Zoe Gupton

May 17,2025

Day 2

Today’s adventure started at the Mayan reserve, where I was on the lookout for birds, my assigned organismal group. The highlight was definitely the Montezuma oropendola. It’s a medium-sized bird with a striking yellow tail and a strange, almost gurgling call. We spotted their hanging nests high up in the trees—long, woven pouches dangling like ornaments. I didn’t see the oropendolas doing much besides perching and calling, but their nests were enough to impress me.

I also saw a tiny gray bird with a bright white streak above its eyes. It moved fast and kept low in the undergrowth, so I didn’t get a good ID, but I’ll keep trying to narrow it down—possibly a species in the flycatcher family. It seemed to be foraging solo, darting quickly from branch to branch.

On the way back, the group got a quick look at a toucan, though I only caught it as it flew away. I’m hoping for a clearer view at Las Cuevas. Speaking of which—there, I spotted a turkey wandering through the station grounds. Not the most exotic bird we’ve seen, but still fun to note.

Looking forward to more bird sightings tomorrow!