APRIL 5th
The weather is continually changing and some days are
complete washouts. But with this brings in new birds and today there was
definitely something in the air apart from tonnes of bugs! Sjouke and I
returned to Nightjar land which had been so quiet the other morning!
Today was different the rain had freshened the air, filled
the stream at the lower end of Nightjar land. The birds were active and having
a feast! This is the first time so much activity had been seen around this
area. We chose three locations along the old river bed to watch the near bank
of the stream.
A Vermilion Flycatcher was the first addition to the trip
list. I never tire of seeing this beautifully coloured flycatcher. Three birds
would be found during our travels. The lagoon and the Arroyito trail would also
hold single birds.
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| (Vermilion Flycatcher) |
Yellow rumped Marshbird, Streamer tailed Tyrant and an
Amazon Kingfisher were seen along the margins of the stream. Plumbeous
Seedeater was the next new species to come into view but the sight of a Toco
Toucan perched on a dead tree took our attention. A single bird gave crippling
views through the scope from midway up the far bank. This session was
definitely making the grade!
Sjouke and I then moved up to the areas of Eucalyptus
Plantations to run some time tests walking through and area which was seven
years old. The trees were tall and their lower branches had been trimmed. There
was a sparse covering of green foliage and a layer of crispy leaf litter. I was
not expecting to see a great deal of bird life in the 17.18ha area but I did
not expect to see a life bird either. A Striped Cuckoo was disturbed by Sjouke
as we walked the diagonal. Fortunately we were not far from the truck and the
dash was a short one to get my camera.
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| (Striped Cuckoo) |
The bird who seemed as shocked to see us
inside the plantation as we were to find it there froze in a reasonably open
area allowing pictures to be taken! The truck journey back was full of excited
chattering with the odd woo hoo thrown in as well! We carried out a similar
test on a patch of Cerrado on the way back to base.
The hype continued over lunch and a decision to carry on
birding throughout the afternoon was reached. Normally it is too hot and the
birds are quiet during the early part of the day but conditions seemed perfect.
Sean having had a good catch of fish that morning decided to join us and we
headed off onto the Arroyito trail.
The Arroyito trail has served us well during the time here
and is at the back of the base. There is an open area with a dried stream bed a
couple of hundred meters into it. The stream now runs from the lagoon along a
part manufactured course further on behind the old river course. Many of the
flowering shrubs had now bloomed as a result of the rain.
To say this area was alive with small birds and hummingbirds
was no exaggeration. The team of three worked together to identify log and
photograph the birds in this area. Sean was noticeably gripped by the amount of
activity and celebrated with us as the lifers and new birds appeared.
A female Black throated Mango was my first lifer to appear.
The black and white stripes on the chest were clear as it whizzed into a
flowering bush fed and flew off. Glistening bellied Emerald and Guilded
Sapphire chased each other around this spot. Two Purple Throated Euphonias
appeared in a nearby tree followed by a pair of Little Woodpecker who were
speeding up thick branches of trees.
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| (Little Woodpecker) |
The day list was mounting up and Helen had suggested at
lunch that we should continue birding and not return until the day list had
reached 69 species!! Hmm! We were close to it so off we went to the Atlantic
Forest to give ourselves a chance of reaching the total. Some banter over this
subject with Becca and Vikki along the way and the boys left the monkey crew
preferring the path to the forest.
The path was quieter but produced a pair of Blue Dacnis the
male is sea blue in colour with a black chin and the female mainly green!
Fantastic can the day get any better?!
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| (Blue Dacnis) |
The last port of call was the Urukurea trail into the
forest. The total was very close now and a calling Taitapu Tinamou was added.
THEN a strange semi barking howling like a monkey was heard from nearby. Sjouke
and Sean looked at me and said “What the .... was that?!” Paul Smith had
mentioned how the call of the Rusty Margined Guan would scare the life out of
you if heard in the forest. It was nearly dusk and it had certainly done that!
Once the heart-rate had settled I used playback in an attempt to lure this bird
into the open. This bird is a lifer for me and has to be seen to be added to my
life list! The bird did not play ball and was to be the only disappointment in
an action packed day!
We hitched a lift back to base on the aptly nicknamed
Formula One Frogs!!
Needless to say the total was surpassed and the only way to
celebrate this on my moth-light duty night was to consume Rocklets (Smarties)
and a few beers!
What a fantastic days birding with several records
broken:-
The highest number of
species in a day since I arrived = 70/1 (One to be identified). See LB daily for full list.
Highest number of new birds added to trip list in a day 8!
(Discounting initial days logging)
Most habitats covered in a day!
The most beer I have consumed since I arrived!! Good job I
had beer goggles on!
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| (There were 50 of them?!) |
There is even talk of a bird race day with three teams of
two consisting of one birder and one non birder! Draw could be made Champions
league style very soon! Stand by your blogs!!
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