A short visit to Chelemhá produced several first records for that cloud forest reserve, all of them Nearctic-Neotropical migrants. Several Black-throated Green Warblers were seen in primary forest and in secondary shrub. A female Hermit Warbler was seen in a pine plantation. The first Golden-cheeked Warbler for Chelemhá was a female seen in primary cloud forest. On the same day the first Western Tanager (male) was recorded. A male and female Rose-breasted Grosbeak were also the first records for the reserve.
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Breeding season of Resplendent Quetzals has begun. A group
of four males was observed in the cloud forest, giving the soft meow-call
recalling domestic cats. The typical two-note song was heard rarely and just
a few display flights were seen. Display activity is expected to rise within
the next weeks. Quetzals were also seen feeding on fruit of aguacatillos
(small wild avocados, see photo) in the upper canopy. Highland Guans were feeding
on the same fruit.
High-altitude cloud forest is poor in ants; it is a special occasion to see
army ants moving over the ground of a tree gap. During 45 min eight bird species
were observed to be associated with the ant swarm. At least six Ruddy-capped
Nightingale-Thrushes were feeding and chasing each other. A pair of each, Golden-browed
Warbler, Chestnut-capped Brushfinch, Rufous-browed Wren, and Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
were feeding actively on small insects trying to escape from the ants. A Blue-throated
Motmot was calling and catched a bite from a perch in the dark understory. A
Spot-crowned Woodcreeper was calling in the lower canopy. At 18:15 h darkness
made it impossible to distinct movements of all the small birds on the spot,
when a large bird left its perch 3 m above the ground and flew to a branch where
it could be identified as Fulvous Owl (see photo).
The balcony of the Maya Cloud Forest Lodge proved again to be an excellent observation
site. At dusk two Blue-throated Motmots were seen feeding on
the edge of the secondary forest. Mountain Elaenias fed on arrayan (Myrica
cerifera) fruit. Garnet-throated Hummingbird, White-eared
and Amethyst-throated Hummingbird were feeding on a blooming
Ericacea bush and on Fuchsia arborescens.
Major improvements are done on the dirt road from Tucurú to Chelemhá,
which was one of the most enjoyable non-birding observations during this trip.
This makes Chelemhá easier accessible. Construction is scheduled to be
done in August 2007.
Knut Eisermann
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