Donnelly Oceantics: January 2015

NATIONAL BIRD COUNT

The Christmas Bird Count - This year: January 3rd

Every year birders around the country go out on a given day within a 3-4 week period and count birds. The data is turned into the Audubon Society and collated for trends over the years. The Refuge participates and organizes counts on the north shore. This year four of us tackled the entire refuge at Kilauea Point – that’s the 31 acres where the Lighthouse is including Albatross Hill to the west and then the 120+ acres that includes Crater Hill and Mokolea Point to the east. Some of it was done by truck but the majority on the hoof. We met at 7am, started out with a full rainbow and signed off at 6pm with another rainbow. Fantastic day!

Rainbow, 7:30 am

The public does not have access to Albatross Hill, Crater Hill, or the points beyond except for special events and invitations for volunteers on projects. Most US wildlife refuges are not open to the public at all, unlike National Parks meant for people. These views of the Lighthouse from vantage points east and west of the landmark are treasured. See my recent blog on the installation of the predator proof fence.

This is the season of the albatross and many are here nesting; 172 nests this year on the refuge. Others are just here to meet and court. When chicks first fledge, they are at sea for 3-4 years then return to their fledging point to strike up acquaintances and maybe future relationships. This goes on for about 4-5 more years until they are ready to mate at age 8-9.

Mokuae’ae, the islet off the point

Albatross just landed - the Nene is hissing at him, probably guarding a nest

Albatross hill

Parents take turns sitting and going off to find food

Eggs will hatch end of Jan or early Feb, one egg per nest

We are not just counting sea birds though. We count every bird we see. This year it included over one hundred each of Japanese White Eyes and Spotted Doves.

Peregrine Falcon

For the count it is always fun to spot an unusual bird and we actually got to see a Peregrine Falcon that does not live in the islands. He may have caught a rogue wind – no one is sure – but Kim, the refuge biologist, says he has been seen several years in a row. Maybe he just likes it here.

We took an early lunch and then headed over to Crater Hill by truck. This is a great area to see sea birds like frigates, red-footed boobies, and tropic birds soaring. Also saw several Brown boobies, another treat for us.

Crater Hill lookout

My comrades armed with binos and rain gear: Pam, Kim, Liz

Looking straight down 400+ feet

The white dots in the tree tops are boobies

Pam had to leave at this point and we thought we had only a couple hours left. We went to the new predator proof fence and walked the entire 8 acres along the inside perimeter. There is one albatross on a nest inside – the first since the fence was installed but it had probably nested in the same spot in the past. There was also one looking for a dance partner and was out of luck.

Predator proof fence encloses close to 8 acres

From here we could see Mokolea Point where were headed ultimately.

Even with 4WD we could only take the truck in so far. In fact when we started slipping in the mud, Kim backed us up a steep hill with a sheer drop on one side and we walked in the rest of the way. It took a lot longer but fun times.

This little colony had chosen a very nice spot with only a rare human intrusion

We made our way out to the point, counting all the way. We walked the west edge then crossed to the eastern edge above Rock Quarry beach.

Liz got me with Makapili Rock behind me

and the Lighthouse and Mokuae'ae islet far right

Zigzag of predator fence visible on Crater Hill

Above Rock Quarry Beach, just a couple pioneer nests

The day ended back at the lighthouse, counting the Red Footed Boobies. They were last as many are out at sea fishing during the day. It had been so rough windy they had not all returned by the time we shut down – just about 500 birds roosting plus the 400 or so we had seen elsewhere along our route. I did not tally the sheets before I left. I was busy looking at yet another rainbow in the twilight.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! MAY ALL YOUR CHICKS BE HEALTHY AND YOUR SQUID PLENTIFUL IN 2015

CHRISTMAS 2014

Holidays

We decided to take advantage of the sales and get a new flat screen TV. Ours was about eleven years old and this one was about a quarter of the price! A typical technology story. The clarity is great and Gil did a good job adjusting the picture that was a little strange to our eyes at first.

Heading home from Christmas grocery shopping

SOOOOO much traffic !

(Actually traffic was really awful after the holiday - all those sales, all those returns)

Xmas Eve - Santa's flight ready for take off

Gil setting up out TV

Anyone need a flat screen without HDMI?

It was a nice surprise to have carolers show up that evening. They not only sang several carols, they did about 4 verses of Jingle Bells! Many of us have lights and trees but there is always one who goes overboard. Pretty at night but in the daylight it is terrible. Most deco like this is meant for snow so all the cords are white, etc. We just avoid the street in daytime.

Carolers on Poki'i

PV lights on Kaweonui

We had a great holiday. One quiet dinner here with friends and two events Christmas: the daytime potluck at Anini Beach and a nice dinner with good friends that evening.

Rick & Jane (animated), Rt: Rick & Deb, L: Jack & Irmgard (hidden)

We had done some wine tasting with our fish - very fun

Anini Beach Christmas Day

Pavillion at Anini

Blessed with a beautiful day after lots of rainy, stormy ones

We didn't wear swim suits this year, but could have

It wasn't even windy until you went around the point - then it knocked your head off!

Anna - our delightful MC

Thanks Anna !

We had a lovely dinner at Dennis & Paula's, then the Christmas Quiz

(I missed the same questions as last year)
Desert was divine and a little of the gingerbread cake went home with us

Kokee

Gil & I both fit in our jobs into the Christmas week partying and then the 26^th headed to Kokee for two days with pal Marion. The nights were cold (40s) which may seem funny to mainlanders but what do you have your HEATERS set at?

The Orchard Cabin – Gil & Marion catching some reading time in the warm sun

The rest of the CCC camp from our porch

We had an oven in the kitchen and sleeping bags in our rooms. Brrrrrrrrrr. Marion brought her wonderful Portobello lasagna and we had many holiday goodies, breads, cookies, cakes, etc. and leftovers like cioppono and goat cheese soufflé for breakfast, yada, yada, yada.

We took a string of lights - looks like a hat on Marion

Sharon with the cioppino for lunch

We had a couple nice walks and nice visits to the museum. We met the new Director for Hui O Laka – a group whose premise is to care for the forest. They run the CCC Camp as well as the museum.

Our walk was very wet, jumping runoff and skirting deep mud

Worth it when the mountain peeked out to say hello

Not so many lehua blooming as usual - but did get to see one I'iwi

Thank You Kokee

New Years Eve was a party down the street. Group Therapy, the band, was in session and it was great Rock n Roll. We shared the count down with our friend in Santa Fe again this year (9pm for us). We came home at 11:45 and watched Times Square on YouTube while drinking a bottle of good champagne. I was up till 2am. New Years Day is another blow out fest at friends – they have had an open house waffle party on New Years Day for 25 years. It was great.

Back at home and with the hubbub dying down, we got back to our projects. I’m cranking away at the final draft of my book and Gil is working on home improvements. These are great – I can just pull out the sliding drawers for these silly containers now. The days of getting down on our knees (and getting back up), not so much. He did have a new toy to keep him busy when it was too cold in the garage to work.

Sliding drawers

Thanks Gil

Santa brought Gil a bamboo Kandama

He's getting pretty good, threatening to take on the kids on the corner

We are dragging our feet on taking the tree down as we will miss all the light. Soon.

LIGHT & LOVE TO ALL

& THE BEST OF 2015 TO EACH AND EVERY ONE !

NAWILIWILI LIGHTHOUSE DEC 2014

Nawiliwili Lighthouse at Ninini Point

After being so involved with the lighthouse at Kilauea Point, we jumped at the chance to visit the taller one at Nawiliwili Harbor in Lihue with a guide from the Coast Guard. We were unexpectedly treated to a tour of the coast guard facility too. I left there wanting to join!

Brad Poen giving us a tour of the US Coast Guard Station in Lihue

Training map

Newbies to the service have 2-3 weeks to learn the new language of

Kauai rescue locations

To get a better idea of where we were, I pulled some aerial pics I have. Several steps were undertaken by George Wilcox, founder of Grove Farm, to build his dream harbor in the 1920s, on the east side of the island. The Navy uses Port Allen on the Southwest side of the island.

Harbor – 40 feet deep

The marina is separated from the Huleia River that feeds the harbor

The Coast Guard station is at this end of the small boat harbor closest to the exit point

Marina from Coast Guard station

Leaving the harbor

See lighthouse behind, far right

it looks deceptively close

First the breakwater was built, 2100 feet long in 1921. In 1928 the seawall was completed, protecting the shore line. Then Nawiliwili Harbor was dredged in 1930. In July of that year, the ninety year old Wilcox stepped off the gangway of the Hualalai ship to officially open the new harbor. Four thousand people were waiting and he was drenched in leis. Cruise ships tie up here today.

Kalapaki bay has the sand beach on left, where Duke's Restaurant is

The breakwater at right is divided here by the strut of the plane I took this from

Furthest point jutting out, back and left, Ninini Pt. with light house looking very small

We drove into the Marriott grounds, through Kauai Lagoons golf course to a dirt road and then out to the point. I had never been there but Gil had gone out there during a race when an outrigger (or several) were in trouble in heavy waves. They pulled one boat off the rocks and a zodiac got ruined attempting to help.

There had been light towers but these were inadequate so the new lighthouse for the harbor was built at Ninini Point in 1932. The lens was removed in the 80s and the top left open. Pretty hairy out there in 30 mph winds!