Who we are
Who we are
The passion is palpable, overwhelming. A dream come true, a vision to be shared, the Lajedo dos Beija-Flores hummingbird sanctuary was conceptualized by renowned bird photographer Ester Ramirez. Born further up the Brazilian coastline in Alagoas State, she sees this project as a nest: welcoming, comfortable and productive for birdwatchers and photographers.
Her passion for birdwatching later into this new project, together with her husband, Marcos Holanda.
She is an architect and urban planner; he is a civil engineer. Bird lovers and birdwatching fans, this couple spared no effort to preserve the natural charm of this nature reserve. Steered by ample experience in the construction industry and eco-tourism, they chose this as the perfect place for their own personal nest.
In 2004, Ester and Marcos heeded the call of Mother Nature, gazing over a carpet of flowering cactus and bromeliads where hummingbirds danced in the glow of the setting sun. On a trip searching for slender antbirds (Rhopornis ardesiacus) and ruby-topaz hummingbirds (Chrysolampis mosquitus), these visitors soon realized that this was their spiritual home.
So they decided to care for this magic place.
Like birds themselves, Ester and Marcos spend much of their time in the air: flying between their home in the Alagoas State capital, Maceió, and Boa Nova, where they built the Lajedo dos Beija-Flores hummingbird sanctuary.
Sustainable in physical, social and economic terms, its purpose is to offer a safe and comfortable perch for other birders. Here, they can explore exciting possibilities of spotting new species – many of them extremely rare and endemic – while enjoying exchanges of experiences.
It was back in 2009 that Ester discovered the delights of spotting rare birds in all their colorful variety, while Marcos already knew many of their names. In less than ten years, Ester was already a well-known name in the history of citizen science in Brazil, ranking first in WikiAves – the Portuguese version of Birds Wiki – with 1.450 species photographed in Brazil. |
This is the backstory underpinning the Lajedo dos Beija-Flores hummingbird sanctuary. Here, Ester and Marcos look forward to sharing their life’s work with their guests.
With every detail lovingly crafted, this is the perfect place to exchange expertise and experiences over tiny cups of fragrant Brazilian coffee. From the dawn chorus to dazzling sunsets, its delightful pathways lead to unforgettable memories.
