Well what a day! Up at 0425 to head out birding this morning with one of the guides. Our target bird was the Trinidad piping guan, which had been seen recently up the hill a few kilometres. It sounded like the chances were low, but that there was a good chance of other things. Well it started pretty well with a silhouette of a flying spectacled owl (why didn't I put my headlamp in my pocket!). We spent some time walking the roads, and had an awesome time - four species of woodpecker, black-faced ant-thrush, white-bellied antbird, sooty grassquit, merlin, swallow tanager, grey-throated leaftosser (how's that for a name!) and both guianan and collared trogon. Phew, we had an awesome time. Not a lot of photos, but took a few. There was also a small thrush, that if I had to put any money on would say it was a veery! They have been recorded a few times here, but it would be a mega...
Then back to the centre for lunch and a bit of verandah birding as it rained off and on, before heading out late this afternoon with the same guide and a couple of others. We headed to Aripo Marshes as the rain stopped and did a bit of birding in the light, with peregrine, savannah hawk, and a lifer shorebird - solitary sandpiper - very cool! A few other bits and pieces then dinnner before heading out as the light faded. As the dark came in quickly the fire-flies started to pop out over the fields - what an awesome sight. First stop was to look for a tropical screech owl, and there he was...literally 10ft away and what a little stonker! Pretty much full frame shots! On the way back to the vehicle we picked up a barn owl flying past. We then drove some roads and got great views of paraque (a nightjar), white-tailed nightjar, common potoo and TWO spectacled caiman! Awesome.
Back up to the centre and uploading this with a single malt to celebrate, then to bed...tomorrow is a big day with a trip to the oilbird cave!
PS. some of the photos below were from yesterday and the night walk done last night
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fVN_oqTv4khIBuILMS6Bo8BwYsLyBYx96dWla1dGamEcyI29c59bLKDFleXU4ZUCkzfjVlLFbv5hq7yXEW_f88g6_B16-CwNVoVQwo1_8mVQg7JNUIKRZY0TazpgZJ1wnUUL_yMhwGw/s1600/bstephenson__28K2109.jpg) |
Crested oropendola nests just out from the verandah at Asa Wright, with rain and hills in the background |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38PuLWxf2O266qgseMOVHTblpjDFiYP-Syd-IAdOHm4SHLU_b4ht5QeuRFuU-Ssi8BbOr9eW4uMo1ubeTcZ2_n-vLsR4KgRJtgUPVGouYeSr3-DOhVwwdkQgv8pwXEIkpXBnxhjUVOYg/s1600/bstephenson__28K2144.jpg) |
Harvestman underside - very cool pattern |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFs8sjHlmBIkhCLNvwjQEwU2hshHrekJDbjN-4hk2PXx9KprRb6tfYUf7kZqeuN60vI07yeGDw-hi_3NGwowDK2gIsOR7hOCSGnBWIN-aVPXfJ3y8ddOZk6HAKZB7bzcRwHQKAbR8nH5k/s1600/bstephenson__28K2152.jpg) |
Danielle's hand beside the tarantula |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUZy1OXq61pGru7kJDHOX3QyrOSaRmae1JdmHBjO5amlR2GH48x4rddJhGmn12byRlUj4a4c6kBsc6gITWgIo0rxsuyFdiOtN_MxfimQF0VDh-IPDH-j0HRElHzp5hKW9GAIuxOnJoIs/s1600/bstephenson__28K2164.jpg) |
Small frog calling away |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmvKf1Wn4Aac6YtO3QLpp5CeovHk86jmcZ7fFdEgulg12n1-nIu3GqnmBZTlvrKyPmIBMpToyyr42YnSXORCia0EQRLk493MVHbWO9EzJOz3FH7SUkoqpIF3BaJJyNxx5TwhQtl7r-nV4/s1600/bstephenson__28K2194_(2).jpg) |
Almost looks like a weta! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6dkXQ_EsbiE7rHLF_5syN1YSy9dyb6qVtvJX4S6t-KRgmrpd7STLiiyd8zlPVy6swqDD0MORknLYHR135VeWKukiaxLe5Rs1KJ5BT-HLdjndWHmfdlflhm8A3cIvqxut2i_bn0nYelJg/s1600/bstephenson__28K2202.jpg) |
The tarantula coming out of its pipe...love this shot |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCrrq5N-v8RNlQKlMCzN_boHSihZvO-KyCMY9UFkCkftdrZ1FWjFlfReStexPYjymPjpwJKzKJZ6PPpkh8oENrV-AI4oAtawDpMwsq_b9hsNBEvx9qUMf9sDol1w8IGYwxjej7m2NB9w/s1600/bstephenson__28K2244.jpg) |
This morning - the sooty grassquit singing |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iJqka9ncfsGxNAqG_E1M7UOjvd4josTOaVs0ykxMgC63pvBx4KW0t_sIJq79G-6HId2pXi-WRv_LmVhqUC8GCZ4ohdafmiiTSdF-77QZK-hhe5BEWlbe1UUMAax2vjHH-qKekce-21U/s1600/bstephenson__28K2357.jpg) |
Chestnut woodpecker |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIUYG2RL8Euy09lfdT-bCsJgHwW6aIZI1FJ7JOUGcMKsbdflYGzSvu_CuGiHfwzjjCnjgw4LFUfuDfDHhSWS2W8PuYXgBIWyio-5CQYNQAVCnXYOGW7cNdxfRMJ3VusBQzPnT7pyvYxFY/s1600/bstephenson__28K2380.jpg) |
The sort of forest we were birding in |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Bcjp_0do7dcGHAZPPcKSosNcDxZjTi1cb7B2m-_XHPgVDYWCfh6tuSXDYUveVk-SvyqVqfA4swspHjXVKHbNzLX1rZKpfkxznTUS7KuArJ3RIW8RWdImLV5ftP2LtM8h_DfcPFcoQtc/s1600/bstephenson__28K2486.jpg) |
Back at Asa Wright, palm tanager in the rain |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUP_fXgEGsBocq3uuwzZAH60H5IHUVf2g6Y096Ju99E52WwhqwQir-PKc7GNacrYZ5KllaQYu-Q4pHdmcqMf5fwGwGhqAmXvxRJUQGs3RpYhIlKhFkpDYxbPieG2A_zqw7nrFarK2ojjU/s1600/bstephenson__28K2577.jpg) |
Great kiskadee in the rain |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEh2J0XS8b1tIrXeDSTQemhVE38n9_xmTwfnT4h8VL1S0koW9xgKFTpOTJ59nBZJA5Kq0YhU8oIORepZU8_uKz1rGewo8CZ20C4LvdOz_kW-eEarlxNdnG5TSQuQh-3QS5xaT0wsomwo/s1600/bstephenson__28K2701.jpg) |
Savannah hawk perched low |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9D_r8w1-_84uRgI33ftCwQEbjKDzcubJiB7oVAUtjBmFu0LQpsXizKoQbfZm9rGJrDj_5nX-I_eYGKFUMwC9wF4DT-eoo13lbGX384DQYll5UxiWYPcdz6va7FZICpod1rJnN6u-VSk0/s1600/bstephenson__28K2780.jpg) |
Red-breasted blackbird, male (above) female (below) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0KfkwxjjauywSOQCcxanpanfOCFhIXMC2NNtwfap8ayuniNjaiXjPfCVFSEVXkV-oGKF8l_KwepfVSefg39JIV46cNLC_queEDxiQwkn-kl64M5K2zy2jSq09GQZeXWLG8OaF2I_4Q_U/s1600/bstephenson__28K2887.jpg) |
Solitary sandpiper (there were two though!!??), a lifer for me |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8scYeixHc7G6ICZq4z_yP01Uq4fA6FuYmUrLIalTQBe_8Fqv-8gM9ZzNoJwF9jhCZAtz_WwtD0Kfv2bGqYMYway6WpYCgCkgmk7MNSRHthMFr-6kTEAVS78mQbC4518uT5mXkini64pk/s1600/bstephenson__28K2914_(2).jpg) |
Water buffalo |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPkTIVdx9-uhfDdhwFzv0UML4YtPuQqUy_pYm5k4sUlt1PcJYnD12Ann_vP_d2_x-ik2mNS6Ww0_25QDD8uN8dMzFL22o9SHl9OInPY1bvAf_Q9PETDxEj3yuo5HVJKVIOa9qdffsgFc/s1600/bstephenson__28K2999_(2).jpg) |
Tropical screech owl, needs a little eye work from the flash, but what a cutie! |
from Tokiko
ReplyDeleteyou birding in nice forest. and above male and below female's shoot is wonderful.and owl is really cute ! and very clever.fortune smiled on you.