Portraits of Hawks and Peacocks

Over the past 60 days, we have had some incredible encounters with beautiful animals, many of them birds.  From a banana plantation to the Galapagos Islands to the Amazon rainforest, we have been front row observers of the Earth's majesty.  So many photos, it is taking us weeks to organize and post. Thanks to brother Jay for his photographic artistry, here are a couple magnificent birds . . . a peacock at a banana plantation and a Galapagos Gavilan hawk from the island of Fernandina.

Can you see the hitchhiker??

Jay & Elena, nicknamed "the Birds"
as in "lovebirds"

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Amazon Rainforest Birthday

From the top of an observation tower in Yasuni National 

Ningha taking off

Shelly took me to the jungle for my birthday . . . not just ANY jungle, but the Amazon rainforest jungle, just the biggest one in the world!  We had a fabulous time, seeing monkeys, birds, frogs, anaconda snakes, and insects of all types and descriptions.  All the while, we were staying at a remote lodge on a beautiful lake, hours from the nearest town.  Daily and nightly excursions led by great naturalist and native guides, along with great meals in a beautiful setting.  We left convinced that the rainforest is a resource we need to keep and protect . . . for many birthdays to come.

Parrots at a clay lick

Parrots taking off

Grub worms grilled just right---delicious!

Squirrel monkeys---cute as they can be

Pygmy marmoset
tiniest monkeys in the world

Well camouflaged frog

Howler Monkey

Hoatzin---Jungle dwellers call it the Stinky Turkey

Rio Napo leads right into the Amazon

Yellow Rumped Cacique and woven nests

Stinky turkey

Mother and baby

Sunrise on Garzacocha Lagoon

Anaconda sunning himself

New Years Day Links and Stinks

Damon putts:  a day for birdies bogeys and bovines

Water hazards, bunkers and cowpies

Golf in Ecuador can hold some surprises.

Damon plays in Miami too

A rough day for Buckey

 How about this for the first day of 2015??? The golf club was closed for the holiday, but members could play the course, so Damon and I hit the links! Since I only started learning the game 9 months ago, it was the first time to play golf with my son.  Damon has played the game with friends for probably 9 years.  We had fun, and the local grazing cows seemed to know that there were no employees to shoo them away.  These bovines were the course maintenance and fertilizer crew.  Never mind the water hazards and the bunkers, just keep an eye out for the bull and the cowpies!

Not the best day to wear white shoes

An udderly ridiculous shot

Even the cows know this is a bad golf swing

Cows on the fairway!

Golf in Ecuador is different!

Mmmm delicious greens!

Appreciating my Christmas present from Damon & Shelly:
a new golf bag cart