Flowers of Oahu 64. Wikstoemia uva-ursi or Akia

The bark, roots and leaves of this plant release a narcotic that was used to stun fish.

Sandwich Island Saga 36. White tern

A better view of a nestless chick7

Sandwich Island Saga 35. Red-crested cardinal (Paroaria coronata)

Joined in beaches by these birds 

Flowers of Oahu 63. Whitehead spikesedge (Cyperus mindorensis)

Flowers of Oahu 62. Sour starfruit

Flowers of Oahu 61. Rhododendron cinnabarinum

Flowers of Oahu 60. Yellow water lily (Nymphaea mexicana)

Flowers of Oahu 59. Tahitian gardenia (Gardenia taitensis)

Flowers of Oahu 58. Crinum lily (Crinum baconi)

Flowers of Oahu 57. Persian mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissina)

Flowers of Oahu 56. Wild poinsettia (Warszewiczia coccinea)

Flowers of Oahu 55. Red ginger (Alpinia purpurata)

Flowers of Oahu 54. Pink Hawaiian ginger (Alpinia sp)

Flowers of Oahu 53. Mango (possibly Tommy Atkins variety)

Sandwich Island Saga 34. Japanese rhinoceros beetle (Allomyrina dichotoma)

Sandwich Island Saga 33. Death of Romance

Cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) are a ubiquitous commensal in Hawaii. This couple were taken out in a drive by.

Sandwich Island Saga 32. Fairy tern (Gygis alba)

These white seabirds don't create an actual nest. The egg is balanced on tree branch. The picture is probably a parent with a chick at Manoa University Honolulu.

Flowers of Oahu 52. False heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia)

Flowers of Oahu 51. Macarthur palm (Ptychosperma macarthuri)

Flowers of Oahu 48. Philippine ground orchid (Spathoglottis plicata)

Flowers of Oahu 50. Black bat flower (Tacca chantrieri)

Flowers of Oahu 49. Tropical pitcher plant (Nepenthes spp)

Flowers of Oahu 47. Crown flower (Calotropis gigantea)

Flowers of Oahu 46. Long-stemmed 'Ohi'a Lehua (Metrosideros macropus)

Sandwich Island Saga 31. Swallow tailed butterfly (Papilio spp) at Waimanalo

Flowers of Oahu 45. Mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia)

Flowers of Oahu 44. Sago palm (Cycas revoluta)

Sandwich Island Saga 30. Hawaii Kai property problems

Beach-facing properties in this area are worth circa $1.5 m.They are generally single storey and a sea rise of only 6" would imperil them. That's not to mention tsunamis!

Flowers of Oahu 43. Society garlic (Tulbagia violacea)

Flowers of Oahu 42. Cockscomb (Celosia spp)

Flowers of Oahu 41. Butterfly pea flower (Clitoria tematea)

Flowers of Oahu 40. Casabela thevitia (Thevitia peruviana)

Flowers of Oahu 39. Oleander (Nerium oleander)

Flowers of Oahu 38. Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)

Sandwich Island Saga 29. Tourism

Oahu has always been expensive but changes in the 30+ years since my last visit are very evident. There are new taxes on tourists as well as tickets being issued for formerly free locations (e.g. Hanauma Bay). The whole tourism thing seems to be becoming too regulated and controlled. It will be interesting to see whetherthe Hawaiian Islands eventually price and regulate themselves out of the market.

Flowers of Oahu 37. Macadamia nut (Macadamia integrifolia mauka)

An Hawaiian success story

Flowers of Oahu 36. Seeds of the Silk cotton tree (Bombax ceiba)

Just like cotton wool on the ground.

Flowers of Oahu 35. Angel wing begonia (Begonia coccinea)

Sandwich Island Saga 28. Emerald cockroach wasp (Amplex compressa)

Sandwich Island Saga 27. Spotted dove (Streptopelia chinensis)

Flowers of Oahu 34. Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

Flowers of Oahu 33. Cuban royal palm (Roystonia regia)

Flowers of Oahu 32. Giant crinum lily (Crinum asiaticum)

Flowers of Oahu 31. Mexican petunia (Ruellia simplex)

Flowers of Oahu 30. Boat lily (Tradescantia spathacea)

Sandwich Island Saga 26. Birds

Had dinner with folk last night with several folk including Tom Fake, who presented me with this useful guide by the Hawaii Audubon Society. Tom is a very talented wildlife photographer who specialises in birds and Humpbacked whales. The guide includes several of Tom's excellent pictures (he specialises in getting all 3 local Tropic birds in the same shot). The guide is usefully divided into Seabirds, Shorebirds, Waterbirds, Open Country birds, Forest birds and Urban birds. It deals with both endemic birds and introduced species. Thanks Tom!

Flowers of Oahu 29. Ginger

One of the many species of wild ginger in Hawaii 

Flowers of Oahu 28. Pinkfringe arthostemma (Arthostemma ciliatum)

An import from South America 

Sandwich Island Saga 25. Frogs and fish in the Manoa streams

Flowers of Oahu 27. Jamaican guava (Syzygium malaccense)

The fruit