Category Archives: Weather

Abstracts: Wires

An assortment of power lines crisscross beneath fluffy clouds and a deep blue sky.

Mauna Kea snow

It’s been wet here lately and, when conditions are right, that translates into snowfall on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.

Mauna Kea pu’us

Another post on the WordPress photo challenge theme of ‘serene.’

To me this Mauna Kea scene, of an empty landscape in early evening light backed by pillow-like clouds, is quite serene. But is it really? Those fluffy clouds could contain the kind of turbulence that throws airplanes around, and the pu’us are evidence of volcanic eruptions in the past. Still, it does look serene.

Upolu sunset

Another post on the WordPress photo challenge theme of ‘serene.’

Hawaii’s weather is largely influenced by the northeast trade winds and some places on the Big Island are renowned for being windy. North Kohala is one of those places. Strong winds can blow for days on end and, off the coast, the ocean is often a flurry of whitecaps and spray.

But when the wind relents, the ocean calms and can produce a serene scene such as this sunset below Upolu Airport.

The surf rolls in

Recent high winds from the north kicked up large swells pounding the northern coast and lots of white water.

Signs: Storm damage

I enjoyed seeing this sign at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. I guess the storm was severe enough to knock the sign over.

For more information about Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, go to nps.gov/kaho/index.htm.

Green anole in the rain

A green anole surveys the scene from a raindrop covered ti leaf.

Hawaiian stilts flying

’Aimakapa Fishpond, in Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, is a good place to see the endemic Hawaiian stilt. Mostly they’re seen wading in the shallows, probing the mud with their long beaks. On this day, however, they took to the air.

I enjoy taking photos of birds in flight, but it’s a challenge. Challenge number one is getting them in the frame. Then there’s the small matter of tracking them and getting settings right. I’m constantly experimenting with the best way to get the picture. Usually I find that by the time I’m organized they disappear behind some trees or settle down again on the flats.

This time the birds were unusually cooperative. They headed out over the water, circled back and returned from whence they came. And they did this more than once so I was able to get a bit of practice in.

I do like seeing birds shot, photographically speaking, against a clear blue sky, particularly the stilts with those long, pink legs. But I also like the context of the water and greenery surrounding the fishpond. I don’t know what the white birds are as this fleeting pass was as good a look as I got. They might be some kind of gull, though gulls aren’t especially common in Hawaii.