I
do so hope that you will follow my adventures. You can do so via
this blog and also by my Biking Birder Facebook page and Twitter
feed.
or
via my personal Facebook page :
I
am trying to raise money for two charities and obviously I would love
you to donate to them.
Birdlife
International
Chaskwasi-Manu
Children's Project
OK!
The adventure starts today next at Los Pantanos de Villa nature
reserve, south of Lima, Peru. After the day spent there birding with
friends, the adventure of my lifetime is ahead; six months of
cycling, packrafting and birding. Six months to experience oceanic
coastline, desert, mountains and rainforest. Six months to try and
see more than 618 bird species, the incredible Green Birding list
that is the current World Green Birding Year list record held by
Dorian Anderson of the USA.
29th
March 2018 – Mala
Such
wonderful friends, Katia and Mani with their sons, Luisfer and
Nicholas, we set off at 5:30 a.m. For the family's holiday bungalow
just south of the city of Mala. The motorway is busy despite the arly
hour but traffic is moving steadily enough for us to make progress. A
couple of lengthy stops are due to the toll gates. The weather is
foggy but there is the promise of the sun burning this away. It is
going to be another very hot day.
A
carbon transport day before the six month Green adventure, I feel
very tired and anxious over the coming fossil fuel free challenge. I
just hope that this is due to the jetlag yet I am reminded that I
have had three bouts of sinusitis this year with attendant asthma
problems. My peak flow has been less than 400 of late.
We
stop to buy some watch them being baked pies. They have a look life
flying sauces with finger-pinched sides. Another item bought in good
number is a tube of pastry filled with choice olives. Deliciousa!
We
get to the bungalow via sandy dirt roads beyond a small village.
Security gate is opened and we unload the holiday things from the
boot and into the large bungalow. A superb and startlingly red
Vermilion Flycatcher, male of course, is on a tree next to verandah
oblivious to people as it searches for it's next prey item.
Mani
and Katia go to bed. They work so hard and getting up early means
they need to catch up with some sleep. Mani in particular is
shattered. He hasn't been to bed at all overnight. In fact he spent
the night with a study group working at his thesis for his Master's
degree.
I
go for a walk around the compound in the afternoon. Pacific
Parrotlets are common,as are Streaked Saltators and Blue and White Swallows. Croaking Ground Doves do just that . . . croak and a small
group of House Sparrows are in bushes in an adjacent house's hedge.
Long-tailed Mockingbirds, Amazilia Hummingbirds and Groove-billed Anis are seen, the latter has a couple of juveniles hiding in thick
undergrowth but betraying their presence by noisily begging for food.
A Bran-coloured Flycatcher is the first one I have seen of this
species at sea level. Overhead the occasional vulture fly past,
Turkey and Black.
Drab-coloured Seedeater
Pacific Parrotlets and a passing Amazilian Hummingbird
Streaked Saltator
Pacific Parrotlets
Into
Mala for provisions, mainly fruit and salad, not of it is wrapped in
plastic and all look marvellous and colourful.
Late
afternoon and we are off on a rescue mission. Luisfer', Mani and
Katia's oldest son needs ice for his first ever camping on a beach
trip with his friends from University. So after queuing for about
forty minutes on the motorway we arrive at their beach resort and
pass over BBQ wood and large bags of ice. Now I could never image my
parents travelling fifty miles to deliver bags of ice!
We
return via a dusty dirt road to a small village, Azpitia, which lies
atop a ridge with a large river below. We get out to admire the view
and to enjoy a large glass of deep red Chicha. The next village has
an Easter scene made up of Incan warriors and Spanish ladies as the
protagonists.
Back
at the bungalow more friends have arrived, Fabian and Fernando with
their delightful daughter Malu. A very special couple, Fabian is from
Nantes, France and speaks four languages perfectly. It is incredible
the way Fabian can switch from English to Spanish in the same breath.
The evening is spent with good food and good friends, games and
music.
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