Bolivia Day 24; Trinidad

  Yesterdays phenomenal success was always going to be a challenge to compete with, but we gave it our best shot again today, heading back to Puerto Ballivian for another walk along the trail to see what we could find. As yesterday, we started the day by watching the Boto river dolphins showing fantastically well once again, and this time I even descended the bank to get close to them, and got to watch them fantastically close, although as always their appearance and disappearance made it difficult to get good pictures.

  The trail was certainly less birdy than it had been the previous morning. I still managed to notch up two new bird species, with Rufous Cachalote at the start of the trail and then Plain Softail not long after we started birding. There were a few new birds for the trip as well, with Anhinga in one of the lakes and Chestnut-backed Antshrike in a mixed species flock. In addition to the two monkey species from the previous day, we also had a female Black-and-gold Howler Monkey to add to our rapidly growing mammal list.

  After a break, car wash and lunch at the hotel we headed back out to some lagoons to the south of the town of Loma Suarez. It was already quite late when we arrived here, but the birding in the afternoon was just starting to pick up. Around the lagoons there was not much happening, with some Yellow-collared Macaws being the highlight and a tick for me. From there however, we were able to located a nice trail into the forest and some open areas, and on this I had another tick in Spixs Guan, as well as more White-throated Piping Guans, a heard only Grey-breasted Crake and a few trip ticks along the way.

  Our plan for coming here was to stay until dusk to see the Band-tailed Nighthawks that apparently come in to feed here. And indeed they did, we had six feeding over the lagoons and calling at very close quarters. There was also a spectacular roost movement of ducks with 560 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and four White-faced Whistling Ducks all heading off south whilst we birded. And then to cap off another excellent day we had a South American Coati scuttle across the road on the drive home. 

Species List:
Puerto Ballivan trail: Undulated Tinamou,Picazuro Pigeon, Ruddy Ground Dove, Picui Ground Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, Striped Cuckoo, Little Cuckoo, Squirrel Cuckoo, Hoatzin, Southern Lapwing, Wattled Jacana, Large-billed Tern, Wood Stork, Anhinga, Neotropic Cormorant, Rufescent Tiger Heron, Whistling Heron, Striated Heron, Great Egret, Cocoi Heron, Buff-necked Ibis, Turkey Vulture, Black-collared Hawk, Snail Kite, Roadside Hawk, Black-tailed Trogon, Blue-crowned Trogon, Amazonian Motmot, Ringed Kingfisher, Amazon Kingfisher, Black-fronted Nunbird, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Chestnut-eared Aracari, White-wedged Piculet, Lineated Woodpecker, Crested Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Mealy Amazon, Cobalt-rumped Parrotlet, Great Antshrike, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Bolivian Slaty Antshrike, Band-tailed Antbird, Buff-throated Woodcreeper, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Plain Softtail, Grey-crested Cacholote, Plain-crowned Spinetail, Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher, Plain Inezia, Euler's Flycatcher, Fuscous Flycatcher, Scarlet Flycatcher, Black-backed Water Tyrant, Rufous Casiornis, Cattle Tyrant, Great Kiskadee, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Purplish Jay, White-winged Swallow, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Thrush-like Wren, Moustached Wren, Fawn-breasted Wren, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Creamy-bellied Thrush, Purple-throated Euphonia, Crested Oropendola, Solitary Cacique, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Variable Oriole, Velvet-fronted Grackle, Southern Yellowthroat, Red-crested Cardinal, Red-capped Cardinal, Orange-headed Tanager, Grey-headed Tanager, Silver-beaked Tanager, Saffron Finch, Bluish-grey Saltator,
Loma Suárez Lagoons: Southern Screamer, White-faced Whistling Duck, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Spix's Guan, White-throated Piping Guan, Picazuro Pigeon, Guira Cuckoo, Smooth-billed Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo, Band-tailed Nighthawk, Grey-breasted Crake, White-backed Stilt, Southern Lapwing, Black Skimmer, Large-billed Tern, Neotropic Cormorant, Capped Heron, Whistling Heron, Striated Heron, Great Egret, Green Ibis, Bare-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Black-collared Hawk, Great Black Hawk, Roadside Hawk, Black-tailed Trogon, Black-fronted Nunbird, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Crested Caracara, Cobalt-rumped Parrotlet, Peach-fronted Parakeet, Golden-collared Macaw, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Bolivian Slaty Antshrike, Grey-crested Cacholote, Plain Inezia, Scarlet Flycatcher, Black-backed Water Tyrant, Great Kiskadee, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Black-capped Donacobius, Fawn-breasted Wren, Yellowish Pipit, Purple-throated Euphonia, Crested Oropendola, Velvet-fronted Grackle, Orange-headed Tanager, Silver-beaked Tanager,