edenwatcher
Well-known member
Interesting stuff. Last time I read much on Paraguay was Gerald Durrell's "The Drunken Forest".
Rob
Rob
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Paraguay October 2009 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter antshrike69
- Start date
antshrike69
Well-known member
17th Oct
We spent today working our way back to Asuncion via a couple of sites.
The first stop was at a small river bridge where we had discovered a large bat roost on the way out. We spent some time using flash to photograph into the joints of the bridge, finding both Eptesicus furinalis (Common Brown Bat) and Eptesicus diminutus (Diminutive Brown Bat). The former were present in their 100s and there were many hairless babies. Also present was a small group of Lesser Fishing Bats. It's obvious where the alternative name of Bulldog Bat comes from but they're pretty googy creatures.
Birds in this area included a beautiful dark-phase Long-winged Harrier and a pair of vocal Firewood-Gatherers in the crown of a palm. We were starting to get into seedeater season when several rare species migrate through Paraguay on their way to the breeding grounds, and so were on the lookout for seeding grasses. Although we were still a bit too far west for interesting species, we scored with both Lined and Tawny-bellied. Soon we were back in Asuncion and eating a delicious meal of Surubi, a local fish. Pretty good for me, as a pleasant change from fried eggs in a country not famous for catering to non-meat-eaters.
We spent today working our way back to Asuncion via a couple of sites.
The first stop was at a small river bridge where we had discovered a large bat roost on the way out. We spent some time using flash to photograph into the joints of the bridge, finding both Eptesicus furinalis (Common Brown Bat) and Eptesicus diminutus (Diminutive Brown Bat). The former were present in their 100s and there were many hairless babies. Also present was a small group of Lesser Fishing Bats. It's obvious where the alternative name of Bulldog Bat comes from but they're pretty googy creatures.
Birds in this area included a beautiful dark-phase Long-winged Harrier and a pair of vocal Firewood-Gatherers in the crown of a palm. We were starting to get into seedeater season when several rare species migrate through Paraguay on their way to the breeding grounds, and so were on the lookout for seeding grasses. Although we were still a bit too far west for interesting species, we scored with both Lined and Tawny-bellied. Soon we were back in Asuncion and eating a delicious meal of Surubi, a local fish. Pretty good for me, as a pleasant change from fried eggs in a country not famous for catering to non-meat-eaters.
antshrike69
Well-known member
antshrike69
Well-known member
As far as I know, they are tricky in Argentina too and certainly declining there. Certainly in Paraguay they are very local and there are very sites where they are regularly recorded. I'm not sure of the status in S Bolivia.
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borealowl47
Darrell Neufeld
trip
Great read,especially about the Mennonite community,I have Mennonite roots and think I have some relatives in Paraguay!:t:
Great read,especially about the Mennonite community,I have Mennonite roots and think I have some relatives in Paraguay!:t:
Rasmus Boegh
BF member
Based on ~2 weeks in right habitat and region with the result being zero, I'd say pretty rare (... but perhaps I was just unlucky). I'll switch one of my Crimson-bellied sightings for a Black-bodied...
Nice report.
antshrike69
Well-known member
Cheers Rasmus. I'll do you a swap! Despite many weeks in the right habitat, Crimson-bellied continues to elude me...
These Black-bodieds needed several hours of concerted searching even when we were obviously in the middle of an active territory with responsive birds. They seem genuinely low-density and presumably have large territories too like many of their relatives. Paul told me there are records from several other sites in Paraguay, but generally only a few records from each. They are certainly not a bird you can count on seeing consistently even at the 'good' sites, despite the fact that central Paraguay is one of the strongholds (the other being N Argentina). Maybe as a low-density species recorded rather rarely in an area affected by rapid habitat deterioration the conservation status is less good than currently assumed?
It's always difficult knowing how relevant reports from places like this are to the majorityQUOTE]
Highly so, if only for the drool factor!Good stuff.
antshrike69
Well-known member
18th Oct
Back in Asuncion, the plan was to head out at 6 am to the Bahia. At 5, Paul was hammering at the door - we had all forgotten that the clocks changed last night! I threw on some clothes, grabbed the optics and we headed off to collect Rob Clay from his apartment before driving down to the bay. The site is a mixture of open grassy areas and scrub, with marshy bits and of course the shoreline of the river itself. This mix of habitats brings in a good variety of birds, including many interesting passage migrants.
Scanning the water, we picked up Least and Pied-billed Grebes, along with Striated Heron and a young Great Black-Hawk. A good variety of waders included Yankee Golden Plover, 5 Upland Sandpipers, a flock of Buff-breasts and best of all, a stately Hudsonian Godwit. Another 9 flew in from high above the city line later on, no doubt relieved to find a refuelling spot. Dark-billed Cuckoos were everywhere and Large Elaenia was calling. Large-billed and Yellow-billed Terns quartered the water along with numbers of hirundines.
Rob birds the bay regularly as a local patch, and he had recorded some excellent species in recent weeks. Obviously, these were on my target list and first we checked out 'Dinelli's Triangle' - a patch of bushy scrub in a grassy area. Within minutes, we heard the target singing and soon pinned down a Dinelli's Doradito feeding in the low bushes. This is a rare and local flycatcher, which passes through the area annually. For a week or two before I left the UK, Paul and Rob had been giving me updates on their continued presence, but I had assumed they would be long gone by now so this was an unexpected bonus. In the same area were several Crested Doraditos, giving a nice comparison to the Dinelli's and provided another new species for me from this local and secretive genus.
Next we tried a real long-shot. Rob had seen a passage Ash-coloured Cuckoo here a few weeks earlier, giving him a site tick. We had scrutinised the Dark-billeds without success but decided to try playing some tape. Paul ran the call on repeat while I scanned, picking up singing White-bellied and Dark-throated and Rusty-collared Seedeaters. It took some time, but as I swung the scope around to check a bare sapling for the umpteenth time, an Ash-coloured Cuckoo popped into the lens. Crippling views of another secretive species!
Moving to the marshes, we tried unsuccessfully for South American Painted Snipe - Rob had had one here a few days earlier in a completely dry thicket! Throwing caution to the wind, Rob and I waded into the marsh and spent a very enjoyable time wading up and down the water (often up to the thighs) through dense vegetation and water hyacinths trying to flush the snipe. We succeeded with South American Snipe but bigger beans were to come. As we thrashed through a particularly dense patch of arums and hyacinths, a Spotted Rail fluttered up a few feet away and treated us to a lengthy flyby before going to cover. I stayed put and Rob circled behind it, leading to another even closer flyby - a beautiful intricately-marked rallid and well worth the soaking boots.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Bahia - lots of good birds in a surreal setting with Scarlet-headed Blackbirds and Yellow-rumped Marshbirds competing for attention. Unfortunately it did take a week to get the smell out of my boots..
Back in Asuncion, the plan was to head out at 6 am to the Bahia. At 5, Paul was hammering at the door - we had all forgotten that the clocks changed last night! I threw on some clothes, grabbed the optics and we headed off to collect Rob Clay from his apartment before driving down to the bay. The site is a mixture of open grassy areas and scrub, with marshy bits and of course the shoreline of the river itself. This mix of habitats brings in a good variety of birds, including many interesting passage migrants.
Scanning the water, we picked up Least and Pied-billed Grebes, along with Striated Heron and a young Great Black-Hawk. A good variety of waders included Yankee Golden Plover, 5 Upland Sandpipers, a flock of Buff-breasts and best of all, a stately Hudsonian Godwit. Another 9 flew in from high above the city line later on, no doubt relieved to find a refuelling spot. Dark-billed Cuckoos were everywhere and Large Elaenia was calling. Large-billed and Yellow-billed Terns quartered the water along with numbers of hirundines.
Rob birds the bay regularly as a local patch, and he had recorded some excellent species in recent weeks. Obviously, these were on my target list and first we checked out 'Dinelli's Triangle' - a patch of bushy scrub in a grassy area. Within minutes, we heard the target singing and soon pinned down a Dinelli's Doradito feeding in the low bushes. This is a rare and local flycatcher, which passes through the area annually. For a week or two before I left the UK, Paul and Rob had been giving me updates on their continued presence, but I had assumed they would be long gone by now so this was an unexpected bonus. In the same area were several Crested Doraditos, giving a nice comparison to the Dinelli's and provided another new species for me from this local and secretive genus.
Next we tried a real long-shot. Rob had seen a passage Ash-coloured Cuckoo here a few weeks earlier, giving him a site tick. We had scrutinised the Dark-billeds without success but decided to try playing some tape. Paul ran the call on repeat while I scanned, picking up singing White-bellied and Dark-throated and Rusty-collared Seedeaters. It took some time, but as I swung the scope around to check a bare sapling for the umpteenth time, an Ash-coloured Cuckoo popped into the lens. Crippling views of another secretive species!
Moving to the marshes, we tried unsuccessfully for South American Painted Snipe - Rob had had one here a few days earlier in a completely dry thicket! Throwing caution to the wind, Rob and I waded into the marsh and spent a very enjoyable time wading up and down the water (often up to the thighs) through dense vegetation and water hyacinths trying to flush the snipe. We succeeded with South American Snipe but bigger beans were to come. As we thrashed through a particularly dense patch of arums and hyacinths, a Spotted Rail fluttered up a few feet away and treated us to a lengthy flyby before going to cover. I stayed put and Rob circled behind it, leading to another even closer flyby - a beautiful intricately-marked rallid and well worth the soaking boots.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Bahia - lots of good birds in a surreal setting with Scarlet-headed Blackbirds and Yellow-rumped Marshbirds competing for attention. Unfortunately it did take a week to get the smell out of my boots..
antshrike69
Well-known member
antshrike69
Well-known member
After such a productive start to the day, breakfast was especially welcome. We then packed up our stuff and headed to Laguna Blanca. En route, we stopped just outside the town of Arroyas y Esteros ('streams and marshes') where there are extensive wet pastures and marshes. This is a regular site for Strange-tailed Tyrant and scanning soon picked up a couple of males and a female bird. Rather distant, but very distinctive with the strange (!) flagged tails in the male birds. Other passerines included White-headed Marsh-Tyrant and Donacobius, both welcome old friends from previous trips and both birds full of character. Water birds were abundant, with many Maguari Storks and egrets and the odd Roseate Spoonbill or group of Wood Storks. As with so many areas of Paraguay, Snail Kites were everywhere with over 40 birds in one small area alone. Yellowish Pipits gave their buzzy displays and Spectacled Tyrant, Yellow-chinned Spinetail and more Crested Doraditos were in the reeds and sedges. We ate lunch on the raised road running across the fields where a Maguari beak and two dead snakes showed the hunting which undoubtedly goes on here before heading onwards to Laguna Blanca itself.
Laguna Blanca is reached by a dirt track from the main road. This track runs past several swampy marshes and at one of these I saw my first Streamer-tailed Tyrant perched on the fence - a real brute of a tyrant and spectacular. We arrived at the ranch at dusk - the house is on the edge of a beautiful sedge-fringed lake with a white sand beach fringed by forest. We were staying in the wooden building opposite the main house and reached by a small bridge over a reedy stream full of croaking and chirruping frogs. We ditched our bags and ate a hearty meal in the main house in between chasing moths around the lights. Masses of large chafer-like beetles had congregated around the lights and were buzzing about. At this stage, I didn't realise how omninous this was...
Back at the room, huge numbers of the same beetles were bumbling around the outside light and sliding down the wall into two stone water basins. We retired to bed inside the building but as soon as the light was switched off, the beetles started to invade the building. Mike and I had the end room and for some reason this was the target - dozens of beetles came under the door like a scene from the film 'The Mummy', then started to fly around, bouncing off walls and furniture and landing on the beds. A massive electrical storm was raging outside by now, and the lightening was illuminating the beetles as they bounced off the headboards. All very surreal and a bit too much for Mike who hadn't signed up for a beetle-related ordeal. All you could hear was buzzing then the sound of wingcases hitting wood. Needless to say, the following day we moved into the main house....
Laguna Blanca is reached by a dirt track from the main road. This track runs past several swampy marshes and at one of these I saw my first Streamer-tailed Tyrant perched on the fence - a real brute of a tyrant and spectacular. We arrived at the ranch at dusk - the house is on the edge of a beautiful sedge-fringed lake with a white sand beach fringed by forest. We were staying in the wooden building opposite the main house and reached by a small bridge over a reedy stream full of croaking and chirruping frogs. We ditched our bags and ate a hearty meal in the main house in between chasing moths around the lights. Masses of large chafer-like beetles had congregated around the lights and were buzzing about. At this stage, I didn't realise how omninous this was...
Back at the room, huge numbers of the same beetles were bumbling around the outside light and sliding down the wall into two stone water basins. We retired to bed inside the building but as soon as the light was switched off, the beetles started to invade the building. Mike and I had the end room and for some reason this was the target - dozens of beetles came under the door like a scene from the film 'The Mummy', then started to fly around, bouncing off walls and furniture and landing on the beds. A massive electrical storm was raging outside by now, and the lightening was illuminating the beetles as they bounced off the headboards. All very surreal and a bit too much for Mike who hadn't signed up for a beetle-related ordeal. All you could hear was buzzing then the sound of wingcases hitting wood. Needless to say, the following day we moved into the main house....
antshrike69
Well-known member
antshrike69
Well-known member
antshrike69
Well-known member
19th Oct
I woke at 5am to find rain still hammering down - a bit concerning given we only had 2 nights to connect with the star bird of the site White-winged Nightjar and one of the star birds of the entire trip. Either way, there was no point going out night-birding and the rain was still coming down after breakfast. Mid morning, we walked into the cerrado despite the ongoing intermittent rain which started to turn into a torrential downpour again. In the glimpses between storms, we added a smart Flavescent Warbler and a pair of Tawny-crowned Pygmy Tyrants which flashed their crests in an excited fashion. A distant Rusty-backed Antwren sang, but was far too far away to try taping in.
We conceded defeat and headed back to the room. A Purplish Jay sat dejected on its nest in a tall tree outside the ranch house, soaking wet. After lunch, it was still raining but we headed out into the cerrado again determined to add some species to the list. A Large Elaenia looked almost crestless in the heavy rain and we added a very distant Bearded Tachuri (which vanished mysteriously as we approached it in the tall grass), White-rumped Monjita and Boat-billed Flycatcher. More interesting were small groups of Curl-crested Jays, weirdly short-tailed and front-heavy. Other cerrado species included Black-throated Saltators, Shrike-like Tanagers and White-rumped Tanagers calling in the distance.
The day finished with some frogging along the lake shore, with four species identified.
I woke at 5am to find rain still hammering down - a bit concerning given we only had 2 nights to connect with the star bird of the site White-winged Nightjar and one of the star birds of the entire trip. Either way, there was no point going out night-birding and the rain was still coming down after breakfast. Mid morning, we walked into the cerrado despite the ongoing intermittent rain which started to turn into a torrential downpour again. In the glimpses between storms, we added a smart Flavescent Warbler and a pair of Tawny-crowned Pygmy Tyrants which flashed their crests in an excited fashion. A distant Rusty-backed Antwren sang, but was far too far away to try taping in.
We conceded defeat and headed back to the room. A Purplish Jay sat dejected on its nest in a tall tree outside the ranch house, soaking wet. After lunch, it was still raining but we headed out into the cerrado again determined to add some species to the list. A Large Elaenia looked almost crestless in the heavy rain and we added a very distant Bearded Tachuri (which vanished mysteriously as we approached it in the tall grass), White-rumped Monjita and Boat-billed Flycatcher. More interesting were small groups of Curl-crested Jays, weirdly short-tailed and front-heavy. Other cerrado species included Black-throated Saltators, Shrike-like Tanagers and White-rumped Tanagers calling in the distance.
The day finished with some frogging along the lake shore, with four species identified.
antshrike69
Well-known member
20th Oct
Today was White-winged Nightjar day. For complicated reasons we had ended up with no 4WD. Given that an uncrossable (in 2WD) stream crossed the track a few yards from the ranch, this meant any nightbirding would have to be done entirely on foot. Unfortunately, the best cerrado was some walk away and so we started out at 3 am. For three hours, Rob and I scanned the night with torches, looking for eyeshine and listening for nightjars. We managed 2 Little Nightjar and a rather distant Common Potoo but not a sniff of the target. As dawn broke, we conceded defeat and trekked back to the house - it was pretty impressive how much ground we had covered in 3 hours fast walking, although less impressive was the state of the habitat in daylight. Little was suitable and most was either grazed or degraded. Pileated Parrots went overhead and we picked up Little Woodpecker, Campo Suiriri, White-crested Tyrannulet, Plumbeous Seedeater and some gorgeous White-rumped Tanagers. Best of all was an outrageous Pale-crested Woodpecker in a tiny patch of trees just before getting back. The closely-related Blond-crested is one of my favourite woodpeckers in the world, and Pale-crested proved just as stonking with its dark body and triangular cream head with huge crest. A pair of Rusty-backed Antwrens showed nicely in the scrub around the accommodation.
After much discussion, we decided some transport was going to be essential if we were to have any chance of the nightjar. Messengers were sent out from the estancia, and a suitable vehicle located on a neighbouring property. There were a few key problems - the filter was stuffed, so we had to stop to reprime the engine every few 100 yards, and the driver was not the most enthusiatic I've come across, but it was a vehicle and it got us across the stream and coped well with the sand. We birded a few hours before dark, concentrating on an area of tall grass where Sharp-tailed Grass Tyrant was notable. Even better were the Cock-tailed Tyrants. These have to be seen to be believed. The males are cute enough sat up on the grass, but when they display they transform into a bizarre aeroplane-like contraption with the triangular tail protruding up as they flutter over the grass. Amazing. Totally amazing. We also scored with Black-masked Finch nearby.
As dark fell, we combed likely-looking areas repeatedly on foot, finding 3 more Common Potoos and hearing roding Giant Snipe in the distance. Despite our very best efforts, we failed with the important bird and returned empty handed. We had originally given ourselves two nights here, but even extending by an extra night had ended in an incredibly painful dip.
Today was White-winged Nightjar day. For complicated reasons we had ended up with no 4WD. Given that an uncrossable (in 2WD) stream crossed the track a few yards from the ranch, this meant any nightbirding would have to be done entirely on foot. Unfortunately, the best cerrado was some walk away and so we started out at 3 am. For three hours, Rob and I scanned the night with torches, looking for eyeshine and listening for nightjars. We managed 2 Little Nightjar and a rather distant Common Potoo but not a sniff of the target. As dawn broke, we conceded defeat and trekked back to the house - it was pretty impressive how much ground we had covered in 3 hours fast walking, although less impressive was the state of the habitat in daylight. Little was suitable and most was either grazed or degraded. Pileated Parrots went overhead and we picked up Little Woodpecker, Campo Suiriri, White-crested Tyrannulet, Plumbeous Seedeater and some gorgeous White-rumped Tanagers. Best of all was an outrageous Pale-crested Woodpecker in a tiny patch of trees just before getting back. The closely-related Blond-crested is one of my favourite woodpeckers in the world, and Pale-crested proved just as stonking with its dark body and triangular cream head with huge crest. A pair of Rusty-backed Antwrens showed nicely in the scrub around the accommodation.
After much discussion, we decided some transport was going to be essential if we were to have any chance of the nightjar. Messengers were sent out from the estancia, and a suitable vehicle located on a neighbouring property. There were a few key problems - the filter was stuffed, so we had to stop to reprime the engine every few 100 yards, and the driver was not the most enthusiatic I've come across, but it was a vehicle and it got us across the stream and coped well with the sand. We birded a few hours before dark, concentrating on an area of tall grass where Sharp-tailed Grass Tyrant was notable. Even better were the Cock-tailed Tyrants. These have to be seen to be believed. The males are cute enough sat up on the grass, but when they display they transform into a bizarre aeroplane-like contraption with the triangular tail protruding up as they flutter over the grass. Amazing. Totally amazing. We also scored with Black-masked Finch nearby.
As dark fell, we combed likely-looking areas repeatedly on foot, finding 3 more Common Potoos and hearing roding Giant Snipe in the distance. Despite our very best efforts, we failed with the important bird and returned empty handed. We had originally given ourselves two nights here, but even extending by an extra night had ended in an incredibly painful dip.
antshrike69
Well-known member
antshrike69
Well-known member
21st Oct still at Laguna Blanca!
Another unsuccessful nightjar day; the highlight today was a Red-breasted Toucan scoped across the lake and another Pale-crested Woodpecker. The afternoon was spent canoeing around the large lake in small one-man kayaks in a comedy stylee. There was a strong cross-wind and I managed to capsize mine in the middle of the open water. Luckily I wasn't attacked by a killer caiman and managed to right the canoe and get back in after some effort - these airfilled jobs are a b@gger to get back into.
A huge storm hit mid afternoon, and this was no doubt responsible for the no-show of the 4WD man who had promised to appear at 4.30. The next 4 hours were spent with Rob and Fidel taking it in turns to phone him and cajole him to show. He'd say yes, then when phoned back after 1/2 an hour would express surprise that we were even expecting him. He did finally turn up, and we put in a few more hours of hard graft with the net result of one Rufous Nightjar - a new bird for me, but not the one I was hoping for.
Rob to his credit was texting and phoning every birder in Paraguay to get more gen on where WWN might be about, but every tip ended with the same view - bare grass and anthills in the torch beam.
Another unsuccessful nightjar day; the highlight today was a Red-breasted Toucan scoped across the lake and another Pale-crested Woodpecker. The afternoon was spent canoeing around the large lake in small one-man kayaks in a comedy stylee. There was a strong cross-wind and I managed to capsize mine in the middle of the open water. Luckily I wasn't attacked by a killer caiman and managed to right the canoe and get back in after some effort - these airfilled jobs are a b@gger to get back into.
A huge storm hit mid afternoon, and this was no doubt responsible for the no-show of the 4WD man who had promised to appear at 4.30. The next 4 hours were spent with Rob and Fidel taking it in turns to phone him and cajole him to show. He'd say yes, then when phoned back after 1/2 an hour would express surprise that we were even expecting him. He did finally turn up, and we put in a few more hours of hard graft with the net result of one Rufous Nightjar - a new bird for me, but not the one I was hoping for.
Rob to his credit was texting and phoning every birder in Paraguay to get more gen on where WWN might be about, but every tip ended with the same view - bare grass and anthills in the torch beam.
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antshrike69
Well-known member
22nd Oct Oh. My. God.
So, 2 nights at Laguna Blanca had now turned in to 5 (so far) and meal times were being spent trying to re-jig the remaining itinerary to cover as much ground as possible in an ever-diminishing time period. Unless we wanted to dip on every other target, this really was make or break time.
We spent the morning in a beautiful marsh, with the familiar sensation of soaking feet. The flora here was extraordinary, with the added attraction of White-tailed Goldenthroats feeding at tubular blooms and Lesser Grass-Finch confiding and close up (another advantage of being in the middle of the water maybe!) Some distant King Vultures soared over the forest and other additions to the trip list included Yellow-chevroned Parakeet and Grey-necked Wood-Rails.
An afternoon canoeing around the lake settled the zen ready for the final nightjar onslaught. Mr 4WD arrived at 4.30 (by now slightly perplexed at my obsession with walking around grassy fields in the dark whatever the weather) and we chugged off to the Cock-tailed Tyrant site. Giant Snipe was calling as dusk fell and 2 Barn Owls hovered way up over the grasslands. Maybe a good omen?
As dusk was truly gathering, Rob and I were stood scanning when a loud whirr came from behind us. We both spun around - me knowing this was something different; Rob knowing exactly what the sound meant. A male WHITE-WINGED NIGHTJAR flew past within feet and landed on the nearest anthill. Cue slight panic - it was dark, but the full moon meant we could see the anthill (but not the bird) without torches, and we didn't want to risk the torch at this point. As I squinted the bird saved me the effort by flashing up 10 feet or so away from us. Awe. Some! The display is incredible - the bird sits on the anthill waiting for what it deems the perfect moment. It then leaps off the mound, bouncing like a rubber ball with a quiet 'pop'. The rebound flings it into the air where it sallies upwards, flashing those huge white wing and tail patches and making a ?mechanical whirr before returning to its perch where it sits as if nothing has happened.
Rob and I stood there watching this amazing bird displaying repeatedly within a few yards, persistently sallying up, popping and whirring. I felt truly privileged and every second (well most of them...) spent tramping around cold wet grasslands hour after hour suddenly became totally worthwhile. Few people can have experienced this species in quite such a magical way, by full moonlight in full display at a matter of feet. More poignantly, despite our best efforts, we did not connect with any other individuals even in surrounding grassland. I wriggled close for some photos and we could easily have caught the bird for in-hand views but somehow it seemed harsh given how well he had performed for us.
So, 2 nights at Laguna Blanca had now turned in to 5 (so far) and meal times were being spent trying to re-jig the remaining itinerary to cover as much ground as possible in an ever-diminishing time period. Unless we wanted to dip on every other target, this really was make or break time.
We spent the morning in a beautiful marsh, with the familiar sensation of soaking feet. The flora here was extraordinary, with the added attraction of White-tailed Goldenthroats feeding at tubular blooms and Lesser Grass-Finch confiding and close up (another advantage of being in the middle of the water maybe!) Some distant King Vultures soared over the forest and other additions to the trip list included Yellow-chevroned Parakeet and Grey-necked Wood-Rails.
An afternoon canoeing around the lake settled the zen ready for the final nightjar onslaught. Mr 4WD arrived at 4.30 (by now slightly perplexed at my obsession with walking around grassy fields in the dark whatever the weather) and we chugged off to the Cock-tailed Tyrant site. Giant Snipe was calling as dusk fell and 2 Barn Owls hovered way up over the grasslands. Maybe a good omen?
As dusk was truly gathering, Rob and I were stood scanning when a loud whirr came from behind us. We both spun around - me knowing this was something different; Rob knowing exactly what the sound meant. A male WHITE-WINGED NIGHTJAR flew past within feet and landed on the nearest anthill. Cue slight panic - it was dark, but the full moon meant we could see the anthill (but not the bird) without torches, and we didn't want to risk the torch at this point. As I squinted the bird saved me the effort by flashing up 10 feet or so away from us. Awe. Some! The display is incredible - the bird sits on the anthill waiting for what it deems the perfect moment. It then leaps off the mound, bouncing like a rubber ball with a quiet 'pop'. The rebound flings it into the air where it sallies upwards, flashing those huge white wing and tail patches and making a ?mechanical whirr before returning to its perch where it sits as if nothing has happened.
Rob and I stood there watching this amazing bird displaying repeatedly within a few yards, persistently sallying up, popping and whirring. I felt truly privileged and every second (well most of them...) spent tramping around cold wet grasslands hour after hour suddenly became totally worthwhile. Few people can have experienced this species in quite such a magical way, by full moonlight in full display at a matter of feet. More poignantly, despite our best efforts, we did not connect with any other individuals even in surrounding grassland. I wriggled close for some photos and we could easily have caught the bird for in-hand views but somehow it seemed harsh given how well he had performed for us.
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ovenbird43
Well-known member
That is one cool nightjar, glad you got to see it! I love the pictures of the cock-tailed tyrant too.
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