Category Archives: Birds

The Numbers Game #109

Big surf rolls in to the Kohala coast.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 231. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

All kinds of storms

A great frigatebird flying off Upolui, Hawaii

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

I’ve gone with a few different kinds of storms starting with a Great Frigatebird or ʻIwa, which is known in Hawaii as a storm bird as they are considered indicators of approaching storms. Below is a rain storm in North Kohala on the road to Upolu.

Rain falling at Hawi, Hawaii

The next two are scenes at Kawaihae port when the winds are whipping. A dirt storm above and a sand storm below.

Dirt blowing at Kawaihae, Hawaii
Sand blowing at Kawaihae, Hawaii

Neighbor

A Kalij Pheasant running in Hawaii

A couple of Kalij Pheasants have moved into the neighborhood. They spend most of their time at the unoccupied property next door, but wander up into my yard on occasion. When I went out to take photos, this one beat a hasty retreat.

A Kalij Pheasant running in Hawaii

Go away

A nene goose chases a cat in Hawaii
A nene goose chases a cat in Hawaii

I don’t recall this Nene having chicks around, but it was clearly unhappy with the proximity of the cat and let it know in no uncertain manner. I sympathize with the cat. I’d have been running like that too!

The Numbers Game #108

Sunset over North Kohala.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 230. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Ten years ago

A Green Anole shedding.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Ten.’ See more responses here. January of 2016 was the first full month for this blog, so I thought I’d post a few photos that ran back then.

A look back at 2025

A humpback whale and her calf swim in the waters off Lapakahi Historical Park, Hawaii
This Humpback Whale encounter was probably the highlight of the year (here).

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Year in review.’ See more responses here. As usual, I’ve picked a photo from each of the past 12 months and included a link to the original post.

Lenticular clouds over Mauna Kea at sunrise
Sunrise over Mauna Kea (here).
A Monarch Butterfly on a leaf in Hawaii
A Monarch Butterfly on a leaf (here).
A Manta Ray swims by in the waters off Hawaii
A Manta Ray passes by (here).
View of Kilauea Eruption in May 2025
One of the many episodes of the current eruption at Kilauea (here).
A Japanese White-eye on Octopus Tree flowers in Hawaii
A Japanese White-eye on Octopus Tree flowers (here).
The interior of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hawi, Hawaii
The interior of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hawi (here).
A male Sonoran Carpenter bee in Hawaii
A male Sonoran Carpenter Bee (here).
Art and chairs in the waiting room of Hilo Benioff Medical Center in Hawaii
A waiting room at the Hilo Benioff Medical Center (here).
A child jumps into the ocean from a rock tower at Coconut Island, Hilo, Hawaii
Jumping into the ocean at Coconut Island, Hilo (here).
Horses frolicking at Paniolo Adventures on the Big Island, Hawaii
A kerfuffle in the corral at Paniolo Adventures (here).
An indigenous I'iwi honeycreeper in Hawaii
A native I’iwi bird (here).