News - February 2014

February 02, 2014 21:35

Results of the 5th Bird Survey organized by the COARecs Report of 5th Bird Survey at RECS There were no problems whatsoever during the day. The provisional general count at midday was 98 species and as we left the Southern Screamer appeared and species 99 was added. The result was similar compared to February 2013 (102-99), but there was a general feeling of lack of birds and numbers showed this. Very common birds which are expected to be seen in all routes did not pop up everywhere. As expected, water in Coipos (routes 1a and 1b) added lots of waterbirds compared to the Canal Carlota Roberts (former Canal Sudeste) (route 5) which was the major "source" if waterbirds when ponds were dry. More than 10 species were added. But here the absence of the Spot-flanked Gallinule surprised us. Lots of individuals had been seen lately. This feeling of bird scarcity might be justified in the case of summer visitors which come to the south to breed due to the postponement of the census. Originally programmed on February 1st it had to be put off due to rain and it was carried out three weeks later. By this time many of these visitors had already left for their winter grounds. What can we say about resident birds? Of course they are not anchored at anywhere.

Katydid

Dasyscelus normalis

21-02-14 © Sergio Cusano

21-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch

Poospiza nigrorufa

21-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Guira Cuckoo

Guira guira

23-02-14 © Carlos González Ledo

Campo Flicker

Colaptes campestris

23-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Wattled Jacana

Jacana jacana

28-02-14 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro

A wattled jacana defending its nest. It feels threatened by neighbour. Here the common gallinule.

Photos in video format.

Swainson's Flycatcher

Myiarchus swainsoni

01-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

21-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Many-colored Rush Tyrant

Tachuris rubrigastra

23-02-14 © Carlos González Ledo

White-faced Whistling-Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

23-02-14 © Carlos González Ledo

The four ducklings keep growing

Wattled Jacana

Jacana jacana

22-02-14 © Amelia Besana

The nest still contains the four eggs and is being guarded and cared by the father

Sunflower looper

Rachiplusia nu

22-02-14 © Gustavo F. Brahamian

Tropical white

Glutophrissa drusilla

27-02-14 © Ignacio Chantada

Common yellow

Eurema deva

22-02-14 © Gustavo F. Brahamian

5th Bird Survey organized by COARecs On Saturday 22nd the survey finally took place. It had been programmed for the 1st of February and was put off due to rain. The circuits were the same, except for route #1 which was divided into two sections, consequently another group was added. I thank photographers who shared their material to make the list more enjoyable. The list will be published as soon as it is ready. The survey lasts the whole day though the major deployment of observers is during the morning.

Green Kingfisher

Chloroceryle americana

22-02-14 © Sergio Cusano

22-02-14 © Amelia Besana

Southern Screamer

Chauna torquata

22-02-14 © Sergio Cusano

It was midday and the bird count had already finished. Some of us were going out to go back home, some others getting some meal when Sergio very excited showed us the southern screamer, which had just landed in the pond. Simón told the rest and others had seen it and phtographed it as well.

22-02-14 © Gustavo F. Brahamian

Dark-billed Cuckoo

Coccyzus melacoryphus

01-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

White-winged Becard

Pachyramphus polychopterus

22-02-14 © Elsa y Guillermo Marcaida

Blue-and-white Swallow

Pygochelidon cyanoleuca

22-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Streaked Flycatcher

Myiodynastes maculatus

22-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Yellow-billed Cardinal

Paroaria capitata

22-02-14 © Elsa y Guillermo Marcaida

Brazilian Teal

Amazonetta brasiliensis

22-02-14 © Amelia Besana

Ultramarine Grosbeak

Cyanoloxia brissonii

22-02-14 © Eduardo Carreyra

White-faced Whistling-Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

22-02-14 © Amelia Besana

Rufous-sided Crake

Laterallus melanophaius

22-02-14 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro

Gray-necked Wood-Rail

Aramides cajaneus

22-02-14 © Amelia Besana

Gilded Hummingbird

Hylocharis chrysura

22-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

22-02-14 © Cynthia Guevara

White-faced Ibis

Plegadis chihi

01-02-14 © Cynthia Guevara

Monk Parakeet

Myiopsitta monachus

22-02-14 © Nicolás Giorgio

Coscoroba Swan

Coscoroba coscoroba

22-02-14 © Gustavo F. Brahamian

Greyish Baywing

Agelaioides badius

22-02-14 © Dolores Fernández

Yellow-winged Blackbird

Agelasticus thilius

01-02-14 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

22-02-14 © Elsa y Guillermo Marcaida

Glittering-bellied Emerald

Chlorostilbon lucidus

22-02-14 © Eduardo Carreyra

Guira Cuckoo

Guira guira

22-02-14 © Cynthia Guevara

Creamy-bellied Thrush

Turdus amaurochalinus

22-02-14 © Eduardo Carreyra

Small-billed Elaenia

Elaenia parvirostris

22-02-14 © Dolores Fernández

Red-fronted Coot

Fulica rufifrons

01-02-14 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro

With white-tufted grebe

Brown-chested Martin

Progne tapera

22-02-14 © Nicolás Giorgio

Wattled Jacana

Jacana jacana

22-02-14 © Claudia y Tito Di Mauro

A juvenile with its back still brown showing the yellow colouring of the wings

Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibis

01-02-14 © Cynthia Guevara

Great Egret

Ardea alba

22-02-14 © Cynthia Guevara

With other egrets

Checkered Woodpecker

Veniliornis mixtus

22-02-14 © Nicolás Giorgio

Green-barred Woodpecker

Colaptes melanochloros

22-02-14 © Cynthia Guevara

Neotropic Cormorant

Phalacrocorax brasilianus

22-02-14 © Gustavo F. Brahamian

White-faced Whistling-Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

20-02-14 © Nicolás Giorgio

Wattled Jacana

Jacana jacana

17-02-14 © Amelia Besana

Photos in video format

When I saw the jacana fighting, I first thought it was taking care of the chicks, but when I zoomed the image I realized there were eggs. First some Rose-billed Pochard juveniles came near and then a coot. The jacana got very nervous because the coot was getting too close. When all visitors moved away, the jacana calmed down, checked the eggs and settled to heat them

When I saw the jacana fighting, I first thought it was taking care of the chicks., but when I zoomed the image I realized they were eggs. First some Rose-billed Pochard juveniles came near and then a coot. The jacana got very nervous because the coot was getting too close. When all visitors moved away, the jacana calmed down, checked the eggs and settled to heat them.

15-02-14 © Amelia Besana

The four eggs are exposed and seem to be lying directly on the vegetal material with no added support underneath. This jacana, which so bravely defended the clutch and then sat on the eggs, is the father. In this species the female has a number of males, each in charge of a territory with enough resources to raise the chicks. The female mates with each of the males and takes care of the surveillance of the whole territory besides eating to recover the energy needed for a new egg-laying. The relationship between one female and a number of males is called polyandry. Besides in this case there is role reversal since it is the male which incubates and raise the chicks

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

17-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Cocoi Heron

Ardea cocoi

01-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Many-colored Rush Tyrant

Tachuris rubrigastra

15-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

White-tufted Grebe

Rollandia rolland

15-02-14 © Amelia Besana

White-faced Whistling-Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

15-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Yellow-billed Cardinal

Paroaria capitata

15-02-14 © Mariano Ordóñez

Masked Yellowthroat

Geothlypis aequinoctialis

15-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Guira Cuckoo

Guira guira

15-02-14 © J. Simón Tagtachian

Snout

Libytheana carinenta

09-02-14 © Carlos González Ledo

15-02-14 © Gustavo F. Brahamian

Southern buckeye

Junonia genoveva hilaris

09-02-14 © Carlos González Ledo

Fiery skipper

Hylephila phyleus

Paper wasp

Polistes sp.

Dragonfly

Micrathyria sp.

Black-necked Swan

Cygnus melancoryphus

New bird species

Nacunda nighthawk

Chordeiles nacunda

Coscoroba Swan

Coscoroba coscoroba

Ultramarine Grosbeak

Cyanoloxia brissonii

Scarlet-headed Blackbird

Amblyramphus holosericeus

Blue-and-yellow Tanager

Pipraeidea bonariensis

Wren-like Rushbird

Phleocryptes melanops

Bran-colored Flycatcher

Myiophobus fasciatus

Licking the air

Lizard using its tongue to smell

White-banded Mockingbird

Mimus triurus

This mockingbird breeds in the center and northwest of Argentina and migrates towards the east in the non-breeding season. To us it is a winter visitor. However, this individual is out of season. We sometimes find individuals that remain.

Many-colored Rush Tyrant

Tachuris rubrigastra

Masked Yellowthroat

Geothlypis aequinoctialis

Red-fronted Coot

Fulica rufifrons

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

Chestnut-capped Blackbird

Chrysomus ruficapillus

Io moth

Pseudautomeris grammivora

Black-headed Duck

Heteronetta atricapilla

Masked Duck

Nomonyx dominicus

Wattled Jacana

Jacana jacana

South American Painted-snipe

Nycticryphes semicollaris

Simón, a perseverant birdwatcher, took a walk around Viamonte to see the painted snipe before going to Brasil for the census. As the census was not carried out due to bad climate conditions, a group of birdwatchers joined Simón in the hope of seeing this bird. And back they went to Viamonte under a persistent rain but the group did not lose heart. Fruitless, in the end, because the painted snipe did not show. Late in the afternoon the weather cleared up. Simón once more set off for the RECS and found he was not alone.

Others have had the same idea! Roberto Güller saw the painted snipe. Three minutes of glory to take photos. "Third time's a charm". And the icing on the cake this superb double rainbow.

Lake Duck

Oxyura vittata

White-eyed Parakeet

Psittacara leucophtalmus

Southern Caracara

Caracara plancus

A tropical kingbird driving this caracara away