Checklist S17135733
Sharing links
Totals
Observations
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Number observed: 10
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Number observed: 1
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Number observed: 2
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Number observed: 1
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Number observed: 1
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Number observed: 10
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Number observed: 10
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Number observed: 5
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Number observed: 4
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Number observed: 1
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Number observed: 4
Details
Me and two other birders went to Kukio Beach this morning at 9 am with hopes of sighting a Bristle-thighed Curlew, but no luck. While there, we scanned the fish ponds to the left of the public access trail and just before you get to the beach. I spotted a Common Moorhen at the south end of the fish pond. The three of us watched as it walked carefully and slowly on top of thick, native vegetation (about 5 ft tall), and when it got to the end of that bush, it then hopped down to the base of the vegetation and disappeared from view. I often see about a dozen of these birds at the Waimea Golf Course on Kauai, and so was not surprised about this sighting until I tried to enter it into eBird. It's not listed as a species, nor as a rarity. My Hawaii Audubon Society "Hawaii's Birds" indicates it was formerly found on Hawaii, and other internet searching indicates it hasn't been found on recent bird surveys. We're confident we saw a Common Moorhen. Here's what we saw:
This bird was dark gray overall, had a bit of white on the sides, white undertail, had long, mostly greenish legs with striations of pink/red/orange and large, unwebbed, finger-like feet, red bill (extending up onto forehead) with small, yellow tip. There was an iridescence to it's side feathers (blueish purple). It was definitely not a Hawaiian Coot.
Please reply with your thoughts and decision as to whether you agree with this sighting.
To try for the Bristle-thighed Curlew again, we plan to go back to this location, as well as Kiholo Bay, and Pu'ukohola Heiau (where we were told by one of the rangers that the Curlew is frequently seen by her). While searching for Curlew at Kukio, we'll look again and try to photo the Gallinule.