cool hawk!

On our last trip to Ecuador, we got to see a gray-bellied hawk when we were down in the lowlands. This amazing bird has only been seen about a dozen times in Ecuador, and only a few times ever. And we saw one eating a tinamou (a chicken-sized ground bird). We are currently writing a manuscript describing what we saw.

Check it out:
Gray-bellied hawk

Visit to D.C.

Earlier this summer we all went to DC for a few days. Lisa went to a conference at the NSF and the kids and I went around DC to visit the sites. DC is a great city to visit, lots of great restaurants and all the Smithsonian Museums are free to visit (not really free as our tax dollars pay for them but its money well spent). So here are some pics from our visit.

We first went to the National Zoo. Its a very nice zoo and since Lisa has collaborators there we got to go 'behind the scenes'. Here is Amalia feeding treats to the Maned Wolf.

Got to keep your distance from the cage. These wolves are from Brasil and have super long legs.

Amalia loved learning about them from the keepers who took us around. We also got to visit the cheetah breeding program but I didn't get any good pics of that.

Camilo was most enthused with the nachos! That was fun to clean up...

It was broiling hot the second day but we still braved the heat to visit some of the monuments. It was over 100 degrees and super humid. Here the kids are at the Washington Monument. We weren't allowed inside since the earthquake last year opened up some cracks.

I was able to convince the kids to wear their hats. There were also some sprinklers set up around the area to give people a chance to cool off. Super nice!

We then walked all the way to the Lincoln Memorial. Its a long walk for short legs on a hot day but we made it.

Lincoln in the background.

We spent a bit of time inside in the shade trying to cool off.

Amalia has been learning about Lincoln in school so she knew all about him. Camilo mostly wanted to eat snacks.

We then went into the Natural History Museum where it was nice and cool. I prefer the zoo as stuffed animals are a bit depressing but the kids thought they were cool. Amalia's favorite part was the human origins section. She wanted to lecture Camilo on human evolution but he was more interested in the interactive exhibits.

Dinosaurs are always popular!

Our last day we went to the Air and Space museum. Its was super hot outside so the museum was packed with people looking to escape the heat. This museum was super popular with the kids, especially the interactive exhibits.

Glad this isn't a real plane and I'm pretty sure we would be sick...

Kids posing under an early American plane.

Pretty prop and radial engine!

Amalia in front of the display for PB-Ys. I explained to her that her great-grandfather was a naval aviator and the navigator in one of these.

Camilo contemplating the merits of radial versus inline engines.

And that was our trip to D.C. Again, a great city to visit!

camping at Walnut Flats

Earlier this summer we loaded up the vanagon and went camping at Walnut Flats. This is a camping area a bit higher in elevation than here so a bit cooler. Here are a few pics.

Camilo and Amalia walking along the rock bridge at the swimming hole.

Tired Cohiba on the way home.

Standing on the rock bridge.

Camilo loved playing on the beach at the swimming hole.

Amalia was intent on taking the dogs in the pool. They weren't so excited about that prospect.

Amalia on the rocks.

The vanagon where we camped. The big problems were the RVs behind us. One night they fired up their generators and run them from 7pm-9pm. Drove us insane! Why would anyone need a generator when camping in the forest!?!?!?

Amalia with a cicada on her left sleeve.

Camilo at the swimming hole trying to get Romeo into the water.

Tired Franklin on the way home.

Tired kids on the way home.

Tired Romeo on the way home.