The first months of the year are wonderful times for birders. We have had the winter birds from up north visiting as well as the local wonders showing up more. There is bird life both night and day. Our neighbours have been visited nightly by a gorgeous night hawk for some weeks now and we see the occasional owl as well. Bats are not really birds, but there are plenty of them here! We like them because they eat tons of insects for us. They can be observed almost everywhere whizzing about from their homes in hollows and of course my attic space is home to more than I wish it were.

Toucans are one of our showiest birds and this time of year they can be spotted readily in the south of Belize. The Keel billed toucan is the one that is best known and very showy as well. They are quiet birds and can be seen by watchful early morning birders. There are two other types readily seen as well, the aracaria, which is brown billed but very noticeably a toucan and one other, that I can not say I have seen myself. The aracaria are very much in evidence around the native molly apple trees when they are in fruit, they make a noise like a frog to announce their presence. All the toucans love our papaya fruit and we happily sacrifice any of our fruit that they want for the joy of their presence.

Our red lored parrot has left us at last for the wild. It is sadder than I thought it would be to have him go. From the beginning our hopes have been for him/her to be able to join a flock. It has taken several years but he has gone with a mate at last. He brought her around when he would come to eat at first but his visits home became shorter and less frequent and now its been a couple of weeks. A successful return to nature of a captured bird is always cause for great celebration. Red lored parrots are number 11 on the endangered species list. I am glad to report they are abundant here in Toledo district.