Day 3 – 4/28/18

5:00 AM – We woke up to a beauty we could never have imagined. Like a scene from a movie, our little village was adorned with wooden huts and thatched roofs, and dotted with coconut trees, family gardens, and every sort of livestock you could imagine.

And then, I saw one… a scarlet macaw! It was the reason we had traveled so far, and it was beautiful! Our camp is full of them, probably 100 or more, because this is where many of them are rehabilitated after being rescued from poachers. Once they are set free, many of them return to the area to feed and nest, year after year.

Our field guides tell us they have identified 70 nests in the immediate area so far this season, and they go on daily nest checks and patrols to check on the birds welfare and ward off poachers.

Since it’s our first day at camp, we decided to familiarize ourselves with the area and get our generator running that we will need to charge our batteries.

We interviewed Hector Reyes and Tomas Manzanares. Hector told us about his work with the macaws over the past 18 years, and Tomas is one of the villagers who has risked his life to save the birds.

Tomas used to be a poacher too, because it was the only way to make a good living. But now he fights to save the birds, and was even shot by poachers who didn’t like the fact that he was hurting their business. Tomas works for the Honduran forestry service (ICF), and plays a vital role in conservation efforts in the area.

We spent the day filming the macaws flying around camp, they are most active when being fed. We also spent some time capturing a bit of the village life. We saw women washing laundry in the creek, men picking plan teens, and carrying water from the river.

You know those pictures you see a National Geographic where women carry baskets or bowls on their heads? They do that here, too!

Tonight we will enjoy another native meal of rice and beans, and prepare for tomorrow, when we hope to go to church with our new friends and film some of the nearby scenic places.