about geese? Nationwide, most species’ populations have been increasing dramatically, and now theÌýendangeredÌýNene (Hawaiian Goose) hasÌýbelatedlyÌýjoined theÌýupwardÌýtrend. Record counts for Nene were reported fromÌýthe twoÌýKaua`iÌýcircles—28 geese forÌýWa`imeaÌýandÌý525 forÌýKapa`a—and fromÌýNorthÌýKona, on the BigÌýIsland, 60 Nene. While these figures might beÌýpartlyÌýattributedÌýto increased participation and coverage, still the numbers are impressive! Another endangered waterfowlÌýspecies, the Laysan Duck,Ìýis also increasing, with a high count of 336ÌýbirdsÌýfor the recently-established population on Midway. For Common Gallinules,Ìýthe count of 336 atÌýKapa`aÌýand 16 on theÌýWaipi`oÌýCircle,ÌýO`ahuÌýwere unusually high.ÌýÌý

Vagrant waterfowl this yearÌýincluded a Tundra Swan on theÌýKapa`aÌýCircle;Ìýa Snow Goose onÌýLana`i;ÌýtwoÌýGarganeyÌýand a Blue-winged Teal on theÌýWaipi`oÌýCircle,ÌýO`ahu; andÌýthreeÌýBufflehead on Midway.Ìý

Relatively large numbers of White-faced Ibis showedÌýup:ÌýÌýsixÌýon theÌýWaipi`oÌýCircle, 10 on theÌý`IaoÌýCircle, Maui, andÌýfiveÌýon the North KonaÌýCicle,ÌýHawai`i Island.ÌýA Gray-tailed Tattler, an Asian species, appeared on the Midway count. TheÌýfiveÌýBristle-thighedÌýCurlew on the Honolulu Circle wereÌýa high count. Gulls this year included a Laughing Gull on the Waimea Circle, a Bonaparte’s Gull on theÌýWaipi`oÌýCircle, and a Ring-billed Gull on the North Kona Circle. A Peregrine Falcon was reported from Midway, andÌýone or moreÌýShort-eared Owls wereÌýnotedÌýduring the count week on Johnston Atoll.Ìý

Once again, nativeÌýHawaiian forestÌýbirds wereÌýreported in low numbers.ÌýThe highlight wasÌý10Ìý`Akiapola`au, an endangeredÌýHawaiian honeycreeper,Ìýon theÌýKeauhouÌýsegment of the Volcano Circle, where participants were treated to an encounter between two family groups in theÌýkoaÌýtrees overhead, in addition toÌýotherÌýscattered birds elsewhere.Ìý

Naturalized bird species continue their inexorable march as documented by the CBC.ÌýThe infamous feral chickens ofÌýKaua`i, a Polynesian introduction,Ìýracked up a score of 271 birds on the Waimea Circle.ÌýAn eye-popping 530 Feral Pigeons commuted back and forth to West Maui sea-cliffs on the `IaoÌýCircle.ÌýSpreading westward onÌýO`ahu, the Rose-ringedÌýParakeetÌýadded 53 birds to theÌýWaipi`oÌýcount. Other parrot high counts were 39 Red-crowned Parrots (Amazons)Ìýand 60 Red-masked Parakeets (Conures) on the Honolulu Circle.ÌýThe Japanese Bush-Warbler, normallyÌýrather quietÌýthis time of year, surprisedÌýLana`iÌýcounters withÌýa total ofÌý26 birds.Ìý

On the Waimea count,ÌýSaffron Finches, newly established onÌýKaua`i, reached 13 birds, but that was nothing to the 785 birds on theÌýBig Island’sÌýNorthÌýKonaÌýCircle, truly a colorful sight! Lastly, a lone Orange-cheeked Waxbill, now rare onÌýO`ahu, appearedÌýon the HonoluluÌýcircle.ÌýÌý

The five Mariana count circles reported some unusual vagrants this season:Ìý an AmericanÌýWigeonÌýon the Southern Guam Circle, withÌýtwo more on Rota; aÌýGarganey, a Eurasian Coot, and a Latham Snipe all on SouthernÌýGuam.Ìý That count circleÌýalso reported an extraordinarily high count ofÌýfiveÌýCommon Ringed Plover. Five Great Egrets andÌýfourÌýSanderlings were unusual for Rota, but best of all was the high count of 34 Rota White-eye,ÌýendemicÌýto this small island.Ìý

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