A birding friend recently asked, “How many birds can you see from your front door?”
I retrieved my modest scribblings and began to count. Though not taken from the vantage point of the door, this list documents birds seen from the deck that faces the river.
MANABI (Ecuador) BIRD LIST
Ani, Smooth-billed 
Coot, Andean
Cormorant, Neotropical
Cowbird, Shiny
Dove, Eared (?) (large)
Dove, Croaking Ground
Duck White-cheeked Pintail
Egret, Cattle
Egret, Great
Egret, Snowy
Elaenia (?) (gray with bushy crest) (Tyrannulet or flycatcher?)
Euphonia
Finch, Thick-Billed Seed
Fly Catcher, Vermillion
Flycatcher, Sooty-Crowned (?)
Flycatcher, Boat-billed (?)
Frigate, Magnificent +.
Gnatcatcher, Tropical *along road
Grackle, Great-Tailed 
Grassquit, Blue-Black
Grebe, least
Gull, Andean
Heron, cocoi
Heron, Great Blue
Heron, Little Blue
Heron, Striated
Heron, Tricolored
Hornero, Pale-Legged
Hummingbird
Hummingbird
Ibis, White
Ibis
Kingbird, Tropical
Kingfisher, Green
Kingfisher, Ringed
Martin, Gray Breasted (?)
Meadowlark, Peruvian
Mockingbird, Long-Tailed
Night Heron, Black Crowned
Night Heron, Yellow-Crowned
Oriole, Yellow-tailed
Osprey
Parrolet, Pacific
Pelican, Brown
Plover —
Sandpiper —
Seedeater, Variable
Stilt
Swallow, Bank
Tanager, Blue-Gray
Terns – (Royal?)
Vulture, Turkey
Warbler ? olive y yellow w/yellow eye ring
Water Tyrant, Masked
Whimbrell
Willet (?)
|Wren.
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While subtle vermilion flycatchers and well-dressed seedeaters forage in the garden, my attention often wanders to the more raucous activity on the river. Egrets, herons, pelicans, ibises, cormorants and frigates decorate the mangroves that line the river.
Frigates get my vote for the greediest of the waterbirds. Kingfishers win for best spirit!
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When the pelicans start flap-flap-flapping their wings on the water, a mighty little green kingfisher hovers high overhead until it suddenly plunges straight into the river. If outsmarted by the fish, it flies skyward and hovers again. If it scores a morsel, it races away and rat-tat-tattles to the world that it’s king of the fishers!
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So how many birds can you see from your door or window? Start counting! Life could be much worse!
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Z
My Chatty Neighbor Mister Kingfisher!
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Great pics, Sis!! Wish I were there! Steve & I are getting restless here. Maybe one day we’ll get to come see you. Till then, I’ll keep looking at your great art work and photography via internet. You are soooooooo talented & I am soooooo proud of my little Sis! Love YOU! Pat
4:00 p.m. ecuador time –
wow, hermana! after a five hour bus ride, i was quite pleased to see that you took the time to read and also to comment! you would love it here, aside from a language barrier! i am about to go to bats corner and see if they’re still serving lunch. (check out the bats corner post.)
love, z
Please keep sending me your updates Lisa. I love the diversity of your posts. Dee
Thanks, Dee! Z
Amazing shots! Especially the first one.
Thank you! I never get tired of the birds on the river! Z
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