The Ebb and Flow

“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”  J.R.R. Tolkien , Lord Of The Rings

Our trek would continue.  After much hiking, I explained to my friend that she would enjoy this next birding venture.  A trek down the Río Dulce.

Masked Tityra-lifebird

We hiked for many days in the heat and humidity.  Our bodies needed a break, but I also needed to continue finding birds.  Everyday, the area hostels offered treks from the town of Río Dulce to the town of Livingston by boat for about 25 US dollars. It's a beautiful ride down this river.

Put a bird on it!  In this case a Great Egret:)

With the breeze on our backs, we navigated around the river picking up people from their  huts.  Many of the places were tucked away on the side of the river hidden by beautiful vegetation. We were so tired that at one point on this boat ride, I almost fell asleep but an Osprey or Tern would fly by quickly awakening me.

It was still fun to find birds that I had already seen like the Osprey, Cattle Egrets, Neotropic Cormorants or Royal Terns in the area.  It was a game.  How many species could I find from sitting in my boat?  

Brown Pelican-I have never seen one in its breeding plumage!

 This river led to the Caribbean Sea and it was this particular habitat I needed in order to find all of these species.  For my friend Lynda, it was an introduction to the Garifuna people of Livingston.  It is a secluded town surrounded by rain forest.  For me, it was retracing my steps on this river once again as I had in the past.....searching for birds.

The iconic men in their wooden canoes were still there fishing in the great waters, but there were also Magnificent Frigatebirds flying over our heads this time. I had finally hoped to add this species on the Guatemala list for the year.  This time around I was able to watch them in flight and notice their various molts.  Some were all black while others were black with white.

Magnificent Frigatebird

 Meanwhile we passed many homes built on this river. The only access was by boat.

Along the shores, I added the Northern Jacana(below) to my Guatemala list.  It wasn't a lifebird, but it certainly was my first time really looking at the bird.  Before, I had taken its presence for granted.  The Jacanas are an interesting group of birds.....especially the Wattled!

Northern Jacana

 I told the Captain that I was counting birds on the river.  The older gentleman smiled and understood the purpose of my visit.  He told his navigator to make sure we stopped by "Bird Island".  And he had my instant respect. Most of the time, the tourists were thrown in a bus and taken to and from their destinations without any considerations.  It is rather common in Guatemala to have rough rides anywhere you go, especially if you're a traveler looking to save some money.  So be aware.....

We stopped near "Bird Island" and my heart melted at the sight of this Groove-billed Ani. They are such unusual looking birds and this particular one reminded me of my cat at home.  I love how it perches on the branch!  Cassie, our cat, puts her paw down the same way the Ani puts the wing down. Plus this has to be one of my favorite birds:)

Groove-billed Ani

 The trip also added another lifebird to my list....the Pale-vented Pigeon!

Pale-vented Pigeon-lifebird

So remember to put those lazy birding days in between the difficult ones to let your body rest.  It can be very draining.  This was a perfect way to bird and relax at the same time.  My friend said to me that it was a vacation and indeed it was, but time was ticking and I only got one shot to find birds here.  It wasn't like back home where I'd be able to go back the next day if I dipped on a bird. On this day, I'd pick up two new lifebirds and 20 new birds for my Guatemala list.

Royal Terns

On the way back, I closed my eyes and slept to the rhythm of the boat bouncing gently on the river.  

Prologue-A Paraque's Dream

As promised, I begin my journals today on Guatemala.  This blog post is about getting ready for these big trips.  They always start with an idea. Then they are followed by a financial plan.  Doubt and anxiety are followed.  Most of us call this a vacation.  For me, it's escaping into a new world full of unknowns.  I find that the older I get, the more anxious I become about those unknowns.  I've been on enough of these trips to prepare for those feelings.  And yet.......

Sun rising over the Avocado farms

I fall in between the lines of young and old. Many times on these trips, I'll come across the younglings who have just graduated from high school or are in the middle of college.  It's grand being a young person.  You know everything and everything is soooooo.....you know......cool!  It's like......spiritual.  To prepare for these "free spirited" people, I now try to remove myself from the kinds of places they stay. It doesn't always work. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not antisocial.  But I've been there and done that in my life.  Sadly, for many young people, it's their last big international party before settling down, getting married and having kids.  They have opinions about everything and of course will list off all the places they've traveled in this world to make themselves appear much more intelligent.  Later at night, they will drink lots, speak loudly, and have plenty of free love.  This is the way of the dirty hostels:)  And I admit that when I was their age, it was pretty damned exciting.  But one grows older........

Rufous-collared Sparrow

I avoid these places as much as I can, but as you can imagine, some towns don't always offer these accommodations.  And then you're stuck.  Such was the case in Panama several years ago.  The drunk young ones declared they would be rafting in the morning. We've heard a thing about drinking and driving or texting and driving, etc.  I'd like to add to that list, "Drinking and Rafting".   Needless to say, I did not go on their raft as they had flipped it several times.  I don't know how many panicked kids we pulled out of the water, but it was fun utilizing our safety procedures until I went in trying to help someone out of the water in the middle of the rapids!  It was an adventurous day.

Howler Monkey

So this time, I planned for some quiet and magical places where my thoughts were my own. The night before my trip, I dreamed of birds. I sat at the internet and researched all the birds asking myself, "Can I find all these birds?  Will I be able to enjoy this stay without birds taking over my mind? I dreamed that I was a Paraque.  I flew everywhere.  Seeing everything. Nothing could hide from my night vision.  I knew where to find them all.  As I flew back at dawn, I saw Red Crossbills drinking from a fountain!  Since I've begun this birding quest, I find myself fighting to keep sane. On this trip, I brought my first ever hummingbird feeder.  Would I remember to look up and breathe?

Groove-billed Ani

It was a strange dream.  You know the ones that make you cry?  In this dream, my mother gave me a wooden bug cage that I used once to capture butterflies, spiders and flies.  The gift came from my deceased Grandmother a long long time ago.  But the cage was now open and I remember my Grandmother smiling. I held the item in my hands and began to weep.  I woke up with tears staining my pillow case.  It was one of those intense dreams that kept me up for the remainder of the early morning hours.

Black Vulture

How many times have I gone to so many countries and never really watched birds? I've spent my entire life learning about people and their habits. But now it's different.  I'm finding myself  pulled in the opposite direction.....away from people.  It is precisely why I returned to Guatemala a second time.  I remember birds everywhere while we were on this trip and yet I was only focused on photography.  As of 2011, much of my work was photography based on cultural trends or themes. My friend Lynda reminded me to expand my views and hopefully, I'll present something new and fresh beyond birds. Over the next several months, I'll weave in these adventures and reports with my current AZ treks. There is a lot to share! More to come....