[Photo courtesy of Jamie Miller, 2nd from the right]There are so many things I could talk about regarding this past trip, I don't know where to begin. We finally seem to be settling into our routines here, with the minor hiccup of multiple people in 'sick bay' during the last trip. No big deal, just "flu season", but still. Annoying.
So the trip started with two of us suffering from the flu, and having to hike about 3 km into our next site. With full packs. In the mid day sun. In the tropics. I think we sweated all the ills out of our system about 20 minutes into the hike.
But once at camp, we settled in quite quickly. Our normal routine is to get camp set up, meaning set up our tents, get our gear organized, and get some food as well. We recruit someone from each community that we stay in to be our 'tenant' (land to set up our tents on), as well as our camp cook. Which, I have learned, makes life a bit easier for us. When we come back from our time in the field, we don't have to spend time preparing meals, but rather it is ready every day about the same time. It allows for a little bit of relaxation in camp. And then while those of us suffering from the flu rested, the boss and others went to find our first banding area, and trim some mist net lanes.
So, not much else to report from there. Life gets to be kind of routine here. We are a little tired of crackers as snacks. I never tire of yogurt though. Or salads. And I am beginning to FULLY appreciate bucket showers! I have decided Peru is hotter than Australia, but only because it never cools here, even at night. While Australia, it at least got cool enough at night to need a sleeping bag.
But of course, many of you might be interested in the bird highlights of the trip. I am currently JUST shy of 1.300 species for the world. How shy? Three, count'em (not quite yet!), THREE shy.
So, the bird highlights?
We caught a Royal Flycatcher, which is a wild bird to handle. Not frisky, but it has this big red crest. Think Dilophosorus in the movie Jurassic Park. And it opens it's bill, and opens the crest, and slowwwwly moves its head back and forth. One wild looking bird.
We caught a Red-necked Woodpecker, which is in the same genus as the (presumed) extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker. HUGE bird to handle. I did not envy my boss, who suffered some pecking from it.
Oodles of different antbirds, for me one of the quintessential rainforest birds. Our first net area was probably near an army ant swarm, that many of these species follow. So I got good looks (a great way to learn new birds!) at the different species we caught.
But for me, it is always a highlight to see new species of bird, NOT in the hand. My list, my rules. Anyway, I entered this past trip at 1.268 species. I left there having seen 23 more, well above my intended average per day. The highlight day for me was day 6 or so, when Jamie, Percy, Suzanna, and I walked a little slower than the rest. And we found this nice area, at just the right time, that I got 5 new birds in 5 minutes. Which does not happen often here. Just one of those things, that after a long, somewhat boring, hot day at the banding area, makes you forget all about the sweat, the heat, the funny shirt smell (also referred to as rancid hobo), and the lack of cold ANYTHING.
Another highlight? Birdwatching from the porch of the Nicoro Bar today in Iquitos. 6 new birds, while gazing across the Amazonian Rainforest. With a beer in hand.
Life doesn't get much better than that.
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