In March, I had several firsts–first visit to Hawai’i, first big flight since the pandemic occurred, and first flight taking a long camera lens for bird photography.
Although carrying several lenses, a tripod, and other equipment meant less space for other things, I could travel quite lightly when it came to clothes packing. I’m really glad that I made the choice since wildlife near islands is much more unique than the mainland. It was also nice to see familiar birds that make the trip across the pacific routinely each year.
The trip started with a morning boat tour to see the Na Pali coast. A pod of Kauai Spinner Dolphins greeted us not far from shore, one curious enough to get a close look.
Though the weather turned rainy and windy, it opened enough for me to capture really dramatic morning lights once we reached the coast.
On the ride back, the clouds passed by and we had a brief encounter with whales and an albatross.
Back on shore, we made our way over to Waimea Canyon State Park
And yes, there were colorful birds, including the infamous feral chickens that roam Kauai and other islands
Next day is to head to the north side of the island