Hi Tweets,

On recent trips to the Big Island of Hawai?i we were impressed with the
large number of Pacific Golden Plovers all over the island especially
foraging along the coast and on the many golf courses.?On our recent
trip we also read a book, Hokulea, by Ben Finney who as an
anthropologist wondered about the migration of the ancient
Polynesians.?

?He suggested that these early Polynesians sailed back and forth
throughout the islands of the South Pacific using various means of
navigation including dead reckoning, wind, waves, tides, celestial and
observation of various flora and fauna, especially birds.?As a proof of
concept and with the aid of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and many
Polynesians the Hokulea, a double-hulled sailing canoe was built and
successfully sailed, without the aid of any modern navigational
equipment, from Hawaii to Tahiti using only these early navigational
techniques.?Of course these modern navigators also had a mental
concept, from modern maps, of the fact that there are islands scattered
throughout the South Pacific whereas ancient Polynesians had no such
mental construct.

?As a possible consideration for developing this mental idea, one of
our guidebooks for the Big Island suggested that these early
Polynesians observed the Pacific Golden Plover flying between the
Islands of the South Pacific on their migration to and from the Arctic
to these islands.?With these observations the ancient Polynesians may
have concluded that other islands must be out there somewhere-- they
are-- and using this knowledge ancient Polynesians could navigate to
and from these islands,

?Also with the help of Cindy McBeath we observed immature ?i?Iwi at the
Bird Park/Kipukapuaulua on Mauna Loa in Hawai?i Volcanoes National
Park.??i?Iwi have not been observed in this area and at this lower
elevation, so we were very excited at seeing the ?i?Iwi there. Cindy
hopes that seeing immature birds in the Bird Park may mean they are
breeding there and are developing immunity to avian malaria. Cindy and
Dale operate the Enchanted Village Cottages at Volcano and are found on
birdingpal.org.?It is a fantastic place to stay; Cindy is a great guide
and is highly recommended.


Don and Sandi McVay
Seattle
dmcvay at peak.org