February 7th -- charismatic mediumfauna

I think this is the last day here that we get to really take it easy. After breakfast I went up into the forest birding with Becky for an hour, and saw my first mixed flock moving through. We only identified a couple of species (ivory-billed woodcreeper and lesser greenlet), but just the experience of seeing and hearing them progress slowly through the low canopy was exciting. I love the forest here. It’s only partly deciduous, so unlike at Palo Verde I can walk out without my hat and sunscreen.

Then I ran down the hill to catch up with my snorkel-buddy, Margaret, for an hour in the lagoon. We stayed in the shallower (warmer) water, and saw a cool eel, dark with light spots all over it. It was at least a foot long, and at one point came completely out from its hiding place under a rock. We had to float quietly for a long time to see that. But you get cold fast out there, so I came out in time for a shower before lunch and some time to write. We’ve got lectures on statistics and plant systematics in the afternoon, but I’m still hoping to be able to sneak out to walk around one more time today. I’ve heard long-tailed manakins hang out in the tree right outside the lecture hall, so I’ll try to catch one of them.

I spotted an anteater in the low beach-forest canopy. There were lots of leaves falling, and I looked up and saw this furry fellow light tan with a dark “shirt” and some really amazing claws. He was surprisingly agile climbing along the branches.

I definitely feel torn in my free time – should I snorkel, or go birding, or take a nap? I guess I should be glad there’s no internet here, it keeps me from spending any free time checking email. Realistically, there is no way to see everything. So I just do whatever I feel like at the moment. It helps that I already know I’m not going to be the best at any one thing, I can settle for trying to be the best all-around naturalist I can be.