Stagnancy, birding, and an ode
Our last blog was all about change, the forest being dynamic and everchanging, unfettered by stagnancy. In the last month, our work has brought many changes to the cabin and property, including a new sink, new support for the bridge, and some new signage. However, as change has dominated our time at the reserve, the one constant factor has been the birds. Even as the seasonal fluxes bring in different species and highlight the reproductive fitness of others, the birds remain a central puzzle piece, holding in the fluctuating edges.
Our relationship to the birds, however, has, like everything else, changed with time. Upon our arrival to the reserve, the difference between a golden tanager and silver-throated tanager was lost on us. The toucans took us two weeks to find properly. A beryl-spangled tanager was a new find after four weeks. Everyday was like a concert in a language unknown as we were bombarded by a forest of songs.
On the day of the Conteo de Las Aves in December, we could properly identify probably 30-40 species, not bad for our first month, but considering the reserve has a recorded 411 species of birds, we were barely scratching the surface. Angel, our local team leader (and amazing birder), carried us along, helping us get to the respectable total of 83 species for the day. His excitement by a glimpse of a yellow-collared chlorophonia, the call of a barred forest falcon, or the spotting of a collared trogon was contagious. After that day, we resolved to get better, listening closer and developing a fine eye to detail.
To say we caught something, the birding fever perhaps, would be accurate. Every movement in the crowns of trees became a call to attention. Our skills were honed with each detail, memorizing the different patterning and shades of brown for each ovenbird. Following army ant colonies for the birds just as they follow them for the insects. Except instead of pursuing a tasty snack, we were looking for new members of our life list. Now, after five months, we’ve amassed 195 species on those lists, and we are still aiming for 200, or approximately half of the species on the reserve. Only the future can know if we will reach that goal.
About ten percent of those species are represented by the Trochilidae family, better known as the hummingbirds. Every single day we sit down for one hour to observe which hummingbird species visit our feeders. Since day one, the energy of the hummingbirds, dancing around the feeders like static electricity, has enthralled us. They, like some people, don’t change or adjust their personalities for the comfort of others, but remain authentically jumpy, aggressive, headstrong, driven, curious, and sometimes even contemptuous. Stagnant creatures, yes, but authentic nonetheless. Muses come in all shapes and sizes, and for me, I’ve found one in these tiny feathered imps.
An ode* to the colibríes
An ode to the colibríes,
So tender and small,
Yet wise and so brave,
They stand ten feet tall
So tender and small,
Landing on branches,
They stand ten feet tall,
Seeing them is for the chances
Landing on branches,
Staking out impish desire,
Seeing them is for the chances,
As they alight their wings with fire
Staking out impish desire,
Something bright, distractingly red,
As they alight their wings with fire,
On a flower they’ll be fed
Something bright, distractingly red,
The sun melts dewdrops from slim beaks,
On a flower they’ll be fed
They’ve known this spot for weeks
The sun melts dewdrops from slim beaks,
Rousing a mother and her tiny clones,
They’ve known this spot for weeks,
It’s where they formed their bones
Roused: a mother and her tiny clones,
To the siren scent of blooms,
It’ll help them form their bones,
And fluff up their plumes
The siren scent of blooms,
Coaxes out competing parties,
Fluffing up their plumes,
A thousand heartbeats fill darting bodies
Coaxing out competing parties,
The rain imparts kisses,
On thousands of heartbeats in darting bodies,
Drowned by saccharine promises
The rain imparts kisses,
Ruffling soft, miniscule feathers,
Drowned by saccharine promises,
The corporeal creatures forgo their earthly tethers
Like tiny, bright fairies, they fill my day- and dreams, at night.
Top (left to right): Velvet-purple coronet (“the VP” affectionately), Purple-crowned fairy, Green-fronted lancebill, and a mother White-necked Jacobin (“Jackie”)/ Bottom (left to right): Purple-throated woodstar, White-whiskered hermit (“Hermie”), Green thorntail, Andean Emerald (“Antie Em”)
*Note: An ode to the colibríes is actually written in the style of a pantoum
Reserva Las Tangaras 