Birds and Scenery

The best bird we have seen so far in Kauai is this Hawaiian owl, called the pueo -- the only native Hawaiian owl. It was perching on an electric wire as we drove along the south coast, just before the town of Waimea. We were on the way to the Wimea canyon and a number of scenic overlooks. We viewed the canyon on two different days in very different conditions, and saw a number of beautiful local and introduced birds.

The waterfall at Waimea canyon.

Waimea Canyon towards sunset Friday night.

A red-crested cardinal near Waimea Canyon. South American species,
introduced into Hawaii.

In fog and rain, the view from the overlook at the end of the road. In the center is a tiny hint of the surf on the rocks below.

 

Waimea canyon in fog on Sunday.

White-tailed tropicbird in Waimea Canyon. Native to Hawaai and
across the Pacific.

At the end of the highway 50 near Poihale, going west and then north around Kauai there is an area of cultivated farm fields surrounded by barbed-wire fences. On these fences we saw many songbirds.

A disheveled mocking bird. 

Strawberry finches. Left: 2 males. Right; a female.

Two Japanese White-Eye

As we were driving, we saw a Hawaiian duck swimming in an irrigation canal. It quickly swam into the vegetation at the side of the ditch, and when we walked along we spooked it and its mate, and watched them fly away.

Duck in the drainage ditch.

We also saw a Hawaiian Gallinule, an endangered subspecies of the Common Gallinule.

Hawaiian gallinule.

Not far from the end of the road is the Kawai'ele waterbird refuge. We walked around the ponds at the sanctuary and saw a large number of Hawaiian Stilt, a rare and endangered subspecies of the Black-necked stilt.

Hawaiian black-necked stilt

A common tern at the sanctuary -- an uncommon bird in Kauai.

Cattle egrets are EVERYWHERE!