La Guaira

Another Venezuelan Oil and Container terminal but 20 times worse than yesterday's effort. Having received this e-mail from my potential Birding Pal Juan

Dear Bagsy,
Unfortunately things are difficult in the interior of the country where I live due to Christmas crazy days there are many killed people those days... Fortunately it is not the situation near Caracas and La Guaira (at least in general)... At this time still I don't know if I can go to stay with you and your fellow... Trying to fix it I have contact with two friends (very good people) that they live in Caracas... Near la Guaira seaport. I hope they can help but we are in Christmas holidays as you know...Take a private taxi is the best option! But only executive taxi or car with yellow 'car number' (yellow metallic piece with numbers)...
Let me try to arrange your day, but sorry, it is not easy for only one
day during Christmas...I will check every possible option...
With the best Christmas wishes,
2012/12/28 Juan C. Fernández-Ordóñez

I decided on simply putting a toe in the water which meant I was off the ship for about one hour, during which there were a few birds to see in the littler strewn, polluted, hot and noisy place.

Despite the countries mighty oil wealth, President Chaves seems to be neglecting his navy as this old 'rust bucket' shows.

This is the view from the ship

 with YELLOW-HEADED CARACARA* flying overhead and

SOCIAL FLYCATCHER* doing just that from convinient lamp posts.

Another encounter with the humble HOUSE SPARROW, the last was in La Coruna, Spain,

BLUE-and-WHITE SWALLOW

A lovely adult LAUGHING GULL was flying around the harbour but that was the end of the days birding.

Just this Gun Boat was left to photograph.

Some readers may have noticed a lack of scenic shots of late? Well, after just 32 days from new, the small Lumix camera decided to 'throw in the towel' as broken beyond repair.