Tag Archives: Hawaii

Hawaiian Bird Bath Time!

Year 10

I finally had time to go out birding shortly after sunrise two days ago. Although rain was not in the forecast, Hawaii decided otherwise and as I started to bird a drizzle filled the sky progressing to a steady rain. As the old adage goes, when God gives you lemon, make lemonade! I curtailed my hike and then drove slowly through the area.

Lemonade! Or in my case, I found newly formed puddles that attracted birds by providing bath opportunities. I even saw a new lifer (Yellow-Fronted Canary) as it sang in the rain! Obviously photographic conditions were lousy due to dark skies and rain, but the combination of burst mode and throwing away lots and lots of pictures … I bring you … Hawaiian Rain Birds!

Singing in the Rain: Yellow Fronted Canary (video link for email subscribers)

Bath Time!

Yellow-Fronted Canary and Saffron Finch

Saffron Finch

Yellow-Billed Cardinal

Common Myna (the sun popped out!)

House Finch

Grub Time!

Yellow-Billed Cardinal

Just Hanging …

Yellow-Fronted Canary

No Noose for the Duluth Mongoose!

Year 10,

Strange title? Yup, but it you are a child of the 1960’s you might remember this catchy phrase because my home town had the ONLY mongoose in the United States. Citizens of Duluth lobbied hard both the Secretary of the Interior, Mo Udall, and Senator Hubert Humphrey in an attempt to save our mongoose, Mr. Magoo! This small mammal had arrived illegally in America via an Indian sailor on a grain vessel. Given mongooses (mongeese??) reproduce rapidly and kill small birds and other rodents, the American government did not want any mongooses in the U.S.A.

Fast forward many years and this morning I watched a mongoose search for breakfast in Hawaii’s Lava Tree State Park. Anyhow, I am happy to tell you that citizens’ of Duluth’s efforts were successful and Mr. Magoo was saved. I hope you enjoy my images and video … and a blast back to the past. Our mayor at the time, George Johnson, was invited to appear on the TV Show, “To Tell the Truth”. His part of the episode about Mr. Magoo starts at the 8 minute mark of the YouTube Video (video link for email subscribers). My media is below the YouTube video of “To Tell the Truth”

Lava Tree State Park Mongoose (video link for email subscribers)

The Royal Hawaiian Hawk!

Year 10

You are looking at one of the rarest birds in the world, the Hawaiian Hawk (see below … an endangered specie). There are only 3,000 of these raptors living, and they only breed on the Big Island of Hawaii. They are occasionally seen on the other islands. Development is infringing on their remain habitat.

My first night here on the big island while watching song birds from our guest cottages’ deck I suddenly heard the mad flapping of wings as 100’s of birds scattered. Moments later I saw a Hawaiian Hawk on the hunt.

With each successive evening I have better learned where this pair of love birds (Ma and Pa Hawk) hang out. It helps they are getting ready to nest and scream a lot.

And some plebeian birds!

Common Myna

Common Waxbill