This magnificent bird in the jungle of Belize was so uniquely colored with blue blending into green and green into yellow, and a splash of brilliant sky blue highlighting the top of it’s head. The coloration of this bird gave it it’s name – Blue-crowned motmot. I waited for this bird to sing so that I could hear its voice, but it stayed silent and watched me with caution. Their call is said to be similar to the hoot of an owl. Perhaps it did not want to draw any extra attention to itself, which must be hard being so brightly colored. It has a few long tail feathers which it swings back and forth like a pendulum while perching on a branch. These birds nest in burrows in the ground rather than high up in the trees, making the eggs and babies easy prey for sneaky snakes.

Autumn is a time when even grass can become a beautifully colored photograph. Grasses are a very diverse plant group and can be found in a huge range of climates, colors and sizes. Mibora minima is the smallest grass which grows between 2-15 centimeters tall, whereas the largest grass which is actually a bamboo can reach a height of 30 meters (98 feet)! Grass grows on every continent and in every climate even in Antarctica, and so can be a colorful and very hardy addition to any garden. Happy weekend everyone!