Search Birdfinders Search the web. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the endemics of a region that very few birders visit. The islands hold more restricted-range species than any other EBA on the planet. Day 2 Afternoon arrival and overnight in an airport hotel in Brisbane. Day 3 Early morning flight from Brisbane to Honiara on the island of Guadalcanal, the closest thing to a city that we will encounter during our entire time on the Solomon Islands.
Its ideal location in the centre of the nine provinces that comprise the Solomons makes it a hub to which we will return over the course of the trip and from where we will launch excursions to yet more idyllic islands β each chock-full of endemics! Renowned in history as the site of one of the most famous battles of WWII, the island of Guadalcanal is also a paradise for birders and home to the second-highest concentration of endemics to be seen on the trip.
Birding during the late afternoon today is limited, however, to a casual stroll along the coast close to our hotel where we should enjoy sightings of Bridled Tern along with Great and Lesser Frigatebirds. A wide selection of fish dishes most served with sweet potato and taro will be on offer for dinner before we head to bed; tomorrow we begin our Solomon Islands adventure. Two nights in Honiara on Guadalcanal. Day 4 Waking in Honiara, we board our pre-arranged transport packed breakfast in hand and make for the birding mecca of Mount Austen.
From its peak, the lush forest extends downward, almost uninterrupted to the river valley below, and with a number of easil-negotiable logging trails throughout, our first foray into the wilds of the Solomons promises encounters with many dazzling targets. Our large and necessarily powerful 4WD trucks will wind their way to the heights of the forest where our trail birding begins by targeting canopy specialists such as the dazzling Yellow-bibbed Lory as well as Ducorp's Cockatoo, Guadalcanal Dwarf-kingfisher, Black-headed Myzomela, Chestnut-bellied and Black-and-white Monarchs and White-eyed Starling.
Our lodging for the night is the charming Parangiju Mountain Lodge, a family-owned eco-lodge nestled in the lush tropical rainforest of inland Guadalcanal. Our dinner will be lovingly prepared by Chef Eh-Ma and served with refreshing beverages following our first successful day of birding in the Solomon Islands! Day 5 Although extremely difficult to acquire, access has been negotiated to a bonus birding site for this morning! From Parangiju Lodge we will make the hour-and-a-half drive aboard our trucks inland to an area of forest coveted by many a birder but off limits to most.
