Hawai'i Nature Squad
New challenges await Andy and Penny

By the Hawai'i Nature Center

Andy and Penny solved the mystery of the stilt nest before getting some big news from Capt. Wekiu

"Kip, kip, kip!" The call of the black-necked stilt pierced the stillness of the twilight in her marsh home. The sun began to peek over the horizon as its rays streamed upward, filling the sky. The mother bird had sensed intruders near her nest.

Andy Anole and Penny Pinao, Hawai'i Nature Squad detectives, had just arrived at the North Shore wetlands in Kahuku. Penny patrolled the sky; Andy surveyed the ground. "I heard one," whispered Andy. "It sounded angry."

"I'll fly over and find her," replied Penny. As she approached the mother stilt, she flashed her Hawai'i Nature Squad badge. "Hello, I hope it wasn't us you were yelling at," said Penny. "We were just trying to solve a mystery about one of your nests."

"We?" asked the stilt.

Andy Anole appeared from behind some cattail plants. "We're sorry ma'am," apologized Andy. "We wanted to know why the stilt nest in this photo is so large."

"Yes," chimed in Penny. "We thought stilts used minimal building materials for their ground nests."

The graceful bird strode toward the duo and peered at the photograph. "I remember this nest. It was a nesting season when the water level in the pond kept changing, almost daily. We kept piling on sticks until the water level stopped rising. Then it began to drop, exposing the piled up sticks," she explained.

"I think I can solve the water mystery," pronounced Andy. "You are living in a wildlife refuge and the managers pump fresh clean water into the pond. Perhaps they were working on the water pump."

"That sounds like a reasonable cause," answered the stilt. "I hope it doesn't happen again. That was a lot of work."

"Thank you for your cooperation ma'am," said Penny as the mother stilt made her way back to the nest.

Andy glanced at his watch and looked up in a panic. "We're supposed to be in Capt. Wekiu's office in half an hour, Penny!" he shrieked. "I'm gonna hitch a ride on that U.S. Fish and Wildlife truck. Bye."

Andy ran off, leaving Penny alone. "I hope the captain has some good news for us," she thought as she flew off.

Back at the squad room ...

The detectives entered the frigid office and sat down. "I'm afraid I have some good news and some bad news," he started. "The good news is both of you have been promoted!"

Penny and Andy looked at each other excitedly.

"The bad news is the Hawai'i Nature Squad is disbanding. The problem of the invasive alien species is growing, and the plight of our native Hawaiian species is getting worse. Penny, you are going to head the Bureau of Native Species and Andy, you are her counterpart at the Bureau of Invasive Alien Species, " disclosed the Captain. "We will be reassigning other detectives under your command. Thank you for your distinguished service."

Penny and Andy were astonished. They were not prepared for this. They walked out of the office in a daze. "I'm going to be the head of my own bureau," muttered Andy.

"This means we'll be working separately," moaned Penny. "I guess this is a good thing."

"Working with you helped lead me up to this," Andy remarked sadly. "But just think of the possibilities," his mood suddenly perking up.

Both detectives smiled and hugged each other as they began to write up their report together one last time.

The Hawai'i Nature Center would like to thank The Honolulu Advertiser for the opportunity to provide this column for its reading public. We look forward toward our next collaboration.

Hawai'i Nature Squad has been written by Kim Welch, Kelly Perry and Ati Jeffers-Fabro of the Hawai'i Nature Center, an environmental education organization. It alternated in this spot with Dr. Gadget's Science Machine, which will continue.