The temperature here has finally dropped a little but we are now shrouded in smoke from farmers burning off their fields. Strangely enough, though, I had one of my best mornings ever on the tower, with a mixed flock which stayed close to the tower and 45 species seen during the three hours we were up there. Sungrebes are now all along the river, there having been none at all until 16 September, and 100-strong flocks of Greater Ani are passing through. My last group saw howler, spider and saki monkey at the lodge all on the same day, and also got to see an immature Harpy Eagle, with a group of Dark-winged Trumpeters as their leaving present on the way out. Finally, we added a new species to the lodge list when an immature male House Sparrow turned up in the staff clearing! Although common in Alta Floresta, it must have flown over around 10km of contiguous forest to get here, but disappeared again after just two days.
