Great Frigatebird

Still replaying mental pictures from Hawaii, two weeks later... The Great Frigatebirds, motionless on the wind above the Kilauea cliffs, would be an inspiration to any kite maker.

Great Egret

Only a few years ago the Great Egret was hard to find in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Now, however, they are not uncommon in the winter season, much to the dismay of frogs and small fishes in all the creeks and sloughs. Today this one was finding plenty to eat near Hopewell in Yamhill County.

Killdeer

This is the season, in Oregon, when Killdeer sometimes can be found in loose flocks in wet fields. I stopped counting today at 107 in this field.

Back to Hawaii -- this appears to be an adult Wedge-tailed Shearwater. On Nov. 12 it was using the cover of shrubbery rather than an underground tunnel near the Kilauea Lighthouse on Kaua'i.

C.S. Lewis remembered

In a total diversion from my established theme here, I am pausing to remember that one of my most admired men, C.S. Lewis, died on this day in 1963. In his honor I quote him here:

"Then Aslan turned to them and said: 'You do not yet look so happy as I mean you to be.'
"Lucy said, 'We're so afraid of being sent away, Aslan. And you have sent us back into our own world so often.'
"'No fear of that,' said Aslan. 'Have you not guessed?... all of you are--as you used to call it in the Shadowlands--dead. The term is over; the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.'"

From "The Last Battle"

Wedge-tailed Shearwater

The Wedge-tailed Shearwater colony at the Kilauea Lighthouse on Kaua'i, Hawaii, is almost literally underfoot. This juvenile appears to be about ready for flight, but was still hanging out near the entrance to it's underground nest on November 12.

Common Moorhen

The Common Moorhen is one of many species of birds that are endangered in Hawaii. This one was walking on water last week at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge on the northeast shore of Oahu.

Pacific Golden-Plover

I had heard that many PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER spend the winter in Hawaii, but when I was there last week I was surprised to see them along trails in forests, in city parking lots, and even on rooftops. Definitely not the kind of places they frequent when passing through Oregon on migration. In any event, they certainly are appropriately named.

In India I saw several species of butterflies I'd never seen before, and on this one, which was trapped inside the control booth of the gondola at Parwenoo, I got a good look at only the underside. The top side was dark with contrasting stripes from side to side. I wonder where I can find illustrations of Indian butterfly undersides.

Indian Flying Fox bats resting

Indian Flying Foxes spent most of the day hanging head down 30 ft. above a busy Colombo street on October 12 and 13. In mid-afternoon they began flying off one at a time in different directions, presumably looking for fruit to feed on. I did see one hanging dead between two power lines, apparently victim of a short-circuit zap. Bad choice of a landing spot for a big bat.

Common Myna

I'm still looking back to images from my recent trip to India, remembering the pleasure of watching, through the glass of my hotel window, this Common Myna and several of his fellows feeding on something deep in the blossoms on this tree. The scene was in sharp contrast to the wild, blaring traffic on a busy Chennai street just four stories below.