Birds, birds, birds. . .

Our family bird obsession continues.

In fact, after our Amazon trip, we ordered a new pair of binoculars, whose arrival we await anxiously. Thanks, Michelle! In the meantime, we wanted to be sure to record the coolest four bird species that frequent our casita. We don't have a fancy camera to capture their actual images, so I am cutting and pasting internet photos to make you drool. You might imagine the five of us, tiptoeing over to peek out a window, whispering excitedly to one another, and doing a little drooling ourselves, as we gaze in awe.

1. Our original favorite is the Squirrel Cuckoo, which took us a shockingly long time to identify -- we were even more novice birdwatchers then. This beautiful rufous bird hops through the orange tree in our front yard, acting very much like a squirrel. Hence the name. Its most notable feature is its pied tail, which is white-rimmed and scalloped. We thought, for a minute that it was a female cock of the rock (Brynna's favorite bird), but we were wrong. The cock remains on our not-yet-seen list.

Photo credit: https://ecuador.inaturalist.org/

2. Just out the kitchen window, there is a thick wire that brings us our electricity and our favorite bird. Upon that wire, on a semi-regular basis, sits a Whooping Motmot as though he is posing for a portrait. He has a brilliant blue crown on his head, with the same color down his back, is golden breasted with a booted tail. We know he has arrived because of his distinct whooping call. He is extremely regal.

Photo credit: https://www.inaturalist.org/

3. Right outside our bedroom window live a pair of Thick-Billed Euphonia. The male is shiny blue-black with a shockingly yellow chest and cap. The female is, as expected, more drab olive green. The coolest thing about this pair is that they seem to quite enjoy hanging on the vertical iron bars that frame the window and tap on the glass, right around the time Brynna should be getting up from her nap. In fact, the other day, when Paul opened the door, she was draped in the curtain gazing at the birds in excitement. We figure they must have a nest in the nearby mandarina tree.

Photo credit: https://ebird.org/species/

Photo credit: https://ebird.org/species/

4. Fairly recently in a scraggly tree to the east of our house, a small group of Bronze-Winged Parrots have taken up residence. Or at least they like to hang out there in the afternoons. We began to note their arrival because they are unbelievably chatty. These deep blue parrots have a streak of orange on their chest and wings. We wonder if they are seasonal because they are new-ish visitors in these parts.

Photo credit: https://www.birdsofcolombia.org/ecuador/Pionus.html