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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I was still strapping on my camera when Manny called over that he had one! I rushed over and over the next few minutes had good views of the little yellow flycatcher as it flitted through the grasses. It was very skulky and difficult to stay on or approach closely. Photos were a near impossibility and a few out of focus frames were all that I could manage.
Time was of the essence this morning. Not only were we racing the mid-morning sun which would shut down a lot of the bird activity, but we also had to leave Karanambu well before lunchtime to make our transfer to the next lodge, Rock View. I would have loved to stay with the doraditos but we had a few more places to explore.
We headed back towards Karanambu and stopped at some of the wetlands. Storks of all three species were seen, including a group of Wood Storks (above), and several Maguari Storks (below).
Muscovy Duck is the only common waterfowl species in this part of Guyana, but the species can be downright abundant in the right habitat. We counted around 60 in one wetland. Of course all individuals were black with white wing patches, as opposed to the motley colours present on many farmed and domesticated Muscovy Ducks that are common back home.
We searched one wetland for our other main target species, the Bearded Tachuri. This small flycatcher specializes in finding habitat around the fringes of savannah wetlands and this was a place where Manny had seen them before. This part of the savannah had been burned recently and much of the vegetation next to the wetland had been razed to the ground, driving the Bearded Tachuris away temporarily. While none appeared, a White-headed Marsh-Tyrant allowed my close approach for photos.
We admitted defeat and continued back along the dirt tracks. Passing another wetland, a lumpy brown shape materialized in the sparse grasses. A Pinnated Bittern! Manny stopped the truck and I fired a few photos out of the window just as the bird flushed. While this species also has a relatively large range throughout Central and South America, it is often found in low numbers, and its secretive habits ensure that it is rarely seen. Many facets of its natural history remain little-known.
The temperatures had increased while the resulting wind also made birding a little more difficult, as we arrived at one last wetland to check. Manny was not feeling too great at this point so he lay the seat back in the truck while I went off in search of the tachuri. I found some nice looking habitat around the edge of the wetland and soon spotted a small, tawny flycatcher sitting quietly in a bush. A touch of playback on my bluetooth speaker was enough to draw a pair of the charismatic birds to only a few feet away.
The Bearded Tachuri is patchily distributed in South America, with several populations having been extirpated. Currently the savannahs of the Guianan shield including the Rupununi are one of the strongholds of this Near-Threatened species. It can also be found in southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, though it is general scarce in these areas, and it also appears as an austral migrant to central-east Argentina.
I found another pair of Bearded Tachuris as I continued around the pond, eventually ending up at the dirt track where it was easy walking back to the truck. Manny, despite looking quite under the weather, was thrilled with my success. It had been an excellent morning in the savannah all thanks to Manny, who was willing to transport me around at the early hour despite feeling not well. Thank you!
Laura, meanwhile, also had an extremely enjoyable morning out on the river. They had taken the boat the other way down the river and enjoyed the peace and serenity of the area. They saw many of the same bird species from the previous day's trip, but in addition Laura noted Crane Hawk, Gray-necked Wood-Rail and Roadside Hawk (I was quite proud of her birding abilities!). They explored a small tributary off the river where the forest closed in around them, then docked the boat and walked through the forest to a different oxbow pond. Arapaima, among the world's largest freshwater fish, were seen and heard splashing, while caimans, kingfishers and herons were everywhere. A flock of 40-50 Anhingas cruised silently overhead. A check of an otter den failed to turn any up, but on the boat ride back to the lodge they found a youngster playing in the reeds.
After breakfast we loaded into the pickup with Manny, Patty and Juha for a rough ride to our next lodge - Rock View, located near the town of Annai. Originally the plan had been to take the boat down the river to Ginep Landing, where we would meet our transport to Rock View, but the low water levels prevented that from happening. Unfortunately. Laura had a tough time dealing with the rough roads, despite taking Gravol. Finally we reached Ginep Landing, said goodbye to Patty and Manny, and hopped in the minibus that was waiting to transfer Laura, Juha and I to Rock View. We were now back on the "highway", but the gravel road with massive potholes did not provide any relief to Laura. The town of Annai couldn't come soon enough. It was a relief when we finally arrived at Rock View (#3 on the map, below) where our host, Colin, was waiting with a big smile on his face.
Rock View is an interesting place that Colin, an Englishmen, had built from the ground up. While formerly the grounds were open savannah, Colin had turned the place into an oasis complete with hundreds of species of trees and flowering plants. It had become a haven for wildlife taking advantage of the lush environs.
It was great to meet Colin as well, since he (along with some of his staff) had helped arrange the trip for me. Nearly everyone who travels to Guyana on their own organizes everything through a company called Wilderness Explorers. They have corned the market of ecotourism in Guyana, and their website is always the first that comes up during any Google search. They also charge a ridiculous amount so I was content to book through one of the local lodges. Coordinating transport and accommodations in Guyana is not an easy thing to do on your own and I was more than happy to let Colin and his staff figure out the details for me. The total cost of our trip was around 60% of what it would have been, had I booked through Wilderness Explorers.
We enjoyed a delicious lunch with Juha and Colin, while Glittering-throated Emeralds stole nectar from the hummingbird feeder, a pair of Common Tody-Flycachers chased each other around in the flowering bushes, and Pale-breasted Thrushes lurked, mostly in the shadows. Juha was not staying for the night, as he was just here for lunch before getting picked up and taken to Rewa Ecolodge. It wouldn't be the last we would see of him, however!
After lunch we met Hendricks, a local Macushi who grew up in the nearby village of Annai, and who had been working for Colin for a number of years. Hendricks would be our guide and we would have him all to ourselves - in fact we were the only ones staying at Rock View Lodge. Even during the high season, few people visit Guyana. Throughout the entire trip, we shared the various lodges with between only 0 and 4 people.
Hendricks, Laura and I took a quick tour of the grounds after lunch. Everything was green and luscious and it almost felt like we were in a botanical garden. There was even a swimming pool, though it too was very green. We climbed up steps carved into a large rock which led to a view of the airstrip and savannah sprawling in all directions, and enjoyed checking out the various Peters' Lava Lizards that were a prominent feature at the lodge. The afternoon was hot and sticky and few birds were seen, so we took a siesta for an hour or two.
Laura and I met Hendricks at 3:30 PM and after some tea and cookies we headed out on foot to explore the savannah. Rock View Lodge is located on the outskirts of the village of Annai, giving a much different feel to the area when compared to the relatively isolated Karanambu Lodge we had just stayed at. Structures dotted the horizon and we passed several locals on bikes or on foot as explored the tracks that criss-crossed the area. That being said, there were still several bird species that I was hoping to connect with at Rock View, either because we missed them at Karanambu, or because they are simply easier to come across at Rock View. These included Toco Toucan, Finsch's Euphonia, Burrowing Owl, Red-and-green Macaw, Double-striped Thick-Knee, Orange-backed Troupial and several others.
The open savannah was still hot and humid as we departed the lodge on foot, but the sun was slowly inching lower in the sky, promising some relief as time passed by. Hendricks took us to a few locations where he sometimes sees Double-striped Thick-Knees, though despite lots of scanning we couldn't turn any up. We also struck out on Burrowing Owls. An area with a network of burrows was devoid of any owls. It appeared that the burrows had been destroyed; Hendricks theorized that perhaps the kids living in the nearby house may have been responsible.
Several Vermilion Flycatchers and Fork-tailed Flycatchers were easily found in the savannah. While a common sight in Guyana, it was still exciting to come across these species. Perhaps my brain was still in "Ontario-mode", where both flycatchers are rare vagrants.
Two Grassland Sparrows provided nice views alongside the path we were venturing on, while we also flushed a few Yellowish Pipits - my first.
Certainly the highlight of the walk occurred about half an hour before sunset. While we walked and periodically scanned for Double-striped Thick-Knees, Laura had her attention trained on the ground in case any slitherers happened on by. Suddenly she exclaimed "snake!" and we looked down to see this beautiful Lined Ground Snake (Lycopus lineatus).
We were thrilled with our inaugural snake of the trip, especially since a few days had already gone by without any snakes gracing us with their presence. The monkey was off our backs!
Eventually we circled back and made our to the lodge as the sun set behind us. Buff-necked Ibises roost in the palms at Rock View Lodge and two were feeding next to the airstrip as we arrived back.
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
January 28, 2018
Part of the appeal that the Rupununi savannah held for me were a number of bird species that can be difficult to see elsewhere in northern South America. Chief among these were two species of flycatchers: the Bearded Tachuri and Crested Doradito, both small, brownish flycatchers that are found in very specific open habitats. The Crested Doradito is particularly difficult to see in the northern part of their range. Colonies can be quite ephemeral, and overall the species is generally uncommon in the context of the greater savannah landscapes. I inquired with Manny about the possibilities of looking for these species and I was in luck - he had spots for both.
Laura was interested in going for another cruise on the river so we decided to split up for the morning. I would join Manny in the truck in search of target birds, while Laura would join the others on another boat cruise.
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| Roadside wetland - Rupununi savannah near Karanambu Lodge, Guyana |
The Rupununi is more than just endless grassland. Wetlands large and small dot the landscape and provide crucial habitat for many species. As we bounded along scarcely-visible dirt tracks cut through the open landscape to reach the doradito spot, I marveled at the avian life visible in some of the wetlands which we would check on the way back. Storks, Muscovy Ducks, Limpkins and various wading birds were just some of the birds easily seen.
While en route to the doradito location we passed our first Buff-necked Ibises feeding in a field. Such strange looking birds, and one I was hoping to study at a later point in the trip. Eventually we reached a wet depression of sorts, with different vegetation growing in the damper environment, though it barely stood out from the rest of the landscape. This, apparently, was the home of the doraditos!
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| Crested Doradito habitat - Rupununi savannah near Karanambu Lodge, Guyana |
I was still strapping on my camera when Manny called over that he had one! I rushed over and over the next few minutes had good views of the little yellow flycatcher as it flitted through the grasses. It was very skulky and difficult to stay on or approach closely. Photos were a near impossibility and a few out of focus frames were all that I could manage.
 |
| Crested Doradito - Rupununi savannah near Karanambu Lodge, Guyana |
Time was of the essence this morning. Not only were we racing the mid-morning sun which would shut down a lot of the bird activity, but we also had to leave Karanambu well before lunchtime to make our transfer to the next lodge, Rock View. I would have loved to stay with the doraditos but we had a few more places to explore.
 |
| Wood Storks - Rupununi savannah near Karanambu Lodge, Guyana |
We headed back towards Karanambu and stopped at some of the wetlands. Storks of all three species were seen, including a group of Wood Storks (above), and several Maguari Storks (below).
 |
| Maguari Stork - Rupununi savannah near Karanambu Lodge, Guyana |
Muscovy Duck is the only common waterfowl species in this part of Guyana, but the species can be downright abundant in the right habitat. We counted around 60 in one wetland. Of course all individuals were black with white wing patches, as opposed to the motley colours present on many farmed and domesticated Muscovy Ducks that are common back home.
 |
| Muscovy Ducks - Rupununi savannah near Karanambu Lodge, Guyana |
We searched one wetland for our other main target species, the Bearded Tachuri. This small flycatcher specializes in finding habitat around the fringes of savannah wetlands and this was a place where Manny had seen them before. This part of the savannah had been burned recently and much of the vegetation next to the wetland had been razed to the ground, driving the Bearded Tachuris away temporarily. While none appeared, a White-headed Marsh-Tyrant allowed my close approach for photos.
 |
| White-headed Marsh-Tyrant - Rupununi savannah near Karanambu Lodge, Guyana |
We admitted defeat and continued back along the dirt tracks. Passing another wetland, a lumpy brown shape materialized in the sparse grasses. A Pinnated Bittern! Manny stopped the truck and I fired a few photos out of the window just as the bird flushed. While this species also has a relatively large range throughout Central and South America, it is often found in low numbers, and its secretive habits ensure that it is rarely seen. Many facets of its natural history remain little-known.
 |
| Pinnated Bittern - Rupununi savannah near Karanambu Lodge, Guyana |
The temperatures had increased while the resulting wind also made birding a little more difficult, as we arrived at one last wetland to check. Manny was not feeling too great at this point so he lay the seat back in the truck while I went off in search of the tachuri. I found some nice looking habitat around the edge of the wetland and soon spotted a small, tawny flycatcher sitting quietly in a bush. A touch of playback on my bluetooth speaker was enough to draw a pair of the charismatic birds to only a few feet away.
 |
| Bearded Tachuri - Rupununi savannah near Karanambu Lodge, Guyana |
The Bearded Tachuri is patchily distributed in South America, with several populations having been extirpated. Currently the savannahs of the Guianan shield including the Rupununi are one of the strongholds of this Near-Threatened species. It can also be found in southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, though it is general scarce in these areas, and it also appears as an austral migrant to central-east Argentina.
 |
| Bearded Tachuri - Rupununi savannah near Karanambu Lodge, Guyana |
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| Bearded Tachuri - Rupununi savannah near Karanambu Lodge, Guyana |
I found another pair of Bearded Tachuris as I continued around the pond, eventually ending up at the dirt track where it was easy walking back to the truck. Manny, despite looking quite under the weather, was thrilled with my success. It had been an excellent morning in the savannah all thanks to Manny, who was willing to transport me around at the early hour despite feeling not well. Thank you!
Laura, meanwhile, also had an extremely enjoyable morning out on the river. They had taken the boat the other way down the river and enjoyed the peace and serenity of the area. They saw many of the same bird species from the previous day's trip, but in addition Laura noted Crane Hawk, Gray-necked Wood-Rail and Roadside Hawk (I was quite proud of her birding abilities!). They explored a small tributary off the river where the forest closed in around them, then docked the boat and walked through the forest to a different oxbow pond. Arapaima, among the world's largest freshwater fish, were seen and heard splashing, while caimans, kingfishers and herons were everywhere. A flock of 40-50 Anhingas cruised silently overhead. A check of an otter den failed to turn any up, but on the boat ride back to the lodge they found a youngster playing in the reeds.
 |
| Rupununi River, Guyana (photo by Laura Bond) |
After breakfast we loaded into the pickup with Manny, Patty and Juha for a rough ride to our next lodge - Rock View, located near the town of Annai. Originally the plan had been to take the boat down the river to Ginep Landing, where we would meet our transport to Rock View, but the low water levels prevented that from happening. Unfortunately. Laura had a tough time dealing with the rough roads, despite taking Gravol. Finally we reached Ginep Landing, said goodbye to Patty and Manny, and hopped in the minibus that was waiting to transfer Laura, Juha and I to Rock View. We were now back on the "highway", but the gravel road with massive potholes did not provide any relief to Laura. The town of Annai couldn't come soon enough. It was a relief when we finally arrived at Rock View (#3 on the map, below) where our host, Colin, was waiting with a big smile on his face.
Rock View is an interesting place that Colin, an Englishmen, had built from the ground up. While formerly the grounds were open savannah, Colin had turned the place into an oasis complete with hundreds of species of trees and flowering plants. It had become a haven for wildlife taking advantage of the lush environs.
 |
| Rock View Lodge, Guyana (photo by Laura Bond) |
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| Rock View Lodge, Guyana (photo by Laura Bond) |
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| Rock View Lodge, Guyana (photo by Laura Bond) |
We enjoyed a delicious lunch with Juha and Colin, while Glittering-throated Emeralds stole nectar from the hummingbird feeder, a pair of Common Tody-Flycachers chased each other around in the flowering bushes, and Pale-breasted Thrushes lurked, mostly in the shadows. Juha was not staying for the night, as he was just here for lunch before getting picked up and taken to Rewa Ecolodge. It wouldn't be the last we would see of him, however!
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| Pale-breasted Thrush - Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
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| Pale-breasted Thrush - Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
After lunch we met Hendricks, a local Macushi who grew up in the nearby village of Annai, and who had been working for Colin for a number of years. Hendricks would be our guide and we would have him all to ourselves - in fact we were the only ones staying at Rock View Lodge. Even during the high season, few people visit Guyana. Throughout the entire trip, we shared the various lodges with between only 0 and 4 people.
Hendricks, Laura and I took a quick tour of the grounds after lunch. Everything was green and luscious and it almost felt like we were in a botanical garden. There was even a swimming pool, though it too was very green. We climbed up steps carved into a large rock which led to a view of the airstrip and savannah sprawling in all directions, and enjoyed checking out the various Peters' Lava Lizards that were a prominent feature at the lodge. The afternoon was hot and sticky and few birds were seen, so we took a siesta for an hour or two.
 |
| Peters' Lava Lizard (Tropidurus hispidus) - Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
Laura and I met Hendricks at 3:30 PM and after some tea and cookies we headed out on foot to explore the savannah. Rock View Lodge is located on the outskirts of the village of Annai, giving a much different feel to the area when compared to the relatively isolated Karanambu Lodge we had just stayed at. Structures dotted the horizon and we passed several locals on bikes or on foot as explored the tracks that criss-crossed the area. That being said, there were still several bird species that I was hoping to connect with at Rock View, either because we missed them at Karanambu, or because they are simply easier to come across at Rock View. These included Toco Toucan, Finsch's Euphonia, Burrowing Owl, Red-and-green Macaw, Double-striped Thick-Knee, Orange-backed Troupial and several others.
 |
| Savannah near Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
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| Laura exploring the savannah - Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
The open savannah was still hot and humid as we departed the lodge on foot, but the sun was slowly inching lower in the sky, promising some relief as time passed by. Hendricks took us to a few locations where he sometimes sees Double-striped Thick-Knees, though despite lots of scanning we couldn't turn any up. We also struck out on Burrowing Owls. An area with a network of burrows was devoid of any owls. It appeared that the burrows had been destroyed; Hendricks theorized that perhaps the kids living in the nearby house may have been responsible.
 |
| Hendricks surveying the savannah - Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
 |
| Ruddy-breasted Seedeaters - Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
Several Vermilion Flycatchers and Fork-tailed Flycatchers were easily found in the savannah. While a common sight in Guyana, it was still exciting to come across these species. Perhaps my brain was still in "Ontario-mode", where both flycatchers are rare vagrants.
 |
| Vermilion and Fork-tailed Flycatchers - savannah near Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
Two Grassland Sparrows provided nice views alongside the path we were venturing on, while we also flushed a few Yellowish Pipits - my first.
 |
| Grassland Sparrow - savannah near Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
Certainly the highlight of the walk occurred about half an hour before sunset. While we walked and periodically scanned for Double-striped Thick-Knees, Laura had her attention trained on the ground in case any slitherers happened on by. Suddenly she exclaimed "snake!" and we looked down to see this beautiful Lined Ground Snake (Lycopus lineatus).
 |
| Lined Ground Snake (Lygophus lineatus) - savannah near Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
We were thrilled with our inaugural snake of the trip, especially since a few days had already gone by without any snakes gracing us with their presence. The monkey was off our backs!
 |
| Laura with the Lined Ground Snake - savannah near Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
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| Josh with the Lined Ground Snake - savannah near Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
Eventually we circled back and made our to the lodge as the sun set behind us. Buff-necked Ibises roost in the palms at Rock View Lodge and two were feeding next to the airstrip as we arrived back.
 |
| Buff-necked Ibis - airstrip near Rock View Lodge, Guyana |
Upon our return we enjoyed an excellent meal in the open-air dining loft at Rock View Lodge with Colin, complete with several stiff drinks fashioned from rum, lime juice and an aromatic bitter. By 9:00 PM we were in bed, exhausted after the long day and hours spent in the sun.
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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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