Complacency is not an option as nature continues to present itself…

After being at RLT for 4.5 months there was a fleeting thought that maybe we wouldn’t see too much new during our final month. It was more of a discussion between us to say that we didn’t think we could get complacent considering the new sightings we continued to have. We decided to record our new sightings each day for October and on all except one day, we saw not just one new ‘thing’ but often more than one! Here is our list and some photos to match.

1^st ID fledgling Glossy-black Thrush and female Empress Brilliant

2^nd Baby Agouti and 2 juv Green-crowned Brilliant males

3^rd Heard the Ecuadorian Thrush and saw the Wattled Guan calling

4^th Heard Oilbird at 5.30am circling in backyard, 2 hummers collided and landed on ground!

5^th Roadside Hawk flew into the cabana front window. 6pm. Hummer feeders were on the balustrade – maybe it was trying to catch one?

6^th Brown Inca hummer on Bosque

7^th Golden-olive Woodpecker

8^th Buff-throated Saltator singing

9^th Female ACOR visiting Lek sites and checking out males

10^th Torrent Ducks with 3 ducklings.

11^th Hummingbirds bullying each other into the ground

12^th ACOR and Toucans hanging out together

13^th Tayra in river trying to climb a rock

14^th 2 male and 2 female Swallow Tanagers in tree top

15^th Dark-backed Wood-quail and baby

16^th 4 Capuchin monkeys

17^th Saddleback Caterpillar on a leaf

18^th Saw the Ecuadorian Thrush singing and heard the meow call

20^th Aracari close by cabana closest we have seen

21^st White-whiskered Hermit being bullied by a Crowned Woodnymph into the ground

22^nd Lyre-tailed Nightjar mum and bub. Female Purple Honeycreeper. Beehive in tree

23^rd Fasciated Tiger-heron

24^th Summer Tanager

25^th Roadside Hawk swooped and took a hummingbird

27^th Bay-headed Tanager sighted

28^th Saw Oilbird flying circles in front of the cabana. Had only heard it before.

29^th Saw a Collared Aracari chasing a Choco Toucan

31^st Barred Puffbird at Lek

With not much time to go until we hand over and leave RLT, we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to look after this unique patch of paradise. We are grateful for what Pachamama has presented to us during our time and all the amazing interactions we have had with the many species of birds, reptiles, some mammals and many insects & spiders! Coming from Australia, it was a great chance to learn about and see so many new species. It is not only the natural environment, but the visitors we have had at RLT have added to our unforgettable time here.

We are also grateful for the amazing support we have received from Dr. Becker, which only made looking after RLT even more of a pleasure.

We are off to see a few more endemic species on the Galapagos Islands before we head back to Australia, after nearly a year away.

Hasta la vista amigos.

Con amor y gratitud,

Karen y James