Flying South

It’s good luck to travel during a full moon   Lucky me!   I’m flying Monday to Atlanta then on to Quito Ecuador where I plan to spend 2 weeks with friends who live there  Monday is the first full moon of 2025–the Wolf Moon 

My luck won’t extend to the weather (rain almost every day) though for Ecuadorians who have suffered through a serious drought the rain is much needed.  Since electricity there is primarily from hydroelectric sources it’s very good indeed!

I would normally expect to be hiking, bird-watching, and helping out on my friend’s farm while there   I brought rain gear and mud boots for the outdoor activities this time   And I packed my binoculars just in case it clears up for a day or two

The birds in Ecuador don’t migrate as a rule   There are exceptions of course, but with warm weather and 12 hours of daylight year round there isn’t really a compelling reason for them to head north or south    That means lots of different kinds of birds than I’m used to seeing around home   Last time I visited my friend’s farm I saw yellow-rumped tanagers, blue tanagers, parrots, various kinds of hummingbirds and even a toucan   

Since those birds don’t migrate, I’m flying south to them!