66 Days to Go Before BB-2018 Peru.

Wednesday 24 January 2018

66 Days to Go Before BB-2018 Peru.

Hello,

Yesterday I talked about The wonderful Champions of The Flyways event and how my team is struggling this year to get enough funds to go.

So, if anyone can help the three young birders, Erin, George and Samuel please contact them via the North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory email at :

alison@nrbo.prestel.co.uk

For details please see yesterday's blog. Thanks everyone.

Now 66 days to go before I start birding a reserve just south of Lima called Los Pantanos de Villa.

Maybe not the most scenic of reserves in Peru, I love the place and the staff and volunteers who work there. It has always been a delight, providing an interesting start and end to my times in Peru. A great reserve to get to grips with some coastal and wetland birds.

Located a few miles south of Lima's Miraflores district, where I will be starting from on that first morning in April, Inca Terns and Peruvian Boobies, Peruvian Pelicans and various gulls, such as Kelp, Belcher's and Franklin's will start my Green Bird list; adding to the various common birds of the Miraflores parks, Long-tailed Mockingbirds, Western Peruvian and Croaking Ground Doves, Saffron Finches, Vermilion Flycatchers and Amazilia Hummingbirds.

With a visitor's centre from where a permit is to be bought, birding will take me through high reedbeds surrounding brackish water lagoons and along pathways to tall hides overlooking large lakes. Black Vultures are everywhere, either perched up on palm trees or circling around overhead. On the smaller lagoons there will be numbers of Pied-billed Grebes and various duck, whilst small herons perch awaiting a small fish to pass; both Night Heron species, Yellow and Black-crowned, Cattle and Snowy Egrets. In the reeds the amazing Multi-coloured Rush Tyrant is a must to see.

Along the road, heading for the sea, a diversion should bring Burrowing Owls and Peruvian Thicknees, with American Kestrel, various waders such as Greater and Lesser yellowlegs, peeps and Killdeer, Peruvian Ibis and Back-necked Stilts.

So down to the never ending sandy beach with adjacent saltwater lagoon and Pacific Ocean views. Black Skimmers by the hundred, passing Guanay Cormorants by the tens of thousands, American Oystercatchers, Spotted Sandpipers, White-cheeked Pintail, Little Blue Herons, Giant Grebe and thousands of gulls, terns and boobies.

So with maybe a couple of days here to start the Big Green Bird List - Biking Birder Peruvian Adventure 2018, a list when leaving of near to 100 different birds may be on. That list may even include Humboldt Penguins! I have seen them here before.

So please visit my Just Giving page where you will find that the adventure is in aid of Birdlife International. Every donation to this wonderful international charity is a huge boost to my efforts so thanks everyone.