A very young gold dust day gecko looks around on a ti leaf covered in raindrops. It has to stay alert or it will lose more than just the tip of its tail that it’s lost already.
Posted in response to this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge ‘Liquid.’
Category Archives: Plants
Medinilla alata ‘Lalique’
Medinilla alata ‘Lalique’ is also known as chandelier plant, although I’ve seen that name given to other similar looking plants as well. It hails from either Indonesia or the Philippines, depending on who you ask. either way, it’s a delicate, but beautiful flower,
This one was at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden near Hilo.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
Monarch butterfly on a tasselflower
I like getting out and about and, when I do, I’m constantly on the lookout for everything from insects to whales. When I go for a walk, I usually say something along the lines of, ‘I’ll be back in an hour, unless I see a bug or a butterfly.’
This was one of those days. Turtles in the bay, a giant African land snail oozing across a dirt road, and this monarch butterfly doing the rounds of the tasselflowers. A good walk indeed.
Posted in response to this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge ‘Place in the world.’
Arpophyllum spicatum
Arpophyllum spicatum is not a typical-looking orchid, but it is a member of the orchid family, originally from Central America. It’s sometimes called the candlestick orchid because of its tendency to form a dense column of flowers. This one, at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, is a little looser.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
Hawaii ‘elepaio
On the first decent day after a long spell of grey, wet weather, I headed up to the Palila Forest Discovery Trail, just off Saddle Road on the lower slopes of Mauna Kea. I figured that even if the weather let me down, it’s a drive that I enjoy, so it would be OK regardless.
However, the closer I got to my destination, the less promising it looked. When I got to the junction, where a 4-mile dirt road leads to the trailhead, I almost turned around since it seemed unlikely there would be anything to see. The mountain looked shrouded in cloud, but since it’s only a 15-minute drive and the road didn’t look too muddy or washed out, I thought I’d give it a go.
When I pulled into the deserted parking area, the sky was grey, the air was damp, but it wasn’t actively raining and the visibility was OK, so I set out on the mile-long loop trail. As usual, I could hear a fair number of birds. It’s just spotting them that’s the trick there. But there are a couple of places on the trail that seem to get a lot of action and this day was no exception, including my first photos of a Hawaii ‘elepaio (Chasiempis sandwichensis sandwichensis).
Oahu, Kauai, and Hawaii Island each have their own species of the endemic ‘elepaio, which is a member of the flycatcher family. The Big Island version is more boldly marked than the other two and this one obligingly set down in a mamane tree not too far away, affording me a decent view and the opportunity to take photos.
One tidbit that I found interesting about the bird is that when ‘elepaio were seen to frequent a given koa tree, this was a sign to canoe makers that the tree was likely insect infested and unsuitable for making a canoe.
For more information about Palila Forest Discovery Trail, go to dlnr.hawaii.gov/restoremaunakea/palila-forest-discovery-trail/.
Posted in response to this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge ‘Unlikely.’
Tropical lines
The strong lines of tall trees contrast with the vine leaves and their delicate veins.
Posted in response to this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge ‘Lines.’
Blooming mock orange
Three or four times a year, the mock orange in the yard comes into bloom with a prolific show of small, white flowers and wonderful fragrance. During these times it’s a bee magnet and the whole tree buzzes from morning to night.
Posted in response to this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge ‘Prolific.’
Abstracts: Hala
Hala (Pandanus tectorius) is an indigenous tree that might have arrived here on its own – the fruit floats and is salt tolerant – but was probably also brought over by the Polynesians. One feature of the tree is the dark green leaves, which are sword-shaped and bent, and which grow at the and of the branches. Here they look like star bursts against a blue sky.
Graham's Island 