Black Solitaire (Bird) – Causes Quite a Buzzzzz

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bird sanctuary for sale ecuador, black solitaire, Entomodestes coracinus), Mindo Ecuador, Property for sale Mindo Ecuador

Black Solitaire- Entomodestes coracinus

Perhaps it was an omen, because six hours after the bird appeared, the earthquake turned our world upside down.  Aside from a flash of white on the side of its face, the black bird would have passed without catching my attention.

“What in the world was that?” I wondered, and as soon as the bird perched in the Bromeliad Tree straight in front of me, it soared away to a lower level on the property.  Club winged Manakins and half a dozen species of Tanagers kept me entertained from the nearby canopy until that flash of white caught my eye again. Catching it via a few poor faraway shots with the camera, I wondered what in the world bird that could be…

That evening I studied the reference books and thought, “Hmmmm. Black Solitaire… New bird for me.”

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“I Think You Lied to Me…”

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neotropical otters ecuador, Property for sale Mindo Ecuador, Rio Cinto Ecuador

A lovely day for a swim?

 

“I think you lied to me,” she said as they swam to the shallow end of the private lake.  “You told me that story just to pull me away from my friends and take me here… They are probably catching lots of fish in the river right now…”

“I promise, I told you the truth!   Just wait and you’ll see for yourself!”  

Something’s OUT THERE!

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ECUADOR cloud forest, neotropical otter, Property for sale Mindo Ecuador

Something’s out there, but where did it go?

Something was out there.

My breathing paused while my eyes switched from the well-thumbed Birds of Northwest Ecuador to the reflective waters of the pond. Subtle ripples confirmed that something was there, though there were many possibilities.

The masked water tyrants were nesting again, and they often patrol that section of the pond. I did not think that those birds were responsible for those ripples.

The white-ringed flycatchers were absent this week; their nesting cycle ended when the small bush holding their life’s work toppled into the pond during heavy rains. Hopefully the fledglings had fled before the nest’s baptism. Maybe they relocated to a favorite perch, the red ginger at the edge of the pond.

A striated heron stops in every so often, though it usually perches on dead limbs and waits in stealth mode. I quickly dismissed the heron from my list of suspects. Cute little swallows gather insects while practicing touch and gos during the last few hours of each day, but this was a sunny morning. Swallows were also quickly ruled out.

Ah! The blue-winged teal! They stopped by for a visit in December. Maybe they were back? Their presence added a touch of grace to the landscape.

The neotropical cormorant had been absent for a few days, thank goodness, as it gorges on tilapia throughout the day. I checked its usual spot – empty – and shifted my eyes to the mirror-like waters. Most likely the cormorant had returned. If so, it would surface soon.

My eyes darted to new ripples along the grasses, and the swift movement jolted me into action.

Between Rains – From the Cloudforest

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Cloud Forest, Mindo Ecuador, Property for sale Mindo Ecuador, Rainy season

Between Rains

(Mindo Ecuador) – The rainy season has definitely returned here in the cloud forest, and the rain guage has ‘caught’ at least 20 inches of rain since the new year began! The rains continue to purge the normally-tranquil Rio Cinto, that has lost its temper twice and roared as it passed (in its bounds) through the valley.

This past Sunday/Sunday night the Rio Cinto roared like the ocean, and I suspected there would be minor landslides in the area.  I was right!

Monday morning brought clear skies, yet the road was eerily silent/void of traffic. While inspecting Rio Cinto, I met this one neighbor who was also inspecting the changes.

With two workers waiting for me to retrieve them at 8 sharp, I drove until this new roadblock changed my mind!

On Tuesday the sound of traffic returned, and I drove to town with no problems. A very large landslide had been cleared, and the municipality deserves recognition for their prompt action.  I did not take my hands off the wheel in order to photograph the mud and muck!

Rio Cinto stayed angry for several days…

Between rains, the days are beautiful and the mornings often seem as if rain is the least-expected item on the day’s menu. By noon or one, the clouds return, and light showers prompt a change in plans.

My friend Cynthia invited me to participate in a guided tour of a private reserve, where we learned about the local plants and their medicinal uses. (Gilberto, our guide in the photo)

Meet Some Great Birds

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Cloud Forest, Mindo Birds, Property for sale Mindo Ecuador

“Buenos dias! We wondered if anyone would ever awaken this morning!”

Mindo Ecuador –     My friend “Hummingbird” Barb calls my friends’ property a bird sanctuary.   Join us in a cyber birding tour and let us know if you agree with her description! Sometimes words are an intrusion, especially when watching  birds, so we’ll save the stories for another post!

“Yes, I’m pretty, but would you like for me to sing for you?”

“I like – BIRDS!”

A little music might be appropriate if we keep the volume low!

Let’s start in the ginger gardens near Casa Colibri! (Hummingbird House)