release day!

I have somehow been here for over a week already. It's been really busy and a bit overwhelming, but things are slowly coming together. I suppose I'll start from today and work backwards since my memory has a tendency to work better that way...

Today started at 4:15 AM(!) for me. It was a quick feed all the birds, catch up the white-fronted parrot, and head out to the release site as soon as possible... which ended up being about 6:00 AM. We drove northeast to Caledonia near where the Amazona albifrons was found after she was hit by a car (head trauma, possible shoulder fracture). Ricky set her carrier on the car and opened the door. She wasted no time in flying out of the carrier! It took us all a bit by surprise and I was lucky enough to get this shot of her release (satellite internet won't let me upload pictures to blogger anymore). She flew off into the trees; we got one more glimpse of her and then she was gone. This is why we do this.

Yesterday we got a Royal Tern (Sterna maxima) in from the southeastern coastal town of Placencia. He was found on the beach and with the help of the Belize Forest Department, he was transported to Belmopan where we picked him up. He's a bit on the thin side and his eyes are cloudy - almost like cataracts. The odd thing is that upon staining his eyes with fluorescein, they took up some of stain which indicates damage to the lenses. He started eating live fish from a bowl of water on his own today but his depth perception may be a little off. We'll have the veterinarian come in soon to do an exam to see if she can help with the diagnosis. This particular tern was banded with what appeared to be a brand new band. As it turns out, he was actually banded in 1997 in North Carolina! He's travelled quite a distance and is a bit older than we had expected. Hopefully he'll have a good prognosis and can be released.

And how did we get the fish for this tern? Well, yesterday I learned how to fish Belizean style. Basically, you take an empty wine bottle with a cork and a deep punt (new word!) in the bottom. Poke out a hole in the punt and throw some bait in - we used dog chow, but also rice and bits of corn tortilla seem to work, too. Lodge the bottle in between some rocks or the river bottom and wait for a few minutes. It works pretty well and is mostly effortless. I'm sure the tern is appreciative of not having to be tubed a couple of times a day.

Other than the new arrival and release today, I'm still trying to get the hang of things around here. Yesterday I was introduced to the Forest Department and the veterinarian with whom I will be working. I hope to soon meet Belize Bird Rescue and continue the relationship that CASA has started with them.

In non-CASA related updates, I'm really enjoying it here. I've been fortunate to see quite a bit since I got here. Tuesday night Tracy, the current ACM from Canada, and I went to the 'movie theater' in San Ignacio to see Baraka. The theater was small and a bit... musty, but it had character and it was only $2BZD/$1USD! San Ignacio is a relatively small town but there are quite a few ex-pats. The couple who run the movie theater also hold a trivia night every other Monday.

Tracy has a 'scooter' / dirt bike / motorcycle that she'll be selling when she leaves. She's selling it for quite cheap and I'm considering it so I have an easy way to get around. Now, family members, don't freak out. If I purchase it, I'll be extra safe. She even has a helmet and reflective vest that comes with the bike!

The food here is amazing! Our cook, Gracie, makes delicious meals three times a day. It's pretty much guaranteed that I'll have beans at least once during the day. Breakfast generally consists of a plate of fruit, beans (it's hard to describe how they're made) and a bread of some sort. Usually it's flour tortillas; yesterday it was fry jacks, or fried dough. Everything is fried. Please don't judge me when I return to America and I've gained several pounds. She makes fresh juice every day - watermelon juice is my new favorite. I haven't actually eaten anywhere in town as I'm a little weary but soon enough I'll get over my fear and try something local. I bought a bottle of local cashew wine ($8.50BZD/$4.25USD) the other night in town. I can only take it in small amounts because it's very sweet. It does have a good taste though and I'm guessing it comes from Orange Walk District. The Cashew Festival occurs in that district in May; I was invited today but it may be the start of baby season.. and it's about a 2.5 hour drive.

Speaking of driving, I've driven to San Ignacio a few times in the 'blue monster' - a beat up stick-shift Isuzu Trooper. Driving in Belize is interesting. It's a bit similar to Korean driving where people make up their own rules, just less hurried. You need to stop in the middle of the road to talk to a friend? No problem. You need to pass a car when there's another car barreling down the other side of the road? Also not a problem. It all seems to work out somehow.. so far anyway. There are about five traffic lights in this country. I saw two today and I think the remaining three are in Belize City. It's a small country but driving anywhere takes longer than in the states; mostly due to the numerous speed bumps. You can probably only hit 45 mph then you have to slow down again for another pedestrian ramp. At some of the pedestrian ramps, there are police checks. These are usually used to check insurance and licenses, but they were originally put into place to keep tabs on the smuggling of various items out of Guatemala. Nice, yeah?

I suppose that's all I've got for now... time to prepare diets and do the last feedings of the night.