Introducing "LOBO" + some birds!

FEBRUARY 20^th

PLEASE NOTE: Sorry folks but most of the time I don’t have mobile phone reception at Laguna Blanca!

(BEWARE OF DOG!)

Lobo is the resident dog! Protector of all and all things around the base! He is still under a year old. He generally disappears at night when he is supposed to be guarding the base. He has developed a “Houdini” style act and manages to escape regularly. Last night was no different he managed to wander over to the monkey area and was dually dispatched back to base on the back of Fatima’s motorbike with Becca. Fatima just happened to be passing by! 

No chance of monkey watch today! 

Plan “B” do some birding!

The first lifer of my trip came in the form of a flyover a small group of Pileated Parrot, Tataupa Tinamou were also heard as I walked along the road.

Two Variable Antshrike were found near the gates....

(Variable Antshrike)

These were replaced by a Ferruginous Pygmy-owl who was very interested on keeping an eye on me!

(Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl)

Further down the track I spied the rufous cap of a spinetail and after a little bit of patience identified the bird as a Pale-breasted Spinetail. A Pearly-vented Tody-tyrant appeared a few moments after the Spinetail had gone from view. This species was far more camera friendly.  A Masked Tityra completed the mornings list.

(Pearly-vented Tody-tyrant)

I helped Sean out in collecting the gill net which had drifted to the E side of the lake. There was nothing of interest in the net or to report on the lagoon.

The afternoon turned overcast so I decided to check the Lagoon to see if anything had dropped in. I spied a grebe at the E end of the lake and quickly gathered my kit and telescope and made my way along the path. The grebe was confirmed as a Pied-billed Grebe making two on the lagoon.

Neotropical Cormorants were next to drop in nine in total. As I was watching the Cormorants wheeling around I notice a smaller bird flying low across the lagoon. I snapped away with the SLR and later identified it as as the largest of the Kingfishers here the Ringed Kingfisher. The last species to make it onto my list was a juvenile M Long-winged Harrier which was patrolling the long grass at the back of the E section of the lake.

(Ringed Kingfisher)

 I made my way back towards base bumping into Sean, Mark and Adam along the way. I joined up with them and went to look at the dead horse which had been dropped off into a clearing in the grass. The carcass was reasonably fresh. Adam had set up a camera trap to monitor visitors to it. Could this be an opportunity to see a King Vulture?! Note to self check this location regularly!

I added some Cerado birds to my list Red-crested Finch, a group of very noisy White-rumped Tanagers and several Grassland Sparrows.

Later that evening the Tropical Screech Owl made yet another appearance at the camp!