This gold dust day gecko looks suitably unimpressed at someone getting down to its level to confront it face to face.
Mauna Kea telescopes
One of the reasons Mauna Kea is a prime spot for telescopes is that it boasts clear skies for more than 300 days a year. It’s common to see clouds below the summit, but less so to see them passing above the summit like this.
In the foreground is the CalTech Submillimeter Telescope, one of 13 currently operating on the mountain.
Zebra moray eel
The distinctive markings of a zebra moray eel make it easy to spot when it’s out in the open, but they’re not as common as whitemouth morays. This one was in a relatively shallow area, working through cracks in the rock and coral.
Better Days: Skull
This old skull marked where the trail up Pu’u Wa’awa’a disappeared into the cloud.
Hawaiian stilts
The Hawaiian stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni) is known here as the Ae’o. It’s endemic to the islands and endangered to boot, though the population is thought to be increasing. These two were by the Kaloko Fishpond at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. I wonder why they’re called stilts?
Ground beetle fine dining
This ground beetle, possibly Carabus nemoralis, might not have anticipated finding a butterfly or moth squashed on a dirt road, but it wasn’t about to pass up a free meal.
Clouds over Waimea
Seen from the lower slopes of Mauna Kea, a blanket of cloud climbs over the Kohala Mountains and Waimea, but Maui is still visible in the background.
Pinkhead smartweed
This cheerful, but somewhat weedy plant grows along roadsides. It’s particularly striking on Saddle Road where it adds color to the otherwise lava-rich landscape. Also, I like the name. It sounds like the not-too-bright son of a moneyed family on the east coast.
Graham's Island 