11-08-2013 by the Mana Kai

Bougainvillea
This vine is found all over the island.  The real flower is small and tubular, and are inserted amongst the showy, colorful bracts. They come in a wide range of colors from orange, to red, to purple, and white.
This plant is native to Brazil and are either large woody vines or trees.

One of the many chickens on the island,

You have to look hard, as the Japanese White-eye bird blends in with the surrounding  leaves.

It is an abundant and widespread bird, in both dry and wet habitats, in native forest and suburban areas, from sea level to tree line.  It was introduced from Japan about 1929.
The males and females look similar.  The adult is olive-green above with a conspicuous white eye-ring. The throat is yellow.

This picture shows the Japanese white-eye better.

Oleander

Ferrell cat

I looked, but never saw any of the birds,

Plumeria

Cardinal

Another form of ginger.

Ginger

Native White Hibiscus
The white hibiscus has been used as parents for the numerous hybrids.  It can grow to 30 feet high.and can grow at altitudes of 1000 to 3000 feet.

Cattle Egret
They are found all over the island.  It was introduced from Florida in 4959 to control insect pests.
It is a small white heron with yellowish legs and bill.
They frequent fields, roadsides, pastures, garbage dumps, watercress ponds, and taro patches.

African Tulip Tree
Year-round clusters of brilliant "tulips: characterize this handsome ornamental tree.  It is easily recognized even from a distance. It was introduced from Africa. It can be considered serious pests in some lowland forests. The tree that this group of flowers was on did not have a lot of leaves and not many flowers.

Plumeria

Another variety of hibiscus.

Birds and Floweres

Purple Finch

Daisy Fleabane
An annual plant with hairy stems to 2 1/2 feet tall with small daisy-like flowers.  All leaves are narrow, less than 1 inch wide.  The flowers are in spreading clusters at the top of branched steams. The flowers are about 1 inch across.  The habitat is generally open woods, dry prairies, fields, pastures, roadsides and disturbed areas.

The other day I was driving through the neighborhood and what should I see, chickens!  I wonder if these guys were left over from Easter.  My mom was kind enough to take them out to a farm.  These were just running around. Wonders will never cease.

Nodding Thistle

White Wild Indigo
There is a lot of that in bloom right now.  It is described as a smooth, shrubby plant to 5 feet tall. The branched stems have alternate leaves that are each divided into 3 leaflets. Stems emerge above the leaves with showy white flowers, each about 1 inch long with the structure of other flowers typical of the pea family.  Habitat is prairies, streamsides, fields, pastures, and roadsides. 

Nodding Thistle
This is from the aster family. It is a sturdy biennial with a spiny, winged-stem. It grows up to 7 feet tall.  First years leaves spread over the ground, radiating out from a central core. The second year they send up branching stems. Leaves are up to 10 inches long and 4 inches wide, smooth, deeply lobed with spiny tips. The flower heads are about 2 inches across, solitary, nodding at the ends of very long stems with numerous reddish purple flowers. Habitat is pastures, fields, roadsides and other disturbed areas. It is native to Europe, and you see occasionally throughout Illinois.