Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge
Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge
I traveled up to the North shore of Kaua'i this week and after some coffee shopping and beaching I ended up at the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. We just call it the Kilauea Lighthouse. It's a National Park now dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of seabird nesting colonies.
The park is the home of the Daniel K. Inouye Lighthouse. The lighthouse was a navigational aid for commercial shipping between Asia and Hawaii from 1913 to 1976. Today it is restored, and though the lamp can be lit for ceremonial occasions, the 8000 pound lens doesn't rotate. It used to float on 260 pounds of mercury! Guess that was before we became aware of the dangers of that substance.
So what is it that brings more than 500,000 visitors annually to this dramatic backdrop of steep cliffs diving into the ocean with breathtaking views...I mean other than that?
Birds, Birds Birds!!
This National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best places on the Hawaiian Islands to view wildlife. It is the home to some of the largest populations of nesting seabirds found in Hawaii. As I gaze across the cove from the lighthouse at Crater Hill, hundreds of birds soar in the stiff trade wind in front of me and above me. Crater Hill, is now a fenced, protected, predator proof space. This is to keep dogs, cats, rats, and mice out so that wildlife and plants can flourish again.
... and the Red Footed Boobie... The Shearwaters and Boobies dive from great heights deep into the ocean to catch fish and squid. Often you can see this happen right in front of you. It's an amazing sight from 180 feet above the roiling waters of the blue Pacific below.
Two of the most remarkable seabirds to populate this refuge are the Great Frigatebird and the Laysan Albatross.
The Great Frigatebird is one of the largest seabirds on Kaua'i. With a 7 foot wingspan and a forked tail they are easy to spot off these cliffs, as they float above your head. The Frigatebird feeds by skimming and dipping over and into the ocean. But the Hawaiians have a name for these large birds..."IWA" or "thief" because they dive at other birds and scare them till they drop their food and then the Frigatebird swoops down to grab the food. Kind of like a big brother does to his younger siblings.
I traveled up to the North shore of Kaua'i this week and after some coffee shopping and beaching I ended up at the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. We just call it the Kilauea Lighthouse. It's a National Park now dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of seabird nesting colonies.
The park is the home of the Daniel K. Inouye Lighthouse. The lighthouse was a navigational aid for commercial shipping between Asia and Hawaii from 1913 to 1976. Today it is restored, and though the lamp can be lit for ceremonial occasions, the 8000 pound lens doesn't rotate. It used to float on 260 pounds of mercury! Guess that was before we became aware of the dangers of that substance.
So what is it that brings more than 500,000 visitors annually to this dramatic backdrop of steep cliffs diving into the ocean with breathtaking views...I mean other than that?
Birds, Birds Birds!!
This National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best places on the Hawaiian Islands to view wildlife. It is the home to some of the largest populations of nesting seabirds found in Hawaii. As I gaze across the cove from the lighthouse at Crater Hill, hundreds of birds soar in the stiff trade wind in front of me and above me. Crater Hill, is now a fenced, protected, predator proof space. This is to keep dogs, cats, rats, and mice out so that wildlife and plants can flourish again.
s
This is a safe refuge for the Wedge Tailed Shearwater... (If you zoom into the white spots on the picture above you will notice that the white spots are not flowers, they are Birds!)...
... and the Red Footed Boobie... The Shearwaters and Boobies dive from great heights deep into the ocean to catch fish and squid. Often you can see this happen right in front of you. It's an amazing sight from 180 feet above the roiling waters of the blue Pacific below.
Two of the most remarkable seabirds to populate this refuge are the Great Frigatebird and the Laysan Albatross.
The Great Frigatebird is one of the largest seabirds on Kaua'i. With a 7 foot wingspan and a forked tail they are easy to spot off these cliffs, as they float above your head. The Frigatebird feeds by skimming and dipping over and into the ocean. But the Hawaiians have a name for these large birds..."IWA" or "thief" because they dive at other birds and scare them till they drop their food and then the Frigatebird swoops down to grab the food. Kind of like a big brother does to his younger siblings.
The Laysan Albatross feeds on squid and fish by sitting on the water, often at night. A large and heavy seabird, the Albatross needs to face into the wind and run along the ground or water's surface, wings spread, to take off or launch themselves from a high point... think of airplanes taking off of an aircraft carrier...same concept.
This remarkable bird can actually spend years over or on the open ocean without ever touching land. The Albatross can drink seawater without becoming dehydrated, spouting the salt out of tubes in their bills.
To see all these very cool birds, take the Kilauea exit off the Kuhio Hwy. Head towards the water, park and pay the low $5 entrance fee ( or use your Federal Recreational Lands Pass) but watch where you step because birds nest all along the walkway in the foliage. Look closely in the picture below...
The Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is also a great place to spot Spinner Dolphins, Sea Turtles and Whales during season.
I know you'll enjoy this amazing place as much as I did.
Aloha....TT
Comments
Post a Comment