Day 7 of Avian August 2025, Birds of Hawaii, hosted by @cookiedoves: Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra)
The red-footed, brown and masked boobies can all be found on and around Hawaii, but the masked booby is the largest of the three. It nests on remote atolls and islands that form part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
Masked Boobies nest on the ground, but the nest is less of a traditional bird's nest and more of a scrape in an open sandy or rocky area. The beach naupaka plays a role in stabilizing the environment around their nesting sites. It also provides shady spots for chicks to stay out or the sun, and a barrier against strong winds. In return for the plants protection, the boobies provide the surrounding soil with nitrogen and phosphorus rich guano, promoting better plant growth. Who doesn't love a booby!?
*Plant featured is a native Hawaiian species, Beach Naupaka (Scaevola taccada)
a little love story about the origin of the naupaka flower~ (full story typed out under the cut)
Naupaka walked along the shoreline of a beautiful beach in ancient Hawai'i. At the far end, the flash of the sun off the scales of a fish caught her eye - Kaui the fisherman was pulling in the morning's catch. Kaui, in turn, caught the sight of Naupaka as well, a single white flower in her ear and her long dark hair filled with warm sunlight. As their eyes met on this lonely beach, their hearts filled with love for each other and they ran to one another.
But the comfors of their embrace faded as they realized - Kaui was a commoner and Naupaka high-born; their love was made forbidden long before either of them had even come into the world. Yet Naupaka had a strong will and decided to confront the Kupuna and ask for their permission to marry.
Princess Naupaka pleaded with the Kupuna, and the Kupuna listened patiently, but in the end their love was kapu and the Kupuna could not grant Naupaka's wish. However, the wise elder told Naupaka to seek the council of the Kahuna in the mountains, and Naupaka dared to let hope seep into her heart.
Naupaka went to Kaui and told him what the Kapuna had said. Together they set out to find the high priest that lived in the deep mountain forest. They journeyed for many days and nights, when finally they came upon the home of the Kahuna. Naupaka and Kaui knelt in front of the Kahuna and begged for his blessing upon their marriage. And while the Kahuna listened with great care, the ancient custom was too sacred and too strong, kapu. The Kahuna felt the sorrow of the two lovers, and wanting to return their hope, told Naupaka and Kaui to ask the god's for their permission to marry.
Naupaka and Kaui held fear in their hearts, and still love gave them courage to pray. But as all their will and care for one another raised towards the heavens as a desperate plea, the sky turned dark and a torrential rain fell on them. Lightning struck the mountain and thunder rolled towards them from the horizon. Naupaka and Kaui had been answered by the gods. Still, their love was forbidden.
They stood at the beach where they met and Naupaka took the flower from her ear and tore it in two. She placed half in his palm while keeping the other and said to him, "I must return to the mountain and you to the sea. Let this flower be half my heart and half yours, and though we must live our lives apart, I will hold this flower close to me and remember your love." And as they parted, the god's watched from above. In respect to their devotion to one another and to their culture, the god's grew the Naupaka plant, a half flower that grows in only two places on the islands - on the beach and in the mountains.
Scaevola taccada which goes by quite a few names such as beach cabbage and called naupaka in Hawaii. It shares an order with sunflowers, but is in its own family which is mostly found in Australia barring its genus, Scaevola, which is found in the tropics. It has semi-succulent leaves and grows close to the sea where its fruit is able to float and spread via water (hydrochorous habit). The plant has and has had varied uses throughout time: It has been eaten, used as leis, used to produce dyes, and even used in lieu of saliva to prevent fiving masks from fogging.
While on Oahu, this was one of few native plants I saw outside of the nursery, arboretum, or preserves as it is extensively used in urban landscaping, both commercial and residential. I spied this plant planted along a coastal road as well as right in downtown Honolulu adjacent to a sea of concrete and asphalt.
Movie mermaid tail in the making! Can't wait to finish her, the sequins on this tail are insane!!! Want to see the concept art? Check out @naupakasuperheropolymermaid #mermaidmovie #mermazing #merman #mermaidtail #goldsequins #mermaid #superheroine #naupaka #namaka #sirena #sereia #tritão #sirenuse (at Oahu, Hawai'i) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9-NTM4nHrQ/?igshid=niyag03vssnf
New work for Hilton. Raymond Keenan, Director of Landscaping at Hilton Waikoloa Village, photographed amongst indigenous naupaka kahakai on the Kohala coast. Mahalo @dubois and @skalocky for a fun first job after moving home to Big Island. Aloha . . . . . . . . #portrait #hilton #hiltonwaikoloa #waikoloa #bigisland #proimaging #captureone #nikonD850 #nikonlove #kohala #naupaka #hawaii #nativeplants #profoto (at Hilton Waikoloa Village) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4xw3yhFYep/?igshid=h59m4qryxoop
