Rutland Water - 31 March 2012

A week of non-stop hot, wind-free sunny weather without a cloud in the sky and I choose Saturday, the day when the weather changed for the worse, to visit Rutland Water with close friends Ron and Margaret Gregory. Gone was the sun, in was the cloud and cold wind but at least it did stay dry. As usual, no camera with me in England so much was expected! In the end we had well over fifty species of which at least 17 were new for this month so it looks as if the final total for March will be well over 170.

With a Red Kite and Kestrel in the sky and Rooks and Crows on the fields below we approached the Visitors’ Centre to be greeted by the usual hordes of Jackdaws and, this time, scores of Mute Swans on the neighbouring fields along the approach road. Naturally, we also had Wood Pigeons and Collared Doves all around but, perhaps, the best sighting was a fly-past of a pair of Grey Partridges which Ron had seen on his way over to Stamford from Wigston in Leicestershire. A very special sighting indeed.

Whilst preparing to set off from the car we had Chaffinches and Greenfinches above with a Robin walking besides us and then the arrival of a very small flock, more a group, of Goldfinches. On to the Visitors’ Centre to pay our entrance fee and check on the latest sightings noticing Great Tit and Dunnock near the feeding station. The open water in front of the Centre contained both Greylag and Canada Geese plus Great Crested Grebe, a single Cormorant and a small number of Black-headed Gulls. Ducks included Shoveler, Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon and Shelduck and, of course, there were Coots and Moorhens to be seen.

Before returning to the car for a packed lunch we headed off to the south and the hides overlooking Lagoon 1. A small flock of Snipe were put up by a rapidly passing Sparrowhawk and then we also found a resting Buzzard. The only other waders noted were a small number of Lapwing and a single Redshank. However, to remind me of home, there was also the first of a trio of Little Egrets to be seen during the day plus a solitary Grey Heron. A Pied Wagtail put in an appearance and there were loads of Blackbirds all over the place. Indeed, on the return journey we also had a Chiffchaff, no doubt recently arrived from his winter holidays in southern Spain; perhaps already seen by me near the Guadalhorce in Malaga?

After our lunch break it was off to the northern hides overlooking Lagoons 2, 3 and 4. Having listened to both the drumming and calling of a Great Spotted Woodpecker we found a Jay feeding on the first field. The Sandpiper Hide produced four Avocets and then on to check out Lagoon 3 where we found a whole mix of new birds including a dozen Ruff, a single Goosander and a pair of Oystercatchers. On the main water were scores of Tufted Ducks along with a good number of Goldeneye and a single female Scaup. Even a pair of Egyptian Geese had wandered down to this end of the reserve. Overhead we had a selection of hirrundines, mainly a mix of House Martins and Sand Martins but with the occasional Barn Swallow. Both Common and Herring Gulls put in an appearance, albeit in singles, before, on the return walk to the car, we recorded first a rather lovely Green Woodpecker feeding on the ground followed by a Mistle Thrush.

All in all then a rather pleasant day even if somewhat cold and cloudy and a finally tally of 58 species.

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, Shelduck, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck, Scaup, Goldeneye, Goosander, Grey Partridge, Pheasant, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Heron, Little Egret, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Lapwing, Ruff, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Crow, Common Starling, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch.

Photographs from top:

Robin Erithacus rubecula

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

Mute Swan Cygnus olor

Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus

Ruff Philomachus pugnax

Dunnock Prunella modularis

Central America - January 2012

A two-week cruise aboard the MV Queen Victoria from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale via the Panama Canal promised lots of good birding as well as relaxation and fine dining. However, apart from the various stop-off ports, I have to say that there were relatively few birds to be seen. All of the pelagics occurred on the first leg of the journey as we made our way south along the Pacific coast of Central America and, indeed, unlike our previous Caribbean cruise two years ago, not a single bird was seen at sea between our exit from the Canal until we reached our destination in Fort Lauderdale.

Weather wise, we had calm seas and generally sunny days with a limited swell as we made our way south whereas once into the Caribbean Sea the weather deteriorated with cloudy days and choppy seas.

Leaving Los Angeles for a two-day sea cruise to the Mexican port of Manzanillo, we soon had the occasional company of Pacific Brown Boobies and Brown Pelicans. Then, as we approached the port, the first of the many Magnificent Frigate Birds. Indeed, along with Turkey Vultures, these were to be the most common birds seen during the fortnight. This report, therefore, mainly covers the birds seen during the respective stops during the cruise plus the day-time passage of the Panama Canal. Other than the Pink-footed Shearwaters (*), all species were seen at one or more of the cruise stops so will be recorded as such.

Bird lists that follow are not in scientific order but may, at a later time, be reorganised when I am able to bring out the appropriate Field Guide to Spain.

Manzanillo, Mexico

Our first stop and, possibly, the best birding of the cruise. From the port we were able to take a local bus inland and then made a stop on the return journey having noticed a large inland water with what seemed like good numbers of feeding and resting birds. It proved so and also included a large basking crocodile in a small side pool albeit it was difficult to get a photograph of the complete reptile.

Birds:

Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Ruddy Duck Least Grebe Yellow-crowned Night Heron Great White Egret Snowy Egret Great Blue Heron Tri-colored Heron Green Heron Brown Booby Cormorant White Ibis

White Pelican Brown Pelican Magnificent Frigate Bird Turkey Vulture Broad-winged Hawk Moorhen American Coot Black-necked Stilt Willet Whimbrel Western Gull Royal Tern Common Grackle

Huatulco, Mexico

At this resort we took a taxi to the nearby river where we encountered egrets and a variety of unidentified flycatchers plus birds that we were able to photograph and identify.

Birds:

Red-headed Duck (*) Cattle Egret Great White Egret Snowy Egret Cormorant Green Heron White Ibis Turkey Vulture

Magnificent Frigate Bird Pink-footed Shearwater Moorhen Sandpiper (Calidris) species (*) Inka Dove Rufous-backed Robin Common Grackle Great Grackle (*)

Guatamala

More of a tourist exploration here and only one new bird recorded, the White-winged Dove.

Nicaragua

Again, other than the usual Magnificent Frigate Birds and Turkey Vultures no additions.

Costa Rica

The promise of wonderful birding here and, perhaps, the only country visited that I would probably want to re-visit for some serious birding. This was the only stop that we took an organised tour choosing the mangrove swamps rather than the distant rain forest. In addition to the birds, we had close sightings of and Iguana, Crocodiles and White-faced Monkeys.

Birds:

Anhinga Great White Egret Snowy Egret Great Blue Heron Little Blue Heron Green Heron Brown Pelican Magnificent Frigate Bird Turkey Vulture Black Vulture Whimbrel

Royal Tern Least Tern Belted Kingfisher Amazon Kingfisher Pygmy Kingfisher Ruddy Ground Dove Red & Blue Macaw Orange-chinned Parakeet Mangrove Swallow Common Grackle Great Grackle

Panama Canal

Other than birds seen on the entrance to t

he Canal and at the locks, there was very little bird life as we travelled the Canal and main lake other than the occasional Turkey and Black Vulture. A couple of sightings of basking crocodiles on the eastern bank but very little else. In and around the locks we had the usual birds as below:

Birds:

Great White Egret Brown Pelican Magnificent Frigate Bird Turkey Vulture Black Vulture

Osprey Laughin g Gull Royal Tern Mangrove Swallow

Aruba

Again, this small island in the extreme west of the Caribbean promised much but offered relatively little. Taking a bus to the local, and well-documented, Birding Centre near the hotel area we f

ound the site virtually deserted. The odd Moorhen, a good-sized group of resting Cormorants and the occasional passing Brown Pelican seemed to be the total until a Crested Caracara flew over. Then, walking to a neighbouring small pool, we had views of a few American Coots, Great White Egret, Mourning Doves and a rather strange looking black bird with a huge beak that seemed to start a the op of its head. We thought some type of grosbeak but using the reference book available I now suspect that we were observing a Groove-billed Ani (*).

Earlier we had stopped by the lighthouse and small chapel and were able to record that our common House Sparrow was alive and well and really prospering out west! In the nearby rocky garden area we also recorded Tropical Mockingbird and a striking red Troupial, a colourful, local, member of the Oriole family.

Birds:

Cormorant Great White Egret Green Heron Brown Pelican Moorhen American Coot Mgnificent Frigate Bird

Laughing Gull Royal Tern Parakeet species Groove-billed Ani (*) House Sparrow Tropical Mockingbird Troupial

A full range of photographs can be found by CLICKING HERE.

(*) Photographs were taken of these birds but I am currently awaiting confirmation of identity.