More of Maui

So as mentioned yesterday we have just returned from a trip to Maui and while Benjamin was looking for birds I was attempting to retake every cheesy vacation photo possible full of palm trees and sunsets etc. I'll not bore you with them but I did like this photo from a day we took a hike through a bit of jungle terrain we found and just literally in the middle of this dense undergrowth someone had posted this sign. It was so moist and thick in there I was almost sure there might be fish swimming through the vines and thick foliage. However we did eventually end up at a bit of a cove and there along the shore another strange sight; chickens! Feral but very docile chickens that were quite at home along the shore. They were quite happy to share our snacks as well. - Fern

Northern Cardinal in Maui

Regular visitors to this blog will know that we recently returned from two weeks in Maui, one of the Hawaiian Islands. While there I indulged in my favorite pastime, photographing birds. I had hoped to capture some rare tropical native birds of the islands. However, I discovered that many of the indigenous species are now extinct due to predation and competition from introduced species - mammmals such as cats, rats, mongooses, cattle, sheep, goats and humans especially, as well as introduced species of birds. When I photographed this glorious Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). I was thinking I had captured one of Maui's colorful tropical forest denizens, though I couldn't help but think, "this sure looks like a Red Cardinal...." Of course it is a Red or Northern Cardinal, one of many introduced species of birds that are thriving all over the islands. I was happy to see him since I've not seen one before. In North America they're only found east of the Rockies.