After our soaking of yesterday we decided to try a trail in
the opposite direction in the hope that the rains wouldn’t follow us.
Once again the 4X4 truck was our transport. As we passed through Matumbo Village and
moved into the open countryside a Burrowing Owl was spotted on a branch next to
the track. As the photographers snapped
away, we noticed a second bird further back which was well camouflaged against
the bark.
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| Burrowing Owl |
Three White-eared Puffbird were sitting on a telegraph wire
nearby, a group of Saffron Finch gathered further away. Blue-black Grassquit bobbed about in the
long grass on the bank of the track.
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| Yellow Butterfly |
Once we started our walk, Surucua Trogon was our first
sighting, and we eventually had three birds flying around us giving excellent
views. Green-headed Tanager,
Chestnut-crowned Becard, Boat-billed Flycatcher and Plain Parakeet all
appeared. Crescent-chested Puffbird sat
beautifully for us in a rather dark spot, then
appeared to oblige further by
moving into a great
spot with the dark leaves behind it showing off the plumage
to perfection. A Squirrel Cuckoo perched
in a tree to the side of the trail.
White-eyed Parakeet flew overhead, and Streaked Xenops showed itself briefly
to some. A Tropical Pewee caught flies
from a nearby perch. Unicoloured Antwren shot past us, whilst
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher gave lengthier views.
Green-headed Tanager, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Violaceous Euphonia,
Golden-crowned Warbler and Yellow-Olive Flycatcher arrived in a mixed
flock. A Saw-billed Hermit buzzed around
several times but gave the scantiest of views.
An order had been put in for woodpeckers and our first of
the trip was a Yellow-throated Woodpecker, closely followed by Yellow-fronted
and later by Yellow-eared – with the REGUA guides you only have to ask . . .
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| Frog |
Grayish Mourner, Black-capped Becard, Red-crowned
Ant-tanager and Thrush-like Woodcreeper were next, as we continued to the
higher part of the track. In the clearing near the top of the trail Green-backed
Becard, Cliff Flycatcher and Bananaquit were seen. Two Ferruginous Pygmy Owls responded to
Adilei’s call. Streak-capped Antwren
showed briefly, a pair of Grey-rumped Swift flew overhead. Rufous-bellied Thrush was our final addition
on this part of the trail.
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| Birding in the Rain |
As rain fell yet again we descended back to the village. Limpkin perched in a tree looking
suspiciously like a branch, and proving hard to spot initially. Laughing Falcon and Cocoi Heron shared a tree
nearby. As we watched Yellow-headed Caracara in the
field, John spotted a couple of caracara
on the ground and gave directions to them via a nearby cow, however as the four-legged beast was a horse, endless ribbing begain which continued for
the rest of the trip, creating much mirth!
After lunch and for the rest of the day the rain fell
persistently, so we had no option but to relax at the lodge and catch up on our
birdlists and a few Zzzzzzzzzz’s – it’s a hard life!
