Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed

Sometimes I look up high and then I think there might
just be a better life!

 Away from all we know, that's where I long to go,
out on the wild side.
and I wish I was, o-oo-o-oh, a Wild West Hero.

Hi, I'm back - Did you miss me?

It's been a while since when some serious 'birding' has taken place, an array of weird and wonderful birds have been recorded among the most pristine Rain Forest I have ever seen. It is going to be a game of 'catch-up' over the next few days but that will offer a chance to take things easy until moving on! Our first destination was the Savanna at POWAKA which is effectively the airport perimeter fence, where the first birds encountered, were WHITE-TAILED NIGHTJAR and

 LESSER NIGHTHAWK.

Neither were 'lifers' but considered to be an excellent start to the trip.

 As the sun peeked over the horizon, EASTERN MEADOWLARK were singing everywhere

 

 as OTTE, my guide, introduced me to this small stand of marsh plants full of promise. Mostly Hummingbirds, these included

 

 GLITTERING-THROATED EMERALD

 GREEN-THROATED MANGO

 and the delightful

 

 GREEN-TAILED GOLDENTHROAT

 BLACK-FACED TANAGER was the third 'lifer' in the book in quick succession,

 followed by another look at SILVER-BEAKED TANAGER

 RUFOUS-CROWNED ELAENIA proved difficult to capture on camera

 as did a female SAFFRON-CRESTED TYRANT-MANAKIN, the male didn't even show!

 Both male and

 female WHITE-HEADED MARSH TYRANT showed well but it was time to move.

 Via this colony of

 SCARLET-RUMPED CACIQUE

 a tree full of SWALLOW-WINGED PUFFBIRD

 

 and this beautiful LIZARD

 we arrived at this Indian Village I never did get the name of.

 Through the trees and over

 none too safe bridge we arrived at

 

 this Indian Cemetery, some graves dating back to the early 1700's.

 Strange Fruits hung in the trees as a

 SWALLOW-TAILED KITE passed overhead and a 

WHITE-WINGED SWALLOW languished on a wire.

 A none too obliging BUFF-THROATED WOODCREEPER was the next addition to the Word List as our

 

 'target bird', PARADISE JACAMAR flew around the tree tops.

 

 BUTTERFLY

 About 200 miles directly south of Paramaribo lies the

totally unspoiled BROWNSBERG NATURE RESERVE.

 ROCKY is to be our host here for the next 6 days.

Some of the views, of pristine Rain Forest, from various vantage points.

One of 200,000 MOTHS hereabouts.

The 'Day List' includes all species new to the Suriname List

* = new to the Trip List and 'Lifers are in RED.

WHITE-TAILED NIGHTJAR*, LESSER NIGHTHAWK, PLAIN-CRESTED ELAENIA, EASTERN MEADOWLARK*, BLACK-FACED TANAGER, LESSER ELAENIA, BURROWING OWL, STRIATED HERON, CRESTED OROPENDOLA, SOUTHER ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, WHITE-WINGED SWALLOW, FORK-TAILED PALM SWIFT, GRASSLAND SPARROW*, GLITTERING-THROATED EMERALD, GREEN-TAILED GOLDENTHROAT, GREEN-THROATED MANGO, PALE-BREASTED SPINETAIL*, BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT, GREYISH SALTATOR, SILVER-BEAKED TANAGER, BARRED ANTSHRIKE, RED-SHOULDERED MACAW, BOAT-BILLED FLYCATCHER, GOLDEN-WINGED PARAKEET, PIRATIC FLYCATCHER, WHITE-BREASTED WREN, SQUIRREL CUCKOO, SCARLET-RUMPED CACIQUE, YELLOW-RUMPED CACIQUE, PALE-VENTED PIGEON, RUFOUS-CROWNED ELAENIA, SAFFRON-CRESTED TYRANT MANAKIN, BLACK MANAKIN, FORK-TAILED WOODNYMPH, YELLOW-CROWNED TYRANNULET, BRONZY JACAMAR, CHESTNUT-BELLIED SEEDEATER, WHITE-HEADED MARSH TYRANT, PARADISE JACAMAR, PYGMY ANTWREN, RED-BELLIED MACAW, SWALLOW-WINGED PUFFBIRD, VARIAGATED TINAMOU,  GREAT TINAMOU*, SWALLOW-TAILED KITE*, PLUMBEOUS KITE*, GREY-WINGED TRUMPETER,  WHITE-TIPPED DOVE, BLUE-HEADED PARROT, WHITE-TAILED TROGON, BLACK-TAILED TROGON, GREY KINGBIRD, BRIGHT-RUMPED ATTILA, BUFF-THROATED WOODCREEPER, WAVED WOODPECKER, WHITE-NECKED THRUSH*, BAND-RUMPED SWIFT*, GGREY ANTBIRD, FERUGINOUS-BACKED ANTBIRD, THRUSH-LIKE ANTPITTA, VERMICULATED SCREECH OWL, RUSSET-CROWNED CRAKE, ASHY-THROATED CRAKE, BLACK-FACED ANT-THRUSH*, RED-SHOULDERED TANAGER*, ORANGE-WINGED PARROT.