Oh, I wish I could bottle up the warmth of this island and send it to all of you. The sun, the quiet, the clean air, the sounds of birds and amphibians, and all the local roosters just lift your spirits so much. One of the nicest things is eating outside! And not having to have a coat or boots on. I am feeling blessed. Our breakfast guest was a Brown Trembler. She comes every morning and evening when we are outside.
She must be related to puppy! Tends to hold its tail cocked up and wings drooped, especially when feeding. Typically appears almost entirely warm brown; dark above and paler below with some gray on head. Gray Trembler lacks the brown hues of Brown Trembler and has some degree of white below. White-breasted Thrasher has largely bright white underparts and a dark red eye not yellow as in Brown Trembler.
Song is a slow jumble of rich whistles and high-pitched sibilant notes. Calls include scattered whistles and harsh scolding notes. It is Monday and we head home on Thursday arriving on Friday. There is currently snow falling because the young man is going to go and shovel. The idea of going back to that cold is not appealing.
One of the best things about this holiday has been doing nothing. Everyone in the village is rushing around the large beach near town, Grand Anse. It is crawling with tourists. The parking lots are full.
We came to be outside but have opted to stay away from the chaos. So far it has been the right decision. While I do not rush after a new bird to add to the Life List, it has happened with ease just walking through the garden here. In fact, there is a Guadeloupe Woodpecker visiting regularly. It is larger, I believe, than the Hairy Woodpeckers that visit my garden. The plumage is a glossy black with a shocking red iridescent breast. To some, it sounds odd to travel so far to do nothing, but nothing is perfect.
