Wrapping up 2021 Part II
After an already unbelievable year of wildlife my girlfriend surprised me by finding flights to Hawaii at a huge discount, and we decided with little planning to make our first trip to the islands in early December. We decided on a three Island trip, starting on Oahu then two days on Kawai and four days on the big island. The birding was incredible, and I was able to see some bucket list Hawaiian birds such as Iiwi, Omao, Amakihi, Elepaio, and Akiapolaau in the cloud forests of Kauai and Hawaii. On the rocky coasts we saw Nene with young babies, White-tailed Tropicbird, Masked and Red-footed Booby, and Laysan Albatross. On a whim I decided to buy a cheap snorkel set from a souvenir shop and check out a nearby reef. I was amazed by the abundance of incredible tropical fish and within a few hours found myself addicted to this new hobby. Across the three islands we snorkeled at four more locations and I was able to see and photograph 72 species of fish. While in Hawaii we also had the opportunity to dive with Galapagos sharks, Sandbar sharks, Green Sea Turtles, and Reef Manta rays! All said and done I saw a staggering 117 species of animal in Hawaii alone! Now back home in Iowa with the first snow storms rolling in, I finished the year seeing 119 new birds, 28 reptiles/amphibians, 18 mammals, and 75 fish. A total of 240 species of vertebrate. The year was a blast, and I already have plans for an equally exciting 2022!
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