Hummingbird hijinks

Sundays are always special days here in Agua Viva and that’s because it’s the one full day of the week that’s quiet. No heavy trucks rumbling up and down the Paseo, no construction workers making construction noises, no loud radios and even louder cars. But today was special for another reason – we had visitors!

Earlier this week we finally put up one of the hummingbird feeders we bought in the States this summer and our efforts were rewarded this morning with the arrival of two of the little chirping, humming charmers.

All morning long they swooped through our courtyard, putting on quite a show as they dipped and dove and hovered before making their way to the feeder. They were curious and unafraid, even flying into the living room a couple of times before buzzing right out again. They were very friendly and seemed totally at ease around human-types.

I’m not sure what type of hummers they were as a quick Google search didn’t help identify them, but they were dark green with some darker shading. The only thing I do know is they are not Xantus’s hummingbirds, which are the endemic hummingbird in this part of the Baja, characterized by a distinctive cinnamon color on its breast and a red beak, both of which were lacking on our new feathered friends.

Whatever their name, the birds were a joy to watch and a nice addition to the frog that has been living in our courtyard for several months now. Or maybe he’s a toad. Or maybe he’s a she! It’s hard to tell with toad/frogs. Whatever he/she is, I’ve named him/her Sparky. Not really appropriate for his/her temperament (a bit withdrawn and quiet), but I do like the sound of it. And Sparky is still hanging out here, so it must sound good to him/her too. And if those two little hummers keep coming back, I’ll try to come up with equally inappropriate names for them as well.

All in all, today was perfect. In the morning we enjoyed the nature found inside our courtyard walls, while the afternoon was spent enjoying the broader palette of nature found at the beach. And did I mention the weather?! Perfection! The temperature was in the low 80s with a slight breeze, all under clear blue skies. It simply doesn’t get any better than today.