New from Nihoa Millerbird Translocation Project
photo by J. Vetter
Summer has finally arrived on Laysan. April showers have given way to the dog days of May, with temperatures beginning to climb and drier conditions prevailing. With a large full moon also showing itself this week, there seemed to be no escape from the light. The interplay between the showers and sun has been a boon to the vegetation of the island, with many plants experiencing rapid growth spurts and sweet-smelling flowers appearing everywhere. Unfortunately, the hot conditions also mean that sweet-smelling might be the last adjective used to describe the peculiar odor emanating from the hypersaline lake in the center of the island. While the sights and sounds of Laysan can be fairly accurately portrayed by audio and visual, the smells can only linger in the memory. And that one will not soon be forgotten. Rest of the story at: http://1.usa.gov/pQXiiA
