Tag Archives: Skinks

No metal

A Metallic skink crosses a road in Hawaii
A Rhyncholaeliocattleya Shingfong Gold Gem 'Golden Gem' orchid in Hawaii

This month’s Sunday Stills color challenge theme is ‘Metallic.’ See more responses here.

The top photo shows a Metallic Skink (Lampropholis delicata), which is also known as Delicate Skink, Garden Skink, Rainbow Skink, and less-flatteringly, Plague Skink. This one was crossing a road, luckily a lightly-traveled one.

The second photo is an orchid with the catchy name of Rhyncholaeliocattleya Shingfong Gold Gem ‘Golden Gem.’

The third photo is shoal of small, silvery fish, which I think are the aptly named Hawaiian Silversides.

Hawaiian Silversides in the waters off Hawaii

The Numbers Game #39

A sign in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
A dramatic sign at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

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 160. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Also, seven photos posted for Becky’s Squares: Seven. See more responses here.

A Giant African land snail in Hawaii
A Giant African Land Snail.
A Metallic skink on a road in Hawaii
A Metallic Skink.
A Cattle Egret runs in front of a lawn mower in Hawaii
A Cattle Egret scoots in front of a lawn mower.
Amaumau Ferns alongside a trail in Hawaii
Amaumau Ferns.
A Bird of paradise flower in Hawaii
A Bird of Paradise flower.
A Mossy path on Halemaumau Trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
A mossy section of the Halemaumau Trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

The Numbers Game #14

The shadow of Mauna Kea stretches out above the clouds.
A favorite photo of mine. The shadow of Mauna Kea stretching out over the clouds!

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 135. Captions are on the photos.

You can see more responses here.

Sunrise at Upolu on the Big Island of Hawaii
Sunrise at Upolu. I was looking to capture an eclipse, but got this instead.
This mare and her foal were among several horses in a pasture alongside Old Saddle Road.
A horse and foal in a pasture off Saddle Road.
A metallic skink peeks out from under a lava ledge.
A Metallic Skink skulking in a barren lava field.
An Oma'o on the Big Island of Hawaii.
An endemic Omao in a kipuka off Saddle Road.
Ho'okena Beach Park is a popular swimming spot.
Ho’okena Beach Park.

Garden skink

A garden skink works its way through the grass.

A garden skink fights its way through the jungle. OK, it’s just what passes for a lawn around here, but for the skink it’s heavy going.

 

Garden skink

A garden skink looking watchful
Also known as the delicate skink (Lampropholis delicata), I saw this one sunning itself at the foot of the lanai steps. Unlike geckos and anoles, which mostly just look curious when I show up, skinks tend to zip away.

This one didn’t notice me, so I eased away to get my camera, returned, and took a couple of photos. The skink looked out into the grass. I edged closer, took a couple more photos. The skink looked off to the side. After a couple more, similar moves, the skink finally looked behind and up at me. Its wonderful expression made me laugh, which the skink took as its cue to scoot for cover.