This is another in a series of photo diaries. No double meta here.. just pictures of stuff from on and around the island of Oahu. These are meant purely as distractions from the normal struggles here. Refresh and rejuvenate and get back at it.
Green Sea Turtle
Great Frigatebird
The Great Frigatebird cannot take off from the water so it does all its hunting in the air. In a previous diary we showed one the act of kleptoparasitism (really!) but this week we have one attempting to do the catching itself. Gamefish such as Mahi Mahi and Tuna chase baitfish to the surface of the water. If the baitfish is of the family Exocoetidae the surface doesn't stop it. They have evolved the ability to explode from the water and glide through the air, extending their trips by beating the surface with the lower lobe of their caudal (tail) fin. If you have never seen a flying fish they are a pure joy. Of course this ability takes them from the liquid frying pan into the aerial fire. The frigatebird watches from above and dives when the gamefish bring the flying fish to the surface. Here is a sequence....
In this shot you see the flying fish has just come out of the water and has gotten a boost by beating its tail against the surface. The frigatebird is in pursuit.
The chase continues... will the fish be plucked from the sky?
Still sailing...
...and splash. Back into the dubious safety of the sea. If the fish is lucky there is not a Mahi Mahi waiting below.
I have seen Mahi Mahi arcing 30 or 40 feet through the air chasing sailing schools of flying fish (or Malolo in Hawaii). One of the most amazing things I have ever seen.
Now we will head back below the waves...
Bluestripe Snappers or ta'ape. This fish was introduced to Hawaii from the Marquesas islands in the '50's.
Crown of Thorns Starfish
Yellow Margin Moray Eel. Named for the color along the edge of the tail. You can see a bit of the tail behind the head in this shot.
Devil Scorpionfish. These ambush hunters are hard to spot.
Spotted Eagle Rays
Sponges and other invertebrate growth on the mast of the wreck. The ship was sunk to serve as a artificial reef.
Green Sea Turtles at a cleaning station. The surgeonfish clean the reptiles of parasites at this shallow spot in the reef at Makaha.
Green Sea Turtle
We will end with something completely different just because it's so damn cute.
Japanese White Eye
Thanks for visiting. Please feel free to post your photos and as always, be good humans.
Aloha