"Each year thousands of seabirds use Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge for nesting, feeding, or resting. It is considered one of the best places on the main Hawaiian islands to view Laysan albatrosses, red-footed boobies, brown boobies, red-tailed tropicbirds, wedge-tailed shearwaters, and great frigatebirds. Seabirds nest atop sheer sea cliffs, shearwaters nest along a walking path, and nene (the native Hawaiian goose) are easily seen walking about. A spectacular viewing site from the point gives visitors a chance to see whales and dolphins miles out into the Pacific Ocean. The point itself is the remnant of the former Kilauea volcanic vent that last erupted about 500,000 years ago. Today, only a small U-shaped portion remains, including a spectacular 568-foot ocean bluff." http://www.wfu.edu/biology/albatross/hawaii/kpnwr.htm

On February 15, 1985 Kilauea Point became the 425th Refuge in the National Wildlife Refuge System. This awesome refuge is located on the north end of Kauai, and we spent much of the day there. Thanks to Jody Melanson for tips on photographing fast moving birds and Janet Forjan-Freedman for very helpful discussions of bird photography.