![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOR3vH87sHQL2Mi9bwb4vmZOdY-vQID5c_8fCjDUIrCrVAeoBgaXrPZyASbH3z4JoQSUpXO4Jpp1ZJOc2BD3z9HBP7Us5xiXgMefB0Fmlat2X6zDqDJBu6O829sVJc9VHIpr47w/s320/9163.haralampou.melissa.theo.stella.jpg)
The three of them took me back to the airport and kept me company prior to my departure. Here's a family photo (L to R: Melissa, Theo and Stella).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlCQuM1fsizuM6XWjxDunmcK1BImz-xpA8eInezfZbeI1nup2VXGr9kyCcJeF6vlM8OVl38WDHWb3RbqL24xViav_9AUiWzO2U76tnzGccbcaNNUv29lMXxg_DuvH132Txy2-NJA/s320/9162.haralampou.melissa.theo.jpg)
Father and daughter - Melissa and Theo.
It was really great to be able to spend a good part of the day with the Haralampous. I very much enjoyed my time in Australia, and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to stay with this wonderful family.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPN0hWWPaTTfMHBNd_oA8CkP64911T4LicoewA6xgb5g35MRQz542N4vkw1YQrPCMjqJtTwf0HEf_jFdmnWUAEwPLlYoNUDENPXT-q1ZNLbPS80FvgaU71PG8_np_041Yf5jEAA/s320/9165.fiji.guitar+band.jpg)
The flight to Honolulu was broken up by a stopover in Nadi, Fiji. When you get off the plane to go through customs or transfer, there's always a sarong-clad guitar band to serenade you while you wait.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hf5U2a_wUijm0kOrs_lYvC-nJY1ho0LBSLqolgZnGtvcMGHyzZ25sR9Jtu6VWJ1CLq6auzycpjKg56t7oEX9g3MP_44pAWZrydbCDMLrp2Jv69h_ySA7a9Ig8GRFJbOK2ztEvA/s320/9168.aloha+airlines.jpg)
My layover was shorter than what was shown on my itinerary in Fiji by about 4 hours and so I arrived in Honolulu ahead of schedule. I was able to rebook my flight on Aloha airlines for the interisland hop from Oahu to Hawaii.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rbiYqq6TUY_fhBDExdBS1TdojMbUsk-PiPTK8zXDQGMliAx-kAgfimYYBOs-V7BUs3W8AwW8_bOpPSDtQrFSYD41styC-PKQUDiTcvOzkTWHHh4rI_TaQqtKxSPhWvpsir0EDQ/s320/9166.aloha+airlines.jpg)
I don't usually fly on airlines with open seating (first come-first served), but this worked out ok. I was at the front of the line for the zone three passengers and ended up with an exit row seat that was by the window.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrn3oGNYNC9-23oX-K-SGhgetS1SJ-QJRdfkrMHQe2fDrS3phQvoL0VhtxiFZlv28wuU89O5XFroFYtWtsf8V6VWjNeo8OQwURfd8v7oIgGJWBL7aBk_vniQLnBWttWJm1opO6ww/s320/9176.diamondhead.jpg)
I had some good views of some of the islands on the way over to the big island. This is a view of Diamond Head just after we took off from Honolulu international airport.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxhP31h_D2YKxZ_r0n4WypsPiJLW5IuQcmBSibAn_IcQMzo9bitulI5k8Cj1RCvjTeYSJ0pjb1p0t8Hof5_makcjMU5RDKLWiHxEYWm6Au4IubdtQ8FUyksILWDGSVvcC4d-iRQ/s320/9177.diamondhead.jpg)
It's an extinct volcano, but you don't see that it's a crater until you climb to the top or look at it from the air.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiXUlfeQMlComiEFUeT2qnUUoa8QCBmUi0LDax3Rx7Q2XP7SRtx8dJY-C44heFjzT5xrQgXCVj0TTSHzF-pCA7uG1Y3QI_qAxy093maS9NZbnQWyV-EsARdu5yU_BPxxWfkwnug/s320/9178.leeward+side.s+of+honolulu.jpg)
I had visited this stretch of coastline with Craig and Teri Mason just a couple of weekends before this flight.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_Kr3Aa0MMUr40Ar7jWgF5D-cOSAUiCtQT1gIV1KLPMEqJFiqYq_p73nhnIVZGPXkgQ8und4kKCK1GoG4hkf6RZ20pn2qj-1HAjFA05c6o_jeTByzjqGWoEN36P6omsPiHvE71w/s320/9179.molokaii.jpg)
A quick glimpse of Molakaii as we're flying over. It's a long, narrow island that isn't nearly as mountainous as Oahu or Hawaii.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqK3zc_Ku6Ua-KOL32zIH6v6VMz_6AgQxWCZ1Is3xKilvIfGNfT6OdQwIGjfeeEBmbHEozUUa3wzqZJnsKHiynskqUl0rllrs1Uz2Ev3_UP9IrunmQUo2MHpzeuYe9SI5dWqPOJQ/s320/9184.maui.jpg)
Just a glimpse of the coastline of Maui. It was mostly covered in clouds.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Wgtwi-3H_xB_SPBxcqAbaQVNh_gJZ9YRNpFAyMI87yav88z1ETjAi89n9jq0h1vlvzmmRq2DHxHfLYUKokE3RABDsafATo1i0ENyp9a3x3Ep8c_D4GHs2AkKt1kNp7ecxopCiQ/s320/9204.lei.jpg)
Jack Straka was there to meet me at the Hilo airport and he gave me this patriotic-themed lei. It sure smelled nice, and I used it to decorate the lathe I used for my demo the next day.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzEWa9jqtqj0VDawXB7ZTikjodo1vuadifQ35iKyKwUkK9hT-Rb76jq4Rg3qZ7-OjS34V9HNMIlZruixPl0wCBjgApzacnl0FQEl71ecy3bWMFrY5s2YCZOEwQ1V9LZS_5XrcbA/s320/9195.thurston+lava+tube.jpg)
I had asked Jack if he would mind taking me to some natural areas so I could get some birding in while I was visiting the Big Island. He took me to Volcanoes National Park and one of our first stops was the Thurston Lava Tube. There's a nice overlook there that provides some good opportunities for seeing some of the endemic species.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvaideHIirOO-V813E9WtXfxFW1Nq-1V3q34EBDBY3eyCFy9NWpPZsP-g-cKf2sq-iHPeJZ4rRPhNDS5WwCFMIkRtORAYmORw_FF7WegzPVn6ZW_Q5uxEnf_yfp-PZnJorzzZOTg/s320/9192.thurston+lava+tube.jpg)
The lava tube is also interesting to walk through. This one is well lit with laterns. You can see how lava tubes form by clicking on the previous picture.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3dXn6EKorCkyQhZWnYj5Tj9Zt3frdLEw8cBB9LYntb9YOEoCCDUFSYPZnRMLTGki0iQcghDsS5MF73ohDafuW18a9KPqmjb2eY7Qw_5wVbV8E_YiAVGhKRxgF22IlelJ1sNgGg/s320/9194.thurston+lava+tube.jpg)
I thought it was neat to see the tree roots growing through the top of the lava tube. I'm sure there were a lot of interesting invertebrates all through here, too, but I didn't have a flashlight with me that would have helped me to look for them.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBootF-TTjP-JqhwFIEuVp0rF448ZxuvDEpT0mqHTiO3qqbgZrOze4rt_IgsHQlzUrorjvKn1_2XBXRHdTOH944U2lh61pJWiz_-1SBNeUcZxPCHJauLW30jo9O1Cn0j7AccB-aw/s320/9196.volcano+natl+park.jpg)
Trees in flower made for some great view opportunities to see the local avifauna.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqncOxWiPQhrrv_IKGZoywTdP-ncr-zTZGlKRp2FrX947-ioOz2cp6cZF37wu0hF_Qug8HgEQhvCen9P4qKxj6WrjyiroOe_ZEKklqkbG1CuXeOpLs6fo5CwrVfERBdeR7yb4pg/s320/9199.apapane.jpg)
The most abundant endemic species was the Apapane. It's a beautiful red bird and quite busy in its foraging activities. We also saw Amakihi and Elepaio here.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLiw8Qc8Z7UOISgPStlAh-_Sl0mHcn9hxjttU46FukWW0G4YTmqj3O8mmrpu4Svl5Tj9ppbdR94cq6z0LiHMqcEvaeazoZ4WOy41l-9yD9jXptv6xs0bl2_Z3BkWjU9W5-hrq8Q/s320/9209.kalij+pheasant.jpg)
A short drive away from the lava tube, Jack showed me a parking area where one can usually see the Kalij pheasant. It showed up right on schedule,
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XEf-9SDAQX1u88Z9vqfCXqC6zuBiIvoX3k9HBw_YhiELocbMCquY2ua9RwUIQteIp6ZgJYcoqeX6-xlNGDZeYcrtNnCXzoFyq6DfkC_X1gCs-AmhRiC0Rtp_ecLe_eiGmR1QYA/s320/9210.kalij+pheasant.jpg)
as did the hen. This species was introduced as a game bird.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAt0pHxL0x-EolMpYLRkFy7izWsZSgGUo7ZNf-CBsXx2qhhXW3iVHwTjVQUTfo1OumpMvEjBaQznSuLGJmx28kreGvNtd4CRCFa8lOyBLXdJswRl-YtHDB0a8vfPbHJ86ec3-91Q/s320/9216.kilauea+caldera.jpg)
The last stop of the day was the Kilauea crater. The island was having quite a lot of vog this day so it wasn't a great look at the crater.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisinEMe5qGe0Qhd6u6fesUMymZ_UX63Cq9lEx3bsFNMQAM-7jVEQl1AhkPVFsK1scQ1Kf84cEQvQkCxI7SHeZ5vvNRQKuLo5lU58R4M7fVVffbgIj1_jgtvHP0_8vhWJk3fqIvgA/s320/9222.apapane.jpg)
However, the overlook was perfect for watching Apapane forage in the tree tops.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEMv1BSdRl3jGGJwNhWVmsw2qAkNvvtnjPKLJV2bXfNVG0dJtpYTlkyYnIG-SkOBC0SfGULvlhkq9yfHAulxYp0C4pQiBDjKSwFTSHxG03jB_KJdUgARaYdpaIDibwWaB54kMnA/s320/9236.apapane.jpg)
I was really glad to add this and the other species to my life list this day. Thanks, Jack!
No comments:
Post a Comment