This is a supermale fivestripe wrasse. There are many colorful wrasses in Hawaii, but the fivestripe wrasse is one of the less common varieties. Despite the impressive name, it’s less than five inches in length.
Author Archives: Graham
Full moon
A shot of a recent full moon not long before it set in the early hours of the morning.
Abstracts: Trees from above
These dense trees can be found in the vicinity of Kilauea Volcano and show that nature thrives if it is spared by the lava flows. This view reminds me of broccoli.
It’s bright, it’s white
I always look for new calves when I go past the dairy farm at Upolu, and most days I’m rewarded by seeing at least one.
This calf is black and white, like its mom, but where mom looks distinctly off-white, the calf is still whiter than white. Whenever I see this, I can’t help but think of ads for laundry soap.
Snowflake moray eel
This is an adult snowflake moray eel. Their distinctive markings make them one of the easier eels to identify. Unlike other eels, they don’t have sharp teeth, but pebble-like plates which they use to crush the shells of their invertebrate prey.
Java sparrow
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Pink.’ (See more responses here.) I mulled a few possibilities before settling on this fine little bird, a Java sparrow. The Java sparrow, as its name suggests, is native to Indonesia, but is now well established in Hawaii. It’s notable for its thick, pink bill which matches its eye ring and feet.
Pana’ewa benches
Here are a couple of colorful benches that can be found at Pana‘ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens in Hilo. Designed more for appearance than comfort, there are several similar benches at the zoo (here). If you do visit and choose to sit on the alligator bench, make sure it is a bench and not one of the real alligators.
For more information about Pana‘ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens, go to hilozoo.org.
Backlit leaves
Just a couple of big, tropical leaves backlit by the sun.
Graham's Island 