IN THE NEWS - Guyana Birding News Vol 4

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Exciting Bird Sightings

We've been receiving many reports of sightings of rare and specialty birds recently and thought we'd start our News section by sharing a few with our readers. No surprise to us, the birding hotspot of Iwokrama is the source of many. A number of Harpy Eagle sightings have been reported in the Iwokrama Forest since late November, and the Fam tour group that was there the same month was thrilled to see Capuchinbirds lekking at a location near the Field Station. On the same trip, guide Archer Moses called a White-winged Potoo in to perch near the Canopy Walkway, and along the Iwokrama Road, the group also spotted Crimson Fruitcrow, Crimson Topaz and Wing-winged Trumpeter.

Chris Collins, a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Neotropical Birding Club, and a freelance guide for Wildwings, came to Guyana in December 2007 for a six week volunteer project to assist birding sites with improving their bird checklists and training guides. One of the highlights of his trip was an excursion to Karasabi with Ron Allicock, a guide and ranger at Iwokrama, where they saw about 100 Sun Parakeets. Chris was also fortunate enough to see three Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoos at Surama, an Amerindian village and home of Mr. Allicock.

Guyana's Birds Featured in Several Articles

Guyana's birds are once again being featured in print. The winter 2007 issue of Birds Illustrated ran a feature article on Guyana that was penned by author Neil Glenn.

Reflecting upon his trip to Guyana for the magazine, Mr. Glenn says, 'What price a Jaguar silently padding along a dirt track in front of your jeep or lazing on a riverbank by your canoe? How much luxury would you forego to witness a Harpy Eagle gliding overhead as you sit in a boat or relax in a chair up a canopy tower? This is the new last frontier; this is a rare chance to experience true wilderness. Visit soon and see how alive it makes you feel.'

And keep an eye out in future issues of the American Birding Association publication Winging It, as a birding in Guyana feature article is also in the works for that publication.

For more information on recently published articles on birdwatching in Guyana, including links to some in their entirety, please visit the News section of the Guyana Birding website.

Fourth Product Familiarization Tour Success

Besides the written articles, and in keeping with the previous three birding product familiarization trips organized by the Birding Tourism Program in 2006 and 2007, participants in the fourth trip that took place last November had plenty of positive feedback to report. Eight international birding tour operators and one North American birding media representative came to Guyana to experience the birding tourism product. We noted a few of the comments given by the pleased birdwatchers on the trip, and weï¿½ll let them do the bragging for us.

Susan Roney Drennan, of the National Audubon Society was thrilled, saying "Birding Guyana was like birding Eden. The jungle rainforest was pristine. The birds were varied and abundant. The guides were expert and focused. The accommodations were very comfortable. It was all a bonanza of riches. Who could have asked for more?"

Mark Heddon of Caligo Ventures noted, "Like a lot of Americans I didn't know much about Guyana. After visiting all I can say is wow, what a wonderful place. To see such wide expanses of pristine, undisturbed habitat, and to see so many spectacular birds thriving in that habitat, was a great experience."
Rick Wright of the American Birding Association was in agreement, adding that, "Guyana is a revelation, not just in the diversity of its habitats but in their purity, and it is no surprise that these habitats still harbor some of the most desirable birds in the Neotropics."
"I was quite amazed," Naturalist Journey's Narca Moore-Craig said, "that it is possible anywhere in today's world to fly over so many miles of nearly unbroken rainforest wilderness. As the natural, wild forests elsewhere diminish, Guyana's intact forest will be recognized globally as an exceedingly valuable heritage."
"Guyana has great potential for birdwatching tourism," said Gunnar Engblom of Kolibri Tours. "Kaieteur Falls, the lodges, ranches and community tourism projects such as Surama, all provide endless opportunities for first class birding. The birding exploration of Guyana has just started but it shall become a magnet for all birding styles. Guyana has it all."

Lodge Upgrades

We are happy to report that lodge owners in Guyana are responding to comments and requests for improvements by birders and nature tourists. For instance, the management of the Iwokrama Field Station has reported that they are expanding and will have a total of eight cabins by April 2008. Furniture will be upgraded, and fans and hot water installed in all cabins. Community and Tourism Services (CATS), the operators of the Canopy Walkway, are upgrading the Atta Rainforest Lodge. Soon, the current hammock lodging will also include eight self-contained cabins. Rock View Lodge has also made a range of upgrades to the rooms and grounds. These include improvements to the pool area, decorative enhancements, and the addition of hot water showers and wireless internet in all rooms.

Guyana Stuns with Climate Change Proposal

In November 2007, Guyana's President, Bharrat Jagdeo, made a groundbreaking offer concerning climate change and Guyana's forests. According to The Independent, "the government of Guyana has said it is willing to place its entire standing forest under the control of a British-led, international body in return for a bilateral deal with the UK that would secure development aid and the technical assistance needed to make the change to a green economy."

According to the President, what is being heralded as possibly the largest-ever carbon offset program would preserve Guyana's forests while still allowing for economic growth in Guyana. And when contrasted to the alternative " allowing foreign mining and timber companies to exploit and deplete the forests " the plan to help offset global warming seems like the better option.

And where would the model for this program come from? Guyana's own forests, actually. The million-acre Iwokrama rainforest reserve in central Guyana is being used as the model for what could be done throughout the country. The government of Guyana gifted the forests of Iwokrama to the Commonwealth in 1989 as an international experiment to show how rainforests could be managed in a sustainable way with the best economical and ecological benefits.

Details of the proposal are still being worked out, and there is no word on whether or not the UK will accept the offer, but look for an update in the next edition of Guyana Birding News.

Guyana to Host CARIFESTA X

Those who like to enjoy a bit of cultural offerings with their birdwatching should consider planning their trip to Guyana around CARIFESTA X, which will take place from August 22-31, 2008. CARIFESTA is short for the Caribbean Festival of Arts, and is the Caribbean and Latin American region's "roving, multidisciplinary, mega arts festival." Having the 10^th event in Guyana is a homecoming since the first ever CARIFESTA celebration was staged in Guyana in 1972.

The theme of CARIFESTA X is, "One Caribbean, One Purpose -- Our Culture, Our Life," and the wide range of events will focus on Drama, Music, Art, Literature, Folklore, Crafts and Dance. For more information visit www.carifesta.net.

Pick of the Flock

In the last In the News, we reported that Bradt Travel Guides was preparing to release a guidebook dedicated solely to Guyana. Now we're pleased to report that it has been published and for sale, making it this issue's Pick of the Flock.

In just under 300 pages, the guidebook written by Kirk Smock extensively covers most everything a visitor to Guyana would want to know. The first half of the book is dedicated to chapters on history, politics, economy, people, culture, the natural environment (with a special section on birds, of course) and details to help in the planning and preparation stages.

The second half of the book is the actual guide part and covers all of Guyana, from the coast to the savannas and from the better-known destinations to the lesser-known villages. The book also has two sections of color photos and more than 20 detailed maps.

The Guyana guidebook is now available for purchase throughout the UK and Europe and will be on sale in the US and the rest of the Americas in mid to late January. For more information visit www.bradtguides.com. Copies are also widely available through many online bookstores.