Tag Archives: Cattle

The Numbers Game #99

A grasshopper on a windshield in Hawaii
A grasshopper on a windshield.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 221. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Also posted for Becky’s Squares: Shadows. See more responses here.

Claws and hooves

A Green Anole on a roof in Hawaii
A Green Anole on a metal roof. They can climb metal walls using their claws.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Hooves and Claws.’ See more responses here. First claws.

An A'ama crab in Hawaii
An A’ama crab uses its claws to grip the rocks.

Then hooves.

A Goat on a rock in Hawaii
A goat on a rock.
A bull and cattle egret in Hawaii
A bull with attendant Cattle Egret.

Also Posted for Becky’s Squares: Shadows. See more responses here.

The Numbers Game #93

A Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron fishes
A juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron fishing.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 215. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

The Numbers Game #73

This Gold Dust Day Gecko snagged a moth for lunch.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 194. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

The Numbers Game #66

A view of Waipio Valley from the air.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 187. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

The miracle of birth is hard work

A cow trying to calve in Hawaii

Driving down to Upolu for a walk, I noticed this cow behaving oddly, so I pulled over to take a look. The reason quickly became clear: a pair of hooves sticking out below the tail. She was about to give birth. I thought this would be a good photo op, so settled in to watch.

A cow trying to calve in Hawaii

The poor cow was up, down, walking, lying down. The pair of hooves did not budge. A couple of times I thought the delivery was nigh, but they were false dawns.

A cattle egret stands by a cow trying to calve in Hawaii
Are you the midwife?

I wasn’t the only one watching the action, or lack of it. Other cows looked on from a safe distance, chickens pecked the ground around the struggling cow, and a cattle egret flew in to see if any bugs might be being stirred up by the activity. In the end, I could wait no longer. I went off for my walk. On my return, nothing much had changed so I went home.

A cattle egret flies by a cow trying to calve in Hawaii
I guess not.

I didn’t contact the dairy. Early in my time here, I tried that, but they weren’t interested and soon after, No Trespassing signs went up on the driveway! I grew up on a small farm and, for us, a new calf was an important arrival to be carefully ushered into the world. But this was a bigger operation, and I’ve learned that the cows are left to get on with it. Truth is, she was probably fine. These things take time and, as every mother out there knows, it’s never easy.

A hen stands in front of a cow trying to calve in Hawaii
Hey, look at me! I’m the star here!

An uplifting experience

The boom of a crane in Hawaii

As this month hurtles towards its conclusion, I realized I’d failed to post any crane photos for Becky’s Squares: Geometric. (See more responses here.)

They’ve finally got around to replacing the turbine blades at Hawi Wind Farm, after months of the blades just lying next to the turbines. The operation requires a crane to lift the blade assembly into place. These photos were taken while they were still preparing for that operation. The last photo shows the security for the operation!