James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Honolulu County, Hawaii. It sits roughly 1.1 km (0.7 mi) NNW of Kahuku.
James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaii. It was established in 1976 to permanently protect an ecologically intact unit and to provide habitat for native and migratory fauna and native flora. It established critical habitat for Hawaii's four endangered waterbirds, the ʻalae kea (Hawaiian coot, Fulica alai), koloa maoli (Hawaiian duck, Anas wyvilliana), ʻalae ʻula (Hawaiian gallinule, Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis), and āeʻo (Hawaiian stilt, Himantopus mexicanus knudseni) and many migratory seabirds, endangered and native plant species, and the endangered Hawaiian monk seal and green sea turtle. It also provides increased wildlife-dependent public uses and flood control within the refuge and the local community.From the Wikipedia article “James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (ENE) at the June solstice and 115° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 296° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 88° in summer but only 45° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:37 AM | 90° E | 6:44 PM | 270° W | 68° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 64° ENE | 7:18 PM | 296° WNW | 88° | 13h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:21 AM | 89° E | 6:29 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:07 AM | 115° ESE | 5:55 PM | 245° WSW | 45° | 10h 48m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:49 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 57m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 27m |
| March | 6:19 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:04 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:15 PM | 12h 39m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:28 PM | 13h 10m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:42 PM | 13h 27m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 20m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 53m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:36 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 6:06 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 40m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:14 PM | 11h 06m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 49m |
Local time (Pacific/Honolulu), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 39° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| February | 4:25 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.3 | 25° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:26 AM – 5:26 AM | 3.0 | 36° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:29 AM – 4:49 AM | 4.3 | 39° | SE → S |
| May | 10:26 PM – 4:26 AM | 6.0 | 39° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:43 PM – 4:23 AM | 7.7 | 39° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:42 PM – 2:52 AM | 6.2 | 39° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:22 PM – 12:52 AM | 4.5 | 39° | S → SW |
| September | 7:51 PM – 10:51 PM | 3.0 | 36° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:22 PM – 8:52 PM | 1.5 | 26° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.8 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (61%). September is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 79 | 79 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 80 |
| Low °F | 68 | 66 | 66 | 67 | 70 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 69 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this national wildlife refuge
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Beach
Waterfall
Botanical GardenWaterfall
State Park
Beach
State Park
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge from Kahuku?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.