Today we walked further into the Conservation area of the National Park towards Cabo Corrientes with Medalino, the Park guide. As usual the pace was slow as there was lots to see and photograph. We saw Ameiva auberi and Anolis homolechis which had a pale brownish coloration. Normally the males are blackish and females are dark brown with a pale dorsal line and a light chestnut colour on the top of the head but the white dewlap is distinctive. There were lots of butterflies along the way including Emerald Aguna Aguna claxon, many Iphicleola Sister Adelpha iphicleola, Caribbean Daggerwing Marpesia eleuchea and Tailed Cecropian Historis acheronta. We had never seen the latter settle and open its wings before as this one did.
We also saw Yellow-headed Warbler Cuban Pigmy Owl, Cuban and Black-Whiskered Vireo, Bee Hummingbird, and Cuban Lizard Cuckoo feeding along the edge of the road.
Cuban Lizard Cuckoo 8 Aug 2022 Guanahacabibes © Tim Norriss
There were also lots of Cuban White Ganyra menciae but the best was a male Orbis Sulphur Phoebis orbis that settled within distance for a picture.
Orbis Sulphur Phoebis orbis 8 Aug 2022 Guanahacabibes © Tim Norriss
This dragonfly, a male Dythemis rufinervis Red Setwing, is a solely Caribbean species so is not found in Denis Paulson's books on the dragonflies of the US. The red veins on the wings and a brown patch at the base of the rear wings with a slim scarlet abdomen with black marks on the sides only are characteristic.
Dythemis rufinervis Red Setwing male 8 Aug 2022 Guanahacabibes © Tim Norriss
We have seen it just once previously at Topes in June 2018, see picture below - taken with a better camera!
Dythemis rufinervis Red Setwing male 15 Jun 2018 Topes © Tim Norriss
In the evening we went out to see the turtles come in and lay on the beach which is on the road towards the lighthouse. Our guide Osmani told us that on this beach there are approx 200 turtle nests each year. They are 80% Green Turtle Chelonia mydas and 20% Loggerhead Turtle Caretta caretta. Eggs are mostly laid between mid-July and mid-August so we are nearing the end of the egg laying season now but the nests are protected and studied by Cuban scientists. While we were there a female Green Turtle came out of the water and up the beach as we sat quietly waiting with dimly-lit torches. No photography is allowed on the beach to reduce disturbance. On this beach there is an 82% success rate of eggs hatching.
Green Turtle Chelonia mydas Feb 2024 © Robin White (CC BY-NC 4.0)
On the beach there were also 7 Yellow-crowned Night Heron searching for crabs and we had seen Cuban Iguana along the road. We stayed out till midnight and then said our goodbyes and got back to the vehicle just as the heavens opened. There had been a bad storm over the Maria La Gorda hotel before we arrived with lots of rain, thunder and lightning but we missed the worst of it.
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