Anne and I arrived at the Crooked Tree Lodge mid-afternoon yesterday, and the sights have been fantastic. If you read this blog, and I hope you do, then you know that Anne has taken me to some wonderful places, and I have had the good fortune to see plenty of amazing creatures, but I have not yet seen anything quite like this.
I can’t remember if it was Anne or I who first spotted a large-ish black bird near the top of a big, but not too tall, tree, but once I knew it was there, I got right to work trying to capture an image. The foliage on the tree was pretty thick, however, so I was not having much luck. Worse, the bird finally tired of me and bolted. My heart sank, but not for long. The bird only flew across the driveway and settled onto the bare branch of a fallen tree barely above eye level. Perfect!
Then things got really crazy. It turns out that the first tree was full of these birds, and they all followed the first. Even better, they appear to really like perching together unlike any wild bird I have ever seen. Even pigeons on the Port Washington Road bridge in the middle of winter don’t bunch up this tightly.
It turns out that these precious creatures are groove-billed anis (Crotophaga sulcirostris), and I saw their cousins, the greater ani and the smooth-billed ani, in Brazil, but they sure didn’t act like this. What a treat!
One surprise on this trip, among many, is that I have seen few, if any, sparrows and finches. Not even house sparrows. Thus, I was very excited to see this next bird, a Morelet’s seedeater (Sporophila morelleti). It turns out that there is an entire genus of these so-called “seedeaters”, and it “contains 41 species.” Wow!
I first saw this next species of bird back in 2017, but I’ve never managed to capture an image until now. Say “hello” to my very first roadside hawk (Rupornis magnirostris), and “yes,” that is its official common name.
Similarly, I first glimpsed a vermilion flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) in Big Bend National Park, but they have eluded my camera until today. This little beauty not only relented this morning, but it posed magnificently. What a stunner, eh?
Not all the miracles came in feathers today, and here’s a brown basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus), which is nicknamed the “Jesus Christ lizard” for its ability to run across the surface of water. I had the good fortune to see that feat today.
Finally, the place is just hopping with butterflies, and here’s a darling little (Juditha caucana), who may have the common name “Caucana metalmark”.
Tomorrow, we say our final goodbyes to Belize and Guatemala and start our journey home. See you soon.
Signs of Life in Estabrook Park 