Hawaiian goose

No, not to eat.  Hawaii has a state bird, an endemic goose called the nēnē, which is fighting for survival. If you’re lucky, you’ll run into some of the wild population that live in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. They eat the red berries called ohelo, whose bushes are commonplace in the lava soil.

I think we were too noisy in the park, always chatting to each other along the trails. It has such an affectionate name that we kept saying it. “Where’s the nene? Where’s the nene?” We didn’t see any, even in the places where it was signposted.

We did however, see a nene on the road just outside the national park.  It wasn’t shy at all and posed for pictures obligingly.

~ Spotted Cow

 

Unfurling ferns

Baby ferns, I call them. One of my favourite things to photograph on rainforest walks are ferns in that stage before they become their fully fledged selves.  I get much pleasure out of their delicate little fractal curled-ness.  And just before they flare out into the bright green-fingered leaves as we know them, they look like flying butterflies with yellow edged wings.

These pictures were taken on the walks we did at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

~ Spotted Cow

Hawaii is smokin’

Hawaii is Geography 101.  The islands were born from volcanoes and continue to grow from volcanic power to this day. We spent a couple of long days at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Big Island where you can get up close and personal with the world’s youngest and most active volcano, Kilauea – her name sounds like Killer Whale and she’s massive. Her latest eruption started in 1983!

It was instant gratification. Our first view of Kilauea’s smoking Halema’uma’u crater was from the Volcano House lookout, across the street from the Visitor Center.  Hawaiians believe that the crater is home to the goddess Pele. She was puffing away serenely into the blue sky. Serenely, by the way, is about 1000°C.

There is a closer viewing from the Jaggar Museum lookout where there are also telescopes for more intimate observations. We returned after dinner to check out the red lava glow.  It looks more dangerous and mysterious at night.

The museum itself is one room packed full of interesting information about volcanoes and the equipment used to measure seismic activity. The youngsters were jumping up and down to test the interactive seismograph. And I learnt more about lava than I knew was possible.

~ Spotted Cow