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!