Wednesday 11 November 2015

Birthday Presents!!

My time at Laguna Blanca has been flying by but this was expected. I have continued gathering data for my online Zoology course as well as keeping my eyes on the reserve for new birds.

The reserve has been subjected to heavy rain storms which is unusual for this time of year. A storm usually brings the possibility of a rarity and experience has taught me to be very wary on these days.

The day of my birthday (5th) was to be full of some unexpected presents. The first was delivered as I was walking along the beach to the seasonal pond I spied a small wader with a distinct wing-bar fly from the stream towards the beach. The bird settled and was very obliging and was my first Spotted Sandpiper in Paraguay.

I continued my walk with Al to the seasonal pond to check the pit fall traps for frogs when present number two a Rufescent tiger Heron flew across the small pond and obligingly sat up in a tree. I had missed this species at Laguna Blanca a couple of years earlier as I was having a Spanish lesson when a bird appeared in the reeds along the beach.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better I noticed a Snail Kite perched near the top of a tree. The bird took flight over the pond making my tally of new birds for my Laguna Blanca list three in less than an hour!

A Maguari Stork was was the next species to fly over the lagoon. The birds were definitely turning out for my big day. 


My 500th birthday celebrations continued into the night with my good friends from Para La Tierra and my new friends staying in the PLT house...Thanks guys I had a great time. Here’s to the next 500 years!

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