N is for Nene: missed the goose but got the owl!

The Nene, or Hawaiian Goose is the state bird of Hawaii.

Wherever we drove around Maui and Big Island we saw signs to take care of Nene's crossing the roads, well they never did cross in front of us!

I did get to see a handful of Nene at the Volcano National Park on Big Island but Fred did not get to photograph the bird.

However we got to see the endemic Hawaiian Owl or Pueo while up on Haleakala, two birds were flying low and Fred was able to get a quick photo as the bird landed a little way from the car.

We had such a good sighting!

Hawaiian Owl, Haleakala, Maui.

Looking at this signboard as we exited the National Park, I only now notice what it says "Live before you Die". I was tired after the hike but I do feel that Fred and I are doing our best to live up to this sentiment.

R is for Red Ferns: hiking out of Haleakala Crater

View of the fern forest from the switchbacks on the Haleamau'u Trail

Switchbacks climbing 1400 feet.

John and John on the trail.

The most surprising part of our hike was the transition from the alpine cinder desert of the vast Haleakala crater to a virgin fern forest!

The wonderful ocher and ashen colours in the crater transitioned to grassy fields and endemic shrubs around Holua Cabin. We had dropped from just under 10 000 feet into the crater and we then started to climb the switchbacks to the Haleamau'u Trail parking lot, a climb of about 1400 feet over 4 miles to around 8000 feet! 

And these eastern reaches of the crater are a lush green, virgin fern forest! The new leaves of the ferns are a bright red!

Red fern detail.

T is for Trails: following the signs

The gang on the trail, John, John, Fred and Sharon

Cameras and backpacks filled with trail snacks, a picnic lunch, loads of water and the gang was ready to start the hike!

Well done John, John and Fred. 

This ranks as one of my best hikes to date, the silence, the peace, the place, I loved it all and what a pleasure to walk with the 3 of you.

Thank you!

A Churkar Partridge on the path.

On the path through the cinder desert of Haleakala Crater.

The simplicity of a single flower in the lava field.

H is for Haleakala: hiking the crater

We headed out early on Sunday morning to the summit of Haleakala Crater, Maui, to hike the Sliding Sands trail. The day was perfect, clear big blue skies, the rain stayed away and there was much anticipation as we drove the switchbacks to get to crater rim to start our hike.

The scenery was magnificent and it was 12 miles of some of the best walking I have ever done. Shapes, colours, vistas that left us in awe....these photos try to capture some of the magic of this place.

Haleakala Crater from the start of our hike at the Visitors Centre.

Alpine cinder desert.

Pele's Paint Pot - named for the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes

Paint Pot colours, such a wonderful surprise !

S is for Silversword: a high altitude find

A unique sighting on Haleakala Crater walk.

Another fascinating Hawaiian find - the striking silversword which glistened against the barren volcanic landscape high up on Haleakala Crater. 

I was thrilled to see one of the plants in flower too - really dramatic, they stand tall above the rosette of narrow silver pointed leaves and the flowers have small, purple heads.

Quite remarkable colour and form.

I is for I'iwi: an endemic honeycreeper on Maui

I know when I buy a new bird book which birds become a target. 

Here in Hawaii the common birds tend to be the introduced 'aliens' and hold little real interest to me. 

However, the section in my Birds of Hawaii by Jim Denny that draws me is the endemic forest birds - obviously the most sort after too - and Hawaii's isolation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has created a high degree of adaption and a whole new subfamily, the honeycreepers!

Of these, I wanted the I'iwi, apart from its cool name it is fabulous with its deep red colour and the contrasting black with a hint of white. It is the long, deeply decurved bill with its funky salmony red colour that makes it a rock star here on Maui.

We landed early from Big Island this morning and the John's drove us out to Hosmer Grove on Haleakala with I'iwi's as the target and we were treated to a spectacular birding fest. 

Most happy with this lifer.

O is for Ohi'a lehua: a special tree in Hawaii

The Ohi'a lehua is an evergreen flowering tree in the myrtle family and it is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It grabbed my attention as soon as we landed. The red flowers are beautiful as are the fruits which look like woody capsules and contain numerous tiny seeds. The leaves feel leathery with an oval shape and the bark becomes silver grey, a quite wonderful tree indeed.

We have seen these trees in the high altitude tropical rain forests where they grow huge as well as small shrubs starting life on a lowland lava flow!

I read that these trees probably evolved here in Hawaii from plants that originally came from New Zealand, they are from the same genus and look similar. And I also fell in love with the New Zealand pohutakawa!

Even more important is this tree in the higher altitudes, is the source of nectar and insect prey for the Hawaiian endemic birds. Fred has captured some beautiful images of the tree and some of these birds.

Maui Amakihi, an endemic honeycreeper.

Juvenile Apapane

D is for Devastation Trail: Volcano National Park, Hawaii

Pu'u Pua'i created after the 1959 eruption of Kilauea Iki.

A late afternoon stroll along the Devastation Trail was a stark reminder of both the power and the impact of an eruption.
It's 57 years after Kilauea Iki erupted and the is landscape is still barren with only a hint of recovery.

Reamrkable devastation after Kilauea Iki eruption.

PS - a D at last on my travels....

K is for Kilauea Caldera: smoking hot

Afternoon at the Jaggar Museum viewpoint, our first view of the vast Kilauea Caldera with its smoky vents.

Dusk and we can see the glow off the lava lake deep in the caldera.

Amazing sight, the Kilauea Caldera glowing.

Watching for lava spatter.

Smoking hot!
Amazing evening, as mesmerising as watching a fire.

L is for Lava: Volcano National Park, Big Island, Hawaii

Sitting on 'fresh' lava, flow from the 1980's

A remarkable first visit to the Volcano National Park on Big Island, Hawaii. Seeing the two types of lava - a'a and pahoehoe. A'a is rough and chunky and pahoehoe, which was hotter and more fluid at the time of eruption, is smoother and ropy. 

Colour varied too, from shiny black to dull brown.

All other worldly indeed.

As far as the eye can see!

Landscape being formed by lava flow, from mid-60's onwards.

T is for Turtles: Napili Bay, Maui

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles!

We had been told that Napili Bay in West Maui is a good place to swim with sea turtles. So we made our way across the island to find a swimming spot and to hopefully find the sea turtles too.

I did see one as I was floating in the ocean - a huge, hard shell turtle just glided past me.

The south side of Napili Bay has a rocky ledge and we sat on the rocks and watched the turtles playing and feeding in the shallows.

So wonderful.

Fred up close with the sea turtles

Afternoon swim at Napili Bay, Maui

B is for Banana Bread and a Blowhole: driving the north loop of West Maui

Julia's Roadside coffee and really good Banana Bread!

The roads are good on Maui and lots of traffic too.

Except when you drive the north loop of West Maui beyond the hotels and tourists, it feels rural and unspoilt. 

The road becomes a narrow, twisting, one lane track that hugs the steep cliff sides. Great driving until another car comes around the bend and then my heart flip-flops. 

The scenery is a treat. It was end of day so we only made two stops, one to watch the blowhole and even from a distance it was spectacular. And to stop for banana bread and coffee. The hot pink caravan with white trim was an eye-catcher.

The banana bread here on Maui has been delicious!

Nakalele Blowhole en route