A silverback mountain gorilla caught in a pensive moment in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.
Today, March 3, 2016, is World Wildlife Day. I am taking a moment to remember one of my favorite wildlife encounters: gorilla trekking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Being close to the gorillas and watching them in their natural environment was absolutely magical.
An 'I'iwi pauses briefy while feeding on the nectar-rich blossom of the 'ohi'a lehua tree.
A critically endangered Palila feeds on seed pods of the Mamane tree.
On several recent visits to Hawaii’s Big Island, Alison and I have made efforts to see as many of the endemic forest bird species as possible. With significant amounts of driving and hiking we have managed a fair degree of success. So, perhaps with an inflated sense of confidence, on a recent trip to the Big Island I brought my big lens and other assorted camera gear with the goal of capturing some of these tropical gems in photographs. While none of the target birds were particularly cooperative — most of the time either they remained hidden, stayed way up high in the trees, or moved constantly behind a tangle of vegetation — I was fortunate to create a few images that I consider “keepers.”
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