Bird watching . . . sort of

We are not avid birdwatchers but every morning a joyful bird song comes drifting through the open companionway.  What is that bird?  I think it is the Melodious Blackbird (or Pi’lch in Mayan). This midsize songbird resides from the East Mexican Coastline to the Yucatan and south to Costa Rica. It sings, whistles and calls around here all day.

 

Melodious Blackbird

That got me thinking about identifying other local feathered wildlife. These three species appeared by the boat this morning:

Frigates: These fabulous flyers have a 90” wingspan that combined with their light body weight and forked tail, enables them to easily reach high altitudes. They can swoop down and snatch small fish from the water, dipping only their bills into the sea. They can not walk or swim and spend all their time in flight or perched on mangroves.

Brown Pelicans: Richard and Murray both enjoy pelican-watching. Even with those enormous bills,  they have no problem making short, dramatic dives into the water.  We frequently hear loud splashes beside the boat that sound like someone falling off the dock . . . pelican.

Brown Pelican keeping us entertained

Cormorants: Apparently these birds are everywhere we go and are not among my favorites. Amazingly, they can dive over 80 feet to grab fish and are known for spreading their wings and standing still for hours waiting for their feathers to dry.

Cormorants seem to be everywhere?

Exotic birds I’m keeping an eye out for (but probably won’t see):  Yucatan Parrot and Blue crowned motmot.