Steve Happ Photography Ramblings and dissertations

Hucachina Oasis Day Two

This morning I set off at 6:30am from the hostel. Luckily I got a taxi so I did not have to walk to the lagoon at Huacachina. I was wondering where the water came from and the girl at the hostel told me they have to ship it in because about 3 years ago it dried up. I suspect that the water table has dropped because of all the farms using massive amounts of water.

Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi)

It took me a while to realise this was not a Black-crowned Night-heron. The bill looked too long.

Long-tailed Mockingbird (Mimus longicaudatus)

West Peruvian dove (Zenaida meloda)

“The West Peruvian dove or Pacific dove (Zenaida meloda) was first described in 1843 by the Swiss naturalist Johann Jakob Baron von Tschudi. It is closely related to the North American White-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica), but is now considered a separate species by ornithologists due to genetic and behavioral differences.[2] Specimens are brownish-gray above and gray below, with a bold white wing patch that appears as a brilliant white crescent in flight and is also visible at rest. Adults have a bright blue (almost indigo), featherless patch of skin around each eye. The legs and feet of adults are red, but unlike Z. asiatica, their eyes are brown. Both sexes are similar, but juveniles have a lighter color than adults, they do not have blue eye rings, and their legs and feet are brownish-pink.” (wiki)

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

I only saw one on the water.

House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)

Croaking Ground-dove (Columbina cruziana)

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus ) – male

Huacachina Oasis bird list

8976 Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi)
8991 Great Egret (Ardea alba)
90145 Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
9141 Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus )
9039 House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Long-tailed Mockingbird (Mimus longicaudatus)
8965 West Peruvian dove (Zenaida meloda)
9060 Croaking Ground-dove (Columbina cruziana)

Huacachina Oasis Birding

I got the bus from Paracas about 11am and got dropped off at the hostel. First thing was to have some lunch and then I had a swim in the pool. Later in the afternoon I walked to the oasis at Huacachina to see what was around. It is pretty small – less than a kilometer of a lagoon with a couple of streets surrounding it occupied by mainly hotels and shops.

West Peruvian Dove (Zenaida meloda)

Long-tailed Mockingbird (Mimus longicaudatus)

Long-tailed Mockingbird (Mimus longicaudatus) is a species of bird in the Mimidae family. It is found in dry scrubland and woodland

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) – female

Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeataa)

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

These sparrows were taking a dust bath next to the lagoon. Very humorous.

Huacachina bird list

West Peruvian Dove (Zenaida meloda)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus)
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeataa)
Tropical Kingbird
Rufous-collared Sparrow

Paracas Shore Birds

This was the first afternoon along the beach at Paracas. Luckily the tide was fairly low, so there were quite a few shorebirds picking away.

Belcher’s Gull (Larus belcheri)

Belcher’s Gull is a bigger gull. This is an adult with the white head.

Gray-hooded Gull (Croicocephalus cirrocephalus)

Gray-hooded Gull has a grey head with red bill, grey wings, black tail, white eyes with red ring around them.
aka Gray-headed Gull. Breeds in South America and south of Sahara in Africa.

kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus)

Kelp Gull has just the red spot on the lower bill and red around the eyes.

Gray Gull (Larus modestus)

The Gray Gull is an all grey gull with a black bill.

Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) Chorlito Gris

This is the winter plumage of the Black-bellied Plover. It is possible that it might be an American Golden-plover but I do not think so. More white on belly.

Whimbrel

Peruvian Pelican

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)

The Lesser Yellowlegs has yellow legs, derr, long straight bill.

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)

American Oystercatcher

Sanderling

Paracas bird list

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Gray Gull (Larus modestus)
kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus)
Gray-hooded Gull (Croicocephalus cirrocephalus)
Belcher’s Gull (Larus belcheri)
Neotropic Cormorant
Snowy Egret
Ruddy Turnstone
Turkey Vulture
Whimbrel
Peruvian Pelican
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
American Oystercatcher
Sanderling

Islas Ballestas Boat Ride

53 Soles for a boat ride to the Islas Ballestas from Paracas. I thought that was a pretty good deal. It is less than $20 and is one of the best wildlife experiences in the world. I got picked up by my taxi and 7.45am and let off at the wharf where I waited with the other hundreds of tourists. Most of the tourists were locals but there were a few scattered gringos but not many. We finally got going and ripped through the water with our twin 250 horsepower outbaords.

Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti)

Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) is a South American penguin that breeds in coastal Chile and Peru. Its nearest relatives are the African penguin, …
The Humboldt penguin is a South American penguin that breeds in coastal Chile and Peru. Its nearest relatives are the African penguin, the Magellanic penguin and the Galápagos penguin. The penguin is named after the cold water current it swims in, which is itself named after Alexander von Humboldt, an explorer. Wikipedia.

Inca Tern

Sea Lion – Lobo Marino

Peruvian Booby

100,000 Birds

The island was full of birds. Used to be mined for guano.

Islas Ballestas Bird list

Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti)
Peruvian Booby
Peruvian Pelican
Inca Tern
Turkey Vulture
Neotropic Cormorant

Sea Lion – Lobo Marino

South of Paracas

I hired a bike this afternoon and went south from the main beach at Paracas. This is where all the rich people live. All along the beach. I was searching for some flamencos but when I did find them they were miles away on the beach in a restricted area and I could not get near them.

White-cheeked Pintail (Anas bahamensis) Pato Alablanco

Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)

Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) Playero Semipalmado

Sanderling

Sanderling mid molt, based on overall shape, bill, white spur, white eyebrow . Thanks Manoli for the id.

Paracas bird list

White-cheeked Pintail (Anas bahamensis) Pato Alablanco
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) done
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) Playero Semipalmado
Neotropic Cormorant
Black-crowned Night-Heron

Huancavelica Birding.

I got into Huancavelica this afternoon and had a bit of a rest before walking along the river bank that runs through the town. Huancavelica is at 3000 meters approximately of altitude. The area is dry altiplano and the Andean Gulls mainly hang about the streams and creeks here.

Andean Gull (Chroicocephalus serranus) immature

The Andean Gull lives above 3000 meters in the high Sierras of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It is unusual for a gull in that it breeds inland in mountain areas. It may be variously found around rivers, freshwater lakes, saline marshes, and pastureland. (wiki).

Andean Gull (Chroicocephalus serranus) adult.

The adult Andean Gull has a very pronounced black head.

Puna Ibis (Plegadis ridgwayi)

I had seen the Puna Ibis before at Lake Titica at the actual town of Puna, close to the border of Bolivia.

Huancavelica Bird List

Andean Gull (Chroicocephalus serranus)
Puna Ibis (Plegadis ridgwayi)