Learning patience while birding in Maui
The fog couldn’t make up its mind as it hovered Haleakalā National Park intermittently. It was there and then it wasn’t and it was frustrating me to no end. So we sat there on the trail, damp from the mist, hearing all the birds, but not seeing a thing.
When the air filled with the foggy mist the flowers in the trees would open up and let out their fragrance bringing in the birds we came to see. But then I couldn’t get a good shot, even with my 300mm lens—the birds were just blurs of color, as if I had just had my eyes dilated. Too much fog. But then the fog would lift and the colors of the leaves would change from a dull green to a bright vibrant green, but then no birds.
For Pete’s sake. Can’t I have both: Opened flowers to attract the birds and good light?
Patience, I reminded myself. This is what birding is all about. Steve, my husband is patient. I’m not even close.
We were at Haleakalā National Park to see some lifers. In order to do that we had to be at a high elevation—above the mosquito line. One of the major contributing factors in the extinction of many of Hawaii’s birds (over 75% of Hawaii’s endemics are extinct) is Avian Malaria, which is carried by introduced birds (such as the Japanese White Eye). Because native species did not have a natural resistance against Avian Malaria, they were wiped out, especially where mosquitos occur. Other contributing factors have been deforestation and the introduction of predators (ferrel cats, ferrel dogs, mongoose, rats). At about 4000 ft. elevation you won’t find mosquitos, and so that’s why we were battling the fog at Hosmer Grove at around 7,000 feet in Haleakalā National Park. We only had one day because we were scuba diving the rest of our time in Maui and once you dive you have to wait 24 hours before you can climb elevations at that height.
Waiting. Waiting. Camera in hand and ready to go.
The air was filled with the scent of eucalyptus. Birds were singing and we could hear that they were moving around, but we couldn’t see them. Frustrating. This is common in birding and it’s what makes it so intoxicating and addicting. If it were so simple I don’t believe it would draw so many hard core followers. It’s a game of chase even though we’re really only voyeurs. Yet we always feel successful when the bird finally appears, as if we did something special to make the bird’s entire existence possible. In this case–when you’re looking in an area where there are so many extinct endemics—you can’t help but feel over the moon when you see a lifer.
Earlier in the day we had no trouble spotting the Nēnē. There was a pair hanging out at the Park Headquarter’s Visitor Center. This native Hawaiian bird was reintroduced to the island of Maui by the Boy Scouts of America in 1962. It is still threatened by introduced predators such as mongoose and rats, and remains identified as endangered, which is why you’ll see them tagged.
Not so easy in Hosmer Grove. I was in Hawaii, wearing multiple layers and polar fleece gloves and feeling a little chilled. I was losing patience.
And then it happened. We caught some birds who were probably just as frustrated with the temperamental fog and decided to just go for it when we had some decent light.
Here’s our list of birds we saw in Maui. Some at Haleakalā National Park (HNP) and others elsewhere on the island of Maui. Lifers are in bold.
- Nene
- Chukar (heard) (HNP)
- Ring-necked Pheasant (HNP)
- Maui Amakini (HNP: Hosmer Grove)
- Maui ‘Alauahio (HNP: Hosmer Grove)
- ‘Apapane (HNP: Hosmer Grove)
- ‘I’iwi (HNP: Hosmer Grove)
- Japanese White-eye (HNP: Hosmer Grove)
- Spotted Dove
- Rock Dove
- Zebra Dove
- Common Myna
- Northern Cardinal
- Red-crested Cardinal
- House Sparrow
- House Finch
- Java Sparrow
- Nutmeg Munia
- Hawaiian Petrel or U’au We saw this from our dive boat between Maui and Lana’i
I also spotted this other endangered species:
Tell me, I don’t really look impatient in this photo, do I?
Haha – worth the wait!
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You’d think I’d learn that life lesson each time I go birding.
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Fog frustrates, it’s not good for ANYTHING else (except sinking ships). And yet, you saw an I’iwi! That’s incredible!
Nice work, great post too.
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Yes, fog should be banned. Let’s start a campaign.
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You look 100% calm. I enjoyed your pictures a lot.
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I’m pretty sure we took that photo AFTER we finally saw the birds. 😉
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In birding, I have always found that patience brings its own special rewards.
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I bet you’re still waiting for me to figure that out, eh?
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I’m just starting photography and birding at the same time. Patience is right, and those guys are sooo fast. Great photos.
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Thanks for visiting my site! I’m just starting photography too! I should focus on turtles. They’re much slower than, say, birds. Ha ha!
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Me too, I couldn’t believe how quick they are.
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As they say, good things come to those who wait.
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Hi Sue, thanks for popping in again. You’re right! Good things do come to those who wait. Now, if I can just remember that next time I go birding.
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An interesting meteorlogical feature of the island of Maui is that the north-east portion is one of the wettest places on earth with an avergae annual rainfall of 13 feet. In contrast, the south-west portion (where all the fancy resorts are located) is semi-arid.
If you examine the two picures with the nene geese you can see Hosmer grove (with the tall Dougla Fir trees) in the background. You will also notice that there isn’t a cloud in the sky. Yet thirty minutes later (i.e. in the next photos) the Haleakala Volcano was wrapped in the thick pea-soup fog and drizzling rain. A wonderful example of the micro-climate and weather extremes of the island of Maui.
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Hey babe, I love it when you talk science. Total turn on.
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