Hello from Kauai

Post by **Birger** » 15 Jan 2010, 20:04

Hello all, just bragging a little.

I am just checking in on what is going on on the site after watching a group of whales go by as I was standing on the deck of the house I am staying in, I do not have my cable with me for my camera so no pictures but I will throw on a few later that may be of interest from the area.

Birger

Richard B · Post by **Richard B** » 15 Jan 2010, 20:08

What sort of Whales?

andywoolloo · Post by **andywoolloo** » 15 Jan 2010, 21:40

sounds awesome.

can't wait to see some pictures of other things around there. I have never been to Hawaii.

Post by **Birger** » 16 Jan 2010, 09:17

What sort of Whales?

Humpback whales-Megaptera novaeangliae, these ones were a fair distance away but the other day I was having lunch at a beachside cafe and I watched some that were closer without having to leave my seat...way cool.

Richard B · Post by **Richard B** » 16 Jan 2010, 11:32

Birger wrote:
What sort of Whales?
Humpback whales-Megaptera novaeangliae, these ones were a fair distance away but the other day I was having lunch at a beachside cafe and I watched some that were closer without having to leave my seat...way cool.

Nice - i wanted to go whale watching when i was in Iceland but it was 'out of season'

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 16 Jan 2010, 14:24

I'm not at all envious

--
Mats

cochito · Post by **cochito** » 16 Jan 2010, 16:01

Enjoy the stay at the tropical haven!

Peace!

bronzefry · Post by **bronzefry** » 16 Jan 2010, 19:05

Uh, what's the temperature back home?

Have a great time!
Amanda

Post by **Birger** » 16 Jan 2010, 19:53

Uh, what's the temperature back home?

That is something I am doing quite well not to think about!!!

Birger

Post by **Shane** » 17 Jan 2010, 06:32

Any plans to collect Ancistrus while you are there?
-Shane

Suckermouth · Post by **Suckermouth** » 17 Jan 2010, 06:36

Shane wrote:Any plans to collect Ancistrus while you are there?
-Shane

In Kauai? Really?

Maybe I should go to Hawaii to do fieldwork on loricariids.

Dave Rinaldo · Post by **Dave Rinaldo** » 17 Jan 2010, 06:40

http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/referenc ... refnum=690

Post by **Shane** » 17 Jan 2010, 06:55

Ahh no Ancistrus on that island. Still you can collect corys, Clarias, and several neat live bearers. Get over to Oahu and you add kribs and angels!
Thanks Dave.
-Shane

Richard B · Post by **Richard B** » 17 Jan 2010, 10:00

& a syno too !

Post by **Birger** » 18 Jan 2010, 04:50

Shane wrote:Any plans to collect Ancistrus while you are there?
-Shane

I did manage to be able to explore along the edges of some of the rivers and streams and there was a lot of life but we had my 15 month old grandson in tow and a kids dip net so the catches were minimal as you may deduct, nonetheless it was all interesting.

I am home as of this afternoon leaving my little exploring partner there with his parents. Now I have to sort out my pictures.

Birger

Post by **Shane** » 18 Jan 2010, 05:18

Glad you got a chance to get a net wet! Makes the vacation perfect.
-Shane

Post by **Birger** » 30 Jan 2010, 23:07

Finally put some pictures together.
The island is not so commercialized as some of the others, it is great as one can get out and about alone without too much trouble.
Of course there are beaches, not terribly busy.

This was a busier one but it had some fairly good snorkeling

This was about a one minute walk out the door of the house we stayed in, notice the charcoal colored sand.

The usual tidal pools full of small fish, blennies, etc.

This small creek right in the town of Lihue had swordtails, below them swam tilapia, gobies and some unrecognizable cyprinids which a person could watch.The only ones catchable with a dip net and a 1 year old in tow were the Swordtails.

The larger rivers we also saw swordtails ,small schools of good sized trout14-15 inches. In a locals net there were tilapia, what the locals called freshwater barracuda and another cyprinid which they were taking home to barbecue. The ideal thing here would to have rented sea kayaks and head into some of these rivers.

I am assuming something was living here but I never did see what.

You will find this interesting, this is a picture of one of the ponds built approximately 1000 years ago by the native people,you can still see the channel on the left built to have access to the waters of the river. This pond is full of fish supposedly 10 species of game fish alone (introduced) even from this distance one can see the amount of surfacing that went on constantly...if you look closely you can even see jumping fish in these pictures.

Other animals a one year old will run into
landsnail of some kind

I am guessing Anolis carolinensis, Green Anole

Endangered Monk seals, not many left in the world but well protected on the island, if they came up on the beach they got a large area roped off for them and woe to anyone that bothered them.

Chickens...yes as on many pacific islands there are chickens gone wild but on this island there is not much for predators so they are literally everywhere, in town,on the beaches, getting into everything and crowing at all times of the day and night.

So what becomes the favorite pastime of a one year old who decided he does not like these chickens

A drive into the back country gives some very nice scenery which these pictures do not do justice.
Erosion is the cause of this as a person climbs up into the hills.The highest percentage of automotive deaths on the island come from drownings as people try to cross flooded streams.There is an area on the island they say is the wettest spot on earth with an average annual rainfall of 451 inches(I have not double checked if this is correct).

A permit and a four wheel drive is needed to drive what they call hunting roads in the back country but could lead to some interesting areas.This is a road headed back down a steep drop to the ocean.

Scenery from the top of the ridge

This island still retains much of the endemic vegetation and they seem to be trying to retain it.

Not sure if this is endemic but it is some kind of a mint plant

Not sure what this is but I thought I would throw this in for the fungus heads,if that is what it is.

Thanks for looking
Birger

L number Banana · Post by **L number Banana** » 31 Jan 2010, 06:32

It's Lantana camara, introduced in whole area, hummingbirds LOVE this plant. You can find it at your garden centers at home

Grows easily from seed. Invasive in the tropics. Safe for your area. Continuous bloom.

bronzefry · Post by **bronzefry** » 31 Jan 2010, 17:01

And you came home because??????......

Really nice, Birger. I also hear there are some Corydoras aeneus in the streams in the higher elevations, too. A regular pet store. Looks like you folks went at the perfect time! A 1-year old's paradise.
Amanda

Post by **Birger** » 31 Jan 2010, 19:58

I also hear there are some Corydoras aeneus in the streams in the higher elevations, too. A regular pet store.

The list of possibles is quite extensive on the islands.

And you came home because??????......

Still thinking on that one...

andywoolloo · Post by **andywoolloo** » 31 Jan 2010, 21:18

I've never been over there , so I appreciate the pictures! Very beautiful!

the charcoal sand and the hummingbird flower are so cool! And the amazing sceneries! Reminds me of Jurrassic Park or King Kong.

Post by **Birger** » 31 Jan 2010, 23:28

the charcoal sand and the hummingbird flower are so cool! And the amazing sceneries! Reminds me of Jurrassic Park or King Kong.

Jurrassic Park...filmed on Kauai
King Kong...70's version filmed on Kauai
The picture of the above pond should be recognizable at the very beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark
Many films have used the area.

andywoolloo · Post by **andywoolloo** » 31 Jan 2010, 23:43

wow, cool. I didn't know that.

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