Friday 21 October 2016

Laguna Blanca Double - Macaw Madness in the Cerrado!!

21/10
I have spent the last week walking a tightrope whilst working on pitfall traps in the Cerrado. By this I mean I have not taken my camera or binos with me just a load of buckets, tarp and sticks. I have returned soaked and covered in muck some days therefore the above were not suitable for carriage.
It was inevitable that a good bird would come by at some stage but I was not expecting what turned up this morning at around 0800hrs. There had been the tail end of a front moving across the Cerrado with clear skies behind it. Catherine and I were up to our arms in setting the tarp on a pitfall bucket and then I heard a loud waaarrhh!! I instantly went into birding meltdown. My brain had registered what the species was but my mouth needed to catch up! Whats that? ... Catherine looked up from what she was doing... The mouth had by now caught up Macaw Macaw but where was it!
(photo by Catherine Lee-Zuck Canada)
The Red and Green Macaw flew towards us at low level but OMG no camera ****. Catherine had a digital camera and produced it in rapid time taking a single shot as the bird past us! Whew she certainly saved the day there (but there was more to come!). I phoned Becca who was in the Atlantic Forest on the off chance that the Macaw would stop off behind the front! The last confirmed record was in 2012 but there was a Macaw heard by Griselda and Jorge but unfortunately not seen approx a month ago therefore remains a Macaw sp!

It was time to go crazeeee a life bird and a species that was on my wish list of birds! Catherine was more reserved but excited all the same!
(photo by Catherine Lee-Zuck Canada)

Shortly afterwards two Kites appeared stopping on the top of the trees as if to wait for the front to move on further before they continued their journey. They were White tailed Kite which was another new bird for my reserve list... These were definitely crazy times! Catherine to the rescue again!

At this point I could not concentrate and flipped about waving my arms in the air (The Beddington Farm boys have experience of this behaviour). Amazing stuff all caught on camera. I can only liken the buzz factor to scoring an important goal in a soccer match!! I am still buzzing Woo hoo!!

20/10

During the afternoon an excited Jorge entered the museum saying “Come quickly!” I got outside and looked around by the large black birds he had seen had gone. I decided to hang around and watch the skies which proved to be a great decision as the two black birds re appeared over the lagoon.

The pair of Bare-faced Ibis was obviously looking to rest but declined to stop after a second look at the lagoon. Jorge confirmed the birds were the same he had seen.


The only other flyover of interest was a mixed group of Egrets. The low cloud and el magico had worked his magic once again!

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