Up at 5.15 for 5.45 tea and a 6am start to the canopy walkway to see the day begin at the top of the rainforest. A 700m walk from the lodge and an uphill last section was all it took to reach the first hut. Then one at a time we walked to each platform spending most time on platform 3 ......we saw plumbeous pigeons, the very handsome Guianan toucanet, a pair of red and green macaws flying over, the screaming piha- a large thrush sized bird with a big sound that echoes through the forest and the Guianan puff bird which I spent a while photographing as it was nice and close. The walk back revealed ant wrens ....and I saw the rear of a red rumped agouti disappearing into the undergrowth. Breakfast of omelette, cheese, fruit and peanut butter and guava jam on toast beckoned followed by a lie down and a snooze.
As the weather looked dark the 1030 forest walk was postponed until after lunch- the lunch highlight was a large black curaco with its big yellow bill strutting across the lawn. At 2pm we set off for the walk and were joined by new arrivals David and Marge from Edmonton Canada.....the highlight was a large yellow bellied rat snake who despite encouragement was reluctant to get off the trail - he is not venomous but has a nasty bite! We also saw the scratch marks and paw prints of a jaguar so we know they are around. We arrived back at the lodge with rain in the air and as we walked to the dining area to have a cup of tea the heavens opened for a real tropical downpour which lasted for a couple of hours. It had stopped raining by 1730 when we went out for a dusk/night walk and picked our way around large puddles to the road hoping to see large mammals crossing - no jaguars only agouti prints. We did see some crimson (collared) fruit crows displaying, and large whip spiders who inhabit tree hollows waiting for crickets to come into their parlour. The walk ended with a green tree frog and on the grass outside our room a brown tree frog.
Dinner and a chat with Leon our guide which revealed a young man committed to wild life and conservation; he is currently writing a book on birds of Guyana so they don't have to rely on the Venezuelan books - it also explained why he took photos alongside us! Good for him - he will also have some of his photos printed in the next Guyanan explorer magazine.
2130 lights out - more rain overnight with the only lights on being natural ones - lightening followed by distant thunder. Interestingly even when the rain is over it sounds as if it is raining as the water continues to fall through the trees!