Thanksgiving Day Gratitude

Aloha All,

Today was a  mellow Thanksgiving Day with high overcast and light winds. Unwinding at my favorite North Shore beach was a real pleasure.
Two wonderful guests and dear friends, Cyn and Peter, have been here for almost a week and we have been able to spend some special time together with an epic forest hike and Thanksgiving dinner.
So many great people stay here at Hale Ho'okipa, and I am blessed daily by their presence in my home.. Each and every person who comes in my door adds something to my life... . This week has been ten fold enrichment with my Eastcoast friends here..
Tonight, I want to express a heart felt Mahalo to all those who read my blog, readers who respond, guests who visit my home, visitors that think about Hawaii with fondness, and  folks who day dream of one day coming to our shores.
I am grateful to to be able to share Aloha with you.

May this season  bring  everyone a sense of purpose, stronger communities, a renewed awareness of stewardship for our planet,  more  shared love with our families and friends,  and a commitment to being  pono, living  in harmony and balance.

Mahalo and Aloha,
Cherie

Maui Bird Conservation Center

Aloha,

Not very far from Hale Ho'okipa,, high up Olinda Rd is a hidden gem.  
This morning I had the good fortune to take a tour of the Bird Conservation facility and learn  about our Hawaiian endangered birds.Our guide,  Natalie did a wonderful job sharing the obvious passion for their work. I learned that the  main reasons for loss of species in Hawaii are: Habitat Destruction, Competition for Food and Nesting sites, Disease, and Isolated Populations.
Good news, the Hawaiian Nene Goose is doing so well, that they have recently suspended the Nene propagation program , focusing on more severely impacted native birds. From 1997 to 2011, 750 Nene eggs were laid, 396 goslings hatched with a 95% survival rate. The population has increased from 40-50 birds in the 1950's with no Nene on Maui as recent as the 1970's. Now there are more than 2000 birds in Hawaii Nei..How wonderful!

Sadly, the Alala or Hawaiian Crow is now extinct in the wild. The Alala is considered one of the most threatened birds in the entire world. There were an estimated 20 birds in1994, some 56 birds in 2007, and now that number has nearly doubled. The significance of this beautiful bird is two fold. In Hawaiian culture the Alala is considered an Amakua, a family guardian, and this crow plays a critical role in the regeneration of native forests on the Big Island. In the wild the Alala is a busy forager eating insects, mice and native berries. To keep the captive and curious birds from becoming bored, these folks have created an enrichment program creating food challenges for them. The birds that hatch into captivity are surrounded by photos and audio of their own species so they won't imprint on humans.  They hope to release Alala into the wild on the Big Island in 2014. Birds are reintroduced by first releasing them into remote aviaries to acclimate.  

This program is a partnership with the San Diego Zoo , Forestry and Wildlife, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They can be reached at 808 572-0690.http://malamahawaii.org/blog/malama-events/maui-bird-conservation-center-open-house/  

This link will get you information, their website is mbcc@hawaiiantel.net  ( I had issues with their link.)

If you want to learn and help, I encourage you to check these folks out. I am so happy  to have taken the time to drive up to the cool forests of Olinda this morning. I feel much richer for the experience.
Let's please treat our planet and all the endangered creatures and each other with great appreciation and respect.
For volunteer opportunities, please check out my site at www.volunteer-on-vacation-hawaii.com
I hope to get these folks on the site soon.
Much Aloha on a glorious Maui day..
Cherie