Why is a Killdeer So-Named?

Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus, giving me a cautious look as it keeps its space from the goofy photographer with the big lens! Mission River Preserve, San Diego, California. Killdeers are not named because they murder bambi in cold blood; they are named after the sound of their piercing call. This is a somewhat common way to name birds, particularly for many shorebirds, such as the Kerwit, Curlew, and Godwit.

Passing American Wigeon

American Wigeon, Anas americana, in flight. Sadly, it was flying away rather than posing for pictures but it's still a decent shot. Ducks are tough to ID from the underbelly but luckily the ID book has undershots and, given the number of wigeons in the park at the time, it seems like a good guess.

Hare Brained Idea?

The Black-tailed Jack Rabbit, Lepus californicus, is a true Hare, bearing it's young fully formed, with eyes wide open, and without a nest. Cottontails, on the otherhand, build nests for their young, who are born with their eyes shut. The Black-tailed Jack Rabbit is typically a low-land rabbit, favoring flat open areas and valleys. These rabbits bear several litters per year with up to 8 kits (baby rabbits) per litter.
These two rabbits appeared to be a pair, one keeping watch while the other attempted to hide under a bush. Rabbits are preyed upon by all sorts of predators including coyotes, owls and hawks. They typically rely on their speed (they can outrun a dog), thick brush and the pervasive cholla cactus as cover to escape from predators.

The Impeccable Curlew

Long-Billed Curlew, Numenius americanus, hunting for worms and small crustaceans in the tidals flats along the Tijuana Estuary. They theoretically sense the small creatures under the mud via tiny, sensitive bristles at the tips of their beaks, pulling them up out of the mud for a quick feast.

Renanthera Kalsom 'Red Dragon'

Renanthera Kalsom 'Red Dragon'. These grow into nice bushy plants about 3-5 ft tall and put forth bushels of flowers in you have the sun, humidity and space for them. The latest generation of Renanthera hybrids are a little bushier and shorter than the old Queen Emma types that would grow 30 ft. up a tree like a vine. Admittedly, those old hybrids were amazingly beautiful but a little tough to appreciate when they are blooming 20 ft. up in the air. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I did indeed get one of these although San Diego is not ideal habitat, given our low humidity and cooler Winters.

Where Do Bananas Come From?

Banana Tree, He'eia State Park, Hawaii. Just in case you wondered where those bananas in the store come from, shown above: bananas ripening on the 'tree'. Bananas are actually herbaceous (closer to grasses than to trees) even though they are called Banana trees. If you cut across a banana trunk, you'll find annular rings of soft, porous, sap-filled, grass-like layers similar to cutting across a large stalk of grass. These are apple bananas, named aptly for their slightly tart granny smith-like taste and firm texture.

Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail View

Makapu'u looking back towards Hawaii Kai, Koko Head Crater and Hanauma Bay, Oahu, from the cliffs along the Makapu'u lighthouse trail.

Hoya deykeae

Hoya deykeae blooming at Kawamoto Orchids. A real favorite with the honey bees! I dare say I have a new found appreciation for the beauty of Hoyas!

Thank you in Hawaiian

Thank you = Mahalo (Pronounced Mah Hah Low)
Thank you very much = Mahalo Nui Loa (pronounced Mah Hah Low Noo Ee Low Ah)
You're welcome (closer to "no problem") = ‘A‘ole pilikia* (Pronounced Ah Oh Lee Pee Lee Kee Ah)
* Note that Pilikia means troubles
Alternately, "He mea iki" - (it's a small thing)

Hoya tsangii

Hoya tsangii, blooming outside of Kawamoto's Orchid Nursery in Honolulu, Hawaii. I was fascinated by the cute little furry umbels on this plant, each flower with a glistening drop of nectar. In was highlighted by the rays of the morning sun, making it particularly attractive to both myself and the bees.

Stout Moray -- Waka utsubo

A small Stout Moray, Waka utsubo, hiding in a crevice in the reef outside Queen's Surf at Waikiki on the Island of Oahu. This little moray will evenually grow to be about 3 feet long but, for the moment is just a tiny 6-8 inches.

White Mouthed Moray

White Mouthed Moray, Gymnothorax melealgris, or Puhi in Hawaiian, at Queen's Surf Beach Park on Oahu. The water was a bit cold and a little bit cloudy with particulates from the recent rains so I had to get a little closer to take pictures of the fish. The bigger morays, such as this one, have a nasty habit of lunging out of their hole if they feel threatened. Add in the waves sloshing me back and forth over his hole and it made for a little excitement. There is a little bit of a balance between getting a decent picture and staying far enough away so as to not get bitten. The closest land analogy would be that of trying to get a closeup of a snake that would periodically coil up and rattle at you.

Hawaiian for beginners

Hawaiian lesson for the day:
How are you? = Pehea 'oe? (pronounced Pay Hey ah oy)
I am fine. = Maika'i no au. (pronounced My Kah Ee No ow)
Maika'i = excellent, well, awesome

Little Blue Heron

A Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, feeding on fish and crustaceans in the Mission River.

American White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, flying low along the water in the Mission River Preserve. While frequently found in the interior of North America, these birds are less common visitors near the ocean. This one was found in a group of four birds. They were located about two miles inland from the mouth of the Mission River. I've only seen them there two or three times, as they tend to avoid the ocean on their annual Winter migration.

Mike the Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna, patiently guarding the feeder from his perch on my apricot tree. Even though the apricot tree no longer has leaves and in spite of the feeder emptying out while I was visiting Mom for the holidays, my faithful hummingbird was there on his favorite branch waiting for me to refill the feeder when I returned. I think I'll dub him Mike. Of course, I'm open to nominations. I don't suppose Mike will mind one way or the other.

Kualoa Regional Park, Oahu, Hawaii

Kualoa Regional Park, Oahu, Hawaii. An overcast Winter day at Kualoa Regional Park highlighting the jagged, razor sharp, eroded lava cliffs caused by millions of years of rainfall as the warm, humid tradewinds rise along the slopes of the Koolau Range on Oahu.

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata, at the Mission River Preserve, San Diego, California. These adorable ducks spend the Winters in San Diego every year and can be easily recognized by their large, shovel-like beaks. They spend their summers throughout North America all the way up through Alaska and Winter in the Southern states down through Mexico. I love the way the feathers on their head glow a deep purple when the sun hits them just right, their big gangly beaks that seems too big for their heads and those funky lemon-yellow eyes.

National Bird Day - An Avocet Afternoon

American Avocet, Recurvirostra americana, feeding in the shallows at the Mission River Preserve in San Diego, California. What better way to spend the afternoon on National Bird Day than to go out and watch the migratory waterfowl at the Mission River Preserve in San Diego? As if they knew, the birds were out in full force! There were ducks, herons, egrets, grebes, cormorants and two types of pelicans plus gulls galore! The annual Winter waterfowl migration to San Diego always makes Winter days a whole lot cheerier.

San Diego AOS Awards for January, 2013

(Clowesia Alaena Laryson x Ctsm Bound for Glory) 'Sunset Valley Orchids' AM/AOS 82pts

Mormodia Lime Tiger 'SVO II' HCC/AOS 77pts

Mormodes Nitty Gritty 'Sunset Valley Orchids' HCC/AOS 78pts

Foggy Day

Foggy day in La Jolla. The marine layer is a regular occurence along the California coastline and it adds to a rather eerie effect as you gaze down the pilings into the fog.

Happy New Year

Fireworks over Waikiki. Happy New Year!!! Hope you have a good one.

Happy New Year!

Wishing all of you all the best for the new year. Good health, good friends, happiness, family and much success in 2013. Enjoy your new year's eve, have fun and stay safe.

Ala Wai Yact Harbor and Waikiki

Ala Wai Yact Harbor and Waikiki. Quick shot from Magic Island during a post lunch walk.

Would You Move Rocks for Love?

A Rockmover Wrasse or Dragon Wrasse, Novaculichthys taeniourus, putting on a display for the photographer (a.k.a. me). These wrasses move stones to reveal and, ultimately, eat the prey beneath the rock. Adult rockmovers are known to work in (mated) pairs, the first wrasse lifting the rock and the second wrasse darting in to eat the revealed morsels before they scurry under another rock. Clearly, it behooves the potential prey to find a big, heavy rock to hide under!

Christmas is a "Boar?"

Wild Boar, on truck, with hunting dogs beneath the canopy and hunters sitting atop the canopy with the boar. Wild boars have caused tremendous damage to the Hawaiian ecology through eating tender plant life, eating eggs from ground nesting endemic Hawaiian birds such as the Hawaiian Crow and through grubbing the dirt thereby releasing silt into the ocean that kills the coral reefs. This one was apparently being used for Christmas dinner.

Rhynchostylis gigantea, spotted variety

Rhynchostylis gigantea, spotted variety. I found this lovely, very nicely colored, uber-fragrant first bloom Rhychostylis. The typical spotted variety has a peppering of light pink spots. The ones with darker blotching and larger overall spotting are sometimes referred to as harlequin types. These are native to Thailand and also come in white, red and peach.

The O'io or Short Jawed Bonefish

The o'io or Short Jaw Bonefish, Albula glossodonta, is typically found in shallow reef flats and sandy bays through 100 ft. I've generally seen this fish traveling in small schools of around 20 or fewer individuals. They are smart, inquisitive fish, often circling the diver for closer inspection (in protected areas). They are capable of great speed and put up quite a fight if caught on rod and tackle.

This particular fish was part of a school of 2-3 ft. long fishes that was circling me as I spun counter-clockwise on an axis with my little underwater-cased canon at minimum zoom snapping pictures of them as they passed by around 1-3 feet from the camera. It's quite a trip, especially once you've figured out how to pivot in skin diving gear. I'm sure it made a nice show from the breakwater above. I had both knees bent, one flipper out in mid-air, the other keeping me spinning...I'm not sure if I could explain how to do it if I tried. LOL. You'll just have to try it yourself!

Threadfin Butterflyfish

Threadfin Butterflyfish, Chaetodon auriga, Queen's Surf, Hawaii. I finally made it to the beach and the sunburn proves it, in spite of the SPF30 suntan lotion. I suppose the water washes it off after a while. The water was a bit nippy for Hawaii, but then it is January. It was nice enough for me to stay in for about 2 hours before my fingers turned into total prunes so perhaps it's really the difference between that warm Hawaiian air and the water temperature that makes getting in always a bit of a jolt. Of course, if you put me in a fish preserve with fish to photograph, I will stay in as long as I can as I chase those finny beauties around with my little canon camera, mostly oblivious to anything but the fish.

Monk Parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus

Monk Parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus, part of a small colony nesting high atop a huge old tree near the trailhead to Manoa falls.

Just a Lucky Ducky

I found a whole patch, well, several patches of four leaved clovers growing in the pond at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. I am indeed a lucky ducky! LOL. One of the local nurseries must be selling them. Ah, but which one??!

Festive Flowers at the Manoa Falls Trail

Some festive red flowers blooming in a little ray of Hawaiian sunshine that penetrated the dense forest canopy along the Manoa Falls trail. May the season bring you joy and good tidings!

May You Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Wherever you may be and no matter your circumstances, may you have the merriest Christmas and a wonderful new year. As they say in the islands, Mele Kalikimaka and Hau'ole Makahiki Hou!

Holy Hoya Batman! What kind of Hoya is that?

Hoya guppyi. These plants will grow indoors; however, given greenhouse conditions, these plants are hefty and gangly growers, easily growing you out of house and home. With a little creative trimming they will provide some of the waxiest and most rewarding flowers of the genus.

Wonderful, Kind People in the World

I was shopping at City Mill when I mentioned to the nice lady at the counter that my Mom was in the hospital with pneumonia. Out of nowhere, she mentions that she has a few four leaf clovers that she says have done amazing things in the past (think cure cancer). Now, I am a little skeptical, but I was totally touched that she went all the way out to her car to get her purse from which she pulled out a little four leaf clover pressed in waxed paper. She wrote some kind words and a little prayer on the piece of paper the clover was pressed in and asked me to get it to my Mom. I brought it to Mom today and low and behold, the hospital said Mom was good to go with a little time to spare before Christmas eve. That's about the best Christmas present ever. Did the clover do it? You decide. ;-P

A Little Holiday Relief

I flew home for the holidays and found Mom in the hospital for small bout of pneumonia when I arrived (is there such a thing as a small bout of pneumonia?). That was a bit of a scare. However, thanks to the good people at Queen's Hospital, she's out and doing well, just in time for Christmas eve. While I feel much relieved, there's still this nagging thought having to do with the mortality of ourselves and everyone we love that just won't go away. I suppose, as we age, it is something everyone must confront and come to peace with. I'm just not there yet nor do I care to speed the process. Perhaps there is some comfort in the angst.

Say Something Profound, Will You?

Sometimes I feel like I should say something profound. I've posted thousands of posts but I rarely say much about life, being a bit private. However, it just seemed like the thing to do so here goes.

I find that the pre-holiday time is quite stressful between shopping for presents, trying to clean up the work at the office and working to get all the bills paid at home. It's just so easy to get caught up in others' expectations and self-imposed worries about every little detail. Ultimately, however, if I put down the credit card and pause for the briefest of moments I realize, in a puff of sanity, that the season is about reconnecting with the people you love most, the people that have always been in your life and who will always be a part of you, even long after they depart this world. Those moments make it all worthwhile.

As for the negativity of the few, the neigh sayers, the doubters and the prophets of doom and gloom, it's best to realize that their negativity is a reflection of their own doubts and unhappiness. While we may try to help where we can, ultimately no amount of tangible gifts or verbal soothing will quell their inner negativity for that fire is quenched only from within, and only through faith, trust and love, rather than through negativity.

Just Shout, "Happy Holidays!"

Blue Dacnis or Turquoise Honeycreeper, Dacnis cayana shouting out (Happy holidays!) These beautiful birds are quite widespread, being found from Panama all the way down to Northern Argentina!

Laelia anceps 'Alpine'

Laelia anceps 'Alpine' just after watering the plants in the sun room. I believe it is the result of crossing the Guerrero form with a larger standard form. Oddly enough, mine seems to be shaped better than the other pictures I've seen online. We'll see what happens when the division grows bigger.

Red Catasetum!

Catasetum Jose Abalo X Catasetum Orchidglade, one of Fred Clarke's hybrids, blooming for the first time in the sun room.

Hope Your Holidays are a Humdinger!

Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna, on the now mostly leafless peach tree in the back yard. Hope your holidays are a humdinger with lots of love, full of your favorite people, and, of course, all of that wonderful, oh so fattening holiday food.

An Argument for Social Support for the Mentally-At-Risk

The nation is in shock regarding today's shooting. There will be renewed calls for gun control. Whatever the arguments for gun control, one way or the other, the nation should also take a close look at the legacy of deinstitutionalization of the mentally-at-risk and the de-funding of social programs for the mentally-at-risk that occurred during the Reagan years. For example, we see the legacy of deinstitutionalization and funding limitations in many large cities via the schizophrenics that live on the street harrassing the occasional passing pedestrian.

In this case, it appears that there were syptoms of anti-social behavior in the shooter from early childhood. This behavior did not appear to have triggered significant safeguards in the system, the result of which we see in full clarity today. Early detection, professional therapy, and institutional support, where necessary, might have prevented this day's tragic events.

Stanhopea intermedia

Stanhopea intermedia, a beautiful clear yellow Stanhopea with a light minty fragrance, blooming in early December. This wonder is native to the Pacific slopes of Mexico at around 3000 feet.

A Spiny Beauty: Agave angustifolia marginata

Agave angustifolia variety marginata, the Carribean Agave, growing in that mini-botanical garden that I call the back yard. These are excellent growers in a moderate climate, quickly forming pups. They make great accent plants, if a little spiny. They are drought tolerant but can also tolerate wet feet without rotting. They also appear to be fairly cold resistant, as long as you stay above freezing.

San Diego AOS Judging Results for December, 2012

Bulbophyllum spathulatum 'Windflower' AM 80pts

Ctsm vinaceum 'Sunset Valley Orchids' HCC 77pts

Cyc Kevin Clarke 'Sunset Valley Orchids' FCC 90 pts

Cycd Chiriqui 'Sunset Valley Orchids' FCC 90pts

Cycd John Naugle 'Sunset Valley Orchids II' AM 81pts

Cycd John Naugle 'Sunset Valley Orchids' AM 84pts

Cycd Spotted Hornet 'Sunset Valley Orchids II' AM 86pts

Fdk After Dark 'Black Cherry Red' AM/AOS 87pts

Fdk After Midnight 'Sunset Valley Orchids' AM 83pts

Oncidium Green Valley Sweet 'Heavenly' AM 80pts

Turkey Albondigas

I had a craving for albondigas so it was off to Vons for ingredients. The meatballs are made with ground Turkey, mint, basil, garlic, onions and pepper & egg so...it's not totally authentic but very tasty and a tad healthier. Spicy too.

If you want to try it, here's a rough recipe. Sorry, it makes a lot...

Pre-sautee in olive oil:
1 onion diced
3 cloves garlic, diced or mashed


Add to the onions and garlic in a large pot:
about a quart or two of water
1 bottle of basil sphaghetti sauce (or you can use tomato sauce)
1 small can of diced tomatos
about 2 cans of chicken broth (I used a ziploc bag of turkey broth left over from Thanksgiving)
1 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp of pepper
1 tbsp of dried onion
1 large bag of frozen veggies (I'm guessing this is about 3 cups worth)
1 one pound bag of fresh carrots, diced
1 small box of pre-sliced mushrooms


Bring to a boil.


In a large bowl, mix:
1 package of lean ground turkey
dried onion, diced fresh mint, garlic powder, pepper and basil to taste (i.e., up to you how strong you want it)
2 eggs
1/3 cup raw white rice (which will absorb the flavor of the soup when it cooks)


Mix the meat mixture thoroughly.
Make into meat balls and drop into the boiling soup.


Let simmer on medium heat for about an hour (to make sure the carrots are cooked). I'd suggest tasting it along the way and adding spice depending on how mild or spicy you want it (sorry, I cook by the eyeball method -- no measuring cups, so you'll need to ad lib a bit.).

Let me know how it comes out!