A lesser grass blue butterfly spreads its wings before taking to the air again.
Aliceara Pacific Nova orchid
A lot of the plants, fish, and birds that I see on the Big Island are new to me, but I find it satisfying to identify them. It’s often not straightforward. Striking colors or patterns that I think will be easy to place can often prove elusive. Juvenile birds and fish might look nothing like their parents. Other times, a mostly undistinguished look might pop up first in my search.
Orchids are a big challenge since there are numerous hybrids. I’m pretty confident this is Aliceara Pacific Nova not just because it matches photos online, but also because there was a tag at the base of the plant, a useful search tip I’m happy to pass along here.
Not sinking
This small boat, chugging along the North Kohala coast, kept disappearing, then popping up again. As a marker of the action of waves and swell, it always catches my attention, possibly because I’ve been in that situation many times myself.
Yellow-billed cardinal bathing
I got a good deal of satisfaction spotting, and photographing, this yellow-billed cardinal taking its morning bath. I guess that could be considered a bit creepy. Certainly, the bird’s expression in the bottom photo, just before it flew off, suggests it wasn’t best pleased by my presence.
Waimanu swimming
Waimanu is one of the few Hawaiian monk seals that live permanently around the Big Island. She has given birth to three pups, each time in the vicinity of Keokea Park in North Kohala. All three pups died, one from swallowing a fish hook when a few months old, the other two while still with their mother on the beach.
We’ll see if she returns to the park again this year for another go.
Signs: Mālama ‘Āina
Mālama ‘Āina means to care for the land, an important concept in Hawaiian life, an important concept for everyone. This sign was near Kiholo campground.
Twisted palm
Most people are familiar with the image of palm trees towering over golden Hawaiian beaches. This is not one of those. It’s taken an unusual path, twisting down and around and up again, but none the worse for its circuitous route.
Ho’okena Beach Park
Ho’okena is a small community about 20 miles south of Kailua Kona. It’s a popular spot for its beach park, which features a beautiful sandy beach in a fairly sheltered bay. It was less popular toward the end of 2015 when it was one of the hotspots for the dengue fever outbreak of that winter.
