Buckle Up for the Butterfly Safari!

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butterfly safari, magic carpet ride, magic carpet zeebra designs, mindo ecuador birds butterflies, Zeebra Designs

(Ecuador) – Last call to board the Magic Carpet for the Butterfly Safari!   The gate’s about to close!  Please have your cameras in hand and batteries charged!  Volcano Cotopaxi released a bit of stress, but she’s quiet again.  The clouds and volcanic ash have gone back to sleep, and we’ve been cleared for takeoff!

PREPARE FOR ANOTHER JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME!

All ropes are secured; all systems on go!

Wait.. There’s a touch of a repair — we don’t want any threads to ravel on this journey!

The full moon will be escorting us around the globe, with stops in South America, Central America, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and North America.  Put on the headphones for in-flight music and prepare for the most unique safari you’ve ever experienced.
Ready?  Set… Let’s Go!

Z…

“Well she’s walking through the clouds
With a circus mind
That’s running wild
Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams
And fairy tales,
That’s all she ever thinks about
Riding with the wind”  – (Jimmie Hendrix)

We have nets, but using a camera is a more respectful way to capture butterflies!

Prepare for the first landing; it might be rough because this flight is loaded to full capacity. Oh goodness – excuse the turbulence — we veered beyond the landing spot!!! Our apologies – complimentary drinks will be provided!

Now where in the world are we? My navigator is checking the GPS….

HA! We landed smack in the middle of the cloud forest! Would you consider this a ‘Tropical Jungle?’

There are requests for tropical jungles (Kiwi Maureen/ http://kiwis-soar.com )

A very special private lagoon with a tiny island in the middle!

…and there’s a special request for “… let us land at that spot on that quiet lake, near the lily pads and reeds to watch the flitting around of the very colorful dragonflies.”  (Babs/https://salmonfishingqueen.wordpress.com/)   

Capturing dragonflies is a tough request, but all things are possible on a magic carpet safari!

Although many friends join me on this Magical Butterflies and Zeebra Safari, in real life I often embark on butterfly treks while staying near Mindo Ecuador. All of these images were taken on my friends’ property, so let’s see what we can find here without risking another crash landing elsewhere!  I know these trails, so we might spot some rare and elusive species.

Many butterflies have bipolar personalities. They show one face to the earth and a totally different one to the skies. Wonder what this one looks like from above?

Wow! Did everyone catch that? Be very still and it might reveal its colors again!

Look! Over there! It might be lovlier than the one we just spotted!

And look! That one is a true beauty! But they are all beauties, aren’t they?

Is everyone feeling alright? No contusions from the rough landing? that’s great; let’s keep scouting for butterflies.

What about this one? Guess what colors it shows to the skies?

Oh my! Look at that lovely shade of blue! Shhh, no quick movements, let’s peer closer…

Good work everyone! We didn’t spook it!

There are many trails here; I’ve seen otters and agoutis and deer as well as the butterflies – but alas, the only zebra around is your guide for this safari!

Let’s go over to that little island!

Shhhh! Look at that beauty!

There are many new species here that I do not see on the coast. Does anyone have the Birds of Ecuador book? There are so many birds here – just look around and you’ll discover new ones!

Hey! There’s a life bird for me – but what is it? Name that bird!

There are so many things to see; birds, butterflies, botanicals – I’m glad many of you remembered to charge the camera batteries and remembered to bring back-up batteries as well! Let’s peer into the established gardens.

Lovely combinations of color!

This will pass for tropical! Anyone want to photograph the flowers?

Look, everyone! Over there in the tall tall torch gingers! A blue-necked Jacobin is taking a bath!

Let’s give the hummingbird some privacy – Time is flying! We’d better search for more butterflies!

Silvana’s Special Butterfly! (See Post TAPPING INTO YOUR NATURAL TALENT)

Look at that delicate beauty!

Sometimes the best ones are almost underfoot. Let’s tip-toe along the trail….

We almost need sunshades to view this one!  What warm colors it has!

Jackpot! More beauties, and those ice blues are lovely against that black!

“Hey, what about me? One doesn’t have to have rainbow colors to be considered lovely!”

There’s another beauty! Be careful or you’ll spook it——

Barb! You took one step too close and spooked it! But look! It landed over there on the porterweed!  Thank you for helping us get a prettier shot!

That’s a beautiful combination of colors! Let’s inspect the flowers and foliage and see what we can find!

My goodness! Look at the geometric patterns! If I were to draw that, I’d start with the black triangle shape at the rear of the two wings…

Wow! Great color over there!

Are you having fun on this butterfly safari?

The horizon suggests that the sun will be rising soon. Let’s try to squeeze in a few more beauties before we take everyone home!

Aha! Looks like it’s hummingbirds’ feeding-frenzy hour!

Zoom – zoom!

Hey, I’ll pause for photos!

“Look over here at me! I’ll pose as well!”

“I’m too busy feeding on these night-bloomers. They’re about to close their windows and shut down the fragrance chimneys.”

There’s never enough time to capture all that’s beautiful, but we must slow down and take time to note the beauty around us! Let’s look around once more before heading home. Parting will definitely be sweet sorrow. It’s been a great safari, thanks to all of you and your belief in the journey!

One has to capture an orchid or three!

Orchids are lovely; butterflies are lovely — but so are the birds!

Handsome sparrow!

Precious bananaquit!

“Precious? If the banaquit is precious, what would you call me?”

There’s another life bird. Identification, please!

Those toucans are true beauties!

Did you hear the call of the toucans?  They’re giving the last call before dawn… They’ve been watching over us from above!

Goodnight everyone! Thanks for flying with Zeebra’s Magic Carpet! If you enjoyed your flight, please give a good review on Trip Advisor!

Sunrise… Time to Return to Reality… G’night All!

“Fly on Little Wing…” (Hendrix)
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