So we didn't just count parrots, we also counted mammals to understand how the population is recovering now that hunting is not allowed in this particular area any more. The lodge is part of a conservation concession granted to private individuals with strict controls over what can be done there. In this case this has meant that local people now respect the fact that the land "belongs" to someone and do not log it or hunt on it.
Another way of counting, is to walk a 5km path/transect very slowly and quietly and record everything you see. If this is done often enough population estimates can then be made. Here's a bit about the first one that I did.
"You set off in the semi darkness to get to the start of the transect in time (6 to 6:30am). We walk along in single file, 2m apart trying to walk as quietly as possible and going slowly 1km/hr. I follow Alan who has the machete to clear the way and to "defend us" if necessary! We walk listening for anything that will indicate mammals - Alan hears something and whistles for our attention. We all freeze mid step to listen and then quietly catch up to see what he's spotted - capuchins feeding or spider monkeys flinging themselves from tree to tree or tamarins sitting in the sun grooming each other. Towards the end we get noisier as tiredness sets in and then eventually we get to the end. We've walked for 4 hours and seen no one, heard no manmade noise of any kind except our own and yet we're only a little way into the forest.
We rest at the Brazil nut concession hut, wash our faces in the stream and eat fresh lemon cut from a tree. As the tiredness leaves our feet we start back down a "quicker" trail and walk fast to get home in an hour or so. All of a sudden Alan stops, he's seen spider monkeys, obligingly they swing in plain view and then with a few death defying leaps they crash away through the treetops. On with the march and then stop and listen to jaw clacking and grunting - we sniff the air - white lipped peccary are close. Then an adult crosses the trail 100m away followed by a baby.. Another adult emerges and ambles towards us, about 10m away he becomes suspicious and sniffs for a while. A bit of eating, a bit more sniffing and then he scents something and with a cry of alarm leaps off the trail. The others don't react and we wait for them to clear the trail before going on. Soon it is obvious that we are walking through the group (they often are in groups of up to 50) as the noise increases on both sides of the trail. Adults grunting and jaw clacking. Babies squealing and making "bleah" noises. Alan becomes concerned that if they panic they could run into us or become aggressive. He gets us to stand next to a log and then bangs a tree hard with the machete. All around us alarm calls go up and there are the sounds of much blundering about, gradually quite returns and we go on.
The end of the trail is in sight, my feet are sore and I'm very hot as it's now 11:30. We step out of the shade of the forest into the sunlit clearing around the lodge, returning heroes full of stories to tell, sightings made and dangers avoided!
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