We are now turning our attentions to the pelagic wonders of the Pacific Ocean, relatively unexplored by keen sea watchers, until now. WildWings conceived and designed this  ‘world first’ voyage, sailing northwards from New Zealand to Japan, with the inaugural and highly successful departure being in spring 2007. The voyage includes many days at sea, travelling through waters rich in highly desired seabirds and cetaceans and features selected island stops, bird wise concentrating on the applicable endemics. The unique Kagu of New Caledonia being one of the many star species we will seek ashore. There will also be some optional snorkelling and general island exploration opportunities for the not so keen birder. The main purpose of the voyage, however,  will be the seabirds and cetaceans, and a number of ‘chumming’ stops will be made throughout the voyage to attract seabirds to the ship.  We will have radios for constant communication onboard, to help maximise everyone’s sightings. Photographic opportunities are good.

We start by exploring New Zealand’s famed Hauraki Gulf for the recently rediscovered New Zealand Storm-Petrel and other southern tubenoses before venturing north, crossing both tropics and the equator on our way to the Japanese breeding home of another of the world’s rarest, but much larger seabirds, the Short-tailed Albatross. A whole host of other seabirds will be seen along the way as we expect to cruise through generally tranquil tropical seas. We anticipate Heinroth’s Shearwater, Polynesian Storm-Petrel and even perhaps Beck’s and Fiji Petrels too, the stuff of dreams and seen by very few people indeed. A good supporting cast of cetaceans is also expected such as beaked-whales and various dolphins. Other marine life we expect to see includes flying fish, sharks and turtles. Seasonal weather at this time of year is normally very good and the recce voyage and inaugural expedition enjoyed a generally calm passage in warm to hot conditions. Explore remote tropical islands such as the almost untouched Rennell in the Solomons. Enjoy Pacific dawns and sunsets, rainbows and long sunny days.

An extra avian bonus will be the spring migration, especially the during the latter half of the voyage. The 2007 trip encountered a number of migrating ‘landbirds’ including Little Whimbrel, Terek Sandpiper, a male Siberian Rubythroat and both Blue-and-white and Narcissus Flycatchers flying around us in the middle of the ocean!    

Our vessel will be the comfortable expedition ship, the Spirit of Enderby, operated by Heritage Expeditions carrying a maximum of just 48 passengers. All cabins have portholes or windows and plenty of storage space. The ship has a bar/library lounge and a dedicated lecture room with informal but excellent dining in two dining rooms. We will use her Zodiacs for landings and cruises. Chris Collins, the WildWings leader, greatly assisted in putting this trip together and 2008 will be his third such voyage. Other seabird ‘luminaries’ will also be onboard to assist you maximize your experience.

Be amongst the first to experience this new ultimate pelagic voyage, and be part of ornithological history in the making.

Itinerary

Day 1: (Optional excursion to Miranda by bus for Wrybill and other NZ specialties.) Embark late afternoon in Auckland, NZ and sail late evening.

Day 2: We will sail north through the Hauraki Gulf looking for the recently rediscovered New Zealand Storm-Petrel, and also looking for Grey Ternlets, Black Petrels and other seabirds. Evening cruise past a ‘Pycroft’s Petrel’ breeding island.

Days 3 & 4: At sea. Expected species include White-necked, Black-winged, and Grey-faced Petrels, Buller’s, Wedge-tailed and Flesh-footed Shearwaters.

Day 5: Norfolk Island (Australia). We plan to seek the three endemics, Norfolk Island 

Parakeet, Norfolk Gerygone and Slender-billed White-eye at the Botanical Gardens and in the afternoon visit a tropical seabird colony where White Terns, Black Noddies and Red-tailed Tropicbirds breed.

Days 6 & 7: At sea. New tubenoses on this sector could include Kermadec and Providence Petrels plus Sooty Terns and frigatebirds.

Days 8: Noumea (New Caledonia). We will explore the Parc de la Riviere Bleue for the unique Kagu and other endemics such New Caledonian Imperial Pigeon, N.C. (White-bellied) Goshawk, N.C.(Horned) Parakeet, N.C. Myzomela, N.C. Whistler, N.C. Crow, N.C. Cuckoo-Shrike, N.C. Friarbird, Crow, Dark-brown  and Barred Honeyeaters, Yellow-bellied Robin, Cloven-feathered Dove, Green-backed White-eye, Red-throated Parrotfinch and Striated Starling.

   Days 9-11: At sea. Potential new tubenoses on this sector include Collared, Gould’s         Tahiti Petrels and with luck, Polynesian Storm-Petrels.

Day 12: Rennell (Solomon Islands). We shall seek a number of Solomon endemics including the five species restricted to Rennell, Rennell Shrikebill, Fantail, White-eye and Starling plus Bare-eyed White-eye on this unspoilt tropical haven.

Day 13: San Christobal, (Solomon Islands) A new landing looking for more endemics.

Day 14: Honiara. (Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands) A full day birding excursion to Mount Austin, island group endemics found here include Midget Flowerpecker, Ultramarine Kingfisher, S.I. Cuckoo-Shrike, Ducorp’s Cockatoo, Blyth’s Hornbill and many others.

Day 15: At sea. We will be looking for Heinroth’s Shearwater today as we cruise west.

Day 16: Kolombangara (Solomon Islands). We hope to see Roviana Rails, the species being only first described in 1991, Solomon Sea-Eagle, White-capped Monarch and other endemics.

Days 17-22: At sea. We plan to spend some time exploring the waters off Bougainville, which are rich in cetaceans and the known range of the near mythical Beck’s Petrel.

Day 23: Chuuk (‘Truk’, Federated States of Micronesia). Ashore in this diver’s paradise we will look for Caroline Islands White-eye, Reed Warbler, Swiftlet and Ground Dove , Oceanic Flycatcher and search for the very rare Truk Monarch. 

Days 24 - 28 At sea. New seabirds should include Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrel, Bannerman’s Shearwater and Bonin Petrel.

Day 29: Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands (Japan) We shall seek the endemic honeyeater ashore, Laysan Albatross, Humpbacks and various dolphins in the island’s waters. 

Day 30: At sea, new seabirds should include Black-footed Albatross, Streaked Shearwater and Tristram’s Storm-Petrel.

Day 31: Torishima (Japan, landing not allowed) We will cruise off the island for surely one of the seabird highlights, Short-tailed Albatross.

Days 32: At sea.

Day 33: Disembark Yokohama, Japan, after breakfast. Transfer to Tokyo Narita airport.

NB: As applies to all expedition cruises, the exact itinerary will be subject to weather and local conditions. All landings are subject to government permissions.

Potential Seabirds (selected species only)

Little Penguin*, Antipodean*, Gibson’s Wandering*, Campbell*, Short-tailed*, Laysan and Black-footed* Albatrosses, Grey-faced Petrel*, Tahiti Petrel*, Mottled Petrel, Providence Petrel*, Kermadec Petrel*, Herald Petrel, White-necked Petrel*, Cook’s Petrel*, Gould’s Petrel*, Bonin Petrel*, Black-winged Petrel*, Pycroft’s Petrel, Fairy Prion*, Bulwer’s Petrel*, White-chinned Petrel, Black Petrel*, Westland Black Petrel*, Streaked Shearwater*, Flesh-footed Shearwater*, Wedge-tailed Shearwater*, Buller’s Shearwater*, Short-tailed Shearwater*, Heinroth’s Shearwater*, Christmas Shearwater, Fluttering Shearwater*, Hutton’s Shearwater, Little Shearwater*, Tropical* and Bannerman’s* Shearwaters (both formerly ‘Audubon-type’), New Zealand Storm Petrel* (recently rediscovered), Wilson’s Storm-Petrel*, White-faced Storm-Petrel* , Black-bellied Storm-Petrel, White-bellied Storm-Petrel, Polynesian (White-throated) Storm-Petrel*, Madeiran (Band-rumped) Storm-Petrel, Swinhoe’s Storm-Petrel, Tristram’s Storm-Petrel*, Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrel*, Common Diving-Petrel*, Red-tailed Tropicbird*, White-tailed Tropicbird*, Australasian Gannet*, Masked Booby*, Red-footed Booby*, Brown Booby*, Japanese Cormorant*, Great* and Lesser* Frigatebirds, South Polar Skua*, Brown Skua, Black-tailed Gull*, Kelp Gull*, Slaty-backed Gull, Red-billed*, Black-billed*, Silver Gull*,  White-fronted Tern*, Black-naped Tern*, Aleutian Tern, Grey-backed Tern*, Bridled Tern*, Sooty Tern*, Fairy Tern, Crested* and Lesser-crested Terns, Grey Ternlet*, Brown* and Black Noddies*, White Tern*, Japanese and Long-billed  Murrelets, Rhinoceros Auklet*.

* Seen on the 2007 expedition and/or the 2005 recce voyage.

Over 30 species of cetacean occur in the waters we will be travelling through, the 2007 voyage and 2005 recce saw Bryde’s/Omaru’s and Sperm Whales, Dwarf and Pygmy Sperm Whales, Gray’s, Cuvier’s, Longman’s , Blainville’s and Beaked-Whales sp, Short-finned and Long-finned Pilot Whales, Orca, False Killer Whale, Pygmy Killer Whale, Striped, Pantropical Spotted, Eastern Spinner, Bottlenose, Risso’s, Rough-toothed and Fraser’s Dolphins.

Selected ‘Island’ Birds

Pacific Baza, Solomon Islands Sea-Eagle, N.C.Goshawk, Roviana Rail, Woodford’s Rail, Kagu, Grey-tailed & Wandering Tattlers, Little Whimbrel, Red-necked Stint, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Wrybill, Emerald Dove, Caroline Islands Ground Dove, Crimson-crowned and Claret Breasted Fruit-Doves, Cloven-feathered Dove, various Imperial-Pigeons, Ducorp’s Cockatoo, Cardinal Lory, Yellow-bibbed Lory, Finsch’s Pygmy-Parrot, lorikeets, parakeets and other parrots, Buff-headed Coucal, Moustached Treeswift, Ultramarine and other Kingfishers, various Cuckoo-Shrikes, Island Thrush, Caroline Reed Warbler, various Fantails, Rennell Shrikebill, various Monarchs, Oceanic Flycatcher, Pacific and Yellow-bellied Robins, various Whistlers, Gerygones and White-Eyes, Midget Flowerpecker, various Myzomelas, other Honeyeaters including N.C.Friarbird and Crow Honeyeater, several endemic crows, various Starlings and Mynas plus two species of Parrotfinch.

All seen during the 2007 voyage and/or the 2005/6 & 7 air recces.

Holiday information

Dates:                New Zealand – Japan   2^nd April  – 4^th May 2008

Cost:   

Dates:                New Zealand – Japan 17th March – 18th April 2009

Leader/s:           Chris Collins, Dick Filby, Rodney Russ & expedition team

Cost:   

Landing Fees £195pp 

Deposit: 25%  10% before 31 Dec 2007 and a further 15% due March 2008

Single occupancy 1.7 times twin share price (1.8 for suites)

You may also advance register for the TBA March – TBA April 2010 voyage, please write to us with your chosen cabin grade and a £50 per person refundable advance deposit.

Prices include: Voyage with accommodation as booked, including all meals aboard vessel, tea and coffee, guided shore excursions as described, lectures and services of WildWings and ship’s expedition team, day by day bird and mammal checklist, use of group radios & evening log-call (at sea).

Excludes: Flights (from UK - New Zealand, Japan - UK from approx £925), transfers in Auckland & Japan, pre-voyage hotel in Auckland (from £35pp twin share) travel insurance, drinks, tips, visas and other items of a personal nature.

An optional pre-cruise 1 night/2 day pelagic from New Zealand for seabirds, (in search of NZ Storm-Petrel) is available the day before embarkation (approx £175pp twin share including return transfers from Auckland, b & b accom, full day pelagic with lunch and guiding services). An optional day birding excursion to the Miranda Shorebird Centre on the day of embarkation of the main voyage will also be offered (approx £40pp including lunch). We can also arrange pre-voyage birding in New Zealand, escorted or un-escorted.

The 2007 trip report and 2007 systematic list is on our website or available from us.