On the 12th day of Christmas, Yucatecan nature gifted me:
12 HUMMERS HUMMING
11 PIPERS PIPING
10 LIMPKINS LEANING
9 OR SO LADIES DANCING
8 COWBIRDS STRETCHING
7 SNOWY EGRETS SHOWING
6 DUCKS AIR DANCING
5 GOLDEN-FRONTED WOODPECKERS A PAIRING
4 CALLING BIRDS
3 BUNTINGS BATHING
2 YUCATAN JAYS A JAWIN’
and to you, a GALLON YULE tide cheer throughout the year!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, FELIZ NAVIDAD, HAPPY HANUKKAH,HAPPY KWANZAA, BUONE FESTE NATALIZIE, JOYEUX NOEL, FROEHLICHE WEIHNACHTEN,FELIZ NATAL, KRISMASI NJEMA, SAWAT DEE WAN, AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Mentioned Species:
Cinnamon Hummingbird, Amazilia rutila, Colibrí Canela (Spanish), X ts’unu’um (Mayan)
Black-necked Stilt, Himantopus mexicanus, Monjita Americano (Spanish)
Limpkin, Aramus guarauna, Carrao (Spanish)
American Flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber, Flamenco Americano (Spanish), Mekoh (Mayan)
Bronzed Cowbird, Molothrus aeneus, Tordo Ojos Rojos (Spanish), Dsiuw (Mayan)
Snowy Egret, Egretta thula, Garza Dedos Dorados (Spanish), Ka’an ook (Mayan)
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis, Pijije Alas Blancas (Spanish) Pijiiji (Mayan)
Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Melanerpes aurifrons, Carpintero Cheje (Spanish), Ch’ejum, Ch’ajum, Ch’ujum (Mayan)
Social Flycatcher, Myiozetetes similis, Luisito Común (Spanish), X takay (Mayan)
Indigo Bunting, Passerinea cyanea, Colorín Azul (Spanish)
Yucatan Jay, Cyanocorax yucatanicus, Chara Yucateca (Spanish), Ch’eel (Mayan)
Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus, Gallineta Morada (Spanish)
Cherie Pittillo, “nature inspired,” photographer and author, explores nature everywhere she goes. She’s identified 56 bird species in her Merida, Yucatan backyard view. Her column, published on the 7th and 21st of each month, features anecdotes about birding in Merida, Yucatan and beyond. Contact: all4birdies@gmail.com All rights reserved, ©Cherie Pittillo