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    • Dave Williams
      Another two nights gone and it was time to move on, this time heading to Bijagua , an easy drive northwards so there was no rush to leave. Up before breakfast I had a wander  around the grounds where the chalets were and was delighted to actually find the Ferruginous Owl who had driven us mad looking for it trying to find where it was calling from. It seemed to be able to throw its voice because every time you moved to the tree you thought it was in, it sounded as if it was in another one. This time though it gave away it's position by moving and I was lucky enough to see it. Ferruginous Owl by Dave Williams, on Flickr and despite daylight it was still calling constantly. Ferruginous Owl by Dave Williams, on Flickr Further down from the Howler Monkey spot the two British birders had found the Lineated Woodpecker.  Lineated Woodpecker by Dave Williams, on Flickr Excellent views but not as nice a setting as the original sighting. Lineated Woodpecker by Dave Williams, on Flickr During breakfast a small flock of White-throated Magpie-Jays arrived and a couple of them sat in the rafters of the restaurant waiting to raid the tables of any leftovers, this one however spotted a Grasshopper and proceeded to eat it on a nearby post. White-throated Magpie--Jay by Dave Williams, on Flickr While Phil and Christian finished packing I hung around a blossoming tree and was rewarded with several new birds and this handsome Variegated Squirrel. Variegated Squirrel by Dave Williams, on Flickr a Spot-breasted Oriole Spot-breasted Oriole by Dave Williams, on Flickr and a pair of distant duelling Rufus-tailed Hummingbirds. Rufus-tailed Hummingbird by Dave Williams, on Flickr With the other two ready and packed we moved on .       next stop the Cataratas Bijagua Lodge, another collection of wood cabins in a garden setting. On arrival Phil negotiated a change of rooms and providing we paid cash we had a room for three instead of two separate cabins. A bit crowded but by doing so we guaranteed we would recoupe the $500 driving fee we had paid without receiving the service. A bit of a misunderstanding about dinner arrangements meant when we turned up at 7.00pm there was no meals to be had in the restaurant as we hadn't chosen and booked the meals before 5.00pm. Never mind we ended up having a take away pizza which we collected from the nearby town, dining in style sitting on the floor of our cabin. We did however discover that the road up to our Lodge was a regular roost for Common Pauraque so that was a target for the following evening. leading from our Lodge grounds was a track to some distant waterfalls, and use was free for residents...$6pp if you were not! Christian and I had had a quick explore before it went dark and found two new birds, one of which we got a few reasonable shots of. Rufous Motmot Rufous Motmot by Dave Williams, on Flickr Tomorrow then, we'd explore the track further and see what it had to offer TBC.
    • Zarek Cockar
      It is, but it's dry heat, so it's much more bearable than if it was humid. I'm now back home on the Kenya coast where it's a mild 36 degrees in the early afternoon, but the humidity makes it feel hotter than I was in Zakouma. 
    • Dave Williams
      @AtravelynnDid you show him the tree trunk they were climbing ? Enough to make me weak at the knees thinking about it!
    • pscrimshaw
      Wow this is absolutely crazy to find. I was in Ndutu during the exact same time at the exact same sightings! So wild to see photos from the opposite angles that I was at! I saw the coalition of males that morning as each came to drink and then jumped across the river. And I was also there when the lion cub was in the tree. Unfortunately I was on the opposite side hoping that the cub would turn and look my way but, when it finally did I got photo bombed by some inconsiderate tourist vehicles. I'm hoping that wasn't you! Anyways such a small world it seems!    
    • ice
      It depends on what you are looking for: calving may start as early as late December and usually peaks in January and February. But as@Atravelynnhas pointed out: wanting to see calving and the biggest herds comes with a price: camps and lodges that are completely out and conditions that may remind you of Masai Mara, especially at cheetah sightings: 20 cars circling and pushing around. More times than not aggressive drivers will make it impossible for cats to hunt. That's why I have chosen March as my preferred month: less cars and more lost calves, both increasing the chances to see a lot predator action. 
    • Treepol
      Sorry that you had such a mixed-up start to your safari, however the early sightings certainly paid off. Love the introductory photo of the brown hyena.
    • Atravelynn
      44-45 in the afternoon is hot.  Thanks for those specifics and general comments on when to go.
    • Atravelynn
      It is a cinematic experience!  Starting with the balloon was very effective. It seems you had some excellent sightings from the balloon. The video and music are so professional.  You have a gem of memories here.
    • TonyQ
      What wonderful sightings so early in your trip. A shame about your companions but good to see you finally met up!
    • Atravelynn
      Feb (March is good too with fewer people, more wilde calves already born).  As for camps, choose a camp with vacancy.  This is a popular time to go. Ndutu Lodge seems to be economical but I have never managed that.  I've stayed at Njozi run by the Wild Source 2x and that was good.  The other places I've stayed are not operating now I believe.  At least as important as the camp (IMO) is the ability to stay out all day with packed breakfasts and lunches.  A nice long day in the bush is always good, but I think it is essential in Ndutu in the green season to see hunts, maybe births, and cover ground to go where the interesting activity is.
    • Atravelynn
      The title of your trip report is giving me geographic whiplash.  What a productive time for Namibia!  The brown hyena were out in force, escorted by a hippo.  Nice mole snake among everything else.
    • Atravelynn
      My husband just breezed by my computer as I was looking at that "big male" howler monkey and it caught his attention. He asked me, "Are you sure you didn't do some AI on that?"   The photo hide on the river is a good idea.
    • Dave Williams
      As you can see from the map on the last entry, the ranch we were staying on covers a fairly huge area and there is a network of trails you can follow which are quite well marked with numbered posts. Having been tucked up in bed and fast asleep by 10pm I was up early the next morning woken by the roar of the Howler Monkeys which started at around 3.30am  and the content call of the Ferruginous Owl which went on all night and well in to the morning. I searched but couldn't find the Owl. By now Phil and Christian were up and around so we went to the spot we'd seen the Lineated Woodpecker the night before but no luck there. There were lots of Parrots flying over but most carried on going but this White-fronted one stopped briefly in a distant tree. White-fronted Parrot by Dave Williams, on Flickr A Social Flycatcher was more accommodating Social Flycatcher by Dave Williams, on Flickr As was a Stripe-headed Sparrow, one of the more common birds we'd seen in Costa Rica to date. Stripe-headed Sparrow-topaz-sharpen by Dave Williams, on Flickr Overall it was disappointing but we were undaunted and hoped better was to come. Breakfast is served , again a served buffet for all the guests , at 7.30. The offering is nice enough but it's strictly portion controlled!  After breakfast we set off to explore the trails leading through fields taking us to the to the Salt Pans. There wasn't a lot to see, on arrival at the Pans what few waders were there took off and we were still 100m away. Obviously not keen on human presence it seemed. By 9.30am it was hot and by 10.00am unbearably so and we made the decision to retreat back to our cabins. We managed a couple of birds on the way back though including White-necked Puffbird White-necked Puffbird by Dave Williams, on Flickr and Cinnamon Becard Cinnamon Becard by Dave Williams, on Flickr but that was about all. Later that morning I went over to the restaurant area where lunch was being served and the British couple showed me were to find the Owl. I assumed it would be the Ferruginous one but no, it was a different one altogether sat in it's nest hole. Pacific Screech-Owl by Dave Williams, on Flickr Pacific Screech Owl I think and it certainly brighten up the day anyway! We ducked out on lunch , it was too hot to eat and meals were not that good anyway se we had a beer instead! When the sun had cooled down later in the afternoon we set off in the car to see if we could find a better spot somewhere. Along the way we stopped for a  Ctenosaur, also known as Black Iguana, which was crossing the road Ctenosaur by Dave Williams, on Flickr A tree full of blossom was providing a meal for a small flock of Orange-fronted Parakeets which allowed us very close views for a change. Orange-fronted Parakeet by Dave Williams, on Flickr Then a bit further down the road we spotted a large lake which looked interesting. Before we got to the turn off that led there, a farm track it seemed, we crossed a river bridge and a Wood Stork sat in a tree. Wood Stork by Dave Williams, on Flickr The Stork wasn't that co-operative and flew off but looking down at the river and lower branches of the trees there were dozens of Black Vultures, some were roosting on the branches others simply enjoying the sun. Black Vulture by Dave Williams, on Flickr Why so many? What was the attraction? When you looked carefully the river was full of fish skeletons and we could only assume that the farm track to the lagoons  was to some kind of farmed fishing arrangement and they processed the fish and discarded the remains in the river. Unfortunately as the track was gated access was denied but in the distance we could see dozens of Wood stork, Great Egrets and even a couple of Roseate Spoonbills. They could set up a photo hide on the side and do quite well out of it I imagine and who knows, maybe they will in the future.  The one thing we were beginning to notice was how commercial everything has become in Costa Rica. Every one is out to extract as many tourist dollars as possible and that included La Ensalada Lodge in my opinion. What they offered was well organised but quite expensive for what it was and that included the meals. TBC
    • Dave Williams
      After our final boat trip our continuing journey north to La Ensenada Lodge was uneventful, our intrepid navigator only missed one turn which was easily remedied with a U turn and an extra 10km on the clock but not a disaster by any means. Arrival was in time for lunch so we decided that was a good idea as we'd had no breakfast and been up since the early hours. The Lodge itself is a great example of a ranch farm diversifying and they have created quite a business it seems. I have. feeling there are 35 cabins in all and they a nicely equipped. Nothing too fancy but perfectly functional with two single beds in each it seems.   The dining area suggests they can cater for large numbers and the long table was set up for a bird tour group of 16 which were from the USA.   I really don't understand why people pay large amounts of money to be in a party of 16 to bird watch but there again it appeared that someone them were too old or weary to go out on the guided walk both that evening and the next morning too before they left. Other than the big group there were probably no more than 10 others staying at the lodge including an British couple who were on a tour but without a guide, just transport that dropped them off at the various places they stayed then left them. In the cast of this place they had three days to wander the vast acreage that the farm has to offer. I'm not sure I'd like that idea much either! Anyway, after lunch and a couple of beers we had time to settle in to our cabin before heading out to see what we could find. It was pretty obvious there were Howler Monkeys about, the roar they make carries considerable distance but in this case they were very close to the row of cabins, no more than 50m at most. One by one they came down from the tree they were in and followed the ranch fence to the next tree they decided to investigate. They were led by a big male, big in many senses. I felt sorry for him, particularly when I saw the trees they were climbing. Howler Monkey by Dave Williams, on Flickr The big fellow spotted a fallen fruit and dropped down to retrieve and it it. They might be vegetarian but look at those teeth! Howler Monkey by Dave Williams, on Flickr The rest of the troop followed, there were at least a dozen in total Howler Monkey by Dave Williams, on Flickr Just look at the bark on the tree and you can see why I feel sorry for the male! Howler Monkey by Dave Williams, on Flickr Anyway , they gave us some nice photo opportunities before we moved on in search for something else.  A few Parrots were flying over and when a pair landed in a tree we had a chance for a better look. Although not obvious because of the branch these were Yellow-naped Parrots. Yellow-naped Parrot by Dave Williams, on Flickr Other than those two the only other photo opportunity was a distant Lineated Woodpecker that flew before we could get any closer. I was disappointed and hoped we'd get another chance tomorrow. Lineated Woodpecker. by Dave Williams, on Flickr With little else around we went to watch the sun go down but we were facing the wrong direction, still the view was stunning and by the looks of it the Lodge run boat trips from their jetty but having just been on two we didn't bother enquiring about them either. It had been a long day so after an acceptable but largely unexciting dinner which is served buffet style to everyone at a set time, 7.30pm, we were off to bed wondering what tomorrow might bring. TBC   TBC
    • PeterHG
      Next on our itinerary was Don Inthanon National Park, with Thailand’s highest peak at 2565 metres  above sea level. We had booked a simple homestay there: the Pea Moo Homestay situated a few kilometres off the main through road, already in the National Park. The dirt road to the hamlet was under repair, which meant that every time we used it, a heavy excavator had to make way for us. They happily obliged, but this involved moving away some big boulders and levelling the surface enough for us to drive through. A bit of a nuisance, but we only used the road twice a day. The homestay itself was very basic. Nothing wrong with that, but for an older guy like me the beanbags on the terrace are not ideal. Lowering myself into one of them was ok, but getting up was a different matter. The host, a woman in her thirties, was the nicest person you could imagine. The stay included breakfast and when we told her we would be picked up early the next morning by our guide, she immediately assured us this was no problem at all. And there she was, at 6:30, with a delicious take-away Thai breakfast, wrapped in leaves of a banana tree.         Finding a guide for Don Inthanon had not been very easy. Most of them start from Chiang Mai and were fully booked or just too expensive. In the end I found a guide through the https://www.gowithjoetravel.com website. He picked us up at 7 am and took us to several birding spots along the road leading up to the top of Don Inthanon. The trip lasted till early afternoon, which was long enough for us. He charged 6000 bht  for the two of us. He was a cheerful guide and good company. He only had a few years of birding experience and was definitely not as knowledgable as our previous guides, but we had a good time with him.       Perhaps the best birding area is the boardwalk right at the top. This leads through dense mossy forest and has some interesting species that seem to be quite at ease with the passing humans, so they are more approachable than elsewhere. Of course photography is not easy under the trees, but you can’t have it all.. When we got there with our guide it was already late in the morning, when the place gets quite crowded with all the tour vans, arriving from Chiang Mai, packed with tourists having booked a day trip. We were approached by a bewildered Frenchman, who asked us if we knew where the viewpoint was. He had just arrived with his family, all armed with walking sticks and ready to hike down the treeless slopes of the mountain, enjoying endless views and perhaps even some snow-covered mountain-tops. When we told them those vistas were not to be had here he left us thoroughly disappointed and muttered something about the Pyrenees.           We went there again early in the morning, the day after. It was only 7 degrees then, so quite chilly As it turned out, most of the birds thought so, too and it wasn’t until 9 or 9:30 that more of them started to show. Among them some beautiful sunbirds that we did not see anywhere else.     The Dutch couple we met at Don Lang had told us there was another homestay (Rang Bon Doi: 18.5389, 98.5505) that had some bird hides in the forest, which might be worth checking out. It  As in Baan Maka this turned out to be a good choice and we spent a few pleasant hours in the hide that afternoon.          
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