4 September 2017: Karadya BioReserve – San Sebastian de la Selva lodge

Spent the morning in and around the balcony and observation tower at Karadya before an early lunch and a move up the road of a kilometre or so to another lodge. Saw lots of lIfers: far too many to detail here.

Violet-capped woodnymph (Thalurania glaucopis)

A humming bird that I saw – the violet- capped wood nymph – was a first for me; a beautiful little bird darting round the base of the Karadya viewing balcony.

White-lined Tanager (Tachyphonus rufus)

And from up on the balcony at Karadya I had a splendid view of some higher canopy birds such as the eared pygmy tyrant, not easily seen from ground level.

Eared pygmy tyrant (Myiornis auricularis), a top canopy bird

One on my wish list was the long-tailed tyrant – the third of the three yetapas I had hoped to see. 

Long-tailed tyrant (Colonia colonus)

We got to the new lodge at San Sebastian de la Selva about midday. Lovely place, with open park and a lawn manicured (or denticured) by the capybara that come in in the evening. Superb organic lawnmowers.

Capybara in the lake by the lodge

Iguana also ramble the grounds freely.

What the locals call ‘iguana’ – actually a black and white tegu (Tupinambis merianae)

There are several trails on the site, some forest, some more open grassland, with the sound of birds everywhere but not easy to see them. In particular, the forest is very dense and although you can sometimes make out a black or brown shape rustling deep in the impenetrable undergrowth it is very hard to see a complete bird, let alone photograph one.

White-spotted woodpecker (Veniliornis spilogaster)

That said, the trails were great to walk down, so far from the civilisation that I usually live in, and I felt very privileged to share this wonderful place with its inhabitants. 

Colourful Scaly-headed Parrots (Pionus maximiliani) were screeching all around the lodge.

Another great (both huge and satisfying) supper, and as the evening drew on it got quite chilly – a welcome change from the hot afternoon sun, which I have been finding somewhat debilitating. I walked back to my cabin, some 200 metres from the dining area, through an ocean of barking and shuffling capybaras – a very unusual yet strangely satisfying experience.