Punta Sal, Honduras
After leaving Belize traveling most of the afternoon and night we arrived on the dramatic metamorphic sand stone coast of Honduras. Giant slabs of stone uplifted from the ocean and covered in cohune palms, greeted our morning view.
We departed shortly after 8:30am and made our way along the hidden peninsula of Jeanette Kawas (Punta Sal) National Park. Pulling into the cove our view was of dead stumps of coconut trees that had been previously affected by lethal yellowing. As the Zodiacs arrived on shore we were startled by the intense roar of howler monkeys, they seemed as if they were on the beach itself.
We quickly organized the first group and entered the trail at one corner of the beach, to our luck only 30 yards in we were greeted by a sizable troop who seemed to cooperate with giving us a great display and tremendous roaring, what a way to start the day.
The great part of Punt Sal was the short trails. No trail was more the 900 feet in length and just crossed from one beach to another. While we enjoyed the views of the howlers other groups made there way to the other beach. Before we knew it the radios were informing us that there where Montezuma oropendulas on the other beach. We all made it to the other side quickly. It was truly a sight! Palm trees on the beach were literally covered with hanging pear shaped nests of this bird, which seemed oblivious to our presence. The morning was full of sightings and till now this morning had been our best day for mammals and birds.
After a successful morning we headed back to the ship for lunch and a well-deserved nap. Our next outing was to Rio Tinto in the late afternoon which was equally as gratifying. Some kayaked up the river while others navigated in the Zodiac. Some of the sightings included herons, brown jays, red-winged black birds, northern jacanas and a breaching manatee!! Not too shabby. We stayed out till 6:30pm on the river and Ged and the crew prepared us a nice surprise at the end of the day with cocktails on the riverside.
After leaving Belize traveling most of the afternoon and night we arrived on the dramatic metamorphic sand stone coast of Honduras. Giant slabs of stone uplifted from the ocean and covered in cohune palms, greeted our morning view.
We departed shortly after 8:30am and made our way along the hidden peninsula of Jeanette Kawas (Punta Sal) National Park. Pulling into the cove our view was of dead stumps of coconut trees that had been previously affected by lethal yellowing. As the Zodiacs arrived on shore we were startled by the intense roar of howler monkeys, they seemed as if they were on the beach itself.
We quickly organized the first group and entered the trail at one corner of the beach, to our luck only 30 yards in we were greeted by a sizable troop who seemed to cooperate with giving us a great display and tremendous roaring, what a way to start the day.
The great part of Punt Sal was the short trails. No trail was more the 900 feet in length and just crossed from one beach to another. While we enjoyed the views of the howlers other groups made there way to the other beach. Before we knew it the radios were informing us that there where Montezuma oropendulas on the other beach. We all made it to the other side quickly. It was truly a sight! Palm trees on the beach were literally covered with hanging pear shaped nests of this bird, which seemed oblivious to our presence. The morning was full of sightings and till now this morning had been our best day for mammals and birds.
After a successful morning we headed back to the ship for lunch and a well-deserved nap. Our next outing was to Rio Tinto in the late afternoon which was equally as gratifying. Some kayaked up the river while others navigated in the Zodiac. Some of the sightings included herons, brown jays, red-winged black birds, northern jacanas and a breaching manatee!! Not too shabby. We stayed out till 6:30pm on the river and Ged and the crew prepared us a nice surprise at the end of the day with cocktails on the riverside.
