It is hard to believe one year ago today we went to Guatemala. It was a great trip with many highlights, most dramatic of which was seeing – and photographing! – the resplendent quetzal. The following link is to my abridged journal with photos.
Eight friends traveled for 12 days in Guatemala at the end of February and beginning of March, 2010. Our trip was organized and lead by Dr David Mehlman, ornithologist & friend, with the help of Bitty Ramirez-Portilla and Miguel Marin, among other local guides and hosts. Our primary motivation was, ostensibly, birding plus visiting some Mayan ruins.
Here, in Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico, a few miles from the Big-I (I-40 east-west meets I-25 north-south), I have seen three species of raptors within a few blocks of my house just in the past two weeks: Cooper’s hawk (very common), sharp-shinned hawk (striking a tree full of white-winged doves), and a merlin (a small falcon frequently sighted between November and March). In the past year, along the Rio Grande in the heart of the city, we’ve seen a peregrine falcon, a nest with two baby great-horned owls, and others have seen bald eagles. Birds of prey seem to be thriving in Albuquerque.
Once again, Merri and I attended the dress rehearsal of the Chinese Cultural Center’s Chinese New Year Celebration. Performances include the community dancing and fighting with swords, sticks, and fans. It’s fun and colorful and the culmination of years of preparation and practice. Bring a chair and a hat – it’s outside the center on Saturday, February 5, 2011, at 1pm.
Photos include 17 from 2011, 30 from 2010, and 10 from 2007.
It was so hard to pare 7500 photos down to 12. Granted, that was a useful exercise. But then I started discussing the short list with Merri and she said, “Did you include the little blue heron?” No. “How about the pelican?” Mind you, I didn’t need much excuse to expand the list. So, I’ll leave my original Top 12 blog entry as is, but I have added more to the album, including some by Merri Rudd. (I cannot admit here how many more photos I’ve added. Still a tiny percentage of 7500.)
"It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds." — Sam Adams
