We ended up changing our flight from Oahu to the Big Island so we could have a full day of hiking and be able to set up camp before it got dark. It was pretty rough catching the 6:15am hotel shuttle to HNL (especially after being out really late) but it was worth it when we arrived on the Big Island.
Unlike Oahu, the minute you leave the airport you are greeted with breathtaking views of volcanic lava flow. We picked up some groceries and then headed straight to the trailhead at Waipio Valley. Here's a picture of the valley at the start of the hike:
Here are the birds we captured pictures of.
Yellow-billed Cardinal:
Hwamei:
Japanese White-eye:
Unlike Oahu, the minute you leave the airport you are greeted with breathtaking views of volcanic lava flow. We picked up some groceries and then headed straight to the trailhead at Waipio Valley. Here's a picture of the valley at the start of the hike:
Here are the birds we captured pictures of.Yellow-billed Cardinal:
Hwamei:
Japanese White-eye:
Yellow-billed Cardinal: 
Black-Crowned Night Heron:
Yellow-billed Cardinal at the black sand beach:
Yellow-billed Cardinal at the black sand beach:
It was really hard to identify the other birds we hear and saw briefly, especially since we were hiking at the same time. But it was a great trip and an exciting first hike for our trip. Plus, it was my birthday! Later that day we stayed at Kalopa State Recreation Area and while we hear lots of birds, the only ones we saw were the wild chickens and roosters.
Comments
Some lovely photos you have there.