 Common bird from the interior of Kabalebo. Usually seen in small groups. From time to time they are noisy and seen very close together on top of one branch. Sometimes they like to wander around a bit, away from the group, but not too far.
This one was sitting perfectly still on top of all these leaves and the light was also working along. This made it possible to capture all the details on this bird.  I was trying to take another profile picture of Brutus, the tapir, when out of nowhere a Giant Cowbird decided to join in. It was actually looking for some ticks on top of his head. Brutus did not mind it at all.
 Black Caracara's are opportunistic eaters. From insects to small birds and even fish or small lizards. Sometimes they even eat the eggs from small birds. This is the reason why they are not welcome near small birds. The moment they are near flycatchers, tanagers or martins, they all take turns and try to chase away the Caracara by diving as low as possible right above their head.
The Black Caracara usually isn't bothered by their attack but if it continues for a long period of time, they will move away to a quieter place. This is an ongoing battle between them. For us as onlookers, they give quite a show. The challenging part for us is trying to take a photo of both of them in action. It was not easy.  These two Black- spotted Barbets were eating some ripe guava's near the forest edge. Not alarmed at all by my presence and after a while they even took a break from their food.
 This Inga tree was full of blossoms. Not only the bees and the hummingbirds were attracted by the nectar but also other birds. This time I was lucky to spot both the male and female Blue Dacnis. They were both restless, agile and continuously jumping from one branch to another. Sometimes they were hiding behind a leaf and I was forced be patient. The male barely gave me enough time to shoot him, but I managed.  And finally I met both male and female on one spot. Great colorful plumage.
 This mother and her kid were crossing over the airstrip of Kabalebo when two Black caracara's decided to join them. They were actually interested in the tics these tapirs are carrying with them but it seems that they were taking a joyride on the small one.
 The Crimson Topaz is one of my favorites to photograph especially when natural light is great. So when I saw this male relaxing out in the open I took my chance.
 The Spot-winged Antshrike is one of those challenging birds I've met in Kabalebo. Even though you hear them calling, it takes a while to spot them. Mainly because they like to hide between thick leaves right above you. This time I was lucky because the leaves weren't that thick and he was standing right in front of me.
 This Olive Whip Snake (Chironius Fuscus Fuscus) was peeking through some leaves right in front of a log. I've almost missed it because of its tiny and slender appearance. It stood still for quite a while so I was able to take a decent shot of this big eyed snake.
 The Turquoise Tanager is one of those birds that never sits still on a suitable spot for me. Either they are sitting too high or under the shades of a tree. Agile small birds that like to move all at once. So imagine how happy I was when I spotted this one out in the open at eye level on a sunny day. It lasted only seconds but long enough for me to take this photo.
 This tiny snake was seen during one of our night hikes in Kabalebo, Suriname. It was so tiny that we almost missed it. This Tawny Forest Racer was all curled up on a small leaf. After I took this photo I realized that I had actually seen this snake in different stages of his life.  In this picture you can see that the colors started to change too into something more radiant and the black stripes started to become more visible. Still a tiny snake here.  And here you see the adult version. I met this one during one of my Misty Mountain hike. At least 3 people had already passed him when I saw this snake. Same big eyes but notice how the colors had changed on its body. Remarkable stripes and colors and when it breathes you can even see the gold coming through the scales.
 The Fork-tailed Woodnymph is seen on a daily basis in Kabalebo. But to catch the radiant color on this small gem is another story. Most of the time you will see a small dark hummingbird near blossoming branches. Even when the sun is out, you won't always see his bright colors. I guess it is all up to this little guy if he wants to show it. When I saw this Woodnymph resting on a Monkey brush vine, it was playing time. One moment you will see just dark colors and the next you will see green and purple. I surely had fun photographing this little guy.
 So the Bright-rumped Attila is one bird that I hear on a regular basis when I am on a hiking trail, but this bird is one of the most stubborn bird I've met so far. You hear them calling, but they don't give you hints where they are hiding. No moving leaves or sticks. Just the sound that you hear, calling from the dense vegetation. One day I decided to take my chances and waited. I used playback too but wasn't that successful. They flew by very quickly so taking my shot wasn't that easy. So after at least an hour of waiting and with the company of mosquitoes I saw this secretive bird coming out in the open for a short while. And when you waited that long you just take your chance. The Bright-rumped Attila wasn't a lifer but this was my first photo of this Attila.
 The Yellow-tufted Woodpecker is a small woodpecker that likes to move constantly. The best way to succeed is to just stay at one spot and wait until they are in clear view. Sometimes I see them as a couple or in a small group on one tree.
 I heard these Mealy Amazons first before I spotted them. I was ready to shoot them when at the last moment they decided to change their course. Here you definitely can clearly see the different colors on them and the red patch on their wings. One of them even had a little snack for along the way.
 The Golden-winged Parakeets are so tiny that when they fly over you see dark figures passing by. It is only their calls that let you know that those tiny birds are Golden-winged Parakeets. When they are resting, it is usually high up in the trees so binoculars are a must.
So imagine my excitement when this pair decided to rest on a lower part of a branch. Fully exposed and in no need to leave the area. Finally got my shot.  The Ringed Woodpecker usually gives me a hard time to succeed in my mission; trying to get a decent shot from them. They have a hidden talent to be at places where the light isn't in your favor. But finally luck was by my side. I saw a couple climbing their way up this tree. They even stayed at the same tree when I tried to take a photo of them. This male even rewarded me for my perseverance and patience. Love this guy.
 This Red-necked Woodpecker was seen alone on this tree and when it just stood still for a second I couldn't resist to take a shot. Glad I did because afterwards it went to check the other side of this tree.
 The White-flanked Antwren is one that is heard quite often inside the rainforest. Sometimes you can also see them moving through the dense vegetation. Small agile birds. This time I was able to follow one couple while they were nesting between Augustus and September 2021. One day I decided to go off-track and went a bit further away from the trail. A couple of meters further, there was some commotion. I saw two birds always going to one spot and seconds later leave again. When I got closer I saw that they were gathering nest material and were busy building a nest. It was made out of fine threads and dry leaves. They made a small hanging pouch like nest inside a young prickly palm about 30 cm above the ground. A couple of days later it was quiet near the nest and when I zoomed in with my camera, I could barely see a bird. It was the female sitting inside the nest. Her head and tail almost exposed.  A couple of days later I went back to check on them. Neither the male or female were near or inside the nest. So I took my chance and had a quick glance. Inside the tiny nest there were 2 oval shaped blotched eggs. I took a quick photo and left the scenery before they appeared again from their break.  Here you can see that it's the males turn to sit inside the nest. So this confirmed that both male and female are actively involved during nesting time.  After nearly 3 weeks I went back again and noticed that the female was sitting a bit higher than usual. So it was possible that the eggs had hatched.  Days later I returned again and saw that none of the parents were sitting inside the nest. This was my chance again and when I looked inside, there were 2 tiny antwrens. Barely enough space for the both of them. They already started to grow feathers so within days they would leave the nest.
The next time when I checked on this tiny family, they were gone. Successful nesting.  I spotted this raptor pure by accident. I was on the cabana trail trying to photograph antbirds or hummingbirds when I suddenly saw some movement from the corner of my eye. I went to check what it was and when I looked up, I saw this Black-faced Hawk staring back at me standing between the dense vegetation. Sometimes it happens that I miss some birds because of this strategy; standing still between the foliage green and not moving at all. That's wildlife.
 This is why I still like birding. So many bird species to look at. This is the Yellow-throated Woodpecker for instance. Yellowish - Green and it has 'speckles' on the front. Quietly she was moving from branch to branch. I was following her to get a nice shot when the sunlight came out to help me out.
 This predator likes to stay in the neighborhood and quite often you can hear him calling. Like its laughing, no wonder its called the Laughing Falcon. Most of the time I've seen this bird perched high up in a tree. This is one of the few moments that I've seen the Laughing Falcon so close.
 From all the owls that I've seen in Kabalebo, the Tawny-bellied Screech Owl is the silent one. All the other owls I've heard calling but this one never gave a sound. But on the other hand they are territorial and have a certain spot where they hide and rest during the day. The first hide out wasn't a great pick as there is a tree nearby where guides and tourists were hitting a telephone tree just for the sound. This of course made sure that this Screech Owl went looking for a different hide out and found one, not very far from its original spot.
But since it is a smart bird, this time it pick a tree that is not right next to the trail and you have got to know which tree you have to look at. |
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