Monday 17 March 2014

Mississippi Madness!

Saturday 15th
(Cock tailed Tyrant)
Today was Joe’s birthday which is a time for celebration at Para La Tierra (Blog entry to follow). The morning was spent with Paul and Roberto  in Nightjar land topping up Roberto’s life ticks. The search for Cock tailed Tyrant ended with a female and a juvenile male found in the long grass.
(Chestnut Seedeater)
A male Chestnut Seedeater was a real bonus within the area search. A Wedge tailed Grassland Finch also made a brief appearance before the wind picked up. A search in the Cerrado resulted in Curl Crested Jay making the life list.
(Mississippi Kite)
The weather forecast was not looking good with storm clouds massing over the reserve. Paul and Roberto decided to take an early departure to avoid a potentially difficult journey along the mud road to Santa Rosa.
Before they departed a search of the Arroyito trail for the Band tailed Manakin. This bird did not oblige but as we exited the trail near the beach I spied a couple of Mississippi Kite above the lagoon. These birds were just the start of things to come as several groups appeared kettling moving N to NW.
(Mississippi Kite juvenile)
Paul and Roberto said their goodbye’s both had a eye on the skies as the Kites continued appearing. After around an hour watch 91 Mississippi Kites had passed through. The biggest group was 50 birds. As you can imagine this is a significant movement of birds through a landlocked country.
(Snowy Egret)
Just prior to the storm arriving, a Snowy Egret, a Fork tailed Flycatcher and two Sick’s Swift passed over the lagoon. Then the heavens opened up. A group of Neotropical Cormorants sought refuge on the lake.

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