Mostly Mejía area

I had a search after unpublished photos on my computer; here are some of the photos I found from the last months.

Vermilion Flycatcher, Mejía, December 2008

Little Blue Heron, Mejía, January 2009

Gray-hooded Gull, La Punta, Islay, January 2009.

American Oystercatcher, Mar Villa, Lima, February 2009. Gray-hooded Gull in the background.

Yellow-hooded Blackbird, Mar Villa 18.02.09

This species has survived in Pantanos de Villa since at least 1965 when about 35 ad. and one young were observed (Koepcke, The Birds of the Department of Lima, Peru, 1983 Ed.). Since then it has also spread to several other coastal marshes. When I came to Peru in 1995 there was some uncertainty about the survival of this coastal population (at least abroad). When I visited Mar Villa for the first time in 1996 together with Oscar Gonzales we saw several adults and young birds, and I remember I reported this to several persons then. The species seems to have a healthy population in and around Lima today, and it is easily seen in the Mar Villa area, Pantanos de Villa.

Shorebirds, Pantanos de Villa, Lima 18.02.09

Stilt Sandpiper & Wilson's Phalarope

The Pectoral Sandpipers were quite easy to find because of the warm brown colour. At this picture you can also see Lesser Yellowlegs and one more species. Can you find it?

Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs & Stilt Sandpiper

Here you have four species, can you find them?

Pantanos de Villa, 18.02.09

Neotropic Cormorant

Great Egret

Peregrine Falcon

Gray-hooded Gull (imm)

Great Grebe (adult & pull)

Pantanos de Villa

Stilt Sand-piper
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Grey Plover
Wilson's Phalarope
Neotropic Cormorant

Pantanos de Villa is a good place to spend some hours. This time (17.09) I visited Mar villa - beach area & the wader lagoons in the late afternoon, totally I saw 44 species in less than two hours.

Pantanos de Villa, Lima 3

Pacific (White-winged) Dove, along the main trail close to the headquarter. All the photos from Pantanos de Villa 09.11.07 (next two entries as well)

Franklin's Gulls at the beach, Mar Villa circuit, also Band-tailed Gull (ad. & imm.) in the front.

Kildeer, Mar Villa circuit.

Western Sandpiper,

Mar Villa circuit

Pantanos de Villa, Lima 2

Three raptors were seen together inland from Mar Villa. I identified them as one Harris’ Hawk (imm) and two Savanna Hawks.

Savanna Hawk (two first pictures)










Harris' Hawk

Pantanos de Villa, Lima 1

Pantanos de Villa in Lima is a good place to start or end a birding trip in Peru. You can see many herons, gulls and ducks in the lagoons and during the migration a lot of shorebirds as well. I spent most of the time at Mar Villa, the lagoons close to the shore, during my visit 09. November. During the return one of the park guards kindly shoved me a place were several Peruvian Thick-Knee rested. These birds are mostly active during nighttime.