I arrived at my hotel an hour and a half early before check in so I stowed my bag and walked to the Waikiki Beach through Fort Durussy Beach Park.

There were tons of birds in the park, all exotic (common myna, zebra dove, red-headed cardinal, common waxbill, Java sparrow, etc.) introduced to this jungle paradise. But I was looking for one native. An all white bird with a solid black beak and black eyes. It perches and nests on horizontal branches in the park. This is the white tern!

This is not a lifebird, I had a far off and all too brief view of one on a pelagic from Kona on the Big Island. But I was soon to get stunning views of the “Angel” tern!

It is fitting to see this bird in Honolulu as it is the city’s official bird. In the Hawaiian language the bird is known as manu-o-Ku.

Searching for the white tern is pretty easy. Look up into any tree with lots of horizontal branches for a white bird and hope it’s not a feral pigeon!

There were lots of terns (or as it should be called the white noddy) to choose from.

I finally made it out to Waikiki Beach with stunning views of Diamond Head. So I had to sketch the view (featured sketch). With some sand in my shoes and a Mai Tai in my gullet!