Early Evening in the Valley

As the sun dips lower into the horizon, beams of light peak through creating ideal illumination for these dramatic colors.

Vivid Dancer & California Spreadwing (Damselfly vs. Dragonfly)

The Odonata ("toothed ones") includes three groups of species. The two groups that interest us for this post are Zygoptera (which includes damselflies), and Anisoptera (which includes dragonflies).


The Vivid Dancer is a member of the Zygopetera. Observe how it's wings are held above the body while at rest. This is the quickest way to identify whether you are viewing a damselfly or dragonfly. The body of damselflies are also much more slender by comparison.



The California Spreadwing is a member of the Anisoptera. It's body is quite stout in comparison to the previous Vivid Dancer. We can also quickly identify it as a dragonfly by noticing that it's wings extend to each side of the dragonfly while at rest.

Bugs

A busy day in the insect community as they prepare for winter and consume lunch.


A lady bug, hornet, and bee gather for a lunch meeting.



A Syrphid Fly. These flies are known for their bee or wasp mimicry.



Woodland Skipper.



Painted Lady.


Patience rewards us with a rare treat. A Gray Hairstreak butterfly stops for a short rest.

Fall into Descanso Gardens

As another summer passes, dahlias at Descanso Gardens provide a grand exit to the season, a botanical version of fireworks.



As our fall season begins, beautiful reds and oranges are beginning to be displayed by plants.

Midnight Roses

Roses lit by street lamps at midnight.

A spider wanders on this delicately lit rose searching for his midnight snack.

All in a Day's Work

A female bee visits a flower combing the grains of pollen into her baskets. Pollen from the flower also sticks to the bee’s hair.

Crop for Detail:Full Resolution Crop:

Life At Punchbowl Crater

Punchbowl Crater is an extinct volcano located in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is the location of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. The crater was formed around 100,000 years ago during the Honolulu period of secondary volcanic activity. A crater resulted from the ejection of hot lava through cracks in the old coral reefs which, at the time, extended to the foot of the Koolau Mountain Range. Although there are various translations of the Punchbowl's Hawaiian name, "Puowaina," the most common is "Hill of Sacrifice." This translation closely relates to the history of the crater.
When walking up at the top of the crater, you are first greeted with a view of Diamond Head.A flower lit by the low angle sun.Hidden between the plants, a bug munching on the local flowers.A Mountain Dove. These doves are commonly seen with Zebra Doves.
A Red-Vented Bulbul. These appeared on Oahu 50 years ago when it was reported as an un-authorized cage release. One problem with the bulbul is that it likes to eat everything from insects and lizards to many fruits and orchid buds, making it an agricultural pest.
A Red-Crested Cardinal. These beautifully colored birds were brought from South America around the 1930s.

Leahi From Punchbowl Crater

Diamond Head Crater was originally named Laeahi by the ancient Hawaiians. The name meant "brow of the tuna" and looking at the silhouette of the crater from Waikiki, you can see the resemblance. The current name came was given to the crater by British sailors in the 1800's. When they first saw the crater at a great distance, the calcite crystals in the lava rock appeared to glimmer in the sunlight. The sailors mistakenly thought there must be diamonds in the soil. Diamond Head is a crater that has been extinct for 150,000 years. The crater is 3,520 feet in diameter with a 760-foot summit.
Unfortunately our day for viewing Diamond Head was a very hazy one. Also pictured is Honolulu and Waikiki providing a sense of how crowded our islands have become!

Foster Botanical Gardens

A section of the famous Pali viewed from below.A Pacific Golden Plover. These birds are also known as the "Kolea". During the summer they nest in Alaska. Their travels from Alaska to Hawaii is a non-stop 50 hours flight. Females will leave first, followed by males and the young are often left to migrate on their own. These birds do not stay the same color for the entire duration of their stay in Hawaii. In August - September when they arrive they are mottled colored. Males will attain a dark black patch on their breasts before leaving the islands in early May. Females also get breeding plumage but look very different from the males.A black swan rests in the sun.

Kaena Point

The beautiful view from Kaena Point. In the distance you can see the famous North Shore.
A dirt-biker catches some nice air. Normally the backdrop for dirt bikers is...more dirt.
Looking towards the most western point reveals the perfect canvas for the setting sun.
As the sun enters the clouds, intense sun beams begin to emit creating a beautiful view.The setting sun begins to dip below the horizon.As the sun disappears over the horizon, beautiful oranges are still visible, reflecting off of the clouds.

Cattle Egrets

Updated: Sept. 14, 2006
While touring Oahu, you will see these graceful, yet shy birds. These small white heron are often found in dry grassy habitats, unlike most herons which are associated with shallow water. Cattle egrets feed on insects, especially grasshoppers, and are usually found with cattle and other large animals which disturb small creatures which the egrets then catch.
A bird with a sense of humor. After firing about 15 shots, he decides to show me his good side!According to the rangers at Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens, these birds often chase the lawn mowers, and perch on top of the seats awaiting their food. They believe this may be because the gardens have no larger animals to disturb their food thus rely on the lawn mower to scare the smaller creatures out which they eat.