This guy really is an eating machine. We've seen them take naps on the banana racks to make sure no one else gets any.
An emerald toucanette has come to visit a couple of times in the past week. It seems this guy/gal is without a mate. We usually see these beautiful birds in either pairs or family groups.
The toucanettes are not regulars around the yard this year. Each visit is special. We make sure to take time to enjoy our moments with them.
For those who may be wondering Zoo Ave is not short for Zoo Avenue. It is the name of a zoo, a bird zoo to be more specific about 45 minutes from our house. We first visted this aviary zoo back in 2006, shortly after arriving in the country. It's where we got our first look at many of the birds who are now integral parts our lives.
I've been wanting to back for awhile but for one reason or another we've not been back. On Sunday I asked Callista if she'd like to go instead of sitting around the house watching golf and football hype on televison all day. Much to my surprise she said yes!
The macaws were simply stunning!
Here's a shot of a few members of the clean-up crew. Guinea hens and peacocks roam the grounds picking up after human visitors.
One of the coolest things we saw was this oropendola building his/her nest. We watched the bird pick the grass and leaves it wanted, fly up to the fence and weave each piece into the tapestry. Awesome!
Yes, this is a bird zoo but there are plenty of other animals to see.
It's not often my daughter and I go on adventures outside our own town. Maybe we'll have to do it more often as we had a wonderful time at the zoo, browsed nearby shops then returned to San Ramon for a late lunch, early dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. By the time we got home we were both ready to relax and sprawl on the couches to watch the Super Bowl with Bill.
The birds are not loving the wind gusts the past couple of days.
The winds seem to have battered this poor parakeet.
We watched a brown jay get slammed into a branch when he came in for a landing just as a wind gust came through the yard.
A bird party...
The birds are thrilled we've stocked all the trees with bananas! Hubby came home with a couple of huge racks this morning. We were able to cut one up and get five nice sized bunches to hang around the yard.
A friend who had lunch with us today said it was like una fiesta de aves. She loved listening to all the different songs and seeing the different species that came around.
Three toucans have been hanging out nearby but we've not had enough bananas to entice them to come into the yard.
Seems I never remember that we go through a period in January where there is a shortage. Both the birds and I are thrilled our favorite fruit stand has a supply of bananas again. For the past few weeks I've been going to the farmers market and buying several hands of bananas instead of our usual full racks. Think of it as getting 60 bananas a week verses 200 hundred or more. The birds have not been happy. Not enough food to go around even though I supplement with papaya, watermelon, cantelope and rice.
Yesterday I was able to buy several full racks. Today the birds are feasting!
If it wasn't for yoga class which I won't miss if I can help it and a desire to buy more bananas for the weekend I wouldn't have left the house at all today!
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