Kauai birds

 We spent a lovely week in Kauai and tried to see a variety of birds. Our Marriott Resort has some tame residents and serves as a gorgeous habitat for some wild birds too.

 This black-crowned night heron showed up every morning when the staff fed the koi. He sat on a rock in the water and easily gobbled up small orange fish which must be baby koi.

 The Hawaiian goose, the nene, lived in the pond too.

 This spotted dove and zebra doves showed up every morning at 9:00 for the feeding.

I spotted a flock of these nutmeg mannikins (spice finch) on the lawn one day. 

 We always head to the Kilauea Lighthouse for birds, a gorgeous outcrop that is home to many species. We saw all those mentioned on this board. The Laysan albatross parents have produced 28 young and with binoculars we could see the big babies on the next (protected preserve) spit of land.When they are ready to fly they run awkwardly down the hillside into the wind, take off, and fly for two years.

 We got a great look at the red-footed boobies nesting. Here is one with a chick and you can really see her red feet.


This is a great frigatebird soaring.

 We moved on to the Smith Plantation where for 50 cents you can buy a bag of cracked corn and have fun for an hour. Many ducks, peacocks, gallinules (red face, below), doves, geese, cardinals, and more.

 Red-crested cardinal above. A representative group chasing us for food below. Junglefowl (yes, chickens), zebra doves, and cardinals.

A Hawaiian stilt above. There were in a preserve near the missle range on the west coast and their noisy yapping was very annoying.

One of the most ubiquitous birds on Kauai, the cattle egret.

 Another most seen bird was the minah above in the grass. At right, Java sparrows.

This Japanese white-eye was in the underbrush. That red mole is not supposed to be there so I am worried for him.