Category Archives: Trees

Lurking

A Praying Mantis lurks on a Plumeria flower in Hawaii

I had to go back a few days for my photo for Bushboy’s Last on the Card photo challenge (see more responses here). It proved to be this praying mantis lurking on a plumeria flower stem.

Sailing by

A black and white silhouette of a sailboat and palm tree

A sailboat glides over the water off the North Kohala coast, an image that doesn’t look much different in color.

Red and green and nothing in between

A red anthurium flower at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — Red anthurium flowers with green leaves.

This week’s Sunday Stills color challenge is ‘Red and Green.’ See more responses here. I’ve gone for a mostly plant-based response, except for the last.

A Royal Poincana tree in bloom in Hawaii — A Royal Poincana tree in bloom.

A gold dust day gecko on a red torch ginger in Hawaii — A Gold Dust Day Gecko on a red torch ginger

An ohia flower in Hawaii — A Gold Dust Day Gecko on a red torch ginger

Traffic lights showing red — A traffic light going from red to green!

Traffic lights showing green — A traffic light going from red to green!

Abstracts: Reflections at Lily Lake

Reflections in Lily Lake at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden

On my last visit to Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, I was taking photos at Lily Lake, which features an island in the center, planted with palms and ti plants. I like the reflections the plants make in the calm water.

This photo started out as a vertical, with the plants as well as the reflections. But when I looked at it, I liked the reflections better than the plants, so I cut it in half and made it horizontal!

Abstracts: Tree roots

Whorls of tree roots on a tree in Hawaii

The trunk of a False Kamani tree (Terminalia catappa) at Spencer Beach Park.

Speak up

I saw this House Sparrow one morning, standing over this fruit of a False Kamani tree (Terminalia catappa) at Spencer Beach Park. It didn’t seem interested in the fruit, not making any attempt to peck at it.

After a while, it raised its head, opened its beak and … silence. It did this several times and never made a sound. I assume it’s a juvenile trying to get its parents attention without otherwise drawing attention to itself. I never did see the parents, or if they came to the youngsters assistance.

Tropical leaves

A gecko on a heliconia leaf at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — A Gold Dust Day Gecko on a heliconia leaf.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Leaves, Autumn or Spring.’ See more responses here. Here are some leaves from Hawai’i Tropical Bioreserve & Garden with captions on the photos.

Anthurium leaves at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — Anthurium leaves seen from both sides.

Fern fronds at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — If you have ferns, you’ve always got fronds!

Palm frond at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — A palm frond.

Queen Anthurium leaves at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — A palm frond.

The tree canopy at Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Gardens — Looking up into the canopy.

Bees on palm flowers

I was watering my coffee plants, early one morning, when I heard a loud buzzing noise. I looked up and saw bees all over the flowers of a palm tree on the edge of the yard. To be honest, I hadn’t noticed the tree had flowers as they’re rather dwarfed by the profusion of fronds. But there are a lot of these small yellow flowers and the bees obviously approve.

Graham's Island

Life on the Big Island of Hawaii