Getting lost in the details was easy. I was quickly absorbed by the movements of a single species, holding my breath as the young caiman slinked off into the deep, reed-filled pond by the roadside. It was lumbering but stealthy, and immediately invisible to me – though no doubt its eyes were there, somewhere on the surface, spying, waiting.
Out of the corner of my vision a wattled jacana stepped gingerly across a line of small lily pads, seemingly walking on water. It was foraging, pecking for bugs, busy and distracted. I caught the blurred sight of a flycatcher, zipping along the surface, and focused to watch it flying at pace, picking up food as it went, tireless and comprehensive.
But then the jacana was disturbed by something – possibly…
