Category Archives: Marine Invertebrates

Going green

The view from Waipio Valley overlook offers many shades of green and a good deal of blue.

This week’s Sunday Stills color challenge theme is ‘Shades of Green.’ Captions are on the photos. See more responses here.

Found this on the shore one early morning. A fisherman’s lure perhaps.

Hebrew Cone and Rock Boring Urchin

A Hebrew Cone perched on the edge of a hole where a Rock Boring Urchin is doing its thing.

Pentagons on the beach

A cushion star on the beach in Kawaihae Harbor, Hawaii

I saw these two Cushion Stars on the beach in Kawaihae Harbor. Cushion Stars come in a variety of shapes and colors.

Posted for Becky’s Squares: Geometric. See more responses here.

Looking back at 2024 – Part 1

A Feather-legged fly on a Tree Heliotrope in Hawaii — January: A Feather-legged Fly (*Trichopoda pennipes*) on a Tree Heliotrope (link).

Sunday Stills challenge theme this week and next week is ‘Your 2024 Year-in-Review.’ See more responses here. As usual, I’m going with a favorite photo from each month of 2024, with a caption and link to the post the photo first appeared in. This week’s post is for January through June. See the rest of the year next week.

A Ring-billed gull in Hawaii — February: A Ring-billed Gull struts at ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay (link).

A woman walks on the beach at Kohanaiki Park in Hawaii — March: A woman walks the beach at Kohanaiki Beach Park (link).

Tiki torches burn against a backdrop of palm trees in Hawaii — April: Tiki torches at Mauna Kea Resort (link).

A Dwarf Moray Eel in the waters off Hawaii — May: A Dwarf Moray Eel (link).

Long-spined Urchins in Hawaii — June: A pair of Long-spined Urchins in Kawaihae Harbor (link).

A’ama Crab molt

I spotted this A’ama Crab molt on a rock when I was about to get in the water. The molts are so complete they look like live crabs. The blank eyes are the giveaway. This one was notable for its color. As the molts sit in the sun, they turn an orange-red, so this one was likely very recent.

Getting down with brown

A House Sparrow drinking in Hawaii — A House Sparrow takes a drink.

This month’s Sunday Stills color challenge is ‘Auburn or Brown.’ See more responses here. Captions on the photos.

The aftermath of a flood in Hawaii — The aftermath of floods in Kawaihae earlier this year.

The exterior of a rusty water valve in Hawaii — The aftermath of floods in Kawaihae earlier this year.

A huge puddle on a dirt road in Hawaii — Drive with care! A dirt road on the Kohala coast after rain.

Arc-eye Hawkfishes on a coral head in Hawaii — Drive with care! A dirt road on the Kohala coast after rain.

Spotted Coral Blenny

I saw this Spotted Coral Blenny perched on a small coral head, as they typically do. I snapped a quick photo an instant before the fish zipped down behind the rock. I’ve seen the same fish there a few times since, but it disappears before I can try another photo. Given its elusiveness, I was happy this photo turned out pretty well.