Explorations of an Ecologist

Thursday, 16 August 2018

Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago: Part 7 (First complete day at Atta Lodge)

Introduction
January 25-27, 2018 - Rupununi savannah, Karanambu Lodge
January 27, 2018 - Karanambu Lodge, boat cruise on the Rupununi River
January 28, 2018 - Rupununi savannah, Rock View Lodge
January 29, 2018 - Rock View Lodge and surroundings
January 30, 2018 - Rock View Lodge, drive to Atta Lodge
January 31, 2018 - First complete day at Atta Lodge
February 1, 2018 - Second complete day at Atta Lodge
February 2, 2018 - Cock-of-the-rock lek, drive to Surama Ecolodge
February 3, 2018 - First complete day at Surama Ecolodge
February 4, 2018 - Second complete day at Surama Ecolodge
February 5 and 6, 2018 - Georgetown Botanical Gardens, Kaieteur Falls
February 7 and 8, 2018 - Tobago: Cuffie River Nature Retreat, Gilpin Trace
February 9, 2018 - Tobago: Little Tobago Island
February 10, 2018 - Trinidad: Caroni Swamp

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January 31, 2018

January 31 was a spectacular day on all accounts, and one of our favourite days of the entire trip. Much of the day was spent traipsing through the forest or along the highway, we found several awesome mammals and herps, and the birding was just incredible with many iconic species seen.

Laura and I were both up before dawn so that we could have tea/coffee/snacks prior to walking back to the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway. Two Black Currasows, regular patrons of Atta Lodge, emerged from the forest edge to the lawn, where they were fed on a daily basis. It seemed pretty crazy to me seeing tame currasows, as these birds are generally quite scarce and shy. The population of Black Currasow in the Iwokrama Forest Reserve is quite high; we occasionally saw individuals roosting in trees or walking along the forest floor during our time at Atta. I took this photo with my cell phone from about two meters away.

Black Currasow - Atta Lodge, Guyana

We headed back into the forest in the direction of the canopy tower, taking our time along the way to scan for birds. It was still quite dark in the understorey at this early hour and few birds appeared but before long we were at the walkway.

Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, Guyana (photo by Laura Bond)

The birding was a little slower during our morning vigil when compared to the previous evening, but we still enjoyed ourselves and picked up a few new species. The biggest highlight for me was a Dusky Purpletuft, spotted by Delon as it perched at the top of the canopy. Formerly considered a cotinga, purpletufts are now placed in the family Tityridae. This particular species is not well known with many aspects of its biology yet to be discovered. This is partly because the species is found at the very upper levels of the forest, rarely coming any lower. Dusky Purpletufts are tiny (goldfinch sized) and will often sit in one place for hours at a time. The only real way to observe them well is to get into the canopy, and even then it is no guarantee. We ended up seeing a total of five (!) individuals this day including a pair back at the lodge later in the morning (photographed below), and a pair along the highway in the late afternoon.

Dusky Purpletufts - Atta Lodge, Guyana

Other highlights from the canopy walkway included our first Guianan Toucanets, Black-faced Dacnis, and Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrants. Eventually it was time to return to the lodge for breakfast.

A few more new birds were seen in the understorey while we walked back to the lodge, including several lifers: Reddish Hermit and Mouse-coloured Antbird. While we walked Delon somehow managed to pick out a sloth, hanging from a branch in the mid-level of the forest. It was a Linnaeus's Two-toed Sloth, a lifer for me and the first sloth of any species for Laura.

Linneaus's Two-toed Sloth - Atta Lodge, Guyana

After breakfast we had a short break until we would reconvene for another walk with Delon at 10:00 AM. Laura found a nice spot to sit and journal, while I took my camera and went for a stroll around the perimeter of the lodge area. Two Black Curassows were busy chowing down on breakfast (leftover rice that the kitchen staff provides) and they tolerated me photographing them.

Black Currasows - Atta Lodge, Guyana

We joined up with Delon at 10 AM and set off on a different track through the forest. He had s stakeout location for a special bird that he wanted to take us to, and so we wandered off down a small side trail, barely distinguishable from the main path it veered off of. The Screaming Pihas provided the soundtrack and we paused frequently to take it all in. This video below provides an idea of what the forest was like.

While scanning the trees I noticed a massive moth clinging to a trunk, maybe 12 feet off the ground. Delon was particularly impressed with this find, only the second White Witch (Thysania agrippina) that he had ever seen, and Laura and I marveled at its wingspan.

Laura checking out the White Witch (Thysania agrippina) - Atta Lodge, Guyana

The White Witch is a species of moth that is widespread throughout Central and South America. Some individuals exhibit wingspans of nearly 30 cm, making it the moth with the largest wingspan in the world. In total wing area, it is edged out by the Hercules Moth of New Guinea and Australia, and the Atlas Moth of south and southeast Asia.

White Witch (Thysania agrippina) - Atta Lodge, Guyana

Further along the trail, Delon's keen eyes caught movement high above us, then he excitedly proclaimed that he had a Capuchinbird and quickly called us over. Laura and I promptly got on the cotinga, about the size of a small, plump crow with a heavy beak and bald, blue head. Capuchinbird was one of my main targets prior to this trip, in part due to their bizarre looks but also the incredible lekking displays they perform. Males will gather in small groups and produce a bizarre sound that is likened to that of mooing cows, or perhaps the sound of a distant engine, while also leaning forward and fluffing out their plumage. This one remained in view for a few minutes before flying further up into the canopy. Photography was tough at this time of day so I only bothered with a couple of record shots.

Capuchinbird - Atta Lodge, Guyana

Soon we had arrived at the stakeout spot, located a few dozen meters off of the narrow side trail. The target species was a plump, ground-dwelling bird called a Spotted Antpitta, a rarely seen species known from northern Amazonia. Antpittas are shy, skulky birds that prefer to walk or dash on foot as opposed to fly, and many of the species stick to the darkest forests or deepest cover. Most encounters with antpittas are from hearing the unique whistles that males produce at dusk and dawn, and occasionally they can be drawn closer to the observer by whistling back.

We waited and Delon attempted to call the bird in, while Laura and I carefully scanned the undergrowth. Due to the time of day the antpitta was not easily drawn in, but after several minutes a small, brown bird with droopy wings and no evident tail hopped onto a branch deep in the undergrowth.

Spotted Antpitta - Atta Lodge, Guyana

We set up the scope on the bird, eventually managing a mostly unobscured view of him through the tangle of leaves and twigs, and the antpitta was content to stand there on his branch while we watched. He then sang a few times of his own in response to the competitor singing in his territory.

We had our fill through the scope and made our way back to the lodge for lunch, thrilled with the success of our little walk. Along the way we detected a few more birds in the forest along with several Striped Forest Whiptails in the sunny patches.

Fulvous-crested Tanager - Atta Lodge, Guyana

Black-necked Aracari - Atta Lodge, Guyana

We returned to the lodge for lunch and were pleasantly surprised to see that Juha was back. We had enjoyed his company at Karanambu and he would be staying here at Atta for a night as well. We also met Ian and Siobhan, who were from California and traveling through Guyana and Suriname. We enjoyed chatting with them all at lunch; it was kind of nice not being the only ones at a lodge again!

After lunch, one of the other guides at the lodge named Kendrick found a Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth near the forest edge and called us over. Just like that we had seen five toes worth of sloth for the day!

Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth - Atta Lodge, Guyana

Laura watching the Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth - Atta Lodge, Guyana

Laura and I relaxed for the rest of the afternoon, taking time to do laundry, read, and hang out during the hottest part of the day. I scoped the forest edge with Delon in the mid-afternoon, our scopes positioned nicely in the shade, as occasionally birds passed through the gap in the forest. I added a few more life birds in Yellow-backed Tanager, Yellow-throated Woodpecker and a heard only Paradise Jacamar, while we also spotted two more Dusky Purpletufts (photo near the start of this blog post).

Around 4:00 PM Delon, Laura and I headed out on foot down the entrance road. Our plan was to walk alongside the highway for the rest of the afternoon, and stay out until dusk before walking back.

Highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana

The highway linking the capital of Georgetown along the north coast to the Brazilian city of Boa Vista consists of an infrequently traversed, gravel road that can be severely potholded and impassible during the rainy season. In this stretch of Guyana the road is an amazing location to watch for wildlife. Birds can be found along the forest edge or flying overhead, cotingas are frequently seen at the tops of the trees, and there is always the potential to see mammals crossing the road. During the course of the late afternoon and evening, only three vehicles passed by us.

The birding was incredible and new species began appearing - Gray Antbird, Silver-beaked Tanager, Guianan Streaked-Antwren and Golden-winged Parakeet.

Guianan Streaked-Antwren - Highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana

We worked our way southwest along the highway, towards the town of Annai. The birding was awesome and as the afternoon wore on the activity increased. This Plumbeous Kite was courting a female, catching a dragonfly to bring to her. His attempts must have been successful, as we saw them mating a few minutes later.

Plumbeous Kite - Highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana

Love was in the air. Continuing on we passed the first of two active Scarlet Macaw nests, with one of the adults announcing its presence and swooping in, landing on the tree containing the nest (and the other individual). The pair preceded to preen each other's plumage, sitting together on a branch for quite a while. This was my first time seeing Scarlet Macaws in the wild, satisfying a long-held dream of mine!

Scarlet Macaws - Highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana

The macaws were not the only Psittaciformes represented, as we observed seven other species along the highway. It was a good way to practice their identification. Parrots and parakeets can sometimes be difficult to identify since many of them are largely green, and most are only commonly observed in flight. The majority of species are quite vocal but the calls are also relatively similar in a lot of cases. With all of the flyover parrots it became easier to identify individuals based off their calls or flight style. The Blue-headed Parrot (below) is one of the easier species, since individuals often travel in pairs or small groups in single file, usually separated by a large distance, and each bird calls singly at regularly spaced intervals. The blue head appears dark from a significant distance, making visual identification in flight easy if the lighting is adequate.

Blue-headed Parrot - Highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana

We were lucky to spot a pair of Blue-cheeked Parrots courting each other and mating as well. This species is restricted to the Guianan Shield where it occurs in low densities. It is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to its relatively small population that appears to be declining, and will continue to, based on projected deforestation rates in Amazonia.

Blue-cheeked Parrot - Highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana

While the birds stole the show we did see a few other things here and there, such as this Banded Orange Heliconian (Dryadula phaetusa).

Banded Orange Heliconian (Dryadula phaetusa) - Highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana

By 5:15 PM we had reached a moderately sized creek that the highway travels over via a bridge. The water was relatively low due to the time of year, but during the wet season the water levels would be up significantly. It is a frequent occurrence that the highway is impassible here during the wet season due to the amount of flooding that can take place.

Watercourses are excellent locations to visit when looking for wildlife (especially in the dry season) and we hung out here for around 40 minutes. Spectacled Caimans were lurking in the depths of the creek, a number of small Proboscis Bats were roosting on a low tree branch overhanging the water, and an Amazon Kingfisher patrolled the stream. The reason for our stakeout was that this stream provides great habitat for the Crimson Topaz. This spectacular hummingbird is found along shady, forest streams within northeast Amazonia, and due to its habits of patrolling these streams it can be a difficult species to observe. Apparently a male Crimson Topaz is often seen along this river around 5:45 PM each day, where it will sit on its favoured branch and call repeatedly. As we waited we kept watch for other species. A Red-rumped Agouti occasionally ventured onto the highway far to the southwest but the hoped-for Jaguar did not appear. This White-throated Toucan continued to sing until dusk.

White-throated Toucan - Highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana

It was almost 6 PM when Delon spotted our quarry. "Crimson Topaz!" he whispered excitedly and we scrambled to get it in the scope. We all enjoyed a great look at the hummingbird with his fiery red plumage and long, criss-crossing tail feathers. Just as I was bringing my phone up to my scope to photograph the beaut, he vanished back into the dark of the forest, signalling the end of the show.

With light fading, we continued walking down the road to where there was a slight hill. Delon had yet another species cued up along the road that he wanted to try for - Black-banded Owl. A pair of birds is reliably found in the forest here and can often be called in after dark. While we waited for night to descend, we took a few photos of us standing in the middle of the "highway".

Exploring the highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana

It was crazy to think that this was the main artery through Guyana, given how isolated we were and how few vehicles passed by (less than one per hour). Apparently there are plans in the works for the Brazilian government to help finance the paving of the highway. It would enable them to save a lot of time and expense when moving goods, since they would be able to truck goods and materials directly to a port in Georgetown, which is a much shorter distance than by going through Venezuela. No doubt the paving of the highway will have significant impacts, both positive and negative, to the people in this part of the country, but I can't help but worry about the effects it will have on the environment. At the very least, experiences like what Laura and I were able to have with the help of Delon would no longer be possible with increased vehicle traffic.

Exploring the highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana

As darkness descended we succeeded in hearing a Black-banded Owl call from the north side of the road. We played the tape to try to entice it into view; a few minutes later a silent shape glided over us and landed deep in the foliage on the other side. A second owl than began calling and we had one on either side of us. We tried to gain a visual but without success, so we gave up and began the walk back to the lodge, all the while being accompanied by the calls of the owls behind us.

While we walked back in the dark we brought out our lights to scan for eye-shine. Several Blackish Nightjars could be seen on the edges of the road, their eye-shine super obvious from quite a distance. Delon also spotted a Great Potoo perched on the top of a dead snag! This was another species I was hoping to connect with on the trip so I was thrilled.

Great Potoo - Highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana

The only herp we were able to spot on the road was a single Cane Toad; no doubt the dry conditions had something to do with the lack of nocturnal herp activity. We took a side trail as a shortcut back to the lodge and here the forest closed in all around us. Try as me could, snakes remained out of sight. I did spot a single treefrog which I've identified as a Common Bromeliad Treefrog (Osteocephalus leprieurii).

Common Bromeliad Treefrog (Osteocephalus leprieurii) - Atta Lodge, Guyana

We returned to the lodge ready for dinner, but that was postponed a few additional minutes when Laura and I spotted this Turniptail Gecko on a log, and a Leptodactylus guianensis which is the local flavor of this widespread Neotropical genus of frogs.

Turniptail Gecko (Thecadactylus rapicauda) - Atta Lodge, Guyana

Leptodactylus guianensis - Atta Lodge, Guyana

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Tuesday, 14 August 2018

Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago: Part 6 (Rock View Lodge, drive to Atta)

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January 30, 2018

Laura awoke feeling much better which was excellent news after she had been out of commission for most of the previous day. We sipped on coffee and tea and ate cookies in the pre-dawn darkness as the Little Chachalacas fired up from around the lodge, signalling the beginning of another day.

exploring near Rock View Lodge, Guyana

Within the first fifteen minutes of walking we had spotted two Toco Toucans, the first toucans of any kind for Laura! The toucans fed for a few minutes while we watched, and though they were a little distant the views were excellent.

Toco Toucan - Rock View Lodge, Guyana

A few minutes later a pair of Red-and-Green Macaws screeched from somewhere unseen and they too soon appeared, though they were a little distant. An interesting white spot on a distant tree was revealed as a Laughing Falcon when I looked through my binoculars.

Laughing Falcon - Rock View Lodge, Guyana

We returned to the Uncle Dennis Trail for a second day in a row. This is where Laura had turned back yesterday since even taking the first few steps was enough to instigate nausea. Fortunately, today she was up for it!

Uncle Dennis Trail near Rock View Lodge, Guyana (take #2)

We took our time, enjoying the sights and sounds. Laura was on constant herp patrol while Hendricks and I scanned the undergrowth and trees for movement. Occaionally Hendricks would teach us about some of the tree species and their utility with the Macushi people.

Exploring the Uncle Dennis Trail near Rock View, Guyana (photo by Laura Bond)

We thoroughly enjoyed the walk. I only added one life bird (Violaceous Euphonia) but managed great views of a few other species, including this Sooty-capped Hermit that posed for us on a trail side branch. Laura found a few bats and lizards in a cave we passed, and we all enjoyed the breeze while standing at the viewpoints overlooking the savannah.

Sooty-capped Hermit - Uncle Dennis Trail near Rock View Lodge, Guyana

We enjoyed another excellent breakfast upon our return, then packed up our bags and prepared to leave Rock View. Thomas, who had driven us to Karanambu, soon arrived to transport us to our next lodge, called Atta. We said our goodbyes to Colin, Hendricks and Andrica, while Laura had one last snuggle with Morty, Colin's cat. Then it was time to hit the road!

Laura and Morty - Rock View Lodge, Guyana

We rumbled along the gravel road, heading east towards the forest. We had had an enjoyable time in the savannah but I was ready to visit the impressive forests which Guyana is known for. Atta Lodge is located deep within the protected Iwokrama Forest. This forest is one of the most biodiverse on earth, and is especially known for its fish and bat diversity, while also containing habitat for over 500 bird species. As we drove along, the savannah suddenly transitioned to forest and before long we were surrounded on all sides by massive tropical trees. It felt like the road could be swallowed up by the forest.

Highway near Atta Lodge, Guyana (photo by Laura Bond)

Unfortunately Laura's stomach was not agreeing with the bumpy roads. When we checked in at the entrance gate to the forest to give the forest rangers our passport information she was looking quite green. Somehow she managed to keep it together for the rest of the drive and with some relief we arrived at Atta Lodge.

The heat and humidity was stifling as it was mid-day but even still, the Screaming Pihas were vocalizing like crazy. Finally, we were deep within primary rainforest, with the sights, sounds, and smells to accompany us.

Atta Lodge, Guyana

We were given a quick briefing of the lodge and were introduced to Delon, who would be our private guide for our time at Atta. Like Hendricks at Rock View Lodge, Delon also was from the village of Annai. We were the only guests at the lodge for our first night, while another couple would be staying at the lodge during our second and third nights, but we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

A brief note about guides during our Guyana trip. When I originally booked everything I was not aware that we would be getting our own private guide at each lodge we were staying at - I thought the "all inclusive" price including just lodging and meals. Most of the guides we had were excellent, and we did not have to share them with anyone else which was definitely a bonus. I did not know this at the time but at most of the lodges you had to be accompanied by a guide when going out on a trail - solo exploring was prohibited. Ostensibly this was for safety purposes but it was a little frustrating for me as much of the enjoyment I receive out of traveling comes through exploration and the moment of discovery. Being accompanied by a guide does not remove that aspect completely but it does diminish it a bit. I also find I become more complacent when out exploring with a guide, subconsciously waiting for them to point out the animal, instead of searching for it intently on my own. Fortunately our guides were very flexible and willing to accompany us on hikes whenever we liked as opposed to just at the structured times set up by the lodges.

Like I said however, most of our guides were excellent and by hiring a guide one is contributing to the local economy. Ecotourism is growing in Guyana and it is good to see more and more people becoming guides or otherwise working in the ecotourism industry. If the forests of the Guianan Shield become valuable due to the ecotourism benefits they provide, perhaps it will ensure that more of these forests will be protected.

Though it was the stifling middle part of the day when we arrived at Atta, I was itching to go for a walk and Delon was happy to accompany me. Laura had a nap in the room to help the nausea from the car ride subside while Delon and I did a short circuit on one of the trails.

Striped Forest Whiptail - Atta Lodge, Guyana

I think I added eight life birds during our walk, despite the forest being nearly silent at that time of day (except for the Screaming Pihas, of course!). A pair of Red-necked Woodpeckers (below) were impressive to watch, while I also saw a few specialties of the area including Guianan Warbling-Antbird, Tiny Tyrant-Manakin, Rufous-throated Antbird, Marail Guan and Caica Parrot. We also found our first of many Striped Forest Whiptails. What a start to our time in the forest!

Red-necked Woodpecker - Atta Lodge, Guyana

Returning to my room I noticed a small hummingbird perched above some flowers just outside our door, which turned out to be a female Racket-tailed Coquette! This uncommon species is found in the northern Amazon basin and the males are adorned with spectacular tail feathers. The females are a little less extravagant but quite beautiful all the same.

Racket-tailed Coquette - Atta Lodge, Guyana

Upon returning to the lodge, I grabbed my bird book and scope and found a nice bench to sit on outside of our room, with my scope trained at the distant treetops should a mixed flock move through. Laura joined me for a bit as well, feeling a little refreshed after her rest.

Atta Lodge, Guyana

Among the birds that passed, I added four new ones, including several tanagers, a greenlet, and Black-eared Fairy (a type of hummingbird). The biggest highlight, however, was a pair of Spangled Cotingas! Delon first spotted them, as he was also scoping some of the treetops from near the main lodge building. While they were a little distant for good digiscoped photos, the views through the scope were incredible. The electric blue and purple of the male provided a pulse of colour in the canopy.

Spangled Cotinga - Atta Lodge, Guyana

That afternoon Laura and I met up with Delon around 4:00 PM for a walk through the forest to the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, located a short distance from the lodge. We marveled at the massive trees and the sounds of the forest as we slowly walked along. Climbing the steps to the beginning of the canopy walkway was difficult for Laura and I in the oppressive heat and humidity, though Delon hardly broke a sweat.

Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, Guyana

Built with funds from the Canadian International Development Agency, the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway consists of several aluminum platforms connected with suspension bridge style walkways. It provides access to the middle and upper levels of the forest, and it is possible to scan over the treetops for miles from some of the platforms. By spending several hours on the canopy walkway, it is possible to see a wide range of species, some which are rarely observed when birding from the forest floor.

Marail Guan - Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, Guyana

For an hour and a half we stayed on the canopy walkway, marveling at the bird life while Guianan Red Howler Monkeys roared in the distance. Delon and I carefully scoped the distant treetops, hoping to pick up raptors or cotingas, and occasionally a small group of birds would pass through the canopy near where we were standing.

Black-eared Fairy - Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, Guyana

Four species of toucans, Guianan Woodcreeper, Waved Woodpeckers, Marail Guans, a half dozen species of parrots and parakeets, and several vocal Red-throated Caracaras were just a few of the many highlights of our time on the canopy walkway. I was quite happy with my decision to bring my scope and phone adapter to Guyana, as it enabled me to digiscope many species that were too distant for my camera and 300 mm lens.

Green Aracari pair - Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, Guyana

Red-throated Caracara - Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, Guyana

Afternoon was turning to evening and it was unfortunately time to head back to the lodge. Delon had one more bird species in mind before we called it a day, however. It turns out that White-winged Potoos are occasionally seen or heard along the entrance road to Atta Lodge, or along the main highway near here. This poorly known species is patchily distributed in northern Amazonia and there are few places where this species is reliably encountered.

We walked down the entrance road around dusk and arrived at the road to begin our vigil. Delon played some tape for the bird as darkness fell, and we all strained our ears, hoping to pick out the distinctive descending whistle from the treetops, without any success. While we waited, we frequently scanned down the highway, hoping to see a Jaguar or Ocelot cross the road and slip into the forest (wishful thinking perhaps, but it could happen!).

Eventually we admitted defeat and began heading back to the lodge for dinner. The potoo may have been a no-show but at least we heard some Guianan Puffbirds calling from deep within the forest wall next to the road. On the walk back Laura and I used our flashlights to scan the vegetation for herps, while Delon continued to scan for potoo eyeshine. Miraculously, he spotted one, and it was a White-winged!! I was ecstatic, and we set up the scopes to obtain a better look.

White-winged Potoo - Atta Lodge entrance road, Guyana

The potoo was on a dead snag way up in the canopy, and with the help of Delon's spotlight we were able to see the pertinent identification features in the scope, including the broad white patch on the wing coverts. For Laura's first ever potoo, it was a good one!

Completely satisfied with our first afternoon and evening at Atta, we walked back to the lodge to enjoy a delicious meal. Around 8 PM we retired to our room, where we enjoyed the open air shower. The cold water felt amazing while we stood under the stars, and before long we were in bed, exhausted after an excellent day in Guyana.

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Thursday, 9 August 2018

Parking lot jaeger

Jaegers are some of my favourite birds that we see in southern Ontario. The falcons of the gull world, jaegers are well known for kleptoparasitism, and they frequently chase down gulls in an attempt to force the gull to give up whatever food item they are carrying or had just eaten. These arctic thieves are fast, powerful birds and it can be positively thrilling watching a high-speed attack by a Parasitic Jaeger on a Ring-billed Gull.

The three species of jaegers we are fortunate to occasionally see in southern Ontario include Parasitic (by far the most numerous) as well as Long-tailed and Pomarine. Due to migration routes, spring records of jaegers are quite scarce, yet every autumn, low numbers pass through the province, almost entirely sticking to large bodies of water such as the Great Lakes, on their way from their Arctic breeding grounds to their wintering areas on the open oceans. Van Wagner's Beach in Hamilton is a prime location to search for jaegers, due to its location at the west end of Lake Ontario. Migrant jaegers stop over on Lake Ontario in the autumn, and east winds can cause some individuals to drift to the west end of the lake where they are identified (or attempted to be identified) by patient birders straining through their scopes.

Typical view of a distant Parastic Jaeger at Van Wagner's Beach (September 10, 2011)

Jaegers are a lot of fun for many birders due to the difficulties in identifying them. While adults in breeding plumage of each of the three species are fairly distinctive, the vast majority of jaegers that we see are young birds, often with confusing plumage. They take several years to reach maturity and to complicate matters, each of the three species can occur in several different morphs, along a continuum from light to dark.

Long-tailed Jaeger is the earliest jaeger to appear in Ontario, with most records occurring from mid August to late September. It used to be an infrequent enough visitor to southern Ontario that it was on the Ontario Bird Record Committee's review lists for the province. But due to a function of a population increase, or simply more birders with better optics being aware of jaegers, sightings in southern Ontario are frequent enough that it was removed from the southern Ontario review list in 2007. Even still, usually a dozen or fewer individuals are seen in Ontario each year, with the vast majority of records coming from Van Wagner's Beach in Hamilton during north or east winds. These birds are usually only seen in flight as they pass by offshore.

I was quite surprised to hear that an adult Long-tailed Jaeger was found at Van Wagner's Beach by Geri Shemilt on July 31, since the date was still rather early for a Long-tailed Jaeger in Ontario. Throughout the following week the bird was seen occasionally along the lakeshore, and on August 7, the bird was found sitting on shore at Confederation Park! Sightings continued throughout the day, and then again yesterday, August 8. For many of the sightings, the bird was on land, either on the shoreline or standing in the parking lot at Confederation Park. I temporarily pushed aside my work responsibilities and drove down to Hamilton yesterday morning. It is not often that one has a chance to observe a jaeger on land in southern Ontario, let alone an adult Long-tailed with full tail streamers!

When I arrived the Long-tailed Jaeger was still at the parking lot of Confederation Park, waiting out the rain.

Long-tailed Jaeger - Confederation Park, Hamilton

Eventually it preened its feathers and took flight, circling around the parking lot several times before settling in on the far side of the lot. A few Ring-billed Gulls were scrounging for food among the McDonald's wrappers and other garbage, and the Long-tailed Jaeger joined right in.

Long-tailed Jaeger - Confederation Park, Hamilton

Eventually one of the young Ring-billed Gulls decided to let the jaeger know who was boss, and chased it off of the delicious scraps.

Long-tailed Jaeger and Ring-billed Gull - Confederation Park, Hamilton

I continued to watch and photograph the jaeger over the better part of an hour, while also chatting with the handful of other birders that were present to take in the spectacle. All the while the Long-tailed Jaeger remained in the parking lot, walking around and acting just like a Ring-billed Gull, for the most part.

Long-tailed Jaeger - Confederation Park, Hamilton

Occasionally it took flight to do a few circles of the parking lot. The lighting was tough and I was having troubles with my focusing but I eventually took a few distant photos of the bird in flight, showing off its long tail feathers.

Long-tailed Jaeger - Confederation Park, Hamilton

It was an unforgettable hour with a species that I don't have a chance to enjoy too often. The jaeger is still present today so hopefully many others are able to get down to Confederation Park or Van Wagner's Beach to observe this beaut!