09-27-2006, 08:35 PM
This species seems to be very curious and quite unafraid> I was working up at 4000' in Hamakua for several monthes and saw many of these, they are beautiful, cheery and curious. Like nuthatches i often see them upside-down. We had several around out jobsite. Oddly we found several dead over the next few weeks I feared unintentional poisoning. We were remodelling an old house, so lots of dust and chemicals around. It's a miracle i'm not dead. I also wondered if they had succumbed to a disease. I wonder if there is an epidemic occuring w/ this species? Anyone else had strange experiences with this species?
Once when open ocen fishing off Mexico we had a royal tern we had seperated from a sewgull. The two had been connected to each other with some fishline. Everytime we tried to get close to them the seagull would spook and take off... dragging the poor tern behind it. Then thinking that the birds were fighting the other terns and seagulls would attack both. After about twenty turns of this the tern was nearly drowned. Eventually we gaffed the line and threw towels over both birds. The tern was patiently unhooked and the seagull flew off after nearly taking out several eyes.
Our new mascot stood proud in his tuxedo colors and orange headfeathers at the prow of the boat for the rest of the day looking like a captain in Her Majesty's Service. He did waddle about quite a bit as if having taken more than his allotment of rum and he, uh get rid of a lot of saltwater, but we thought he seemed rather well considering. Every few hours he'd look at one of us, waddle over and sqwuak insistently. Undoubtably offering up fishing advice.
After a few hours he flew off.
I think he knew better than to head back into San Diego.
Isn't nature great? I love this island.
Once when open ocen fishing off Mexico we had a royal tern we had seperated from a sewgull. The two had been connected to each other with some fishline. Everytime we tried to get close to them the seagull would spook and take off... dragging the poor tern behind it. Then thinking that the birds were fighting the other terns and seagulls would attack both. After about twenty turns of this the tern was nearly drowned. Eventually we gaffed the line and threw towels over both birds. The tern was patiently unhooked and the seagull flew off after nearly taking out several eyes.
Our new mascot stood proud in his tuxedo colors and orange headfeathers at the prow of the boat for the rest of the day looking like a captain in Her Majesty's Service. He did waddle about quite a bit as if having taken more than his allotment of rum and he, uh get rid of a lot of saltwater, but we thought he seemed rather well considering. Every few hours he'd look at one of us, waddle over and sqwuak insistently. Undoubtably offering up fishing advice.
After a few hours he flew off.
I think he knew better than to head back into San Diego.
Isn't nature great? I love this island.