angel paz

Angel Paz told Cariño to jump onto the trunk of a tree. Cariño jumped. Cariño? Cariño who? A bird.

We woke up at 4:30 a.m. to go with Angel to see the Cock-of-the-Rock. The bright red feathers of the birds flashed through the leaves of the dense canopy. Dozens of camera shutters opened and closed. The forest and its inhabitants provided the rest of the soundtrack. The cameras pointed through the trees, zoomed to maximum length, at the birds. I watched, then pointed my camera at Angel. Why is it that I love photographing people so much more than animals? I can't say. Lucky for me, I don't often get assigned to photograph birds for the newspaper.

As for the birds, I can still see them in my mind. You'll have to imagine them, but I can show you Angel. Bird whisperer.