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Nurturing Owl Parents #AtoZChallenge
“Then nightly sings the staring owl, Tu-whit; Tu-who, a merry note.” — William Shakespeare, Love’s Labour’s Lost A pair of burrowing owls built their home adjacent to our driveway in Puerto Lopez. During the first few weeks, when anyone walked or drove past, they flew away. They slowly began remaining at the entrance to their home and monitoring us instead of fleeing. Soon cars, trucks, mototaxis and motorcycles drove by while they held their ground. They guarded the entrance, ever watchful. Burrowing owl pair adjacent to our driveway Puerto Lopez, Ecuador One often hunted while the other guarded the entrance. Burrowing owl guarding entrance Puerto Lopez, Ecuador Walking down the…
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Iguanas at our bedroom window #AtoZChallenge
We were living just north of Olon, Ecuador. Large beautiful trees hung over our two story home. The porch thatch roof was just outside our bedroom window. Iguanas ran around in the trees. Iguana in a tree Iguanas jumped from the trees to the roof fairly regularly. Once there, the glass windows interested them. They banged on the glass. It sounded like they were knocking on our bedroom window. I would sneak to the window when they knocked, anticipating a great photo. As soon as they heard me, they sprinted away. I never did get a decent picture of them. I got a lot of the thatch roof. An iguana…
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Humpback Whales #AtoZChallenge
June through September is Humpback Whale season in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador. They migrate from Antarctica, 16,000 kilometers (almost 10,000 miles) away. While in the warm equatorial waters, the whales fast, focused on mating and birthing. Whales are seen breaching in the distance from shore. For a closer view, take a whale watching boat from Puerto Lopez. A whale might breach near your boat. Breaching Humpback Whale Puerto Lopez, Ecuador Most likely, you will see some tail slapping. Tail about to slap the water, creating a big splash Puerto Lopez, Ecuador It is incredible to watch a 16 meter (52 foot) whale swim under your boat. I am completely in awe…
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Boobies – beautiful and bountiful on Ecuador’s coast! Blue-footed boobies, that is #AtoZChallenge
Did you think I was going to talk about some other kind of boobies? I am writing about blue-footed boobies, beautiful birds. Puerto Lopez, Ecuador, is surrounded by Machalilla National Park, which includes tropical forests, cloud forests, beaches, ocean, and islands. One of the park residents that attracts visitors is the interestingly named blue-footed booby. I have read that you need to travel to the Galapagos to see blue-footed boobies but that is not accurate. I see them on beaches and cliffs around Puerto Lopez. They like to hang out on rocky cliffs above the ocean. Blue-footed boobies on a cliff in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador One way to guarantee seeing…
