Explorations of an Ecologist: Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago: Part 5 (Rock View Lodge and surroundings)

Introduction
January 25-27, 2018 - Rupununi savannah, Karanambu Lodge
January 27, 2018 - Karanambu Lodge, boat cruise on the Rupununi River
January 28, 2018 - Rupununi savannah, Rock View Lodge
January 29, 2018 - Rock View Lodge and surroundings
January 30, 2018 - Rock View Lodge, drive to Atta Lodge
January 31, 2018 - First complete day at Atta Lodge
February 1, 2018 - Second complete day at Atta Lodge
February 2, 2018 - Cock-of-the-rock lek, drive to Surama Ecolodge
February 3, 2018 - First complete day at Surama Ecolodge
February 4, 2018 - Second complete day at Surama Ecolodge
February 5 and 6, 2018 - Georgetown Botanical Gardens, Kaieteur Falls
February 7 and 8, 2018 - Tobago: Cuffie River Nature Retreat, Gilpin Trace
February 9, 2018 - Tobago: Little Tobago Island
February 10, 2018 - Trinidad: Caroni Swamp

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January 29, 2018

Our plan the next day was to meet Hendricks at 5:45 for a morning hike into the forested hills. Located only a fifteen minute walk from the lodge, Hendricks had cut a trail to provide access through the wooded terrain. Unfortunately Laura woke up feeling very unwell, with a headache, nausea and an upset stomach. The cause was likely dehydration, instigated by the long walk in the sun during the previous afternoon. She was determined to explore the hills with Hendricks and I, and so she gingerly sipped water while we prepared for the walk.

Orange-backed Troupial - near Rock View Lodge, Guyana

Sightings wise, the walk began excellently and we soon picked up several Finsch's Euphonias and an Orange-backed Troupial (above). Unfortunately for Laura, she was in no condition to hike and so she made the decision to head back to the lodge to rest and re-hydrate. Poor girl!

Hendricks and I pressed on and spent the next hour and a half exploring the Uncle Dennis Trail, named after Dennis Franscipio who had helped establish Rock View Lodge with Colin. This trail cut through a forested hillside and was complete with several lookout points. Despite the time of year, birdsong was very much in evidence and we picked up a few new ones, including Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, Black-tailed Tityra, White-browed Antbird, Sooty-capped Hermit and a heard-only Green-backed Trogon that just wouldn't show itself. Several viewpoints along the way provided sweeping panoramas of the landscape.

View from the Uncle Dennis Trail, near Rock View Lodge, Guyana

Several raptors were taking advantage of the morning thermals rising up along the side of the hill, including this White-tailed Hawk.

White-tailed Hawk - Uncle Dennis Trail, near Rock View Lodge, Guyana

Concluding our walk, we returned back to the lodge for breakfast as the heat of the day began to set in. Laura had been drinking water all morning and was feeling a little bit better but she wanted to take it easy for the rest of the day, understandably! We spent some time sitting by the pool and watching the various lava lizards perched on nearby rocks.

Peters' Lava Lizard (Tropidurus hispidus) - Rock View Lodge, Guyana

Some rustling in a bamboo revealed a Weeping Capuchin keeping an eye on us. Colin later mentioned that this capuchin arrived on his own several years ago and has never left, spending his days feasting on the wide variety of fruits grown at Rock View. Colin had named him Piccolo and he was a daily presence around the lodge.

Piccolo the Weeping Capuchin - Rock View Lodge, Guyana (photo by Laura Bond)

During the hot hours of the day we passed the time by relaxing and watching the birds on the property.

Burnished-buff Tanager - Rock View Lodge, Guyana

Yellow-headed Caracara - Rock View Lodge, Guyana

White-tipped Dove - Rock View Lodge, Guyana

Yellow Oriole - Rock View Lodge, Guyana

Around mid-afternoon one of the ladies working at Rock View gave us a demonstration on how they roast cashews. I have to say the resulting roasted cashews were absolutely amazing...

Cashew roasting - Rock View Lodge, Guyana

At 4:00 PM I met back up with Hendricks for an afternoon/evening hike on the savannah. Laura wasn't quite 100% yet and decided that the prudent course of action would be to sit this one out.

Burnished-buff Tanager - savannah near Rock View Lodge, Guyana

Our main quarry was Double-striped Thick-Knee once again. We completed a different circuit than the one we had walked the previous evening, but for the second day in a row the thick-knees stayed out of sight. Our first Red-and-Green Macaws of the trip were heard vocalizing from somewhere unseen, their incredibly far-carrying squawks almost terrifying. Eventually the pair came into view and flew nearly directly overhead.

Red-and-green Macaws - savannah near Rock View Lodge, Guyana

Several White-winged Swallows were perching on fence posts in one area, allowing me to take a few photos from close range.

White-winged Swallow - savannah near Rock View Lodge, Guyana

The biggest highlight of the walk for me was coming across two Toco Toucans as afternoon turned to evening. In recent years Toco Toucans have began to appear in Annai and the vicinity and they are now almost a daily feature at Rock View. While this species is widespread in the southern Amazon basin it is not observed by too many birders visiting Guyana.

Another highlight was my first ever spider monkey, a Guiana Spider Monkey, in some trees on our walk back to the lodge. We also saw our first Gray and Plumbeous Seedeaters, Eastern Meadowlarks and Bat Falcon of the trip.

Plumbeous Seedeater - savannah near Rock View Lodge, Guyana

Eastern Meadowlark - savannah near Rock View Lodge, Guyana

We returned to the lodge around dusk and I was happy to see that Laura was feeling a little better, though she still had a ways to go. She had enjoyed her afternoon by sitting outside and journaling, while also observing Piccolo doing his thing. He was quite inquisitive and Laura was sure that if we had more time at the lodge that she would be able to befriend him! We enjoyed another excellent meal, though Laura's stomach could only handle some of the soup and rice. We turned in for bed around 9:00 PM once again. After long days in the Guyana sun it was becoming easier and easier to fall asleep by 9 or so.

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Monday 6 August 2018

Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago: Part 5 (Rock View Lodge and surroundings)

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