FLIGHTS OF FANCY

This is a picture of my favorite Hawaiian forest bird. The I'iwi. Gorgeous. Seeing them in the wild is so incredible. The colours are fantastic. And look at that bill!!!! Because they are so rare many people have never seen one except in a picture, including people who live here, since the Native birds fled to the high mountains as the lowland forests were cut down. If you have read my post about Old Growth forests, then you know that I began hiking with botanists when I first moved to Oahu. Besides seeing beautiful really rare plants, I started learning about the Hawaiian birds. All the forest birds seen at lower levels are "imports" from somewhere else because the Hawaiian species couldn't live on the introduced plants, and they had no immunity to mosquito viruses so they died in massive numbers. There were no mosquitoes here before people brought them. Can you imagine? (What a good idea to bring those with us!) So just like with the plants, you can come to Hawaii and never see a Hawaiian bird. Ayah. And when I discovered how few Hawaiian bird species were left in the high mountains I began a "quest" to see all the ones that still exist before any more go extinct. Sadly, another one did go extinct just a few years after I moved here and I never got to see it. It was called the Po'ouli, and lived in the remote mountains of Maui. There was only one bird left that researchers knew of, and then it died. Sigh.

My search started on Oahu with the help of a wonderful woman who knew the calls of the birds, so even if we couldn't see them she would say "oohh there is an Apapane singing over there in those trees". Then I'd scramble like crazy to try and SEE it. It was always worth it. They are so magical and beautiful! Because they are elusive and rare, it makes it even more exciting when you do get blessed with a sighting. As with the plants, some birds had evolved on each of the main islands that never made the flight to another island, so were endemic just to one place. Wow. After I'd seen the species still surviving on Oahu, I started doing "birding" trips to the other islands. During one of those trips here on Kauai I met a really generous man who took the time to tell me where to find the most rare endemics on Kauai, Maui and Big Isle. He even drew me maps!!!! Sweet. I could never have completed my quest without this gift.

So off I went with my new-found knowledge and over the course of several years and many blissful trips into the forests, I DID manage to see all the ones that are still alive. There are some phenomenal birds here! The very last on my list was on Maui, a bird called the Akohekohe, black and white speckled with a spectacular disheveled red hair piece. I was in a remote area, sitting in the dense vegetation dressed in green, doing my best imitation of a bush, and watching a huge Ohia tree covered in blossoms, their favorite food. I'd been to this area on many trips and never seen the rarest of the rare. Suddenly there it was, about 40 feet in front of me on the tree. I was freaking out (quietly) because I was so EXCITED that I finally got a glimpse, when it turned and looked at me! For a moment I thought, no it couldn't possibly see me because I am one with this bush. The bush that's shaking with excitement maybe. Well then I got my answer. IT FLEW STRAIGHT AT ME! I had to put down my binoculars because it got so close I thought it was going to land on me. Instead it landed on a branch of the bush I thought I was part of, and just stared at me. It was the sweetest moment. I couldn't breathe. Then it flew off and I burst out laughing. But wait. IT CAME BACK! And this time brought a mate!!!! Probably saying "what do you think this is???" So they both stared at me for awhile and chattered to each other before flying away. Gosh if only I could understand "bird". A brilliant final sighting to complete my quest. Now when I am hiking and see the rare ones it is like old dear friends I haven't seen in a long time.

Out of 75 forest bird species documented in the islands in the past, there are now only 8 species left on Kauai. Yes, EIGHT. Some are extremely rare and hardly ever seen, and there is a captive breeding program to try and bring back numbers on some of the ones that are the most depleted. But because the forests where they survive are still being ravaged who knows if we can save them from extinction. On Oahu there are 2 species that have begun to develop some immunity to mosquitoes since the little biters are now through all the forests there so the birds can't escape any more. For awhile the really high mountains on other islands were spared, but now new skeeter breeds are showing up even in the bird sanctuary at 6000 feet on Big Isle.

So what can we do? A really easy way to help endangered species is right in front of you on your computer. There are sites online where you just have to click and sponsors pay donations to different organizations. Free for you and you get to help! What could be better. If you think you don't have enough time, it literally takes 30 seconds to donate (o.k. 90 with a slow connection...). My favorite is at http://www.care2.com/click-to-donate/. Click to donate is the section this link will take you to, but if you are interested, there are also amazing articles on this site. Fantastic organizations will benefit from your clicks like Nature Conservancy, Oceana, Jane Goodall Institute, and more. I have a link that comes right to my email inbox so it's really convenient. There are other causes on the same page if you want to donate to them all, and you can do it every day. So go donate right now! I'm sure the birds will thank you. Happy clicking!

Thanks for listening.