Wind and rain usher the Makahiki season onto Hōlanikū, guiding the island into a gentle rhythm of renewal.
Hey everyone! It’s Kayla with this week’s blog edition 🙂
After this week, we can officially say the winter weather has started! With higher winds and rainstorms on the horizon, we were not able to get out into the field as much as we initially planned, but nevertheless, we stayed just as busy in Camp.
Despite the rain, several new projects have started. Nick has been hard at work analyzing GPS data, making maps, and charting seabird distribution. I have also been on the computer grind, beginning to comb through many years of SOPs with hopes of updating information for future seasons. Jordan and Delia have begun the early stages of nursery work. The nursery tables have been dug out, and nursery supplies have been inventoried.
Moving forward, we hope to focus on increased native outplantings, hopefully sprouting new plants and paying close attention to young saplings that other teams have planted. Our current spotlights are the Naio / False Sandalwood and Maʻo / Hawaiian Cotton.
Our nights have been filled with different movies and games. The rainy weather has sparked interest in melancholy Dramas (Manchester by the Sea) and heartfelt RomComs (Love and Other Drugs), both of which our team enjoyed. We have also been thoroughly encapsulated watching Severance. The characters’ office jobs are a sharp juxtaposition from what we’re doing here!
It is also important to note that with the wintry weather, we have all been reading more frequently. Delia is reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which Jordan and I have also read and cannot wait to discuss. Jordan is on book number two of his fantasy series: Malazan Stories of the Fallen. Nick is reading Chasing the Dragon’s Tail about saving Thailand’s big cats. I am currently reading Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck and have promised to read the first book of Jordan’s fantasy series next.
Highlights: Delia’s bread, Kayla’s mahi dinner, Nick and Jordan’s individual Salmon pastas, Nick won Catan.
Bird Observations:
- A SECOND Makalena / Short-tailed Albatross
- Northern Pintail
- Mallard (Nick is very excited about this one, quote “one of the more infrequent Anatidae that move through the NWHI”)
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (I saw first!! Nick was proud. Jordan still has yet to see.)
- Our first Ka’upu / Black-footed Albatross egg on Saturday!
