I saw this ring-necked pheasant scurrying through the tall grass off Old Saddle Road. It doesn’t exactly blend in with its surroundings, not a good trait for a game bird.
Ring-necked pheasant in the grass
Sunrise and Sunset
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Sunrise or Sunset.’ See more responses here.
Wracked by my usual indecision, I opted for both. The top photo is a sunrise over Kohala Mountain. The second photo shows a fisherman at sunset, near the Old Coastguard Station at Upolu.
Brighamia insignis
I saw this Brighamia insignis plant in the Hawaiian garden at Kohanaiki Beach Park. It caught my eye for its unusual appearance, which is the source of one of its common names of cabbage-on-a-stick. In Hawaii it’s called Ālula, Hāhā, Pū aupaka, or ʻŌlulu.
Brighamia insignis is endemic to Hawaii, specifically the sea cliffs of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau. However, if you look for it there you’re almost certainly going to be disappointed. The last survey in 2014 found just one plant in Kauaʻi. The reasons for its demise are familiar. The hawk moth that used to pollinate the plant is long since extinct and it has been ravaged by introduced species. In addition, in 1992, Hurricane ʻIniki destroyed half the remaining wild plants.
On the bright side, the plant is easy to propagate by hand and it has been widely distributed by nurseries and botanical gardens.
Day Octopus
The reddish color of this day octopus is an indication that I had startled it. If it felt threatened, it would turn white. I like how the patterns on the rock it’s on looks like sucker marks from its tentacles.
Life’s a beach
These chairs in front of Kohanaiki Beach Club looked very tempting to me when I walked by on a recent hike. However, I think if I’d plopped into one I wouldn’t have been able to relax for too long before being moved on.
Bees on a tree heliotrope
Tree heliotropes produce clusters of little white flowers which are a big draw for bees. When the flowers bloom there are usually plenty of bees in attendance to gather the goodies within.
Cushion stars
Cushion stars (Culcita novaeguineae) look just like their name implies – small but comfy-looking cushions that would not look out of place on your couch. However, these cushions would move around on their little tube feet, which might be a bit disconcerting.
They come in several colors including red, yellow, and tan and there’s often quite a bit of variety in their markings. Cushion stars feed on living coral, which they eat by pushing their stomach out and consuming the coral where it sits.
All that was left
I came across this scene one day while snorkeling. I didn’t check to see if there was anything in the glove, just in case.
Graham's Island 