[TN-Bird] Costa Rica recommendation
- From: Jason Mann <j.mann@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <TN-Bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 08:20:44 -0600
Costa Rica
Nov. 24-Dec. 1
After enjoying Richard's Merlin pictures, I scrolled through his Costa Rica
collection. While slightly off-topic, these beautiful pictures reminded me
of a recent trip. I have intended to give a big recommendation for Costa
Rica as an ideal introduction to birding in the Neotropics.
With excellent assistance from Chris Sloan and Dev Joslin, last Nov. I
enjoyed a whirlwind self-guided tour of Costa Rica. I had planned a
leisurely course, but after two slam dunk days totaling 193 species I
decided to go crazy. I rerouted my course to cover habitats on both slopes
at all elevations from Nicaragua to Panama. I birded from dawn to dusk,
traveling at night and sleeping in my Jeep. This was not necessary, but
kind of fun on a grad student budget!
All in all, I enjoyed a beautiful and safe country with friendly people and
lots of amazing mammals, reptiles, and birds. I rounded out the week with
386 feathered species including 200+ lifers, which was far beyond my
expectations. I had several near misses though, including the quetzal.
Never a dull moment!
Highlights included:
Jabiru
Great Curassow and lots of tinamous/guans
Both Marbled and Spotted Wood-Quail
Both Ruddy and Buff-fronted Quail-Doves
15 of 16 parrots, including Scarlet Macaw
32 hummingbirds (blow your mind)
Quetzal and other trogons, manakins
Motmots and barbets, puffbirds
All 6 toucans
13 of 13 thrushes
31 Tanagers, euphonias and honeycreepers
Costa Rica is a special place, with good accessibility to many habitats.
Please feel free to email me for more details.
Good birding,
Jason Mann
Nashville, TN
*************************************
Jason R. Mann
Raymond DuBois Lab
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
659 Preston Research Bldg.
2220 Pierce Ave.
Nashville, TN 37232-6838
Phone: 615.343.9517
Fax: 615.322.5163
Email: J.Mann@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> From: <Rconnorsphoto@xxxxxxx>
> Reply-To: <Rconnorsphoto@xxxxxxx>
> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 00:45:28 EST
> To: <TN-Bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [TN-Bird] Merlin at Percy Priest Lake, Nashville
>
> Percy Priest Lake, Nashville, Davidson County TN
> Anderson Road Recreation Area
> Location: page 53 in DeLorme Tennessee atlas, section C-D 6-7
> .
> I have been participating in the Hickory-Priest (Nashville east) Christmas
> bird count off and on for the past 15 years, and most of those years at least
> one Merlin has been counted on the Percy Priest Lake section. Anderson Road
> Recreation Area is the usual site and this year was no exception (although we
> almost missed it, thanks to Cass Kennedy for spotting it). A female Merlin
> was
> present on Jan. 1st and has been seen several times since. Jan Shaw and I
> checked there Wednesday, January 18th, and watched the bird from 3:45- 4:15pm.
> Merlin, Falco columbarius, is not a common sighting anywhere in Tennessee
> that I know of. Robinson lists it as uncommon migrant and rare winter
> resident.
> Tennessee data from 2004-2005 Christmas counts from American Birds magazine
> showed 7 Merlins "spread across the state." It seems to like the tree-lined,
> rocky shore of big lakes. As I recall Jeff Wilson had one at Pace Point this
> fall
> and I think there were a few from this years Christmas Counts as reported on
> TnBird.
>
> But I don't know of another place like Anderson Rd. Rec. Area that has a
> history of consistent sightings, a winter territory occupied by a bird each
> year.
> Possibly by the same bird for many years in succession. I have always seen a
> female there, my first count there was 1990. Evidently there was one there in
> '89 also. One year there was a female and a male at this site. I would think
> there are other wintering birds around at other sites and would be interested
> in
> hearing of any. And if you see this bird later this winter please post a
> sighting.
>
> From the Anderson Road Rec. Area parking lot, at the end of Anderson Rd., go
> 250 yards down the walking trail to the point of the peninsula where the trail
> turns hard right. You could loop out around the point or turn right. At that
> juncture look to the north across the lake toward the dam, on your right are
> two big cottonwood trees. The bird perches in one of those trees between 3:30
> and 4:30 in the afternoon. Real rowdy walkers can spook it but it seems to
> come
> right back. It is probably in the area all day, terrorizing chickadees and
> kinglets in the cedar trees.
>
> You can see photos at:
> http://www.rconnorsphoto.com/nature.html
>
> Richard Connors
> Nashville
>
>
> =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
>
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> You are also required to list the count in which the birds
> you report were seen. The actual date of observation should
> appear in the first paragraph.
> _____________________________________________________________
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> ______________________________________________________________
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> Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
> endorse the views or opinions expressed
> by the members of this discussion group.
>
> Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
> wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> _____________________________________________________________
> Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
> web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
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> _____________________________________________________________
>
>
=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the count in which the birds
you report were seen. The actual date of observation should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
endorse the views or opinions expressed
by the members of this discussion group.
Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
_____________________________________________________________
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