The Comeback

Photo: Saffron Finches by Melissa Gold

The past couple of weeks I've been a bit busy. Boss is on vacation and work has been crazy. I've been sick, my mom has been hospitalized for a few days too (she's doing better now) and one of my best friends is [hopefully] recovering from a serious health issue.

But, in between such bad events there was one that helped to keep on smiling... my love and nature/birding sidekick Tommy is back!!! After six months away he's back in town :)

Photo: Saffron Finch by Tommy Pérez

We haven't been able to go birding yet due to the events I wrote before, but still managed to squeeze in a walk around the house, where we found a few Saffron Finches.

Photo: Saffron Finch by Tommy Pérez

I hope to be able to post soon with better news and nice bird stories, now that my birding partner is here once more. To the ones following Tommy's blog (Unnaturally Natural), please note that he changed the blog address. You can now find it here. I recommend a visit, as he will have some birding time on his own while I'm at work, and therefore more experiences and birds to share with you :)

Photo: Saffron Finch by Tommy Pérez

How cool is that???

If you read my post "Unexpected Pelagic Birding" a few days ago, then you know what this post is about.

I made a comment on that post about an idea I got from the birds that day that could make a cool Birdorable t-shirt for my non-Peruvian fiancee: "I love Peruvian Boobies" just seemed perfect!

Guess what, I just got a mail from Amy @ Birdorable saying: "Your wish is our command and we have added the Peruvian Booby to Birdorable. We've even added a couple of Boobies designs, too! Let me know what you think of them. :o)"

OMG, are you kidding me??? I clicked on the link she sent and found this. How cool is that???


I have to say that they made a great job. Here is a picture of some of these birds (adults and juveniles) at Ballestas Islands (Paracas, Peru) that Tommy took in January 2007.


Now I have lots of alternatives to choose from, feel free to suggest any!

The Owl Lady

Last week I met my friend Paquita after 3 years or so. We've known each other for about a decade now, and even though there are a couple of decades between us, you can never tell the difference when you talk to her.


I can't remember when we met exactly but it was at my old school. My mother was a pre-school teacher there and Paquita was the "Book's Lady".

Oh, well, I love books, it's only natural that we met in the Library, right?


When we meet, even after years of not talking or meeting, it is as if we just continued yesterday's conversation. It is so natural, we talk about everything, we laugh a lot and dream a lot.


That sunny day last week, after our huge ice creams, we walked to her appartment. Did I mention that she likes Owls? She collects them in any form. I forgot about that until we started walking towards her place. I asked how many she had, she said she lost count when she hit the 400 mark.


I could stare on them for hours, they are all different, made with all sorts of materials and collected from all over. They are gifts from friends and family, and the product of many years of searching for new birds.


The next pic shows my thumb nail, just to give you an idea of the size of some of these guys...


Paquita has all sort of owl items...


This girl holds the door open in the owl room...


And this guy stares at you from the shower door!


It's always nice to meet Paquita, I hope the next time it doesn't take us 3 years to meet again!