Hiking Hiji Falls

Okinawa Woodpecker 

Still fairly cool and really windy but clear skies so we gave Hiji Falls another chance. Right at the beginning of our trek we spotted 2 Okinawa woodpeckers, a bird endemic to this island’s forest. Then the law of diminishing returns kicked in. We walked and walked. No other birds, especially the Yanbaru kuina, or Okinawa rail, another endemic, which is supposed to take frequent baths, then spend time preening. There were lots of pools along the stream but no bathing birds. An hour later, at the suspension bridge, Ryan saw two Ryukyu robins, which I missed. We kept on climbing  up and down steps along the stream, and beginning to wonder if it were worth it.

Grant at Top of Stairs  

At three quarters of the way, there was a really steep set of steps that made us question our resolve. Then in for a penny, in for a pound kicked in.

Ryan and Bella at Hiji Falls  

Thank goodness there was a beautiful waterfall at the end. I would have been irritated if it were just walking along the rocky stream the whole way.

Squirrel Monkey Fern  

The way back was a little better. My scanning pools with my binoculars paid off with a prawn sighting, and I spotted an eel/siren swimming that stayed in view long enough for us all to see. Ryan saw a fish, and I saw two robins, maybe the same ones he did. Mary and Grant showed us a gray wagtail hopping at water's edge, eating bugs. No rare beetles, turtles, or ruddy kingfishers. But beautiful plants, much like North Carolina woods with what I call tree ferns, known here as squirrel monkey ferns, thrown in.

By the time we were back, about 4 hours total, Ryan’s FitBit said he’d climbed 65 flights of stairs. My phone app only showed 27, so I’m going with his data. True, he did walk back and forth while waiting for the rest of us to catch up. Grant’s only showed 10 flights. Wh have the same phone and walked the same path. One wonders.

Bella Pointing at a Really Flat Snail  

Bella was a trooper, walking at least half way, then riding on Ryan’s shoulders when the steps got too steep. Mary, in sandals, carried Remi in the sling. The route is supposed to take 40 minutes each way. Considering we had a two-year-old and two elderly flatlanders, I think we made pretty good time.