Always interesting around here. Some big wind and waves have washed more (and more) Sargassum to shore and sand away from shore.
Big wave breaking over the dock in the early morning. You can also see a little Sargassum in the water at the right edge of the photo. When the day starts like this, there is usually more to come. :-(
Even though the waves were high at the shore, just a little farther out it tends to be flatter. A big yacht, I think from one of the big hotels in Placencia, was anchored that morning while their guests took a guided tour up the Monkey River.
Safe anchor about 1/3 mile off our beach. This is the best spot around for big boats to anchor without damaging the coral.
Click below on JJ Cale, one of the best song writers ever, to hear him and Eric Clapton play "After Midnight" as the musical accompaniment to the rest of thisexhibition.
This lovely green headed tree snake (Leptophis mexicanus)was letting it all hang out on the bracket holding our satellite dish. It apparently likes to eat small lizards.
Just look at that bright green head and that long skinny body.
A black racing strip along the side.
Lovely large eyes.
It really posed for the camera.
The black racing stripe runs the full length of the snake, separating its paler belly from the brown back.
I do believe that this large green iguana would be too much for the green-headed tree snake to handle. For weeks in late March and early April, we watched this big girl walk at least once a day from north to south along our beach. She would sometimes climb into palm trees or noni bushes for some sun. These iguanas, which are quite common, average more than 5 ft in length when mature! Causing talk and suspicion, she probably laid her eggs on our south lot where quite a few nest sites are located. In a few more weeks we should see dozens of little baby green iguanas running around. Talk about shaking your tambourine!"
Female green iguana, stopping for a breather in front of our cabana. Her foot prints are each about 4 or 5 inches long.
This little basilisk lizard is more the size that the green-headed tree snake would eat. Can you see him? No? He sure hopes the snake won't either!
He blends in very well.
Zooming in a little closer you can see this young fellow still needs to grow up and find out what it is all about. He will get to be about 2 feet or so long.
Those big back feet help propel it over the surface of water when startled, hence its colloquial name of Jesus Christ lizard.
Another fun group of lizards to see (and hear!) are the geckos, which are nocturnal. I saw these 2 on the back veranda, hanging around after midnight. Well, not quite that late, but certainly after dark. They make chirping sounds and for years I thought I was hearing birds during the night; turns out it was geckos all along.
Letting it all hang out on the underside of the pergola on the back veranda.
It has its eyes on the hummingbird feeder.
While I was talking the photo above, I saw a quick movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to see something on the other side of the hummingbird feeder.
"You distract her while I run to the feeder!"
"uh-oh. busted."
"May as well chugalug and shout."
Uhmmmm. Tastes like peaches and cream.
Now that I found out what that chirping "is all about", I finally understand why these geckos are so plump!
I had a couple of posts a few months ago about the hummingbirds we have seen at the feeder we put out at the front of the cabana near the hibiscus where they feed (here and here).
A hummingbird approaches the "ocean view" feeder just off the front veranda
We put up another feeder on the back deck in a more sheltered spot that just happens to be right outside our bedroom window. :-) Once the ruby-throated hummers started coming, it took about 2 weeks for the cinnamon hummingbirds, that feed on the hibiscus flowers year 'round, to realize that the feeder was also a good source of food. Then the floodgates opened and we got 2 more species as regulars at the feeders - the green-breasted mango and the rufous-tailed hummingbirds. Today's post is the first in a series and it highlights our old friends, the ruby-throated hummers.
You can see the post-ocular white spot that is characteristic of the ruby throats. Notice the drying laundry in the background. :-)
As you can see, it is also adjacent to our clothes line, which makes for a handy perch at times.
They fan their tails out for aerial maneuvers and displays.
This female ruby-throated hummer is showing its characteristic outer three white-tipped tail feathers.
Nice profile view.
There are at least two other species of hummingbirds in Belize with similar looking females, but the ruby-throated is the only one with a totally black bill. The others have black upper and red lower. Whewwww - that saves me a tough session of keying out the other species. Just in case you are wondering, the other 2 are the female white-bellied emerald (larger and with dingier greyish-white tips) and the female Canivet's emerald (smaller and with a post-occular white streak instead of spot).
Sometimes they take a quick sip without perching.
We have seen at least 2 immature males (photos in a previous post) and numerous females, but no adult males with their stunning ruby throats. Not sure why that is. The adult males have a slightly different migration schedule than the females and the immatures, so maybe they just haven't found our feeders listed on the hummingbird equivalent of Trip Advisor yet. Surely we must have a good rating for abundant, fresh nectar, choice of ocean view or sheltered seating, and the featured local cuisine of hibiscus and flamboyant tree flowers!
And sometimes they sit and stay for a while.
We get lots of return business, too.
They always keep on alert for predators and competition at the feeders. These birds may be small, but they are feisty.
Stay tuned for the next installment featuring the lovely cinnamon hummingbird.
