Skip to content

Marine Conservation Biology in Hawaii

2017 Description & Itinerary
About Papahānaumokuākea
Photo Gallery
Blogs by year
- 2015 Trip
- 2014 Trip
- 2012 Trip
- 2011 Trip
- 2010 Trip
- 2009 Trip
- 2008 Trip
Blogs home

Photo Gallery

All images are subject to copyright. Please contact dukenvironment@nicholas.duke.edu for permission to use them.

Inside Ka'ena Point Reserve we are greeted with a (mostly) native expanse of plants, along with rugged volcanic rocks, and crashing waves.

The CEM class walking next to Spirit Leap.

The Reserve is trying to attract Black-Footed Albatross to the area in order to nest. These are the decoys they use, along with projecting their calls on loudspeakers.

Our first pair of Laysan Albatross.

A large group of Great Frigatebirds flies overhead.

Female Great Frigatebird, distinguishable by her white breast.

The same male Great Frigatebird, different angle. Great view of his pouch!

A male Great Frigatebird, distinguishable by the red pouch beneath its chin, flies directly over head.

A Laysan Albatross in flight on our way out of the Reserve.

Old wedge-tailed shearwater burrow.

At the end of our path to the Point, we saw this fat, happy monk seal.

Coral bashed up from strong waves is washed ashore and slowly weathers with time.

The CEMs scamper in the tidepools looking for sea cucumbers, crab, shrimp, and more.

The first indigenous bird sighted in O'ahu, winning me a prize.

Laysan Albatross on Sand Island

Albatross everywhere

Albatross stands briefly and shows off her egg

Greg Schubert of the National Fish and Wildlife Service showing us his greenhouse of native plants

Greg Schubert shows Greg Baron and Noah Chesnin his garden of plants native to Sand Island

Albatross sit among whalebones in the Native Plants garden

Marine trash, or debris, is a huge problem on Midway. Due to its unlucky location, much of the trash caught in the North Pacific Gyre is brought here. People have come up with some very creative ideas with what to do with the plastic. This is one of my favorites.

Close up of the gorgeous head of a Laysan Albatross.

Unfortunately not all eggs make it. Those that are left are often broken and eaten by Common Myna birds here.

An old bowling alley (which occasionally still runs) with many albatross in the background, along with some more war-time related artifacts of Midway.

A big yawn from a Laysan Albatross on its nest. Nap time!

An inquisitive fairy tern comes to say hello (also called common white terns).

Laysan Albatross build up their nest cups using whatever material is within beak's reach. This fellow here has grabbed some sandy soil and is tamping it down. When it's raining it's the best time to build up a nest cup with sand!

A somewhat common sight here on island: an abandoned nest cup and egg, surrounded by plastic bits. In this case, a lighter.

Here is bunch grass, a native grass that provides ideal land cover in this sandy soil. This replaces the evil and invasive verbicina (a woody shrub with yellow flowers) which dominates the landscape in some places here. All Duke classes that have visited Midway have contributed to restoring albatross habitat, to the effect that the Fish and Wildlife Service has renamed certain areas "Duke Gardens West."

A close up of the webbed feet of a Laysan Albatross. They too have toenails!

« ‹ of 20 › »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Comment *

Name *

Email *

Website

Δ

Subscribe to the blog via email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Name (optional)

Email

© 2017 Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University | Box 90328 | Durham, NC 27708
how to contact us > | login to the site > | site disclaimers >