sea lettuce, another forage fave of green sea turtles. Though, again, this alga is alien and invasive and seems to promote tumors.
infmaous invasive macroalgae "hookweed" or Hypnea musciformis. Turtles go bananas to eat this stuff, which unfortunately seems to be promoting herpes infections and tumors. The specimen on the left of the darker purple color is more saturated with nitrogen than the lighter specimen on the right.
Honu basking at Hookipa. In the last few years, this place has seen a remarkable increase in basking turtles. But please obey the signs and don't go within 5m/15ft...
Green anole on shell ginger
crummy cell phone zoom... you cannot see the diagnostic tail and white rump patch, but with the rufous belly and black body/head, you already know it cannot be anything else on Oahu. As for endemics, I only saw apapane on this hike. No amakihi or elepaio.
This is the endemic Hawaiian tree known as the Kolea lau lii (Myrsinaceae). Previous photo shows it being parasitized by Hawaiian mistletoe. So bad ass.
this is the very cool Hawaiian mistletoe, parasitizing a native Kolea lau lii tree (Myrsine sandwicensis) which is the forthcoming picture.
love this tree, just about to come out in flower.
This is the strawberry or lemon guava, known as waiawī in Hawaii and huge invasive pest. It grows on mountain slopes and has overtaken many native plants and tree species.
the pua ilima, the flower of the island of Oahu, which makes beautiful leis. Never seen one in the wild until I got up out of town, though they're in many different habitats.
this little hawksbill observation from Barry Barbett from the big island. Thanks Barry!
Hawksbill photo taken by Zac Lovoy right off Black Rock on Kaanapali, Maui. Thanks to Zac for the obs!
Another juvenile hawksbill turtle that was stranded in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, this one during the tsunami that devastated Japan this year. The turtle was discovered by Adam Fox about 75m inland, it was roused, and returned to the water. Cheers to Adam for braving the tsunami on Laysan and being on the spot to help this turtle out, and for sharing the photos!
This is a juvenile hawksbill that stranded at Pearl and Hermes entangled in a mess of fishing line. Jason Baker and Chad Yoshinaga cut it free and released it. Until this observation of a hawksbill in 2003, there had not been documented evidence of their existence there since the late 1800s. BUT, no one has really looked. This little guy was really beautiful. Cheers to Jason and Chad for being in the right place at the right time and sharing these great photos.
Moon jellies frequent the canal and harbor where we live.
this is the Hawaiian tree fern, or the Hapu'u pulu in Hawaiian.
Amazing native fern in Hawaii, here on a fallen log.
European honeybee entering a mamane flower on Mauna Kea, near the old Palila project camp on Puu Lau.
this is the nest of a green-and-gold tanager with two live eggs. I published an article on this nest and the food items fed to the hatchlings here: http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/ON/v017n02/p0307-p0312.pdf
This fern was the home for a tanager nest I discovered alongside a vernal pool. I published an article on this here: http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/ON/v017n02/p0307-p0312.pdf
House finch perched in the morning sun.
Happy birthday America, your 50th state is full of exotic species. Such as this common waxbill, bathing in a pool with a flock of his mates.
The east slope of Mauna Kea right mauka of Hakalau Forest is pretty much gorse, gorse, and more gorse. As far as the treeline. A nasty invasive shrub from Europe that threatens native lanscapes in Hawaii and many other areas around the world. Real bugger to hike through!
Tetragnatha species seen in Hakalau forest, ID'd by Rosemary Gillespie as very probably quasimodo.
Native koa tree saplings have this cool dimorphism in their foliage, some leaves compound, some with that classic parallel venation. Really neat looking.
