Parque las Vegas/Portoviejo/Manabi Province/Ecuador
Feb. 2, 2022 02/02/2022 – a lovely number!
New Moon. New Month. New Chinese Year of the Tiger.
Bravery. Wisdom. Strength.
All of these traits are important to moving forward, being stronger, having the courage to believe in yourself – and your own unique destiny. Trying to stay neutral and centered – being on the offensive so that you’re not in the defensive.
This drab little bird appeared in mid December. Migratory? Juvenile – ? – small yellowish bird. Where are its travel mates? More on this lone bird later…
The year of the Tiger; here’s a small tigress in search of birds
Sometimes we can be brave, wise and strong – and still be caught off guard. Like a tiger pouncing from a concealed location, our planet continues to express distress. Maybe it’s not premeditated – our earth’s wrath, but an involuntary reaction to its own pain. The headlines from Quito illustrate that point:
The month started with disasters that stretched around the world.
With so much misery, and two years with a virus that seems to stay one step ahead of mankind, it’s sometimes hard to share sunny stories – yet without hope for positive, we would all wither.
The Vermillion Flycatcher has returned! Yay! What must it be like to be blessed with colors like this?!
Parque las Vegas celebrates its four year anniversary. A token phoenix that emerged from 2016’s 7.8 earthquake, the park now offers a solace for healing and reflection.
Today it also gives us an extra bonus for observing World Wetlands Day. The area along Rio Portoviejo and the little pond give the visitors an easy glimpse into natural wetland habitats – and the birds are thriving!
Male Green Kingfisher
There’s that little bird again! It almost always shows up after 5 and loves what must seem like a jungle of cattails. It is slowly evolving-changing colors – note the subtle streaks on its chest below:
Thanks to Daniel Arias (eBird/Urban Ornis) for pointing out those streaks!
One or two Striated Herons lurk in the shadows most every day.
Many birders ask me to please let them know if this rare Green Heron ever returns to the park. (Photo from Jan 10/2021) I continue to watch, but there are plenty of ‘common’ species providing nice eye candy.
A large Saman tree anchors the ‘far’ side of the footbridge. Someone is building a new nest… Can you guess who/what it is?
Two loud raucous Yellow-rumped Caciques will be raising a family – in easy view from the bridge!
They have their own watcher or three:
Yes, we should take a moment to appreciate our wetlands, even little postage-stamped sized ponds can provide easy refuge to many species.
Recently another symbol of hope stepped into the scene while I admired the species from the bridge. Arturo, a student of ambiente at the nearby university sidled up to me and asked, “Is it bad to feed rice to the birds?”
His question led to a rewarding conversation, and he told me that he’d seen me from the family’s upstairs window, which overlooked the park. Then he described a bird that visits, which we concluded was that stunning yellow and black cacique pictured above. I think that they plan to put a banana feeder outside their window – a great upgrade from giving rice to the finches and gallinules! They might even ‘draw’ the nearby Whooping Motmot that lives in the neighborhood, but is not often seen. This image from Poza Honda inspired him:
What would we do without a connection with nature? We’d probably destroy the entire planet! Emotions can be passed along a current of invisible energy that flows from person to person through subtle and sometimes obvious ways.
A greeting like this will always enhance the quality of one’s day.
In honor of World Wetlands Day – and in honor of PortoParque’s compassion for the wildlife that shares this park, I share some photos from my many visits to the park – a salvation for this child of nature.
What stunning eyes you have, Neotropic Cormorant!
Previous lumped under ‘Tropical Gnatcatcher,’ this adorable species now claims its own name, “White-browed Gnatcatcher.”
(The male White-browed Gnatcatcher has a darker crown.) They love th fruits of the ‘Frutilla’ tree.
There’s that yellow bird again!
The Eastern Kingbirds are back – and this one was swooping with the look-alike Blue and White Swallows!
To the joy of many, we watched the wetland areas recover from last year’s makeover, and there is abundant habitat for many species. The petite Yellow Warbler, a new species for the park, appears each day around 5 in the afternoon and flits between the grass, lower limbs and the cattails. How did this one lone bird find the park? Did it get lost from its group? Are others nearby, just not an extrovert like this one which stays in perpetual motion?
Six weeks after it first appeared, it’s yellow colors are emerging, and the streaks in its breast are more easily seen.
Keb’s ‘City Boy’ continues to resonate while my base remains here in the city and close to the museum. Parque las Vegas provides an easy access to nature and almost total removal from the caustic sounds of the city. Without the park and its wetlands, this would be a more challenging chapter of my life.
I’ll leave you with a peek along the river, where one lone Sora appeared in January. With so much cover, it’s hard to locate that VIP visitor from the northern hemisphere.
Across from this shady setting is a little grassy island where the Masked Water Tyrants have raised the newest generation
Oh, but beware of the predators that swim strong currents to reach the occupants of that nest.
Beware! Beware!
Pacific Parrotlets add sweet music and lovely colors – they are happy to have seeds at ground level – and near easy cover – what a photo op for anyone with a camera!
The trees are reclaiming their natural shape – and the birds are loving the new nesting options! Thank you PortoParques!
Groove-billed Anis – another easy photo op.
Pale-legged (Pacific) Hornero – always prowling for worms and insects.
Rains and high water destroyed their nest, but the Masked Water Tyrants relocated to a thick area of protection near the water.
One lone ‘Frijol de Palo’ provides food for many species. Yay – another easy photo op!
The Golden Grosbeak also loves those frijoles!
Wetlands add variety to our landscape – and at times we find poses that make us smile!
Sending you all my love – of course there is a lot to share – hopefully more soon! I’d best get over to the park and show my appreciation for World Wetlands Day!
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
So beautiful
Thank you, Luis! And thank the San Antonio/Chone group for the wetlands event coming up this weekend….
I think I must just go for showy- my eyes didn’t want to leave that vermilion flycatcher, but the parrotlets are very cute too.
Hey my friend! Thanks – and there are more vivid images of that flycatcher, but not recent ones. It is one stunning little bird that makes me grateful to have eyes that can see red and green! I thought of you when looking at the earthquake map this week. There have been a few ‘bumps’ in your area in the past few weeks.. the earth stretching and releasing its stress.. a good sign.
I slept through the last one! Be prepared was never my motto, Lisa.
Ja! I sometimes wake up when the building is moving, then just observe — and then if all goes quiet, return to sleep. I stay somewhat prepared – enough personal-sized cans of tuna to last a few weeks – surely after a few weeks ‘help’ has arrived if needed! A friend gave me a portable water filter that’s small, and it can be used in emergencies to purify water straight from the river – or I suppose from the street if one was desperate – but if water is in the street, surely one could catch fresh rain water in a pot!
Living where you do those sound like very sensible precautions. We live quite high up so I’m thinking we’re safe from tsunamis. But too close to the sea to worry about wild fires. The rest is in the lap of the Gods!
Thanks for reminding us of the vibrant beauty of the natural world through those wonderful photos, Lisa. The variety of those birds is just astonishing…
I walked through the park after publishing the post. So many other birds came into view, and I though, “I forgot to include that one — and that one.. and oh, yes, that one.” The skies were gray, and drizzle damped the afternoon – but it was still a nice outing!
Love your wetlands, Miss Z.
Bell that cat!
Great suggestion. I wonder where I can find a little bell – and a fashionable collar — what do you think, a bright red to pair with the cat’s black and white attire?
Bright, bright red. Not only will is stop trying to sneak up on birds, it will learn the hard way to avoid a pasture that has a bull in it.
A wonderful celebration of vibrant life. Celebrating World Wetlands Day with you!!
The day turned to drizzle, but as my friend Julie in Colorado says, ‘at least when it rains, it’s not cold rain.’
‘Verdad’ – so true! The little yellow warbler was absent – until its magic hour, a great little token of friendship from nature!
I know, I know — but that is a beautiful cat. I was surprised to read that the green heron is rare there. Is it more common in other parts of the country, and just uncommon in that location? or are they truly rare — vagrants, perhaps. That certainly is a rich diversity you’ve shown us: those tropical colors are gorgeous.
It IS a beautiful and very friendly cat. Although I ‘caught it’ slinking out of that tree (a relative to the mesquite) I’ve never seen it catch a bird. It usually loiters around the benches, where at times people bring it cat food. I think it belongs to a nice family near the park, and it adds a nice soft touch and is people friendly. here’s another image of that precious cat:
What a sweetie. Enjoy your wetlands — ours are going to be freezing in short order. Here comes the ice storm! We’re going to fare better than last year, and only a couple of days of sub-freezing weather, and perhaps no ice. Up around Austin and the Hill country it’s a different story. Just talked to my 90 year old friend up there who’d just finished feeding the animals and bringing a supply of wood for the stove. She’s something else.
I don’t miss ice storms. Always when the forecast was for a cold front to arrive – with lows around 35, I did what your friend did – bringing wood to the back door, washing everything in the house that needed laundry – prepping food and hoping for the best.
I don’t think I included the range map for the Green Heron; the one visitor was here in January 2021, and in August, I think, Daniel Arias saw one about half an hour from this area… https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/assets/photo/39403541-1280px.jpg
Oh my Lord! I thought of you when I heard about the mudslides. Your Anis look very similar to ours, except with a fancy beak design! The Parrotlets are adorable. Your park looks wonderful, I am glad you got to enjoy it. Sending warmest greetings from our island!
Yes, we have the Smooth-billed, the Groove-billed and the Greater Ani. This past Sunday a group of Greater Anis flopped through a thick tangle of limbs and vines – never still, so capturing them with the camera was difficult – but it was good enough to confirm. I thought that maybe they reached your area – close but not quite: https://ebird.org/species/greani1
For these to have dropped in over here in western Ecuador – a nice treat!
I would love to see the Greater ones! Ours “flop” down to the bird bath in the mornings and sit with their tails only soaking in the water! They are Smooth-billed. They are fabulous birds!
yes, Anis are comical, but they are also affectionate to one another – or so it appears! Yes, they are amazing with those long tails, squeaky voices and pacifist attitudes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an aggressive ani…
They don’t practice social distancing like other birds and have communal nests I have learned. Cool birds!
Reblogged this on Petchary's Blog and commented:
Lisa’s blog from Ecuador is always a treat to read. I pore through the beautiful photos of Nature (including plenty birds!) Although she lives in the city now, this looks like a lovely park. Green spaces are so precious in our urban life.
Thanks! And it’s a marvel to see what you cover in a week’s time. You’re amazing!
You’re welcome! Sometimes I just get into it and enjoy writing! It’s partly a “mood thing.”
But there’s discipline there — and lots of research. Admirable!
I love doing the research!
What a wonderful place to have at your back door so to speak, to escape the humdrum of city life and be one with nature again. That connection is so vitally important. Wonderful to see and hear how well it is looked after and how much it is appreciated, and how that appreciation is growing! Thank you for sharing this all with us through your beautiful images, Lisa!
As I can see you are ‘moving forward, being stronger, (and) having the courage to believe in yourself’.
Life in the woods can be challenging. But with that comes rewards as are illustrated in the many fabulous photos of nature herself, who is so well represented there in Ecuador. Rain, rain, yes, yes, makes the gardens grow, in such great abundance that anything living in them will find a home. Nature has it’s ways as we know.
Reblogged this on Jude's Threshold and commented:
Feb 3, 2022: Well, I missed yesterday’s anniversary but here are brilliant photos (as always!) from beautiful Equador:
Your bird photos are always so spectacular. I have no idea how you get such consistent detailed colorful photos!
So lovely to see all these birds! And they seem to be thriving. Happy New Year Lisa. May the Year of the Tiger be beneficial to the planet!
Alison
Thank you – it’s a gift to be able to be immersed in nature — much like you do as well. It’s also a gift to visit other areas rich in beautiful landscapes, wildlife, people and cultures – without leaving home but via your beautiful posts. Thank you for sharing your unique life and your beautiful soul. Love, Lisa
xox 💕 Thank you too!
Dear Lisa,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos, each a precious reminder of why wetlands are so important.
And thank you for sending out positive and hopeful messages when so many messages we hear are anything but.
Be well,
Tanja
As they say here, ‘Igualmente.’ And another lady often says to me, ‘You state what you see because it’s a reflection of your heart.’ Both apply to you, oh kindred spirit and voice of nature! There’s lots to share, including some surprise species showing up near the city — and observations to go with those sightings. I’m working on a little side study with a deadline of next week so had best get rolling. Thank you as always. Love, Lisa
Thank you, dear Lisa, you made my day. 🙂
Today a Laughing Falcon swooped down and caught a snake, then conveniently perched in easy view as it dined on its just=caught lunch. The finale? A jagurundi sneaked across the dirt road while a queue of various birds scolded it out of their territory.
That’s a lot of excitement for one day!
I’m in Mexico with limited Internet. That’s why I’m late in reading this. What a beautiful post!
A friend was here with me last week and I took her out to the estuary where she saw 43 species of birds in 15 minutes. She was pretty blown away.
Have you heard Keb’s “Put a Woman in Charge”? If not, drop everything and listen right now! My goodness I love that man.
Hi Emilie! Sounds like you’re in a beautiful place – and thanks for taking some of that limited internet for visiting with me. Yes, I LOVE that ‘Put a Woman in Charge’ – he is such a gifted man with a sensitive heart. I love the beat, the message – and the smile he puts in my heart. I think it was written in honor of his mother who had died. ‘This is my Home’ is another new one that touches my heart. 43 birds in 15 minutes. Impressive! Did she put that list on eBird? It would be fun to see how many of those species are here as well.
This math teacher is happy to see you bringing attention to all those 0s and 2s in the date. To me it’s not even odd to focus on consecutive even numbers: call it par for the course.
Jaja – you continue to bring ‘us’ unexpected smiles. Thank you for uplifting the quality of any day via your gifts of being you. I am presently admiring the opening image on our ‘Oil Paint’ post – I love all of your selections, and that pairing of complimentary colors is nice – but the closing image of the cormorant is very impressionistic.
Half an hour ago you were on my mind when I read a birder’s critique of a recent sighting of the Black-billed Cuckoo: ” …Black-billed Cuckoo es un “pajarazo” “
Then happy smiles. “Pajarazo” is a good one. Here’s more on the “-azo” suffix:
https://spanish.yabla.com/lesson-The-azoaza-Suffix-565
Great! Thank you for this!
Hola! A belated thank you for this lush, comprehensive overview of why wetlands are so important. It’s always fun to see gallinules and special to see a familiar bird like the Yellow warbler hanging out with you, so far away. And the tiny Kingfisher on the cattail – fabulous! Thank you, Lisa. I hope the insanity of the world is not getting you down. Take care!
Beautiful Paradise. The plants, the birds and other creatures just so wonderful to look at. Thank you.
Such gorgeous, vibrant photos. Thank you!