So much to see! Monday PM, 4/30/18

Today's post might be a conglomeration of pictures, mixed with the afternoon's canoe explores into different backwater creeks.  Jim Burnett, the unofficial photographer in our group, gave me permission to share some of his photos (where mine didn't turn out), so I'll post those first.

You'll have to look closely.  Above are Night (owl) Monkeys, and they're about the hardest animal to find on a tree, even with binoculars ... because they blend in so well with the woody trunk.  They are tiny!  They have large owl-like eyes -- and thick white eyebrows.  The only nocturnal monkey, they're native to South American rainforests.  If you enlarge the photo, you might see them better.  Use your back arrow to return to this post.  This is one of Jim's pics.

Lots and lots of colorful and unusual fungi in the rainforest.

All these were within a few feet of each other.

Jim captured the above Red Howler Monkey really well.

We saw -- and heard! -- a number of them.

I believe this is another shot of Night (owl) Monkeys, but this zoomed-in-to-the max pic is a strange one, taken by Jim.  It looks like there's a hole in the trunk and a couple of monkeys are perched on the edge.  Maybe.  They look like toys.

We saw several Caiman's floating in the lake, one of them was a huge sucker.  That's why Napo posted this sign:  "NOTICE: For security reasons, swimming into Añangucocha (lagoon) is forbidden."  Smart move!  Thanks for the picture, Jim.

We spied these two Blue and Yellow Macaws atop a headless palm tree.

Nice photo, Jim!

The grounds at Napo were alive with color, and many butterflies, especially the Heliconia butterfly.  Everywhere I turned I saw shrubs and neon-like flowers.  Above is a mere sprinkling.  As I mentioned, I had trouble with my Canon G16, and it had to go into a "dry box" to be rid of both TipTop III (boat in the Galapagos Islands) and rainforest moisture.  Next I turned to the Olympus Stylus (red) camera, but it didn't want to hold a charge, so I pulled out my phone ... and it quickly ran down the battery.  Phooey ... I guess I take too many pictures.  But, I could've taken countless more of the grounds (oh, and be honest, of everything!).

This afternoon, as I was approaching the lodge with my computer to download pictures, one of the young workers hailed me, pointing toward trees next to the lodge.  "Come see," he said, motioning.  I followed him, and wished I'd had some kind of recording device with me to catch the Golden-Mantled Tamarin Monkeys playing tag or catch-me-if-you-can, right smack in front of me.  Even a baby, no bigger than a kitten, leaped from branch to tree limb, swinging.  They appeared to be having fun!  It was fun watching them.

Here you go.  Between our cottage and the lodge was a Leafcutter Ant trail.  Each time Jimmy and I walked to and from, we had to step over this line.  Well, we didn't HAVE to, but no way did we want to disturb their serious business.  We saw other Leafcutter ant trails in the terra firma forest, one of them snaked along for a pretty good distance.  Last night after dinner, we went for a walk in the forest behind the lodge and, sure enough, we saw the night crew hard at work.  Ants are so busy.  That's my shoe in the photo below, for a size scale.

Monday afternoon, Pedro and the paddlers took the group out for a paddle on a narrow creek, for a look-see in a new area.  Jimmy and I like being in the canoe (or any boat, for that matter; I guess that's an extra reason we've enjoyed this entire trip so much).  You never knew what you'd encounter on these excursions.

Like birds, for instance.  Today, clockwise from top left:  Black-capped Donacobiuos, Snail Kite, Red-capped Cardinal, and a Striated Heron.  We watched a Crimson-crested Woodpecker at work way up on a tree, but it was too far away to photo well, and the Lesser Kiskadee was a bit too far away.  If you'd like a closer look, enlarge the pic.  If I posted a picture of every new bird I've seen this trip, it would be a very long post.  I'm in love!

Like witch's hair!

Again, a Giant Otter was in full view, devouring a fish.  Look at those canines ... I think I told you they are like six feet long!  I'm only 5'3" or maybe 5'2" by now.  Speaking of fish, as we started into a different slough across the lake, the canoe paused in mid-paddle and when Jimmy looked down into the water, he thought he was looking at a partly submerged Caiman, but suddenly the creature jerked and splashed and dove down.  The people on the port side of the canoe saw this monster below.  I missed it.  Go ahead, enlarge the picture.  I'll tell you this much:  They're the largest (air-breathing) freshwater fish -- they can reach up to nine feet in length and 440 lbs!

What a beautiful afternoon!

The boat dock is at left.

Time to call it a day ... a great day!

No, Jimmy didn't have to paddle!

Another stellar sunset to round out our third day in the rainforest.  Tomorrow morning we have to leave this fantastic place that we've enjoyed so much, leaving behind many fond memories -- The first time Jimmy turned on the shower, a small frog crawled up the wall to escape and disappeared over the tile; the fine meals we shared at Pedro's table, and the kindness and courtesy of the staff; returning to our room after dinner to find the mosquito netting had been nicely draped around our king-sized bed; and the humongous tarantula "hiding" behind the banister between the first and second floors of the lodge ... which meant I had to take the elevator both up and down to watch the sunset from the tower ....  I gave it the stink eye.