Lance Tanino

61 Testimonials Write a testimonial for Lance

I went on a private tour with Lance to Hakalau Forest and had an amazing experience. I can’t think of a more qualified guide - Lance is born and raised in Hawaii, has both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in zoology/conservation biology, and consistently ranks among the top birders in the state. What’s more important than his out of this world birding skills is that he genuinely loves and cares about the birds and our planet, and he’s simply a kind and amazing person. It’s like visiting the forests with an old friend. I cannot recommend Lance enough. You will learn so much about both the birds and Hawaii, and develop a friendship to cherish. Please support local guides, and all the conservation work folks are doing out there.

Lance was great. Super knowledgeable about the ecology of Hakalau Forest NWR and Hawaii in general. We easily found our birds and he set aside time for me to sound record the rare forest birds, which was my main goal. On time, organized, and efficient. Would highly recommended him to others.

My husband and I had a great day in the Hakalau Forest with Lance! We are very much beginner birders, but we had a great time seeing the endemic species in the Hakalau Forest and learning all about the biogeography, climatology, and the flora and fauna of the region. Our tour was well paced and we experienced both endemic and invasive bird species. We stopped for a nice lunch and made a slow walk back, really focusing on the endemic species, learning their calls and mannerisms. If you are excited about birding, ecology, or Hawaiian history, Lance is a great guide!

Lance guided me around the west side of the Big Island, Hawaii. We had a great time and he found me some great lifers! He knows the area well and I would not have been able to see many of my targets without him. Thanks Lance!

We took Lance's West Hawaii tour on 3/7/25 and he took us all over and showed us birds in various habitats: local parks, neighborhoods, fields, along side the highways, up the mountains, down to the coast, in beautiful golf course resorts, and at a sewage treatment plant. We saw a lot, I photographed many new species, and we had enjoyable conversations along the way. All, in all, a great day.

If you’re working on your life list in Hawaii, Lance is your man. He took us to the honeycreepers we sought up high, and all the import/exotic birds down low.

I hired Lance as a guide in February of 2025, and he was very good at getting all of us on all of our target birds. The first day we did Hakalau Forest, and we got looks at all of the endemic species. He was also incredibly knowledgeable about the forest itself, and I learned a ton about the native Hawaiian flora and non-avian creatures (including finding both species of endemic butterflies for Hawaii!) The second day we took a whale watch out of Kona to try for some incidental seabirds, and dispite a pretty slow day for birds, Lance's constant vigilance came through with a handful of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters. I highly recommend Lance for anyone looking for the Hawaiian endemic birds!

Lance was excellent! Great pre and post trip communications. He was at the meeting place early, highly organized and knowledgeable. I appreciated that he knows a lot about Hawaii nature in general and not just the birds, telling us about plants and butterflies as well as the birds. Lance has a great ear and is a talented spotter, knowing where to find the target species and picking up their calls to locate individuals. This was challenging among the many calls in the forest at this time and I was suitably impressed. Lance kept eBird checklists throughout the day and shared them all later that same day. I'd happily hire Lance again and was 100% satisfied as great value for money and fun to talk to about Hawaii.

We took two trips with Lance…a half day tour to Kohala and a full day tour to Hakalau Forest. No guide can guarantee what birds you will see but it’s as if Lance has a special relationship with them and they show up! He is extremely knowledgeable about the birds and their habitat. I’ve been to the Big Island ten times and learned more non-bird facts about the island than ever before. And the birds! Oh my. They were simply incredible. I highly recommend Lance!

Spent the day in the Hakalau Forest. Lance brings a unique combination of deep personal history, scientific curiosity, a d a passion for natural places and history. Spending the day with Lance was great. He knew the habitats, the history of restoring the forests which has personally volunteered time and expertise and ofcourse the birds. He has a great ear and sense for the birds. We saw everything we had hoped to see and more. I would highly recommend Lance and hope I can do another tour with him one day.

We recently completed a 9 day/4 island blitz with Lance. We can only echo all the other superlative testimonials. Lance has an incredible ear, excellent eye, and will not give up until you get a good view of the target. He also knows the location of all the targets and migrants on all the islands we visited (Hawaii, Oahu, Maui, and Kauai). His knowledge of all things avian on the islands, as well as plants, biology and history was top notch. He generously shared this knowledge with us while we traveled between birding sites. He was flexible in his approach in that he made sure to ask when we wanted to be back at the hotel, so he could match our pace of birding. All in all, a super trip. 106 species/39 lifers. For a few days, I was the #2 ebirder in Hawaii (guess who was #1!). Highest accolades. If you are in Hawaii, you should go out with Lance, if even for a single day.

I did multiple full-day Hakalau tours with 2 different guides and spent time around 2 additional guides with groups on those hikes (4 total). Lance seemed the most willing to venture off the main path & onto side paths in search of good views of key behaviors. In my opinion, with Lance, you have the best chance of getting the best views. To my knowledge, he’s also the only guide for Hakalau who was born & raised in Hawaii; you won’t get his key insight & perspective with anyone else, and his experience with mainland US birding can also make ID easier with bird references that might be familiar. Lance also began our 1-on-1 Hakalau walk near the start of the tract (others started further in), allowing for more coverage & opportunities in this critical habitat. My videos of unusual behaviors were mostly taken in places not covered on-foot by other guides. Lance was professional but warm, friendly, gracious, and fun, and very knowledgeable. He had a vast command of the flora as well as the fauna, and we got good views of every endemic except Io/Hawaiian hawk (which I saw numerous other times around the island). He was an expert at revealing hard-to-spot birds (including judicious use of laser pointer) and has a stellar ear. He was flexible with our approach, and his experience guiding in other areas around the island adds a lot to his tour. Easy booking, great lunch, non-strenuous tour with absolutely incredible surroundings & precious birds. He can help you find other island birds and great food and more—all you could ask for in a guide! My time with Lance was terrific all-around!

From the start of our tour Lance was friendly and welcoming! The whole tour was more about the birds than birding in that he seemed to really want to observe the birds and their behavior! He was quick to ID calls and help get us on the bird! Because of his expertise we were able to see all of the endemics in Hakalau Forest. We have birded all over the world and would rank Lance among the best!

My Husband and I went on a guided trip with Lance to Hakalau Wildlife Refuge while in Hawaii. Lance shared his wide knowledge of birds and their calls and he created the conditions that allowed us to see and identify many species. He expertly guided our small group through an enjoyable and successful day of birds and natural history. I enthusiastically recommend Lance as a guide!

A great day exploring nearly all the habitats in the northwest Big Island. I got to see saw pretty much every bird I wanted (with the exception of one difficult seabird) and I certainly wouldn't have been able to without the immense help of Lance. He's also so knowledgeable about everything Hawai'i, from the geological formations to the botanical and ecological situations to the habitat of every bird here: native or introduced.

I recently hired Lance for the second time this year, for a seawatch at Keokea Beach Park. Lance was outstanding at finding seabirds, particularly rare petrels, and then helping me to see them through my scope. An excellent birding day.

We went with Lance for a full day birding at Hakalau wildlife refuge and it was fantastic! Lance was so knowledgeable about the birds and ecosystem broadly. Thanks to him we saw every species we were hoping for. I would recommend Lance to anyone wanting to see the endemic birds of the big island.

We hired Lance for a full day of birding throughout West Hawaii and we saw so many excellent birds. Lance was knowledgeable and professional, demonstrating an in depth understanding and history of the varied habitats that we experienced. We highly recommend Lance!

We hired Lance for a guide in Hakalau Forest NWR. He was incredibly knowledgeable, informative and made the experience a whole lot of fun! He also made sure we were getting what we wanted out of the tour by asked ng what we wanted to see throughout. We found every bird we were looking for thanks to him, when we probably would have found almost none without him. We would not hesitate to use his services again for that tour or any other!

I spent a week in Hawaii in September 2024, and spent 2 1/2 days with Lance as my guide. We did the full day Hakalau Forest and West Hawaii trips, and a three-hour Whalewatch/Pelagic. This was my first trip to Hawaii, and Lance connected me with 37 life birds (!) of which 12 were endemic to Hawaii (!). Lance's qualities I especially appreciated: mad skills at birding by ear; knowledge and experience of not only where but also when to seek particular birds; an understanding of the habitats, ecology, and conservation challenges of Hawaii; a pleasant sense of humor; bonus - he's a good driver. There are many sights and sounds of this trip in my mind that will be unforgettable, but perhaps the most vivid and dreamlike is the memory of standing at the top of the road in the cloud forest, listening to the dense chorus of I'iwi, 'Apapane, and 'Amakihi songs. It was like traveling back in time. Thanks to Lance for taking me there.

I engaged Lance for three days of birding on Big Island, it was arguably one of my best birding experiences ever. He was always on time, prepared (Eagle Scout level!) and his knowledge was unparalleled! We had one day in Hakalau -where I got every bird in the forest! A sea watch, and one day on a boat. In all I picked up 15 lifers and a new appreciation and education on Hawaiian birds and forest use I can keep for a lifetime. As far as I know Lance is the only native born guide working in Hawai’i today. His unique experience and perspective is something that I appreciated, since he challenged a lot of my ideas and assumptions when it came to land use. It was very important to me that I hire local, I got exactly that and more with the knowledge and experience Lance brought to our birding time. I am absolutely looking forward to working with him on a future trip, he’s a consummate professional who knows the islands like I know my garden.

This is beyond late but I've been meaning to write a review since getting back from our trip. Lance was a terrific guide, not only did he enable me to get all of the amazing enedmics the Big Island has to offer, he was willing to go on a crazy side quest (I had so much fun!) that ended in us (Lance) circumnavigating Mauna Kea via the Mana road. Adventure at its finest, 11/10 would do again and highly recommend him as an incredibly knowledgeable guide who is willing to go on a little adventure! Until next time!

Reading through Lance's reviews, it's clear that he is able to successfully cater to hard-core birders; I am definitely not that (yet!) I just picked up the hobby a couple months prior to my trip to Hawaii after continually seeing a red winged blackbird visit our porch every morning on the mainland; this got me researching birds of Hawaii, which eventually led me to Lance. Communication with Lance ahead of the trip was clear and concise. Morning of, he met my party on time at the exact location arranged ahead of time and we set out on a half-day beginners tour in the Kona region. My sister-in-law was more interested in Hawaii's plants, and Lance happily shared his knowledge of the local flora as well. Lance has a very natural, easy-going communication style, both online and in-person, and he was able to easily adapt to us beginners. He didn't talk down to us or make us feel dumb when we repeatedly asked our basic questions. I added 18 species to my life list (which Lance tracked and shared via eBird), and I learned so much. 100% recommended.

Lance was a fantastic guide. Very knowledgeable and informed, we did a full day on Big Island almost every last target species. He was easy going and very accommodating to our little Kansas-time group. If I come back again, I'll for sure call him up. Thank you!

An unforgettable adventure? We are so lucky to have day to explore the wonders of Hakalau, and Lance managed to make every moment count. As soon as our journey commenced, he started imparting fascinating insights about the region's geography, plant life, wildlife and local culture as well. His knowledge was not only extensive but also engaging. After we have been in the refuge, he expertly located all the avian species we was eager to observe! Beyond merely identifying the birds, he provided detailed explanations about their habits, feeding patterns, and conservation status. Besides, he introduced those endemic plants in the cherish native forest to us. And we also learned how much effort they have made to prevent wild pig from getting into the refuge. It was evident that Lance was as thrilled by the day's discoveries as we were. We wholeheartedly endorse Lance, and without a doubt, We would recommend him to everyone who wants to go birding in Hawaii!

Fantastic experience. I had just a short time to see Hakalua, and Lance made it happen. From the minute we started driving, Lance began to share great information about the local area, flora and fauna. Incredibly interesting- and he was able to show me all the birds I was looking for! Not only did he point out the birds, but explained a lot about their behavior, diets, and rarity. It was clear he was enjoying the day as well. Highly recommend Lance, I would hire him in the future in a heartbeat.

I booked Lance for a full day birding outing with my dad on Maui. It was incredible!!! He showed us around the island and targeted several different types of habitat. My dad is more of a casual birder, so Lance’s extensive knowledge of the geological history of Hawaii and the ecosystem broadly was a great complement to the eighteen lifers he helped me see! The highlight was definitely seeing a young iiwi drinking nectar from some sandalwood flowers. I would absolutely recommend Lance as a guide!

Lance is an incredibly skilled and knowledgeable guide abounding with helpful tips and tricks for local birds, hawk-watching, ebirding, and sea-watching as well as plants, history and so much more. Lance was awesome at detecting calls and easily identified and got me on all target endemic birds of Hakalau including two separate views of Akiapolaau and worked tirelessly to get us some views of elusive Hawaiian Hawks. Drive there was informative, bento boxes delicious, and luckily for us, weather was ideal. Lance was so kind, informative, and prepared. Definitely recommend for all looking to book guides in the Big Island!

I visited Hakalau with my mom and sister with Lance as our guide this past week. This dude is an absolute GOAT. Knows his stuff - both plants and birds. Super involved in the conservation space in Hawaii. Insane spotting and listening ability. We had a pretty rainy day and still got to see everything I was trying to see - great views of iiwi, akiapolaau, omao, elepaio, alawi, amakihi, and both a male and female akepa!! (Lance was DETERMINED to get us some good views of the male akepa). Also saw a pueo on the drive out. We then tagged along on a whale watching trip and turned it into a birding pelagic where we saw some sweet seabirds - white and red-tailed tropicbird, wedge-tailed shearwater, bulwer's petrel, and red-footed booby. Exactly the guide you are hoping for when exploring new areas!!

Woah! We reached out to Lance several months before our trip. Communication and planning were excellent. He helped us build a game plan, get the right resource books to learn the birds, and got us excited. Our first day was at Hakalau Forest. What an amazing place. Lance helped us get great views of all the birds we were interested in, including a sweep of all the Forest’s endemics. On day two, we explored the west side of the island and track down some difficult targets. Day three included an epic sea watch in a surreal setting. At each spot, we found birds, and equally important - learned. Lance taught us about the birds, their habitats, the plants, and Hawaiian culture. At every step, Lance was kind and knowledgeable. We could have talked with him for days. We loved his passion for birds and the island. It would be impossible to give Lance a stronger endorsement. If you need a guide in Hawaii, book Lance.

Lance was incredibly well prepared and knowledgeable. He guided us through Hakalau Forest Wildlife Refuge. It was amazing! He not only helped us find all endemic forest birds on the trip, but explained the trees and how the ecosystem works and interacts, as well as the conservation efforts going on, of which he had played a significant role. This was an amazing experience that every bird lover should make it their goal if they have the opportunity.

Unbelievable!! My 11 year old daughter and I took a guided tour with Lance to the Hakalau Forest. Lance has such a wealth of knowledge it’s unreal. His ability to bird by ear is unlike anyone I’ve been around! . He found all the endemics for us. Plus we saw 5 Pueo. The depth of knowledge about the forest and all the native plant species and the invasive plants and animals is like an encyclopedia. Best of all Lance is a birder himself, who enjoys birding. Not just a guide showing you the highlights. After communicating with him prior to our visit to Hawaii, I found myself looking for checklists he had submitted anywhere we were. This often helped me with identifying birds I found in unfamiliar areas around the same days I was there. . His patience with myself and my 11 year old was great. We have to come back in two years for my nephew’s graduation and we plan to book one of Lance’s pelagic trips next time!

Had a great day of birding Hakalau Forest with Lance. We saw all the possible endemics and I learned a lot. Lance is extremely knowledgeable not only in birds, but in plants and the ecology and history of the forest. Would highly recommend.

Lance took us up to Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge for an auspicious outing that begin with seeing three pueo on the journey to the Refuge. These birds are considered ‘bringers of good luck’. They did. The weather held, and Lance was very knowledgeable about the birds, plants, habitats, biomes, and Hawaiian cultural. It was a truly spectacular trip to a very special place.

Lance took us into Hakalau for my birthday. Weather was questionable and he was communicative and flexible about rescheduling to ensure we got the best experience. We ended up using our original date and the weather was fantastic! We started our journey with *3* fledgling pueo on the drive in! That was excellent foreshadowing as we were then able to get great views of akiapolaau, omao, akepa, alawi, and amakihi, as well as several non natives. A truly full day checking all the boxes! Lance was extremely knowledgeable and very quick to identify birds so we would get good views. We also talked plants and natural history. A well rounded and memorable experience. Mahalo, Lance!

My brother and I took a trip to the Hakulua Forest on the Big Island of Hawaii with Lance in January 2024. He was successful at finding the endemics. His birding skills are excellent. He did a great job describing the birds and emphasizing the need to protect more habitat for these endangered species. We only wish we could have spent more time with him. I highly recommend Lance for any birding adventure on the Big Island.

Lance took us to the Hakalau Forest on the Island of Hawai’i for the best privately guided birdwatching excursion I have experienced. Once we had a date he was very helpful with advice for preparing for the constantly varying weather conditions on the northeast side of Mauna Kea above 6000’ and not only provided valuable information about the birds we would see, starting with introduced species outside the forest and then endemics past the gate, but also explained the flora, particularly the native koa and ohi’o trees which have steadily been restored to the forest over the past few decades, in addition to native ferns and other plants. It was either outright raining or misty the entire time (and took a couple of days for our boots to dry as we were staying in Hilo) but what a wondrous place, full of huge, ancient trees, bushes of giant native raspberries, and endemic birds that have lived among them since long before people reached the archipelago. We were able to see many I’iwi and Apapane, several Amakihi, Hawaii creepers, and Hawaii Elepaio, and also one young Akiapolau, Omao, and finally late in the afternoon Hawaii Akepa. Before we even reached the forest we saw Pueo twice, the second gliding almost directly over us. We witnessed ten endemics in a single afternoon, and Lance documented each as well as others for us by the next day. If you want to see endemic birds on Hawai’i and learn a lot about the island’s history and ecology, then you should contact Lance Tanino.

I recently scheduled an 8 hour birding trip on the Big Island of Hawaii with Lance. Lance was quick to answer my questions & patient with my asking clarifying questions. He is a consummate professional. Not only does Lance know his stuff about endemic & introduced birds, he also has the utmost respect for the land that supports the wildlife. I learned SO much during the entirety of our outing. Lance made sure I got my fill of birds. Apapane with 10am appointments and the most beautiful outhouse on the planet. I was able to see the I’iwi which was on my bucket list and the male akepa that I didn’t realize I needed to see! This was a day I will never forget. And if I should be so lucky as to return to the Hawaii, I will most certainly schedule another birding adventure with Lance. BTW, the bird field guide has been a daily reference for the remainder of my trip!!! Mahalo!! Highly recommended

We have enjoyed lances tours in 2020 just before the pandemic and in 2020 for coming back to get species that we couldn’t get the first time because the Observatory Road was closed due to protest. We enjoyed birding with Lance because he’s a consummate naturalist and familiar with geography botany and geology. He is reliable and knowledgeable and a lot of fun. Our favorite trip was the Hakalau forest because it was so remote, and we were able to observe the threatened endemics

Lance is an expert guide. He was fantastic handling the logistics and communication beforehand. Day of we had a great outing, seeing more native Hawaiian birds than I could have dreamed was possible. Even a year later he was willing to help me out with birding questions. Thanks you Lance!

My wife and I birded Hakalau Forest NWR with Lance in March 2024, and it was an outstanding experience. Lance is a very pleasant person to spend time with, and an outstanding birder, with encyclopedic knowledge of the birds of the Hawaiian Islands, and intimate knowledge of where to find them. Within a two and a half hours we had seen all the Hakalau target species very well, and gotten good photos of all of them. After having seen all the forest targets, we then changed locale and switched over to doing a seawatch from Keahole Point. Lance is very patient and will spend all the time needed to find target species. Communications with Lance have been consistently fast and pleasant, and he is eager to answer any and all questions whether related to birds, plants, Hawaiian ecology, or restaurants and places to visit. We will not hesitate to bird with Lance on future visits to Hawaii.

Lance is one of the best guides I've ever had! He was born and raised on Hawaii and is full of interesting information about Hawaiian nature and culture. He took us to Hakalau Forest Nature Reserve in 2023. He was extremely knowledgeable about both the birds of Hawaii as well as the flora. I saw all of the native birds on my list, it was incredible! He was very relaxed but professional and I wouldn't hesitate to hire him again!

Lance put together a wonderful natural history outing for our family (kids ages 7 & 10) with stops for bird watching and tide pool viewing, as well as whale and dolphin spotting. In between stops we had fun discussing volcanic activity, history of the islands, flora and fauna (both native and introduced), sea life, conservation efforts, impacts of tourism, and so much more. Lance is a great guide, knowledgeable in many fields. I definitely recommend him!

I have used Lance Tanino as a guide three times now. The first two times were in November 2022 when he took me to hakalau national forest, and then on the western Hawaii tour. Lance helped me find several endemic birds including the Akiapolaau and the Akepa in Hakalau, and I was able to get photos of nearly 50 species on the western Hawaii tour. I enjoyed these tours so much that I booked a tour with Lance again in January with my family. Two of us are avid birders, but the others were fairly new to birding, but everyone really enjoyed the tour of west Hawaii. Lance is very passionate and knowledgeable both of birds/birding as well as Hawaii, and patiently answered all of our questions about both. He is also very plugged in to the local birding scene, so was well informed about any scarce birds that were being seen recently.

In the fall of 2023, I hired Lance to be my birding guide for one and a half days on the Big Island. That was a very good decision. He is an excellent birder who knows all the calls and can identify all the birds by sight. Plus, he knows where to find them! Not being a photographer, he was patient with me as I took photo after photo after photo. When I returned home to Missouri and downloaded my gazillion photos, I had some ID questions and texted him. He promptly responded, which I greatly appreciated. Thanks again, Lance, for a memorable birding trip!

Lance was amazing. He took me and my husband on a tour and I learned so much! He was incredibly knowledgeable and patient. He was excellent at describing where birds were in relation to the surrounding plants and trees. He even gave great recommendations for local restaurants after. It was such a privilege to get to be a part of his tour.

My wife and I birded the Hakalau Forest with Lance. It is a must do. Lance spotted 11 species, many that can only be seen there including the akiapolaau. We spent a second day with Lance and picked up the remaining birds on my list. Lance understands the birds, their habitats, songs and calls and has a keen eye for spotting them. Before our trip to the Big Island, we purchased a book titled New Edition Hawaii's Birds by the Hawaiian Audubon Society. Lance was a contributor to this book. This book was a great resource to study prior to our trip. Lance has a pleasant personality and freely shares his knowledge of nature as well as the Island's history and traditions. He was easy to communicate with from the mainland and once we arrived on the island. Thank you Lance for a great birding experience. Marv and Sherry Moore, Waupun, WI

Lance led us on a trip to Hakalua. His knowledge of the history, bird and plant life is exceptional. He provided a tasty bento box lunch. What stood out was being guided by someone with great history and care for the flora and fauna of the Islands.

I had been acquainted with Lance for many years through online birding communities and finally got the chance to hire him as a guide for myself on March 22, 2024 though we had birded casually together just two days prior, seabirding at Keahole Point, where he scoped out my lifer Black Noddy. This was clearly a harbinger of things to come. The primary object of the day's adventure was to get life looks at the endangered species of Hakalau Forest: Hawai?i ??kepa, ?Alaw? (Hawai?i Creeper), and the grand prize, ?Akiapola?au; if there was time, we would go after a few lifer needs elsewhere on the island as time and flexibility permitted. I am extremely fortunate in that I happen to have family living close to Keahole Point, so this meant a high probability for "Mauka to Makai" lifers. What actually transpired was far beyond my wildest expectations. One of the traits of a truly excellent field birder is ear birding skills. I knew I was in for a treat when Lance was calling birds out in the fog on Mana (Keanakolu) Road in the first hour, and we already had great looks at the commoner honeycreepers like ?Apapane and ?I?iwi as soon as we hit the first patches of ??hi?a lehua and koa trees. Getting ?Alaw? *before we even got in the entrance gate*? Rad. That was fast. We didn't even get halfway to the barn before Lance calls out "baby ?Akiapola?au to the left!" and we hop out and see the parent feeding fledged young at close range. And that was the "hard one"!!! Lance also gladly interpreted every native plant along the trail (and the handful of invasives still present) as we made our way to the "Four Seasons" through the intermittent mist. Just a wealth of information the entire trip, deeply appreciated by an aspiring naturalist like myself. We ended up with great looks (and a few photos) of all the targets, plus crippling views of Hawai?i ?Elepaio which I'd only ever seen a couple of times before. (??ma?o remains a heard-only ghost for me, but they were very frequently heard--I'll photograph that species some other time in the future, I'm sure.) So we got back to his vehicle by a shockingly early eleven -- we didn't rush through anything, but just had the kind of luck you can have with a well-prepared guide and keen eyes and ears. Why not tack a few more birds onto the day list? Making our way back to the Kona side of the island, we quickly picked up some roadside Red Avadavat (lifer), and patiently tried though did not get Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (our only secondary target miss, and not too critical as I'd seen them before in Waimea/Kamuela in the mid-90s), then headed to Mauna Lani to pick up a shockingly easy pair of Kioea (Bristle-thighed Curlew) (what is it with lowland Hawaiian lifers and golf courses? LOL), and then it was back to Keahole Point for some seawatching. Not everyone is cut out to be a seawatcher: it's often slow, lots of squinting hard at dots on the horizon through scopes, and you're getting blasted by sea breeze (or worse) the whole time depending on whatever number the Beaufort Scale is throwing at you today. So you have to be a good sport and patient to even give this flavor of birding the good college try. This, however, as mentioned before, was not my first rodeo, and when the first bird you get is another state tick (Masked Booby), well it's definitely time for some good old-fashioned scanning. A half hour passes, and we have really great looks at Brown Booby and Wedge-tailed Shearwater, but then he spots a smaller bird on the horizon with a higher flight arc. Could it be a ?Ua?u (Hawaiian Petrel)? More time passes and we agonize over it ... and then behind another shearwater, much closer into shore, is a very clear Pterodroma, and there was no denying it this time -- lifer number five on the day! Fist bumps all around. If we'd done any better, we'd have to buy lottery tickets. Through it all, Lance is a fountain of birding and biology experience and truly excellent company. He was very willing to accommodate my logistical needs (and then some!) and gave great kama??ina perspective in addition to having a deep and abiding care for the nature of the islands. I can't recommend Lance Tanino highly enough - there aren't more stars I can give.

My wife and I had an amazing trip with Lance. Not only did we see all of our target birds, but we learned about their habits and their habitat. Lance was very good at explaining which birds we heard, so that by the end of the day we could identify some birds by song and call. He also explained about the variety of plants, both endemic and introduced and the relationships between the birds and plants. We were impressed with his pre-trip planning, which allowed us to be prepared for our experience. All in all, a great day.

Lance was recommended to me and I am glad we connected. Excellent guide and birding colleague. Made sure we got good looks at every species and he provided a lot of natural history about the birds and the ecology of the site we visited. I like a guide you learn from, not just pointing out and identifying things. He tied things together very well and I thoroughly enjoyed the day. I rarely hire guides, I enjoy birding alone so I can move at my own pace. But I certainly did enjoy birding and learning so much with Lance.

Lance is an excellent bird guide. He was our guide on Hawaii and Maui where we saw many beautiful birds. He is very personable and a great person the spend vaction days with. His knowledge of Hawaiian birds and culture is outstanding. I highly recommend him.

We birded with Lance for two days in November 2023. I must say Lance really knows his birds and he knows exactly where to find them. The highlight of our trip was visiting Hakalau Reserve. We saw all of the 7 endemic species that inhabit that area and it was apparent that Lance birded there often because he knew the reserve well and where to find each species. I recommend him highly.

We engaged Lance for a full day of birding around the Big Island. He was very knowledgeable about all of the birds. We were able to find and identify more species than we were anticipating. He also taught us a bit about other flora and fauna. He got us a glimpse of a bird rarely seen, and that was a treat. Definitely recommend him!

Lance led me and my brother on a tour of the Hakalau Forest Preserve on the Big Island. He was very good at explaining which birds we would probably see, and talking about them when we found them. We had a wonderful time.

Lance is one of the best guides on the Big Island. He knows where everything is and has a great ear. He is also born and raised on Hawaii and is full of information about the Hawaiian culture. We had a fantastic trip to Hakalau with him. He is also very involved with conservation of Hawaiian birds.

Lance was an excellent guide! He was extremely knowledgeable not only about the birds of Hawaii, but also the flora and history of nonnative plant and animal importation. He knew some nondescript spots that got us on all the endemic birds we were hoping to see. I was a very new birder when i went out with Lance and he was so approachable; now that I'm more experienced, i wouldn't hesitate to hire him again.

My wife and I spent 4 days birding with Lance. We birdied many locations on the island of Hawaii including Hakalau Forest. Lance is a very knowledgeable birder and has extensive experience with all of Hawaii’s natural history. He has personal favorite birding locations that may not be as well known to other birders. He helped me identify 30 life birds during our time with him.

Lance was a terrific guide! His professionalism began by being prompt, responsive and courteous when scheduling tours with him. He was extraordinary in the field, and he did a tremendous job finding my target birds on the Big Island. His knowledge of the Big Island (and Hawaii in general) beyond just the birds was also exceptional and a very nice bonus. I look forward to hiring Lance again when I can get back to Hawaii!

Lance took us to the Hakalau Forest in 2024, and we had an absolutely extraordinary experience. His knowledge and ability in locating and identifying birds was exceeded only by his passion and advocacy for birds and ecosystems in general. I will hire him every time I get a chance in the future.

I was fortunate to have spent a half day with Lance as a guide December 26, 2024. He provided a well thought out tour of sites near Kona where we saw a great variety of native birds along with many transplanted birds. Lance has excellent knowledge of birds, about their habitat, the impacts of deforestation and climate change on them. L I’m looking forward to scheduling another, all day trip with him in the future.