Stunned Zebra Dove

A zebra dove in Hawaii
Where am I? What am I? What’s going on!
A zebra dove in Hawaii
What’s that? Why does my head hurt?
A zebra dove in Hawaii
Is he the one that hit me?

This Zebra Dove recently cannoned into a window at work. Outside, we found it lying on the ground, out cold. At first, we thought it was dead, but then detected signs of life. So, having seven cats living around the place, we took it inside in the hope that it would recover.

It did soon start to look better and the first thing it did was take wing and cannon into a window from the inside. So we took it outside again and installed it on this branch. It gripped the branch and looked fairly secure, though its blank expression suggested it didn’t have much idea of how it had come to be there.

Gradually the dove recovered, looked around a bit, and gave me a disapproving stare. After a while, it flapped over to a different branch and took on the wide-eyed look that is more typical of these doves. In these circumstances though, that look could be interpreted in a raft of different ways.

Eventually, the dove flew off and I was glad to see that it safely negotiated the branches and trees surrounding it without banging into anything else.

A zebra dove in Hawaii
Oh my god, who are these people? I’ve got to get away from here.

EV Nautilus

The NOAA EV Nautilus off the coast of Hawaii
The NOAA EV Nautilus off the coast of Hawaii

I saw this ship off the coast of North Kohala, but couldn’t immediately identify it because it was too far offshore. Luckily, it hung around and a couple of days later I saw it much closer and stopped to take photos.

The ship is the Nautilus and it’s an exploration vessel operated by the Ocean Exploration Trust and was engaged in research, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. They were studying marine mammal vocalization and local shark diversity and abundance around Hawaii.

For more information about the ship, go to https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/vessels/nautilus/nautilus.html. For more information about the research project, go to https://nautiluslive.org/.

The NOAA EV Nautilus off the coast of Hawaii

Red Reef Lobster molt

A Red Reef Lobster molt in the waters off Hawaii

I saw this scene almost immediately after getting in the water, the bright red catching my eye. At first I thought it was some kind of garish fishing lure, snagged in the rocks. Then I saw other details and figured it must be some kind of marine invertebrate and probably a molt.

When I got home, checked the photos, and consulted my marine invertebrates book, I realized it was the molt of a Red Reef Lobster. Its sensory hairs can clearly be seen on the claw. These lobster are active at night and so rarely seen, but they can live in shallow waters and they molt every 6 weeks or so.

I doubt I’ll ever see a live Red Reef Lobster, so this is probably as close as it gets.

Passing through

A Passion Vine Butterfly caterpillar in HawaiiA Passion Vine Butterfly caterpillar and fly in Hawaii

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Fleeting Moments.’ See more responses here.

The orange and black spiky thing is a Passion Vine Butterfly caterpillar, which I saw munching on a passion vine, as they do. The fly didn’t register with me until I processed the photos, but it was definitely a fleeting moment.

Walking with dolphins

A Spinner dolphin leaps from the waters off Hawaii
A Spinner dolphin leaps from the waters off Hawaii
A Spinner dolphin leaps from the waters off Hawaii

Wait a minute, I hear you say, isn’t that supposed to be swimming with dolphins? Usually yes, but in this case, I was walking along the coast when I noticed a splash in the water. Another followed and I quickly recognized the familiar shape and behavior of Spinner Dolphins.

For almost half an hour, I watched as a large pod of dolphins – at least 50 and possibly as many as 100 – cavorted offshore. We were all heading in the same direction and, in normal circumstances, dolphins would easily outpace me, but these were having fun. In addition to spinning, I saw a lot of other regular jumps. Sometimes the dolphins turned back the way they came or headed toward shore, surfing in the waves.

When I turned inland, to head back to my car, they were still in sight and still spinning and frolicking in the waves.

Posted for Jo’s Monday Walk. See more responses here.

A Spinner dolphin leaps from the waters off Hawaii