What's Your Sign?

The inspection went as expected.  Bill was there for it so there'd be no surprises later.  The written report won't be back for a couple of days, and though there are a few issues, it doesn't look like anything major is going on.  Today we were supposed to go to the Notary in La Penita...  that got canceled until tomorrow.  No matter what or where you are in Mexico, a person needs to have patience and ...  well... more patience.

We walked up the Lagoon Road this morning...

A new sign at the Lagoon....

The local birding group has had informational signs erected at key birding spots here in Lo de Marcos.  These signs are well done...  they list birds you are likely to see in this particular area...  one side is in Spanish and the other side in English.  The posts are set in concrete...  the framework is of finished wood.  At the bottom of the sign is the  list (and logo) of all the sponsors.  

In the background of the left photo you can see the concrete benches... and also the concrete posts that will hold the roof to the (not built yet) palapa.  Very Nice!

The Roseate Spoonbill and some Wood Storks were having breakfast when we were there.  In the 3 months we've been here, we've seen only 1 spoonbill at a time.  

There were also....

I think Bill counted 46 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks....

There were also some cormorants, black-necked stilts and other shorebirds hanging out.

Just a few hundred yards on up the road the habitat changes...  it's woodsy (jungle)...  and the foliage gets denser and greener.

And so the birds that hang out here are different....

Of course there is some overlap, but the further you walk along the road up through the jungle the more likely you are to see trogon, the motmot and the like.

We really didn't see much today...  it was cooler and overcast....

This Magpie Jay was being his noisy self....

but the Caciques are even noisier, and we see them everywhere.

We walked to the ocean overlook and then headed back down the road  to the Lo de Marcos beach...

The Red Flag is flying today...

That means the waves are too rough and dangerous for a person to be swimming.  There have been 2 drownings since we've been here.  Folks tend to forget that the undertow can drag you under and keep you there.

The beach was totally deserted...

Being overcast and cooler...  and the time here was around 8:30 AM...  

Also quite a few of the snowbirds have already headed back to their summer homes.  

If you look in that last photo in the upper right corner you'll see a thatched roof palapa.  That's where we turn right and head down the River Road trail.

Near that palapa is the 3rd new sign.

The estuary is where the river flows into the ocean.  The water is brackish...  a mixture of salt and fresh water, and so the habitat there is home for more species of birds.

There are several rookeries...  herons and egrets by the dozens.....  ibis, jacanas, ducks, cormorants.... and of course pelicans, terns and gulls.  The list is long!

You've probably noticed that right now these signs are being supported by extra posts.  The signs were just put in yesterday and those supports will be removed once the concrete has set up.

One more photo of the Wood Storks... 

The End!

That's All For Today!