Category Archives: Parks

Birds at the watering hole

Birds gather for a drink of water in Hawaii

At my local swimming spot, there’s a row of big rocks to prevent anyone driving off the edge of the parking area into the ocean. Before anyone says ‘No one would be that dumb,’ there’s a raft of examples I can offer that prove the contrary.

One of the rocks has a good-sized depression on the top and this has become a watering spot for the local bird population. People clean it out and top it up with fresh water on a daily basis. Most of the birds seem to get along and don’t appear to mind the many wasps that avail themselves of the opportunity for a drink. There are feral cats in the area though, so the birds are always looking around, never able to relax completely.

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

The Numbers Game #37

The SSV Makani Olu sailing off the Kohala coast in Hawaii
The SSV Makani Olu sailing off 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 158. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Also, seven photos posted for Becky’s Squares: Seven. See more responses here.

A Nene at just the right spot in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
A Long-tailed Blue Butterfly.
Sheep at sunset in Hawaii
Sheep in pastureland off Old Saddle Road.
Colorful lava on the Puna Coast Trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Colorful lava on the Puna Coast Trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Playground equipment in Kapaau Hawaii
Playground equipment at Kamehameha Park in Kapaau.
The swimming pool in Kapaau.

The Numbers Game #36

Starlit early morning at Hapuna.

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 157. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Snow on Mauna Kea.
You’re going to die!
The old Kona Village buildings, now restored and open again.
Nene and gosling.
Bad sand: Raking bunkers at Hualalai.
Good sand: A beach at Hualalai.

Horn-eyed Ghost Crab

A Horn-eyed Ghost Crab emerging from its hole in Kawaihae Hawaii
A Horn-eyed Ghost Crab by its hole in Kawaihae Hawaii

I’m not entirely confident that this is a Horn-eyed Ghost Crab, but that’s what my usual ID source says. On the plus side, it’s clearly bigger than a Pallid Ghost Crab. But Horn-eyed Ghost Crabs are generally not seen during the day, though this was taken in the early morning. They also have points on their eye stalks, though I’ve seen photos without. Any input on identity would be appreciated.

A Horn-eyed Ghost Crab in Kawaihae Hawaii

Feral cats

Feral cats at Kawaihae Hawaii

I saw these three feral cats at Kawaihae Small Boat Harbor. They were giving me the kind of look you see in horror movies, but seemed placid enough. None have clipped ears, indicating they’ve not been spayed or neutered, though it’s possible they’re young enough to have not been rounded up yet. Either way, we don’t look likely to run out of cats here any time soon.

The Numbers Game #35

A gold dust day gecko drinks from a bird of paradise flower.
A Gold Dust Day Gecko drinks from a Bird of Paradise flower.

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 156. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

A Papaya tree.
A Praying Mantis reflecting on a van.
Dark and light in a macadamia nut orchard.
A sailboat passing Kohanaiki Beach Park.
A windsurfer off Kawaihae.
Sunset and palm trees at Hapuna.

Kolekole Gulch Park and bridge

The bridge passing above Kolekole beach park in Hawaii

The main road on the island’s Hāmākua Coast traverses land corrugated by river gullies. For the wider gullies, the road winds down one side and up the other. But gullies that are narrower and steep sided are spanned by bridges. Several of these bridges started life supporting the railroad that ran along this coast. When that closed, they were repurposed as highway bridges. This was back in 1953, which means they’re old and suffering under the demands of modern traffic.

The bridge over Kolekole Gulch has been getting some renovations that were recently completed. Below the bridge is Kolekole Gulch Park, which has also been recently renovated, except for one small detail. One issue at the park has yet to be dealt with, and that’s lead contamination in the soil. The lead comes from the bridge, the result of 50 years of lead paint being applied, and then flaking off it.

The bridge passing above Kolekole beach park in Hawaii

It’s been more than 7 years since the problem was identified, but not much has been done, except for fencing off some of the worst areas and not allowing camping at the park. In the meantime, you can walk on the grass, but don’t eat the soil!