Last day and kids growing up...

Here's a few last photos from our last day on Hawaii. Plus one of quail kids growing up...


The green leaf is at least 4 feet top to bottom. The little orange one behind it is a baby just starting out.

Flower within a flower. Looking down into the center of the plants outside..

Finally at Lone Peak Drive - the quail are growing up...

Hawaii Day 5

A quiet day, we decided to just hang out with our friends. I incurred a slight injury yesterday by falling on some lava and rest seemed perfect!  So we did.
The morning light was terrific and there was sunlight later in the day to help out the colors - not that they really needed any help.
Enjoy!

Hawaii Day 4

The day started with some gorgeous light over the ocean - and finished with lots of rain! We visited Akaka Falls just up the road, then to Hilo for lunch. A short visit to some lava tube caves and back to home where the rain began to fall. So interesting - Hilo, about 20 miles south of where we are staying, had sunshine all day. Up here (about 1300 feet elevation) the day was a mix of rain and sun ending up mostly rain.
We did see Io at the falls - the Hawaiian hawk - circling well above our heads. Otherwise mostly Mynah birds, a few flowers and ferns.

Morning skies..

Banana flower

Akaka falls

Hidden beauty of a fern becoming.

Hawaii Day 3

A restful day, no driving. The rain came in periodically - we could watch it develop over the ocean and then move into us. Right now the wind is howling and the rain is coming down quite well.

We spent the day relaxing with our friends, saw a Brazilian Cardinal, Saffron finch and a Mongoose! I chased a bunch of tilapia with a net trying to catch one - had one in my sights when it decided to become a bird and fly over the net! Enough!
Here's a few shots from the day - always something beautiful here...

Morning light..

Sunlight on the ocean and clouds...

Our friends have a freshwater stream running through their property..

Brazilian Cardinal eating bananas ..

Saffron Finch....

One of the millions of mongooses on the island..

Hawaii Day 2

Day two dawned with a bit of morning sunrise color for us to see. There was sun all day, mostly a bit shrouded by clouds, but enough to give me a bit of a sunburn on my face after time spent out in it.
We spent much of the day in Honaka'a, a bit up the coast from us. There is a Hawaiian cultural center there and they had various cultural things occurring. Food, art exhibits, dancing - both hula and traditional. We enjoyed that for most of the middle of the day, then headed up to Waipio Valley. There is a lookout point there, but you must have a 4-wheel drive vehicle to go down the steep and curvy road into the valley. Very beautiful.

Then home for a nap and dinner and now to bed!  A few shots from the day..

Sunrise over the ocean as seen from our lanai.

Japanese White-eye - an invasive species that has flourished here.

Young dancers at Honaka'a.

Waipio valley - big and beautiful...

Hawaii Day one

We flew into Kona arriving about 7:30pm. Caught a ride to our VRBO in Waikoloa village where our friends picked us up in the morning. Smooth flight, decent seating room. No issues. Lot of Minnesotans on their way to the warmer land!
While the day on the Kona side started out sunny and windy, as we moved across the top of the island clouds covered us and occasional rain showers along the way. No big scenes of the sun over the ocean! But one shots of various stuff that caught my eye.
Good to be here, a bit cooler than expected but very comfortable. We're staying at a VRBO a very short distance from our friends and they have loaned us their extra vehicle. This morning we were watching a Gecko run along the ceiling above our bed!
Here's some shots from yesterday..

Waikoloa village Friday morning looking towards the ocean.

Leaf on asphalt

Tree 'walking' up the hill in the gentle fog..

Looking out to the ocean from a hill above our friends house (in the trees to the left).

Seed pods and 'octopus' looking stuff.

Their place has Tilapia ponds that they are evaluating what to do with. In the meantime lots of fish.

Fish water stream runs through their property and feeds the fish ponds..

Love the leaves

Refuge Friday

The first of March and the gate down the long dike is shut for breeding season - until September. One option is to walk down the road and setup at the most likely place for the birds to show up. I opted to check out the Heron rookery instead, with a brief stop on the way to photograph a winter-colored weasel that popped up to see what I was.
The herons are fascinating to watch as they prepare their nest for the new season. Males fly down to pick up sticks - mostly teasel stems - and return to the nest to share their gifts with the female. A bit of talking goes with this exchange - and some posturing, etc. Not sure of what any of it means but it makes a great story and is fun to observe.
Enjoy!

The cutest little one around - popped up and was gone!

Young Red-tailed hawk did a flyby.

Here's the heron rookery and some of the activity that was going on. Quite a few herons there getting ready.

Here Honey, a stick for our nest!