Sunny Days in the Rainy Season

Now that the rainy season has started here, we have enjoyed dozens of great storms, warm tropical rains and lush greenery just about everywhere you look.  Bird and animal activity continues to increase as frogs and other water-loving wildlife have reached their peak season.  The forests are full of life.  

It had been a while, so yesterday we packed some water & snacks, grabbed the camera and binoculars and headed out to Pipeline Road for a walk.  We fully anticipated getting rained on, so we were sure to bring a plastic bag to protect the camera, and with that, rain was welcome!  Even though there was rumbling in the distance throughout the afternoon, and dark skies approached as we headed back home, the day proved to be as beautiful a sunny day as ever! 

It was a hot walk to the entrance of Pipeline Road, but once inside the forest, we enjoyed the cool breeze and cooling effect of the canopy above.  We came across troops of White-headed Capuchins and Mantled Howler monkeys, a sleeping Hoffman's Two-toed Sloth and the bird activity picked up while we were out there too, as we ran into mixed flocks of Song Wrens, Western Slaty-Antshrikes, Dot-winged Antwrens and more.  A lone Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, the world's smallest passerine, was singing along the roadside as well.  

We reached a sunny spot along the road where a group of Scarlet-rumped Caciques, a Black-striped Woodcreeper and a pair of Slaty-tailed Trogons were quite active.  The female trogon caught our attention as she perched in the full sun, flared her tail and wings, opened her beak and sat there, motionless, and sunbathed!  They look rather strange at times, but she seemed to be enjoying the sun, as were we!  

Sunbating Slaty-tailed Trogon, Trogon massena

A few years ago I was birding along Semaphore Hill and saw a Broad-billed Motmot do the same thing - it perched in a sunny spot, flared its wings and tail, threw its head backwards so that it touched its back and just sat and enjoyed the sun!    

Broad-billed Motmot, Electron platyrhynchum, sunbathing in 2009. 

Whether its sunny or raining, there's always something to enjoy.  We took almost 200 photos yesterday as the opportunities seemed endless.  Check out more of my favourite photos on my Flickr page, and happy birding!

~ Jenn