Chapter 62 - Some New Birds

             The birds of Costa Rica are many and such a variety.  This morning, I was in the bedroom and taking a pill, so I missed a toucan that flew over.  Mel said it honked almost like a goose, but it was definitely a toucan.  She goes down into the orchard to walk Gigi, and has seen one before.  There are also small ones that they call toucanilla.

             A couple of days ago while we were on the porch we saw a beautiful yellow bird sitting on one of the branches of the dead tree in the front yard.  It is about sixty feet tall, with only a few branches near the top and Victor left it stand for the birds.  They often perch on the branches.

            We have one that is common that is called a mot mot.  One flew to the tree in front of the living room window two evenings ago.  It was almost dark, and I was surprised to see birds still active when the sun was gone.  I remember as a child we did have big hoot owls in our cottonwood trees.  They were out after dark, but I thought as a rule, birds have claimed their nesting area by dark.

            The fruit on the trees is getting bigger all the time.  I know when the mangoes ripen there will be many birds contesting ownership.

            I brought some binoculars with us, and I really should get out on the porch and take a good look for some birds.  Although I have never been a bird watcher of anything more than what flew into my back yard, I may be able to view a few.  I had an experience years ago in the countryside at Winfield.  I was viewing an old man’s house, and he had a large open deck at the back door and the land went up the hill into wilderness.  He fed birds of all kinds on this deck, and if he didn’t get out early enough with the food, they would come and peck on the window to get his attention.  That is remarkable for wild birds.

            At the time I lived in Scotty Creek, we had a number of hummingbirds in our yard.  I always kept a feeder going and I had a lot of flowers planted that hummers really like.  One green rufous got pretty tame.  He would buzz up to the porch where I had the feeder hung, even if I was sitting out on the deck.  He often buzzed over to the apricot tree to keep and eye on the feeder, and if another hummer came in to feed, he would buzz right back.  They make a lot of noise if they are determined, and he was determined that no other hummer got his feeder if he was in the area.  He often buzzed his reflection in the big sliding glass doors.

            I still have hopes of getting a few flowers to hang in the trees. Speaking of flowers, I pruned my roses this morning and took two sturdy lengths of stalk and planted them in the flower bed.  They may grow. The stick that Victor put in the front is growing nicely.  Also, while I was out tidying up weeds and stray grasses from the flower bed, I noticed a beautiful large bud on the amaryllis.  It should be blooming for my birthday next month.