That's about as close as we got to a jaguar.
But I like the idea that maybe the jaguar was watching us.
We did see many of the chestnut mandible toucans,
and I'm convinced that this is the same nest we were watching,
and Eloise is convinced it's the same bird.
You told me.
"Toucan Nest."
Cautious as a stalked ex, chestnut mandible toucan,
profiled in a far triangle, makes
sure no one's tailing her, then shoves off.
Quick flight today, today, toward lofty hollows.
The trees swallows her great curved face, yellow bib,
red belly, dainty blue legs.
Inside the tree, nest shrieks of hunger.
Within the living trunk, true shelter of decay,
she cracks her bill to spill half digested fruits
and lizards down yawning gullets,
cramming four unfeathered young.
It's her secret, tucked tree deep.
How she turns in there, emerges tip first,
half of her that gleaming bill, serrated yellow, spliced brown.
Dangling shreds, she shows her throat to swallow.