30th June
The group set camera
and pitfall traps around the shallow lagoons and the bird nets were set and
opened each morning to enable morphometric data to be taken for each species
caught. A regular walk was taken around the lagoon to record bird species and
look at footprints left in the mud at the water’s edge.
Two life birds were
recorded on the first day. The first Coscoroba Swan which looks more like a
cross between a swan and a goose and had incidentally turned into my Paraguayan
bug bird and had recently eluded me whilst I was visiting Argentina.
The Chilean Flamingo
was on my to see wish list and did not disappoint at the first attempt with a
small group swaying their heads from side to side filtering algae in the
shallow water.
A Stilt Sandpiper
was amongst the mix of White-backed Stilt, Lesser Yellowlegs and Collared
Plover feeding along the edge of the lagoon. Ringed Teal were also numerous in
the deeper water and numbers would increase over the coming days.
A Cream-backed
Woodpecker was seen in flight. A group were photographed on a dead tree a few
days later.
Lark-like Brush-runner
was present in the grass around the accommodation block and what a splendid
looking bird this was with its erect crest complimenting the appearance of the
bird.
Buff-necked Ibis
were probing the soft ground as they patiently waited on the soccer pitch for
the referee to arrive.
There were also the
odd small Cayman lurking around the water’s edge but they slipped quietly into
the water on the approach of any of the group.
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