Author Archives: Graham

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About Graham

I take photos when I'm out and about, recording life on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Tropical leaves

The bright red bracts of a tree poinsettia (Warszewiczia Coccinea) contrast with the mass of green leaves around it.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Leaves.’ See more responses here.

This gave me an excuse to post more photos from Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, which is still closed at this time. For more information about Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, go to htbg.com.

Tropical foliage features leaves of all shapes, sizes and colors.
A giant calathea leaf seen from below.
The distinctive purple leaves of a Persian shield plant.
A bold red heliconia shaded by large leaves.
Smaller calathea leaves topped with a purple flower.
The red veins of a caladium leaf stand out.
Big anthurium leaves, also known as Elephant ears.
The purple leaves of a ti plant.
Monstera deliciosa leaves in front of a huge mango tree.

Three of a kind

I saw these three great frigatebirds, stacked up like planes waiting for clearance to land. Not that I’ve ever seen one land. Great frigatebirds are one of those that spend a lot of time in the air, until they return to their roosts. Hawaii represents the northern edge of their range in the Pacific.

Posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Kind.’ See more responses here.

A new kind of exercise program

This dung beetle was clearly getting a workout pushing its ball of dung up and over the grass and other obstacles. It occurred to me that this could be the next big workout craze. Just make yourself a nice big ball of 100% organic, 100% recyclable dung and push it up and over the sofa, around the living room, through the kitchen. Great exercise and environmentally friendly. What do you think?

Posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Kind.’ See more responses here.

Kinda grizzly

If you like graphic violence, you’re at the right place today. This is a triton’s trumpet sea snail devouring a cushion star, which has been turned on its back. These snails are the largest in the island and feed on echinoderms, which include stars, cucumbers, and urchins.

Posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Kind.’ See more responses here.

All kinds of backyard birds

  • A gray francolin contemplates a mango.
    A gray francolin contemplates a mango.
  • A male northern cardinal looking quizzical.
    A male northern cardinal looking quizzical.
  • A Japanese white-eye check calls out.
    This Japanese white-eye chick was one of two the ended up on the lawn when their nest fell out of a mango tree.
  • A rooster rests in a hedge.
    The spot in the hedge where Hoppy the rooster slept before his disappearance.
  • A pair of saffron finch juveniles forage in the grass.
    A pair of saffron finch juveniles forage in the grass.
  • A red-billed leiothrix calls out.
    Red-billed leiothrixes sweep through in flocks and are more often heard than seen.
  • A nutmeg mannikin feeds on cane grass seeds.
    A nutmeg mannikin feeds on cane grass seeds.
  • A yellow-billed cardinal keeps a wary eye out.
    A yellow-billed cardinal keeps a wary eye out.
  • Two zebra doves looking slightly affronted.
    Two zebra doves looking slightly affronted, possibly at having their picture taken.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Backyard Birding.’ See more responses here. Also posted in response to Becky’s October Squares challenge theme of ‘Kind.’ See more responses here.

Almost all the birds I see in the backyard are fairly common, but no less interesting for that.