In Search of the Wood Stork

Walking Slower and Enjoying it More. Birds and Coconuts!

We had guests coming so I wanted to get my walk in early. Some workers were harvesting the coconuts from the palms that shade the walkways here in Club Santiago. I’m not sure but I think they do it for free, just to get the coconuts. Can you see the worker in the photo above? He’s up there!

The beach was practically empty. My goal today: find the Wood Storks! Where were they hiding? I’ve seen them every year, but they’re elusive, and I had yet to spot one. This morning another local iNaturalist posted a picture of 8 of them, right where I’d been standing, at the Juluapan Lagoon, only an hour before he took the pic!

I crossed the bridge and took my usual shortcut next at Palma Real. Something bright flashed in the light. I grabbed my camera and shot away.

Orange-breasted bunting! A first for me! I watched as a whole flock of them worked the lawn.

I continued down the road, the lagoon on my right. I’m going to name this stretch of road Butterfly Alley. It’s always full of flutter, and today was no exception. They’re so hard to photograph. But fun to watch and fun to chase!

The slower you walk, the more you see.

I complained to my Grandpa once that I couldn’t find any rabbits. He’d given me his Winchester Model 1897 shotgun that year.

“You’re walking right by them! You pass by lots more rabbits than you see,” he told me. “Slow down!”

He was right, of course. I started walking slower. I started seeing rabbits. You learn so much when you hunt or trap.

Here in Mexico there are wildlife trails everywhere. Many I don’t quite understand, but I’m learning.

I came to my first stop, Juluapan Lagoon. I stood for a moment, taking it all in. Terns, gulls, pelicans, cormorants, and other shore birds all seemed to be talking at once. A pair of Black Skimmers, shown above, the first I have seen, patrolled one end of the sand bar.

A shadow fell. Pink-white wings glided over me to the little lagoon on my left, circled and landed. Roseate Spoonbills!

A fishermen showed up and started casting his net. We put together a video of their fishing on my YouTube Channel, @davidwrites9.youtube. They caught some nice ones right there in the lagoon.

I headed off, still looking for the elusive wood storks. This road is still part of Butterfly Alley.

I stopped in the shade to study Coati Valley, my new name for the spot where yesterday a flock of Coati’s had descended like monkeys, hopscotching through this little valley, then back up the hill when they spotted me. I think they were heading to the Lagoon for a cool drink when I blocked their path. I’m sure they found a way there later.

I turned off the road and took an old trail that winds back past an abandoned house to the lagoon. No luck. Suddenly I froze! A huge snake!

Nope. Just a piece of hose. I couldn’t help but wonder if someone had placed it here to scare folks. Sure caught my attention!

I checked my watch. Time to head home.

As I came back Butterfly Alley another shadow crossed my path. I looked up into the sun. Wood Stork!

A solitary wood stork glided over, black head and curved black beak followed by a pure white body. She circled and dropped behind the trees, maybe 50 meters out in the swamp. I could hear the greeting calls through the dense green mangroves.

Mission Accomplished! Still no photo but I saw one! And I have hope for some pics to share!

A wood pecker knock knock knocked randomly, then scolded me. These woodpeckers are huge!

I crossed the bridge and hit my stride on the beach, walking on the crown of the Pacific, gold and silver and blue, shrouded in a bit of haze.

I always feel obligated to admire good sand castles. They’re so impermanent, doomed to live only a few hours, there are so few of them, and the kids are so proud to show them off.

I’m not talking about your Midwest “Let’s dig a hole to China then throw up some walls” sand castle. No.

I’m talking about the Real McCoy. The ones with bridges and turrets and fancy bastions and moats, where you can imagine the Black Knight riding forth to administer justice in the realm, decorated with shells and stones.

I continued inland, off the beach, through the coconut palm grove.

The coconuts were harvested, at least this batch. When I admired the work and took a picture, a worker chopped the top off one with his machete and offered me a drink.

Wow! So Sweet! And there was a lot of coconut milk in there! Took me three big gulps to get it all down. My first fresh coconut! And I hope it’s not my last. He refused my offer of pesos, happy to show the gringo how it’s done and share the sweet milk.

Our guests arrived from the cold North. We toasted the Pacific, Wood Storks and Mexico with Cadillac Margs under the stars.

A big welcome to all New Subscribers! And a shoutout to the Mexico friends here on Substack who’ve introduced themselves and flagged me down on the beach or at the Club or Oasis to say “Hi!” Tonight it was Doug. Great to see you again this year Doug!

Thanks to all for traveling along! So glad you’re here!