In my first few seconds on the veranda at Asa Wright, this is what I saw...

and more...

On subsequent days, I saw guest after guest enter the veranda for the first time and fall into a rapt, reverent silence. The naturalists never seemed to tire of ministering to our sense of wonder. Harold was on duty my first morning. He sat silently until, after a few minutes, my hand seemed to lift of its own accord. Like a one-year-old I pointed at one bird or another while Harold named them for me. Of equal interest to me, of course, were the insects and reptiles. When they learned of this, the naturalists reported their sightings and brought insects to me.

TOP: lots of bananaquits, accompanied by a hummingbird, a male purple honeycreeper and a female purple honeycreeper

BOTTOM: foraging under the bird-feeders, an agouti (about two feet long) and a tegu lizard (nearly five feet log)