Hawaii, A Few Final Musings

Our annual trips to Hawaii for the meetings at BYUH really are meaningful.  We spend most of our time on campus, and working with the students is really fun.  I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the McKay Center for Intercultural Understanding and professor Chad Ford.  This organization is working in many areas around the world to help understanding and cooperation to take place.  We have made many friends and come to really believe in the "aloha" spirit of the Hawaiian culture.

One of the friends we have made is Mildred Wong and her family.  She is one 16 children of a Chinese immigrant man who worked off his obligation to indentured employment, and started a number of businesses.  He married a Hawaiian woman, and the family became influential and wealthy in the Honolulu community.  This is a remarkable story and an amazing family.





Paula and Mildred with Diamond Head and Honolulu in the background.





Mildred always feeds us.  You wouldn't believe how good the company can be when they are all over 80!

Paula is a good sport and follows me around chasing birds.

And now at this random place in the post, I am going to do a very difficult mystery critter.  The last few have been too easy, so let's see how you can do on this one.  This one was seen on the Tambopata River in the Amazon drainage in Peru. 









In and around Honolulu are a number of urban birds, some seen elsewhere on the island, others like the escaped colony of Red-Ringed Parrots are fairly rare.





Below Diamond Head is Kapiolani Park.  This urban oasis is full of birds.



Java Sparrow



Common Waxbill












And I'm outta here.

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving. My memories are of going to Grandma Dede's house and eating amazing food. Also my mom's cooking, especially cranberry sauce. Last year we had a fun time in California with Tiet and Chinh's families. The year before? Anyway, this year will go in the record books as a dandy! Thankful I am for family, plenty and peace.

Paula spent from early a.m. right up until 2 p.m. when the clan started arriving. About 10 or so I went after reinforcements and Liyan, Vivian and Dillan came out to help.



Paula had me put up 4 more tables and chairs for everyone. Everyone had a place to sit down for dinner.



Weston was the youngest attendee, but the Hai/Kyle creation is coming!!!!!!



Though Nic is just a mile away, he had all of his in-laws for Thanksgiving in their new house. As such this was largely an Asian affair! Present were Chuong's family, Cuong's family, Chi and her kids, Su Lu, Hai's family, Hoa's family, Nate and Caitlan, Kevin and Alicia's family. Tucker's dad and brother also joined us. It was really a crew!


After the obligatory picture and family prayer, it was time to dig in. Per tradition kids went first!


No one went hungry however!


Cuong was carving as fast as he could!



While the Matriarch's continued to direct traffic.



OK, the mystery critter was seen (and this picture taken) Thanksgiving morning in the grape vineyard at the farm. What is the full name of this bird??



Meanwhile after dinner at the Rainbow house, the games were on, compliments of Tucker!

Simon Say's



A crazy game called "unwind"!


Copy?


Gossip




Giant's and Trolls


And of course an art contest!


Fun times.








Weston's first ever Thanksgiving!


I couldn't wish for a happier time.


Love, Dad

James Campbell NWR Birds

Some very special species are present at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge just north of Kahuku in Ko'olau'loa. Access is by appointment only, and I got a chance to spend a couple of hours there on Saturday, November 6.

This Refuge is located on a point that is just south of Turtle Bay resort and north of the Kahuku Golf course. Most of it is reclaimed shrimp ponds. Kahuku is famous for its "Shrimp Shacks", the original of which was Giovanni's. Highly recommended. The garlic is wafting out even as you drive by.


Taken from Kam Highway looking east out over the existing shrimp ponds with the refuge in the far background.

One of the real star's of the JCNWR is the Bristle Thigh Curlew. Nesting in a very small and isolated area of Alaska, it spends the winter in Hawaii, and most of the population is on the Refuge. Getting this bird in Hawaii however does not count as a North American record sighting. Ok by me, I just really enjoy seeing it.




The Hawaiian endemic shorebirds are one of the main attractions of JCNWR. Species only seen in the islands include the Hawaiian Duck, probably a close relative to the Mallard.


These ducks nest in the shallow reeds next to open water.



While the Black Necked Stilt is seen many places around the world, the Hawaiian Stilt is only found here. Although very similar, the larger patch of black on the neck makes this Stilt easily distinguishable.









Another common bird around the world is the American Coot. The Hawaiian Coot is very similar, but the beak shield runs very much higher clear up on top of the head. They manifest in both white and bright red.




Ok, time for this post's mystery critter. This is a bird found in many places including the JCNWR. Generally found near the water hiding in the tall grass.


First grandchild to identify wins $10!

A number of other really fun, interesting and relatively hard to find birds are seen consistently at JCNWR.

The Long Billed Dowitcher has a sewing machine type of feeding pattern.




One of my all time favorite bird names is owned by the Wandering Tattler!??


The Sanderlings are very beautiful this time of year.




Finally the two Sandpipers of JCNWR. Very similar in size and pattern, the Sharp Tail Sandpiper


And the Pectoral Sandpiper (identifiable by the distinct break in the chest pattern with a straight line across the middle of the chest.