Even in the dry season - be prepared with rubber boots and raincoat for a trip to the Chelemhá cloud forest!
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Three days in Chelemhá with two birders from the United States begun with a sunny afternoon and a clear view over the green cloud forest canopy from the balcony of the Maya Cloud Forest Lodge. After an exquisite lunch we took off for a walk into the loud forest. Bird activity was low, but we saw a number of target species. An adult male Resplendent Quetzal flew onto a bare branch in the canopy. It was an impressive observation, although the forest was soaked in mist already. Leaftossers are not easy to see, but the sharp calls draw our attention a Tawny-throated Leaftosser working in the dense understory nearby the path. We had also good views at Tufted Flycatcher, Mountain Robin, Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush, Golden-browed Warbler, Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, and Chestnut-capped Brushfinch.
The second day - cloudy and rainy - brought nevertheless some nice observations. At night we heard from our pillows a Fulvous Owl calling within the forest and a Mountain Pygmy Owl called from down slope in the agricultural crops. In the morning we saw from the balcony a Ruddy Foliage-gleaner calling continuously. Along the well prepared path within the forest we saw a Blue-throated Motmot. It flew into a tree fall gap and perched for a few seconds on top of a moss-covered snag. Wrens do sing all the year, also in the rain. This made it easier to encounter Rufous-browed Wrens, an endemic of the northern Central American highlands. We got a glimpse on a Highland Guan, which was moving in the upper canopy. A better view was desired which we got later on the same day. At dusk we entered the forest in search for Fulvous Owls. A Highland Guan flew from the top of a tall tree, a second one was there but we did not see it until it flew. At the same spot an adult male Highland Guan was on the forest floor. In the last day light we saw the red wattle and eyering at a close distance of only 20 meters. The guan remained there several minutes and flew than from branch to branch into the crown of a tall oak tree. Later a pair of Fulvous Owls was calling.
Some rainless minutes in the afternoon we used for a walk in secondary shrub and agricultural area. We had good views at White-naped (Yellow-throated) Brushfinch, Blue-and-White Mockingbird, Rufous-capped Warbler, Prevost's Ground-Sparrow, Rufous-collared Sparrows, and migratory Lincoln's Sparrows. An Amethyst-throated Hummingbird was feeding on flowers of a thistle (Cirsium mexicanum). Garnet-throated and White-eared Hummingbirds were feeding on Ericaceae and Fuchsia flowers around the lodge.
Our hope for a sunny morning on the third day was disappointed by pouring soft
rain. Bird activity was almost null. We could hear a flock of Barred
Parakeets, without any chance to see them through the dense mist. Although
birding in Chelemhá was not as pleasant as it is under nice weather conditions,
we saw almost all target species. And last but not least our comfortable stay
at the Maya Cloud Forest Lodge and Armin's delicious cuisine made this visit
to Chelemhá unforgettable.
Knut Eisermann
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