Saturday 2 March 2013

Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones

Being 'Confined to Barracks' is by no means unfamiliar to me but, this is the first time I ever remember being 'Confined to Balcony'! Contrary to how the Blog reads, I have now been in Sinnamary for 4 days during which time only 2 short birding trips have been made, neither amounting to a lot. Even then it is not the end of the world as the rain keeps pouring and the birds keep visiting the garden, I'm as happy as a pig in it! So, it was decided to publish a compilation of what has been recorded during these 'prolonged' periods of wet, and yes I have to admit to having started - wait for it - a Balcony List!
Gimme' Shelter
The following 6 images were captured during a 'mad dash'
20 seconds let-up in the rain, to give some idea of the area
The Balcony List covers.
Just by pure luck I have sole occupancy of the upper floor of this 
Apartment Building with a good Restaurant below
and the CHEZ TINTIN Service Station next door and of course
the classroom from where I am getting my Internet.
Nestles at these cross-roads
the Balcony is accessible 360 degrees
 
with a little cared for back garden
 
which does have the advantage of a heavily laden fruit tree
and a tangle of dead vine, making for excellent cover.
Oh, here it comes again and always rains both front and back.
 
RUDDY PIGEON
COMMON GROUND DOVE
BARE-EYED THRUSH
GREY KINGBIRD
 
BURNISHED-BUFF TANAGER
PALE-BREASTED THRUSH
Distant YELLOW-RUMPED CACIQUE with 
SMOOTH-BILLED ANI (top).
WHITE-BARRED PICULET - lifer.
RUDDY GROUND DOVE
WHITE-BARRED PICULET with SILVER-BILLED TANAGER
PLAIN-BELLIED EMERALD - which is new for the trip.
and something we can certainly do without!
female/juv BLACKPOLL WARBLER, another trip addition.

Within seconds of taking the Cat photo above
it had caught one of those beautiful Blue-Grey Tanagers.
If you ned a positive side, it did eat every last bit including feathers.
YELLOW WARBLER
 Really struggling with this one,
 good views and for me not bad photos.
 Have thumbed through the Field Guide without certainty,
 want to call it WHITE-LORED TYRANNULET 
but something doesn't seem right. 
Come on Steve, Paul, John et al you can solve it!
A Neighborly LIZARD
and this HUMMER is also causing some bother
although I've spent very little time on it.
Maybe BLUE-TAILED EMERALD?
TROPICAL KINGBIRD
CRESTED OROPENDOLA

An all too familiar sight, along with shooting it seems it's
'macho' to have a bird in a cage.

and finally, one for you Janet can I count
RHODE ISLAND RED
on the Balcony List?
In addition seen but not photographed:-
TURKEY VULTURE, VIOLACEOUS EUPHONIA, GREAT KISKADEE, CATTLE EGRET, SOUTHERN HOUSE WREN, SHORT-TAILED SWIFT, GREY-BREASTED MARTIN, BARRED ANTSHRIKE, ROADSIDE HAWK, WHITE-WINGED SWALLOW, FORK-TAILED PALM SWIFT, BANANAQUIT, SCALED PIGEON, while directly opposite across the road TROPICAL SCREECH OWL, is thought to be breeding (seen and heard) along with a number of COMMON PARAQUE (likely South America’s most common Nightjar).
also  
2 Species of PARROT + 1 Specie of HUMMINGBIRD remain unidentified.
and me? - I'm feeling like flippin' Juliet!