By now you probably know the routine. These diaries started during the stress of the campaign. You all made the mistake of encouraging me and now I won't go away. They serve no purpose other than to provide a brief distraction from the more serious business of this site (and to feed the dark needs of my ego). I hope you enjoy this selection of photos, some in air and some in water.
Sunburst
Milletseed Butterflyfish and Saddle Wrasse feeding on Hawaiian Sargent eggs with a couple of Sargents lurking in the background. All of these species evolved here in the isolation of the islands and only occur here. In a word, endemic. The sargents diligently defend their eggs against individual attack but schools like this temporarily defeat their defense.
Black Crowned Night Heron
Green Sea Turtle. Sadly this animal has a fibropapilloma tumorous growth on his eye. This is a vital disease that affects a disturbingly large percentage of the sea turtles in Hawaii. It often results in large tumors that can eventually disable and kill the turtles.
Dive! Dive!
Hawaiian Coot, another endemic species.
Hawaiian Coot with chick
Northern Cardinal, an alien species in Hawaii.
I noticed this male cardinal was flying around with two birds I thought were females until they stopped and I realized that they were two chicks. They were incessantly chirping at dad.
Dad gives a lesson.
Adult female Northern Cardinal at my neighbor's feeder. One day I am going to get arrested for pointing that big lens at their condo.
Dad with one of the big chicks. He was pulling seed from the feeder and giving it to the chick. Good dad.
I gave this plumeria a little glow in Photoshop.
Cattle Egret taking a stroll.
Dragonfly. I have to say that this shot surprised me. The insect hovered there long enough for me to get this relatively sharp shot while it was flying. No way I could ever do this again.
This egret managed to capture a dragonfly as well.
Yellowfin Goatfish
Whitetip Reef Shark. Unlike many sharks these guys can pump water over their gills without swimming. You see them sleeping in caves like this one during the day. At night they come out and prowl the reef for fish.
My local Kolea or Pacific Golden Plover in fine breeding plumage. He will be leaving for the arctic soon. The female that used to feed on this lawn left eight days ago and he expanded his territory to include her space.
I couldn't finish without including one of these or EmmaKY might give me a hard time about not including any "Pinked Legged Silly Birds". I would call it a Hawaiian Stilt.
I hope you have enjoyed this little trip to the islands. Please feel free to post your photos and, as always, be good humans.