I was woken by Howler monkeys at 2.30 am this morning, unfortunately! We waited to hear from the students who are now en route here, then set off to the bird tower, a little later than yesterday, so we didn’t need the head torches. Jonathan was armed with wasp spray and dealt with the wasps successfully but it was a misty morning, so there was no view from the top – foiled again! Taking the same route back through the woods as yesterday, we came across a whole roost of Tiger Heliconian butterflies hanging on a liana. 

After breakfast we headed out to the cave after which  the station is named.  It’s out of bounds this year, so we just had a quick look at the flycatcher nest hanging over the opening before heading back out onto the Maya trail, in the opposite direction to yesterday. It was good to try and consolidate some of my plant knowledge but there was plenty more to see – a Morel mushroom, a Glass-wing butterfly, a Blue-tailed skink and another patch of Longhorn bog-orchids still in flower. Whilst photographing those, I spotted a Macaw feather on the ground – stunning colours. You notice so much more when you take the time to stop and really look.

We were back mid-morning and I spent some time putting together notes about the key plant families I want the students to learn about. It will be a very small sample, covering only twenty or so trees, shrubs and epiphytes as there is a risk of scaring the horses otherwise, not to mention me! The mist had burned off by this time and it was both hot and humid – around 70% relative humidity and temperatures in the mid twenties, in the shade. 

After a lunch of bean-filled empanadas and salad we went back onto the Saffron trail, partly to look for sites to do vegetation surveying on Wednesday. We were lucky enough to spot both a Toucan and a couple of Howler monkeys, as well as lots more interesting birds. Some are mixed flocks of foraging birds, including warblers of different species, which migrate together every year. 

We ate delicious burritos for dinner, in freshly-made tortillas, while listening to the enormous racket the Oropendulas and Macaws make as they settle down for the night. I’d love to be able to understand what they’re saying!