Toucans and Other Visitors

Papayas are common in our area. They seem to just pop up even if you don’t plant them. They are very popular with wildlife so I imagine the seeds are scattered by birds and other critters. We have a surprise tree in our backyard that makes big, round, very sweet fruits. We enjoy some and give away others. There was one getting ripe that I planned to give away to a friend the next day, but when I went to get it there was a hole. The fruit is barely ripe when the little black bees make a hole and then eat the fruit inside at a surprising rate of speed. So, I decided to just leave the fruit on the tree.

We had seen a toucan in a high tree the day before. That was fun since we don’t see them very often but we didn’t think much about it. In hindsight I think it was eyeing the papaya. (To be accurate, the toucans in our area are fiery billed aracaris.)

The day I left the papaya out it attracted an impressive number of visitors! First, I saw a couple woodpeckers. Look closely on the right side of the trunk and you can see one of them at the level of the fruits.

Then, two toucans came and started eating the fruit! They would eat a bit, fly off, and then return for a bit more.

Meanwhile the squirrels were noticing the activity. One came, then two, and later four! I think they were a family since two of them were noticeably smaller annd a bit lighter color. (Our squirrels are black and larger than the squirrels I’m familiar with in the US.)

We also had some tanagers visit, and then the toucans brought another and there were three of them. It was interesting to see them take a bite, look up to swallow it, and then repeat the process.

By now the fruit was fairly destroyed and the paisanos were eying it. Unfortunately the squirrels were still there. One paisano was bold enough to land on the fence nearby but I’m not sure if they ever got any fruit. It was raining and he looked pretty pitiful so I have included a better picture. Otherwise, even if you spot him in the picture, it would be hard to know what one looks like in better conditions.

This is my favorite picture of a toucan.

I spend the majority of my time on the terrace. I really enjoy being outdoors and I love seeing all the birds, bugs, and critters. We are lucky that we can be outdoors all year around. I especially appreciate now that we are in the US, and there was frost this morning 🥶. Thermal underwear is a wonderful thing!

I am really happy to be here with family and the rest of the family is on their way here. I hope you all have a good time however you spend your holiday. Since many expats and others can’t be with family, we can just adopt each other and make our own families if we wish. Happy Thanksgiving