Maui #2 -- Kīhei, Wailea, Makena and La Perouse Bay plus Birds and Animals

Kīhei from the bay

Kīhei
Scott and I started our visit in Kīhei and then Caty and I stayed there, as well. Kihei is in central western Maui, with the town of Wailea to the south. Further south are six miles of beaches with clear views of Kaho’olawe, Molokini, Lānaʻi and West Maui. 

Molokini from shore

This part of Maui is the sunniest, driest end of the island, but while Scott and I were there, it did get a fair amount of rain. 

It even got rain while Caty and I were there, but we were out on the water while it was going down.

... and with rain, comes rainbows

The Kīhei area was home to vast pineapple and sugar cane fields that were a huge part of the local economy. But, Hawai'i's remote location and high cost of living eventually rendered these export businesses unprofitable. So. now, the main business is tourism.

And, with the beautiful sand and/or lava beaches, it's a good business.

Makena Beach lifeguard station

Places to Visit
North of the main town of Kīhei is the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, which protects the endangered Hawai’ian Coot and Hawai’ian Stilt. I will talk about the Refuge in my post on birding. 

Hawai'ian Coot, left, and Hawai'ian Stilt

The town’s main strip has hotels and restaurants – and, often – terrible traffic.

South of Kīhei is Wailea, known for its five beautiful, crescent-shaped beaches, magnificent landscaping and three golf courses. Three times the size of Waikiki, Wailea has high-end condos, private homes and five hotels, including the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, the Fairmont Kea Lani and the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. It’s one of the few places in Maui where utilities are buried underground and roadways are landscaped.

The beaches in Wailea are sand; Photo: Maui Information Guide

Six miles down the coast is the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve, which boasts a renowned snorkeling area and coastal lava field. 

Lava field

A couple of miles further is La Perouse Bay, which is the point where the first European landed in Maui (AKA, beginning of the end). 

Lava Beaches at La Perouse Bay

It is home to many fish species, marine mammals (including Monk Seals), Green Sea Turtles and coastal plants. 

Opihis (Limpets) cling to the lava rock

The area contains archaeological sites including fishing shrines, salt pans and heiau, or religious platforms. 

Scott's cousin and her husband explore a blowhole

The road ends at the parking lot/entrance to the seashore and marks the start of the King's Highway, a trail that circles the island. 

Because the trail was improved by former Governor William Hoapili, it is also called the Hoapili trail.

The drive to La Perouse travels along gorgeous beaches, by expensive seaside mansions, including Steven Tyler’s, and through some of Maui’s most recent lava fields from the 1790 eruption. 

Parts have been fenced recently to prevent feral goats from destroying native plants. 

We saw goat fence, but no goats (and no plants in the fenced areas, either)

We didn’t see any of the offending goats – or any of the Monk Seals rumored to have been there recently or any sea turtles or any of the Axis Deer (also imported for hunting and now causing problems) that are in the area. But, we did get pretty views.

Even though I have a future post dedicated to my birding tour, I am taking this opportunity to talk about birds I found on my own. 

Common Mynas
In Kīhei – and almost everywhere else on Maui – we saw Common Mynas, with “common” as the operative word. These birds are were imported from India to control cutworms in the sugar fields. They took to Maui and are now everywhere, especially in the suburbs and urban areas.

A beautiful, but non-native, bird

The range of the Common Myna is increasing at such a rapid rate that in 2000 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission declared it one of the world's most invasive species and one of only three birds in the top 100 species that pose an impact to biodiversity, agriculture and human interests. In particular, the species poses a serious threat to the ecosystems of Australia where it was named "The Most Important Pest/Problem.”

A common pest

Identified by the brown body, black hooded head and the bare yellow patch behind the eye, the Common Myna has a bright yellow bill and legs. It's an attractive bird with a crow-like attitude – often seen striding confidently around parking lots.

The yellow eye-ring is striking

The sexes are similar and birds are usually seen in pairs – they are believed to mate for life. Calls includes croaks, squawks, chirps, clicks, whistles and growls and the bird often fluffs its feathers and bobs its head when singing. The Common Myna screeches warnings to its mate or other birds in cases of predators in proximity or when it is about to take off flying. They are deafening, especially early in the morning. Common Mynas are popular cage birds for their singing and "speaking" abilities.

Common Mynas love the invasive African Tulip Trees

Two Kinds of Doves
Doves are common in Maui, but not the kinds I am used to seeing in Colorado. 

The Spotted Dove is a large grayish brown bird with a pinkish breast and a black patch with white spots on the neck. Also from the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, Spotted Doves were introduced to Hawai’i and have taken well to the suburbs and the city.

Strutting his stuff

These doves are mostly found on the ground where they forage for seeds and grain or on low vegetation. Their habit of flushing into the air when disturbed makes them a hazard on airfields, often colliding with aircraft and sometimes causing damage. Typical dove behavior.

Much, much smaller than the Spotted Dove is the Zebra Dove, also known as Barred Ground Dove, that is named for the striping on its breast. Also introduced from Asia to Hawai’i, the Zebra Dove inhabits scrub, farmland and open country in lowland areas and is commonly seen in parks and gardens, but I also saw many on power lines and a few in palm trees.

Zebra Doves showing off those zebra stripes

Java Sparrow

One of the birds I saw (only twice on the first trip and not at all of the second visit) was the Java Sparrow, which also seems to like lawns and golf courses. With its white cheeks, black head, red eye-ring and thick red bill, it looks like a miniature land-based Puffin.

The Java Sparrow looks like a Puffin

Originally from Java, Bali and Bawean in Indonesia, the Java Sparrow was introduced to many countries as a cage bird. In fact, they have been kept as pets as far back as the Ming Dynasty in China and the 17th century in Japan, often appearing in Japanese paintings and prints. 

Java Sparrows on Lana'i; Photo: Caty Stevens

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Java Sparrow was one of the most popular cage birds in the United States until its import was banned. 

Today it remains illegal to possess in California because of a perceived threat to agriculture, although rice-dependent Asian countries including China, Taiwan and Japan have not regulated them.

Because the Java Sparrow is considered to be such a serious agricultural pest of rice, it is now uncommon in its native range and more common where it was kept as pets.

More skittish than the Common Mynas and Doves, Java Sparrows are hard to photograph. I wasn't happy with the pictures I got on the first trip and tried to find some to shoot on the second visit. No luck. But, Caty saw a few when she was on Lana'i and got some nice pictures.

Rosy-Faced Lovebirds
Another cage bird that has escaped or been released to form a good-sized Hawai’ian population is the Rosy-Faced Lovebird, which tends to congregate in large flocks. At the entrance to Maui Meadows in Kīhei, Scott and I saw a group of at least 30 living in the untrimmed dead fronds of a palm tree. Then, Caty and I went back to take more photos of these colorful birds.

The pretty birds live in big colonies

I feel a bit sorry for the people who live across from the big colony, but they didn't seem disturbed that we were parked in front of their house taking pictures. This isn't always the case in Hawai'i. Some locals are pretty vocal that they DO NOT want cars in front of their homes and that their houses are NOT available for photography. But, I digress ...

Also known as the Rosy-Collared or Peach-Faced Lovebird, this parakeet is native to southwestern Africa. Its beautiful and varied coloration makes it a popular pet, usually kept as part of a pair or group because of its highly social nature. Rosy-Faced Lovebirds get their name from their sleeping position in which they sit side-by-side and turn their faces in towards each other.

A peach face and blue rump

Wild birds are mostly green with a blue rump. The face and throat are pink, darkest on the forehead and above the eye. 

The bill is horn-colored, the eye is brown and the legs and feet are grey. 

But, because the ones on Hawai’i descended from captive birds, they range from blue to green to yellow to orange.

Although they are pretty, they are also pests. They bore holes under and along the eaves of homes, which may destroy the integrity of a house (especially in Hawai’i, where building standards are somewhat fluid).

The largest known lovebird population in Hawai'i is the one we saw in the Wailea-Makena area. The Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) puts the count at “well over 100 free-flying Lovebirds.” 

Rosy-Faced Lovebirds on the wing

Because they reproduce easily, their growing numbers pose a threat to native plants and animals. The MISC feels an aviary would be a good solution, but does not currently have the funds to build one.

Japanese White-Eyes
Also in Kīhei and along the coast, I a saw Japanese White-Eyes. These adorable green birds with a prominent white eye ring are tricky to photograph because they flit rapidly about and they seem to prefer shade.

The eye-ring grabs your attention

Also known as the Warbling White-Eye, this bird is one of the native species of the Japanese islands where it was historically kept as a cage bird. 

Pint-sized hot-foot

As such, Japanese White-Eyes have been depicted in Japanese art on numerous occasions. It was first introduced in O'ahu in 1929 and has rapidly expanded to every island of Hawai’i. Unfortunately, it has become a host for avian parasites that are now known to adversely affect populations of native birds such as ‘I’iwis. Japanese White-Eyes also help spread invasive plant species through discarded seeds. And, they compete with the endemic Maui 'Amakihi for food.

Unlike many birds in Hawai’i, the Japanese White-Eye is rarely found on the ground. 

I saw them in ginger plants, palm trees and pine trees and on frnces, primarily in residential areas. But, I did see one hopping across the street. Maybe they don't like the ground because it gets too hot!

A beautiful bird

Red-Crested Cardinal

I was treated to my first glimpse of the gorgeous Red-Crested Cardinal, which turned out to be fairly common on Maui, in the parking lot of La Perouse Bay. 

Red-Crested Cardinal seemingly asking for protection

Later, I saw many hopping around yards and golf courses and posing in a wide variety of trees and bushes. But, the majority are on the ground because the Red-Crested Cardinal eats mainly seeds and bugs plus some fruits and berries.  

In Hawai'i, Red-Crested Cardinals prefer parks, lawns and dry thickets; however, within their South American range, they can be found in subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and degraded forests.

The brilliant red crest is striking

A songbird with a prominent red head and crest, the Red-Crested Cardinal is not really a cardinal; it’s a tanager. 

A native of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul and the Pantanal, it was (successfully) introduced to Hawai’i and Puerto Rico in the 1930s.

Adult, left, and Juvenile Red-Crested Cardinals in Lahaina

I also saw a few Northern Cardinals here and there. Not a lot, but enough to be "common." It was not usual to see both birds together.

Northern Cardinal, unexpectedly tropical

Mongoose
I did get glimpses of Mongooses – but no pictures – in Wailea, across the street from the Fairmont, and on the road between Ma,alaea and Lahaina. On my second trip to Maui I saw them over and over again. One even practically ran (so fast, it was a gray streak) across my foot when I was walking through Waihee Coast Dunes and Wetlands Refuge in northeast Maui. We saw numerous Mongooses (not "Mongeese" – the root words to the two names are different) on the road to Hana, but it looked as though they were never going to pose for us. It felt like a repeat of my trip to Africa, where I saw several types of Mongoose, but never got a picture.

Then, jackpot!

Java Mongoose

These weasel-like critters are pests. So where do pests hang out? In parks where people picnic and discard trash. We saw ours at Waiʻānapanapa State Park east of Hana. The first Mongoose we saw was digging for bugs, a natural food. All the other ones we saw were rummaging in garbage cans.

Originally introduced from Asia and Africa in the late 1800s to take care of rats brought to Hawai’i on ships, the Mongoose failed at that task because rats are nocturnal and Mongooses are diurnal. The exotic predators never came in contact with their rodent prey, but instead decimated native bird populations. Mongooses continue to feed on nestlings and turtle eggs.

Finishing up a snack

The Java Mongoose is one of 29 types of Mongoose around the world. They are cousins to the Meerkat and are related to cats and hyenas. The ones we saw in Waiʻānapanapa were brown, but I also saw some gray ones.

You may be familiar with Mongooses as cobra-killers (not a necessary skill in Hawai'i). They can do this because snake neurotoxin venom cannot attach to their cells. Pigs, honey badgers and hedgehogs have similar cellular structures.

It is not yet known how long a mongoose lives in its natural habitat; however, it is known that the average lifespan in captivity is 20 years!

Gold Dust Day Gecko

Among the coolest animals I saw in Kīhei were a couple of Gold Dust Day Geckos, brilliant green lizards with yellow speckles on the neck and the upper back, three red bars on the snout and head, three tapering red bars on its wide, flat tail and bright turquoise around the eye. 

Gold Dust Day Gecko

Does this guy look familiar? You might recognize the Gold Dust Day Gecko as the inspiration behind the GEICO spokesman … spokesperson … spokeslizard.

Spokeslizard

The first lizards in Hawai'i stowed away with Polynesians in large oceangoing canoes. Mourning Geckos, Stump-Toed Geckos, Tree Geckos, Indo-Pacific Geckos, Snake-Eyed Skinks, Moth Skinks, Copper-Tailed Kkinks, and the now-extinct Azure-Tailed Skinks were already established in Hawaiʻi when Captain Cook arrived. Later, a few more came on cargo ships.

But, the Gold Dust Day Gecko was smuggled into Hawai'i from Madagascar. The entire Hawai'ian population of Gold Dust day Geckos stems from eight lizards a University of Hawaiʻi student released near the Mānoa campus in 1974. 

Shortsighted lizard enthusiasts intentionally dispersed the geckos, which then colonized new areas on their own. Maui residents began seeing Gold Dust Day Geckos creeping around Kīhei in the mid 90s. Now, they are everywhere.

Notice a trend here? Not many native species. Lots of introductions.

Typically living in trees and buildings, it is considered good luck to have a Gold Dust Day Gecko in your house. Well, they eat bugs, so ...

Interestingly, I saw only one other gecko and it was such a quick glimpse that I wasn't able to figure out what kind it was. It was rusty brown and that's all I know.

So, what is the difference between a gecko and a lizard? Actually, a gecko is a lizard. It has scaly skin, lungs, breathes air and lays eggs. 

Such a pretty lizard

Geckos are often vividly colored with almost translucent skin made of beaded scales rather than sharp-edged scales. 

They are unique among lizards in their vocalizations, which differ from species to species. They use chirping or clicking sounds in their social interactions, and sometimes when alarmed. 

Like other reptiles, geckos are ectothermic, producing very little metabolic heat. Essentially a gecko's body temperature is dependent on its environment, which is why it thrives in warm climates.

Almost all geckos lack eyelids; instead the outer surface of the eyeball has a transparent membrane that the gecko licks to clean off dust and dirt.

Just hangin'

Most geckos are nocturnal and have excellent night vision; their color vision in low light is 350 times more sensitive than human color vision (fellow Gold Dust Day Geckos must be blown away when they see each other!).

The nocturnal geckos evolved from diurnal species which had lost the eye rods. The gecko eye therefore modified its cones that increased in size into different types both single and double. Three different photopigments have been retained and are sensitive to UV, blue, and green. They also use a multifocal optical system that allows them to generate a sharp image for at least two different depths.

Most gecko species can lose their tails in defense, a process called autotomy. 

Many species are known for specialized toe pads that enable them to climb smooth and vertical surfaces, and even cross indoor ceilings with ease. 

Gecko adhesion is typically improved by higher humidity, yet is reduced under conditions of complete immersion in water. Gecko toes can hyperextend in the opposite direction from human fingers and toes. This allows them to peel their toes off surfaces from the tips inward.

The feet work this way because every square millimeter of a gecko's footpad contains about 14,000 hair-like setae that have a diameter anywhere from 12 to 1,300 times smaller than a human hair. These setae have tremendous adhesive properties and strength: a typical mature 2.5 oz. gecko would be capable of supporting a weight of 290 lbs.!

Recent studies have also revealed that geckos also produce fatty lipids that lubricate the setae and allow the gecko to detach its foot before the next step.

These were just some of the birds and animals I saw in Maui. I will discuss more later.

Boating
Kīhei has a nice little harbor, primarily used by locals. Scott and I went out with his cousin and her husband on their boat. It’s a convenient trip out to the submerged crater of Molokini, which I will cover later in detail. 

Patrick and Jule's boat

The day we went was still rough from storms, so photos were difficult (holding my big lens still is hard enough on dry land, plus there was a lot of splash). But, we did see some breaching whales (one pair did six in a row!) and a couple of Flying Fishes. 

It was very cool to see the backside of Molokini; I just wish we had seen some whales at closer range. Later, when we took a commercial boat around the backside, there were lots of whales.

Backside of Molokini

Beaches

Caty and I did a little exploring at the beaches south of Wailea, but we never had enough time to really visit. 

Clear water and a nice view

It would have been good to snorkel; many of the beaches here seem protected enough to walk in and out of, but we didn't have the time (too much whale watching).

All beaches are publicly owned/controlled and are open to the public. 

The belief is that they "belong to no one and everyone."

The right of access shorelines includes the right of transit along the shoreline and within beach transit corridors. Coastal landowners are required to maintain the vegetation along the seaward boundary of their property to ensure that it does not inhibit the ability of the public to access the shoreline.

Opihi nestled in shoreline lava

The beaches south of Wailea are both sand and lava, so it is important to choose footwear wisely. I saw people if flip flops (in Hawai'i, often called "slippers") or barefoot (in my mind, often called "crazy"), but the walking can be dicey over the hot, sharp lava.

A cozy little cove

Trip 1 date: January 31-February 8, 2019

Trip 2 date: February 25-March 2, 2019