Western Pacific Odyssey Birding Expedition

Your Western Pacific Odyssey expedition cruise begins in the New Zealand city of Auckland where, having arrived independently, you will transfer to the harbour to board your expedition vessel. Meet your captain and expedition team, settle into your comfortable cabin, and familiarise yourself with the ship before joining your expedition team and guides in the Observation Lounge as we set sail for the Hauraki Gulf.

Our first adventure this morning will bring us to the Mokohinau Islands (known locally as the Mokes), a small archipelago in the Hauraki Gulf. Offering the perfect introduction to our birding cruise, a wonderful selection of seabirds that reside on or around these predator free islands is likely to greet our arrival. Birds we may see here include grey noddy and Australasian gannets. Further out to sea, our focus will turn to spotting the recently discovered New Zealand storm petrels that are regularly seen here. Some of the other species we can hope to see are Little Blue Penguins; Black, Grey-faced, Cook’s and possibly Pycroft’s Petrels; Buller’s, Flesh-footed, Fluttering and Little Shearwaters, Fairy Prions, White-faced Storm Petrels and Common Diving Petrels. We are also likely to spot several species of albatross including Antipodean, Campbell, White-capped and Buller’s, along with cetaceans such as Long-finned Pilot Whales, Short-beaked Common Dolphins and, possibly, Bryde’s Whale.

Day 3 will be spent at sea sailing north to Norfolk Island. Throughout your expedition, the times spent at sea are likely to be just as exciting as those spent on land as we sail through nutrient rich waters that are a haven for vast numbers of seabirds. Make sure to spend some time on deck with your expert guides waiting for sightings of various species of petrel including Pterodroma/Gadfly, Grey-faced, Kermadec, White-necked, Blackwinged, Cook’s, Gould’s and Tahiti. There are also good chances of spotting albatross as well as cetaceans including beaked whales and sperm whales.

On day 4 we will arrive off the coast of the far flung Norfolk Island. Named by Captain James Cook, Norfolk Island has a rich history that we will discover during our time here. Initially inhabited by Polynesians, it later served as a penal colony and was then colonised by descendants of The Bounty mutineers. Blanketed by the famous Norfolk Island Pine, the island is incredibly picturesque, yet sadly thanks to the arrival of humans and their commensals, the incredible array of endemic wildlife that this island once held has dwindled over the years. Despite this, the remaining forests are magnificent and still support a selection of endemic birds including Norfolk Parakeet, Slender-billed White-eye, Norfolk Robin and Norfolk Gerygone. We may also be able to spot Pacific Emerald Dove, Golden Whistler and Grey Fantail, whilst during our time ashore we will hope to see nesting seabirds such as the spectacular Red-tailed Tropicbirds, white terns and black noddy. As we depart the island in the afternoon, from the ship we will be on the lookout for ‘Tasman’ Brown Booby, White-bellied and White-faced Storm Petrel and Little Shearwater. On some expeditions Providence Petrel have also been observed.

Sailing through the Coral Sea on day 5, another day of exceptional birding awaits as we spend time on deck searching for the alluring Pterodroma petrels along with Kermadec, White-necked, Black-winged, Gould’s and Tahiti Petrels. We may also catch sight of Providence or even Herald Petrels, as well as encountering our first Collared Petrels of the voyage. In a day all about petrels, in addition to Wilson’s and White-faced Storm Petrel, we hope to see White-bellied Storm Petrel and, with luck, even Polynesian Storm Petrel. It is on this transit that we began seeing a mysterious Storm Petrel in the early days of the WPO. The bird is now recognised as being the rediscovery of the long lost Fregetta lineata and is known as the New Caledonian Storm Petrel. The species appears to be quite rare and hard to see here but we have managed to observe it on several occasions to the south of its presumed breeding grounds somewhere around New Caledonia.

Day 6 will take us to one of the most fascinating islands in the world as we reach New Caledonia for a taste of France in the Pacific. Named by Captain James Cook, who felt it reminded him of Scotland, New Caledonia is a haven for history enthusiasts and nature enthusiasts alike. Incredible levels of biodiversity and endemism can be seen here, and as we explore this wonderful tropical island we will uncover countless natural delights, from the largest gecko in the world to some of the largest tree ferns and the most ancient lineage of flowering plants on Earth. The island plays host to an extraordinary number of endemic species, among them the magnificent, flightless Kagu which is now seen in great numbers in Riviere Bleue thanks to a massive conservation effort. We will visit the reserve here to sight this rare bird and find out all about those conservation efforts…a birding highlight of a lifetime!

Other endemic birds here include: Cloven-feathered Dove, Horned Parakeet, Crow Honeyeater, Goliath Imperial-pigeon, White-bellied Goshawk, New Caledonian Parakeet, New Caledonian Myzomela, New Caledonian Whistler, the toolusing New Caledonian Crow, South Melanesian Cuckooshrike, New Caledonian Friarbird, Barred Honeyeater, Yellow-bellied Robin, Green-backed White-eye and Red-throated Parrotfinch.

With another morning of birding on this special island, today we visit the slightly higher forest elevations of Mount Koghi. Our time here will be spent looking for any birds we missed yesterday. These forests tend to be better for White-bellied Goshawk, Cloven-feathered Dove, New Caledonian Crow and Striated Starling, even the poorly known and rarely observed New Caledonian Thicketbird occurs here. Other birds to keep an eye out for include Streaked Fantail, Southern Shrikebill and Metallic Pigeon. Those so inclined may wish to spend some time exploring the capital of Noumea or enjoy a swim. Once back on board we will sail along the world’s longest, continuous barrier reef systems, a very scenic cruise and with some interesting birds including Fairy Tern. Once beyond the reef we should see large numbers of Gould’s Petrels and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters and this will provide us with another opportunity to seek out the New Caledonian Storm Petrel.

We now have three sea days as we steam north into the tropical waters of the Solomon Islands. While the pelagic birding may slow a bit as we head into warmer waters, it remains excellent. This stretch is our best chance to observe the incredible Polynesian Storm Petrel and we should also see Band-rumped Storm Petrel. The latter was initially discovered in this area during the WPO and seems likely to represent an unknown breeding population. We should also enjoy more Collared and Tahiti Petrels, both Red-tailed and White-tailed Tropicbirds plus hopefully watch Masked, Brown and Red-footed Boobies hunt the dazzling array of often spectacularly coloured flying fish that are abundant in these waters. As always, it is worth keeping an eye out for cetaceans including Sperm Whales, various beaked whales, and Short-finned Pilot Whales.

A chain of almost 1,000 lushly forested islands and some of the highest levels of endemism and marine life on Earth define this remarkable, yet rarely-visited nation. We will be exploring the largest of the country’s islands, Guadalcanal. Perhaps best known to the outside world for the intense fighting that occurred here during World War II, Guadalcanal has been inhabited for many thousands of years. Its rugged and almost totally unexplored interior contrast sharply with the thriving city of Honiara, the capital. An early morning departure from Heritage Adventurer allows us relatively quick access into some lower montane forest where along a road we can seek out a few Guadalcanal endemics and a large number of slightly more widespread Solomons endemics. Some of the more sought after species here include Ultramarine Kingfisher, Solomons Cockatoo, Guadalcanal Crow and the huge Sanford’s/Solomon Sea Eagle. Among the long list of other possible species are Pied Goshawk, Claret-breasted Fruit-dove, Cardinal and Yellowbibbed Lory, Buff-headed Coucal, spectacular Blyth’s Hornbill, attractive Solomons Cuckooshrike, Black-headed Myzomela, Chestnut-bellied Monarch, Steel-blue Flycatcher, Brown-winged Starling, Long-tailed Myna and Midget Flowerpecker. It will certainly be one of our most diverse stops of the voyage!

We sail westwards through the Solomon Islands chain on day 12. Because of its remarkable oceanic topography, the Solomons can offer some of the best tropical seabird and marine mammal watching anywhere. We should experience some feeding frenzies of terns, boobies, Wedge-tailed Shearwaters and marauding Frigatebirds. We also stand a good chance of observing the strange and rare Heinroth’s Shearwater today. Marine mammal sightings in this area are always hard to predict but we regularly see Kogias here including Dwarf Sperm Whale, and even rare Pygmy Sperm Whales. Spinner and Pantropical Spotted Dolphin are the most regularly observed dolphin species and Pygmy Killer Whales seem fairly regular. Blainville’s, Cuvier’s and even Longman’s Beaked Whales have all been seen on previous voyages, while flying fish reach some of their highest diversity in this area.

Geographically, on day 13 we enter Papua New Guinea, but biologically Bougainville has more in common with the Solomon Islands and is the largest island in the archipelago. With a tumultuous history it is only fairly recently that Bougainville has reopened to tourism but is nowadays a very welcoming destination. Happily there is a paved road that gives easy access to some mid elevation forest which, while somewhat degraded, still offers excellent birding. We will have more opportunities to observe Sanford’s/Solomon Sea Eagle, Solomons Cockatoo and Ultramarine Kingfisher today and we will be looking for endemics including the Bougainville Crow, Bougainville Monarch and perhaps the secretive Bougainville Bush Warbler. Other new birds to look for today are many and include Yellow-throated White-eye, Bougainville White-eye, Solomons Monarch, Red-capped Myzomela, Pale Mountain Pigeon, Mackinlay’s Cuckoo Dove and Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeon.

On day 14 we will be sailing between Bougainville and New Ireland. It is in this region that we will be looking for the Beck’s Petrel. Some of the first ever at sea sightings of this very poorly known seabird occurred on this voyage and to this day almost every birder that has observed a Beck’s Petrel has done it while on the Western Pacific Odyssey! So we will be working hard to see this species again today. Heinroth’s Shearwater is another exciting possibility in this area. Again, cetaceans are very hard to predict but this area is home to many infrequently seen species. It can be particularly good for Kogias (the Dwarf and Pygmy Sperm Whale), along with the blackfish: False Killer Whale, Pygmy Killer Whale, Short-finned Pilot Whale and Melon-headed Whale. If we are fortunate enough to see the latter species it will most likely be accompanied by the beautiful Fraser’s Dolphin.

The capital of Papua New Guinean province of New Ireland and the largest town on the island of the same name, Kavieng is known for its ancient Malagan culture. Those choosing to disembark today say their farewells after breakfast with a transfer to Kavieng Airport. For those continuing the adventure we plan to explore the best birding opportunities possible with the available time, we should be able to locate the endemic Mottled Mannikin/Munia. Other possibilities here include the Variable Goshawk, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeon and Bismarck Crow.

We now have a full five days at sea as we sail northwards. These are days to relax and catch up on notes and photos as we cross the Equator and sail through a blue desert. While the birding will be slow in these deep, warm waters there will be occasional sightings of Bulwer’s Petrel, White-tailed Tropicbird, White and Sooty Tern and both Great and Lesser Frigatebirds. In the final day or two on our approach into Japan things should pick up considerably as exciting new species begin to make their first appearance including Matsudaira’s Storm Petrel, Bonin Petrel and Bannerman’s Shearwater.

We will complete Customs and arrive into Japan at the largest of the Bonin Islands, Chichi-jima, before exploring the settlement and the surrounding area. Birds that we may see include Japanese Bush Warbler, Blue Rock Thrush, Browneared Bulbul and Japanese Whiteeye. During the afternoon we will look for the critically endangered Bryan’s Shearwater. This species is only known to breed on a small islet off Chichi-jima and during our 2019 expedition several individuals were seen as birds returned to their burrows prior to dusk. We should also see good numbers of Bannerman’s Shearwaters which also breed here.

Today we will be returning south to visit the most interesting of the Bonin Islands, biologically speaking, Haha-jima. This hard to reach island is the last home of the bizarre Bonin White-eye and we hope to see this strange species while ashore. While its taxonomic affinities have been hotly debated, it is now considered to be a white-eye in its own genera. It can be a bit tricky to find, so we will hope for some luck during our time ashore. The greenfinch that occurs here was recently recognised to be a distinct species, the Bonin Greenfinch, and while its status on this island is a bit unclear it certainly does occur at least as a visitor. Other possibilities today include the Japanese Wood Pigeon, Eastern Buzzard, Brown-eared Bulbul, Japanese Bush Warbler, Warbling White-eye, White’s Thrush and Blue Rock Thrush. A variety of shorebirds and passerines could also occur here as transient migrants and there are lots of possibilities. Humpback Whales are also often seen here in the nearshore waters.

Landings are not permitted at Torishima Island, but we cruise close to shore in the hope of seeing the Short-tailed or Steller’s Albatross, the majority of the world's population of this vulnerable species breed on this island. Other species that could be present include Black-footed and Laysan Albatrosses, Streaked Shearwater, and both Tristam’s and Matsudaira’s Storm-petrels.

Our final day at sea will see us sailing towards Honshu where we hope for one last blast of excellent pelagic birding on this final stretch. Some expected species here include the Streaked Shearwater, and Tristram’s and Matsudaira’s Storm Petrel. We will also be on the lookout for Japanese Murrelet in these waters, although seeing them will take some luck.

After breakfast and arrival formalities have been completed for Osaka, on day 25 you will disembark Heritage Adventurer. There will be a complimentary transfer from the ship to Osaka Air Terminal.