8 March 2009 (Sunday, Day 13)
We are driving south to Santiago today to exchange pigeons and then head to the Putu dune field where we worked last year.
As we left, we ran into the La Serena bird once again and made one more attempt to remove her transmitter. Although we got some half-hearted attempts from her, she did not get caught and eventually took off in a mutual hunt with her mate. We saw her no more.
However, based on her behavior, it is pretty clear that she does remember being caught and is definitely put off by our trap, even though we were far away from the trap site from two years ago.
It is quite frustrating to be able to see her regulalry and to want to remove her transmitter and free her up but to be unable to do so. We need to try something else.
Headed for Santiago, driving all day and arriving at 1500 to quite warm, late summer temperatures in the plains below the Andes. Met up with our friends, Christian and Giannina, switched out pigeons (thanks Felipe!) and headed for a WIFI spot where I am writing to you all.
Off to the Putu dunes early tomorrow.
09 March, 2009
Life at the Cathedral
7 March 2009 (Saturday, Day 12)
We decided to see exactly where Dora was roosting (sleeping for the night) on the cathedral, so at 0100, we drove over and looked for her. Unexpectedly, we discovered that she was not on the tower tonight. She was roosting somewhere else in town. We had seen her late the previous evening and assumed she would always use the same location for sleeping. But experience shows that she uses many different perches on the structure during the day as well as at night. This creates a problem when we set our traps for her. She is more unpredictable than we thought.
At 0700, I returned to the church to observe while Kathy went back to try again for the La Serena bird. I immediately found Dora preeening in the early morning light high on the northeast corner, sitting on one of her usual sconces. At 0747, she flew up and finished off her pigeon kill left from the previous night's hunt.
At 0805, having finished her meal, she flew out into the south dead Auracaria tree. At 1041, after preening and dozing, she moved to the west live Auracaria tree.
When the cathedral doors opened at 1000, I ascended to my "cell" once again, climbing the most wonderful ancient stairways circling up inside the bell tower. Using radios, Kathy and I are able to keep in contact so I knew what the bird was doing at all times.
This peregrine is now well known to the local townspeople and Kathy spent alot of time talking to them about Dora and hearing many of their stories regarding her activities. She was even interviewed by a local radio program as she was standing in the street watching the bird. One woman working in a furniture store across the street had first become aware of the peregrine as she was walking along and a pigeon foot fell from the air in front of her.
The local cab drivers, who line up at the corner across from the cathedral, all know her well and have many things to say about her. They were most interested to hear that she nested in the tundra to the north and that she laid 3-4 eggs each year. They only knew that she shows up here in the first week of November each summer.
For the rest of the day, Dora eluded us. Despite my remaining "cloistered" all day, pacing in my cell, she did not fly to any of the perches we had selected. Whether it was random behavior or if she had somehow detected us placing our nooses, she avoided our efforts entirely and we had to eventually give up and move on.
At 8 PM, I just made it out of the cathedral in time to avoid spending the night on a cement floor in the tower. Unfortunately, this is also just about the time (dusk) that Dora returns to the high tower to perch. So the timing is absolutely wrong. If the doors remained open until 11 PM, our chances would have improved markedly. If we ever return here for this bird, we'll bring a pad and sleeping bag along fore th night.
Finally, we would really like to thank all of the people at the cathedral, including the bishop for granting permission to engage in our work and especially to Horatio and Orlando, for allowing us access to their beautiful church. We appreciated both their help and their trust greatly.
We decided to see exactly where Dora was roosting (sleeping for the night) on the cathedral, so at 0100, we drove over and looked for her. Unexpectedly, we discovered that she was not on the tower tonight. She was roosting somewhere else in town. We had seen her late the previous evening and assumed she would always use the same location for sleeping. But experience shows that she uses many different perches on the structure during the day as well as at night. This creates a problem when we set our traps for her. She is more unpredictable than we thought.
At 0700, I returned to the church to observe while Kathy went back to try again for the La Serena bird. I immediately found Dora preeening in the early morning light high on the northeast corner, sitting on one of her usual sconces. At 0747, she flew up and finished off her pigeon kill left from the previous night's hunt.
At 0805, having finished her meal, she flew out into the south dead Auracaria tree. At 1041, after preening and dozing, she moved to the west live Auracaria tree.
When the cathedral doors opened at 1000, I ascended to my "cell" once again, climbing the most wonderful ancient stairways circling up inside the bell tower. Using radios, Kathy and I are able to keep in contact so I knew what the bird was doing at all times.
This peregrine is now well known to the local townspeople and Kathy spent alot of time talking to them about Dora and hearing many of their stories regarding her activities. She was even interviewed by a local radio program as she was standing in the street watching the bird. One woman working in a furniture store across the street had first become aware of the peregrine as she was walking along and a pigeon foot fell from the air in front of her.
The local cab drivers, who line up at the corner across from the cathedral, all know her well and have many things to say about her. They were most interested to hear that she nested in the tundra to the north and that she laid 3-4 eggs each year. They only knew that she shows up here in the first week of November each summer.
For the rest of the day, Dora eluded us. Despite my remaining "cloistered" all day, pacing in my cell, she did not fly to any of the perches we had selected. Whether it was random behavior or if she had somehow detected us placing our nooses, she avoided our efforts entirely and we had to eventually give up and move on.
At 8 PM, I just made it out of the cathedral in time to avoid spending the night on a cement floor in the tower. Unfortunately, this is also just about the time (dusk) that Dora returns to the high tower to perch. So the timing is absolutely wrong. If the doors remained open until 11 PM, our chances would have improved markedly. If we ever return here for this bird, we'll bring a pad and sleeping bag along fore th night.
Finally, we would really like to thank all of the people at the cathedral, including the bishop for granting permission to engage in our work and especially to Horatio and Orlando, for allowing us access to their beautiful church. We appreciated both their help and their trust greatly.
08 March, 2009
In the Tower
6 March 2009 (Friday, Day 11)
Drove into town and found Dora, the adult female tundra peregrine, sitting on the main cathedral tower consuming a pigeon. This bird is amazing. We have been watching her and it is obvious why she is here. She has complete command of the city area and uses the highest perch in town to dominate the city. She hunts in the morning, kills and eats and then has the rest of the day off, preening and dozing in the shade of the tower or the trunk of a nearby Auracaria tree. As the day wears down and the temperature cools a bit, she becomes active once again and just before dark, she hunts again and feeds near dusk. She is almost crepuscular in her habits. And her hunts seldom appear to last very long. There is such an abundance of birdlife here, primarliy Rock Pigeons and a variety of doves, that she seems to kill almost at will. We did find other prey on a balcony beneath her feeding perches. Among the columbiformes, we also discovered at least two Whimbrel skulls, indicating that she likely goes down to the coast to hunt.
Christian had arranged earlier for us to have access to the church tower and we went up to see if we could somehow capture this bird.
I was eventually able to set up a few possibilities and then wound up spending the entire day behind the clock faces high inside the tower. One of the most important things to keep in mind was to cover one's ears every hour. Although they had ancient bells hanging from huge iron bars, the sounds now come from recordings and enormous speakers. Nevertheless, they are still pretty loud.
Unfortunately, we also discovered that the churchdoors are closed firmly for the night at 8 PM. For a couple of hours, I was planning on an unintentional night inside the cathedral. We were even lifting water and my sleeping bag up the cathedral front via lureline and backpack around 10 PM when one of the churchmen, Horatio, came by to turn off an errant bell. A fortunate circumstance.
The falcon remained untrapped despite a days effort. We did however learn how to strategically attach nooses to heavily eroded cathedral walls.
Drove into town and found Dora, the adult female tundra peregrine, sitting on the main cathedral tower consuming a pigeon. This bird is amazing. We have been watching her and it is obvious why she is here. She has complete command of the city area and uses the highest perch in town to dominate the city. She hunts in the morning, kills and eats and then has the rest of the day off, preening and dozing in the shade of the tower or the trunk of a nearby Auracaria tree. As the day wears down and the temperature cools a bit, she becomes active once again and just before dark, she hunts again and feeds near dusk. She is almost crepuscular in her habits. And her hunts seldom appear to last very long. There is such an abundance of birdlife here, primarliy Rock Pigeons and a variety of doves, that she seems to kill almost at will. We did find other prey on a balcony beneath her feeding perches. Among the columbiformes, we also discovered at least two Whimbrel skulls, indicating that she likely goes down to the coast to hunt.
Christian had arranged earlier for us to have access to the church tower and we went up to see if we could somehow capture this bird.
I was eventually able to set up a few possibilities and then wound up spending the entire day behind the clock faces high inside the tower. One of the most important things to keep in mind was to cover one's ears every hour. Although they had ancient bells hanging from huge iron bars, the sounds now come from recordings and enormous speakers. Nevertheless, they are still pretty loud.
Unfortunately, we also discovered that the churchdoors are closed firmly for the night at 8 PM. For a couple of hours, I was planning on an unintentional night inside the cathedral. We were even lifting water and my sleeping bag up the cathedral front via lureline and backpack around 10 PM when one of the churchmen, Horatio, came by to turn off an errant bell. A fortunate circumstance.
The falcon remained untrapped despite a days effort. We did however learn how to strategically attach nooses to heavily eroded cathedral walls.
La Serena
5 March 2009 (Thursday, Day 10)
We are trying to report from the field as often as possible but it can be a real problem finding both the time and the WIFI spot to do so.
Interesting few days. We are staying at our friend Bob Lang's house, a short distance from town and just down the road from La Serena's main perch trees. We have seen her there (with her transmitter clearly visible) many times now. She is amazingly regular at this spot, the same location where I saw her last December and exactly where we caught her two years ago. Don Mc Call reports that, according to the GPS signals, she flies back up into the mountains each night to roost, presumably at her eyrie. We have also observed her down here on the coast perching with an adult male on two different days and we suspect that it is her mate.
This morning, as we headed into town to look for "Dora", the cathedral bird (so named by our friend and colleague Manual Enrique Rojas of La Serena), we got sidetracked by the La Serena falcon once again. In fact, we chased her around for over 3 hours in an attempt to catch her to remove her transmitter but she would have none of it. We did discover two more of her perches, one on a typical Auracaria tree and the other in a dead Eucalyptus tree near a huge flock of Rock Pigeons, no doubt one of her major prey items. We have watched her flying back and forth across the narrow, fertile coastal plain in pursuit of a wide variety of birds.
Later, we spent the entire afternoon buying materials and brainstorming exactly how to catch the cathedral bird. It is not going to be easy.
2300-On the way back to Bob's, we observed the cathedral bird roosting on a central sconce of the tower in a place we think we can get to. We'll see.
We are trying to report from the field as often as possible but it can be a real problem finding both the time and the WIFI spot to do so.
Interesting few days. We are staying at our friend Bob Lang's house, a short distance from town and just down the road from La Serena's main perch trees. We have seen her there (with her transmitter clearly visible) many times now. She is amazingly regular at this spot, the same location where I saw her last December and exactly where we caught her two years ago. Don Mc Call reports that, according to the GPS signals, she flies back up into the mountains each night to roost, presumably at her eyrie. We have also observed her down here on the coast perching with an adult male on two different days and we suspect that it is her mate.
This morning, as we headed into town to look for "Dora", the cathedral bird (so named by our friend and colleague Manual Enrique Rojas of La Serena), we got sidetracked by the La Serena falcon once again. In fact, we chased her around for over 3 hours in an attempt to catch her to remove her transmitter but she would have none of it. We did discover two more of her perches, one on a typical Auracaria tree and the other in a dead Eucalyptus tree near a huge flock of Rock Pigeons, no doubt one of her major prey items. We have watched her flying back and forth across the narrow, fertile coastal plain in pursuit of a wide variety of birds.
Later, we spent the entire afternoon buying materials and brainstorming exactly how to catch the cathedral bird. It is not going to be easy.
2300-On the way back to Bob's, we observed the cathedral bird roosting on a central sconce of the tower in a place we think we can get to. We'll see.
05 March, 2009
SCPP Field Nates - 01 Mar. thru 04 Mar.
1 March 2009 (Sunday, Day 6)
Kathy and I drove north into intense Atacama Desert today heading for the location of Paco's transmitter, lost last year when we assume he died on the coast of Chile. We drove past Chanaral, up onto the high and dry coastal plateau moving for hours through the hot, open, barren desert with its myriad colors, rolling hills and bright sunlight. Arrow straight roads, mining side roads heading out seemingly nowhere into the distant foothills, constant semi trucks hauling materials up to distant cities. This is simply and elementally one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
We pulled into Taltal, a small coastal community and got some food in the afternoon, fried chicken for me and later to prove a big mistake on my part.
Drove a few miles north on the coastal road and found the GPS position for Paco easily in a small cirque of rock and dirt. We jumped out and started intensively searching the ground for his transmitter. We not only wanted to find it and re-cycle it but were also looking for any type of clue as to what might have happened to him.
We did find that this is a popular camping area for local Chileans and there were several families and cars immediately below us. That means a source of potential food for the foxes in this area and we did find many piles of fox scat and tracks in and around the area. Of interest is that almost all of the scat contained bird feathers so we know now that foxes are definitely a source of mortality for birds here.
We also saw many Turkey Vultures patrolling the hillside right at the GPS site. It is unlikely that they missed a dead peregrine for long in this hot, near tropical climate.
2 March 2009 (Monday, Day 7)
Rough night as a result of the bad food. Pretty sick. Fortunately Kathy is doing fine and took off pre-dawn to hike the mile and a half up the mountainside to the last GPS point for Paco's transmitter. It was at about 2,500' elevation up a long steep ridge. Kathy made it up in record time and spent over four hours looking for the transmitter among cactus, rock and brush, over and above the call of duty. Amazing job on her part but unfortunately with no success. We simply do not know what happened to this transmitter. A fox followed her back down the trail for most of her return trip. Guanacos here too.
Finally headed south again and drove the rest of the day to Copiapo and beyond, camping out in the silent desert under bright stars. You really have to be far away from the lights of the city to remember just how bright the Milky Way can be. Breathtakingly beautiful.
3 March 2009 (Tuesday, Day 8)
Drove south across the Atacama back to La Serena which is where the habitat really changes to a more Mediterranean/California type of vegetation. We have left the desert behind. Looked for the La Serena bird again with no luck. Visited the cathedral and had the adult female dozing on the tower. Spent the evening with our friend, Bob, strategizing on how to catch the church bird. Still feeling pretty sick.
4 March 2009 (Wednesday, Day 9)
Drove into town to pick up some items for a new trap for the cathedral bird. En route, we spotted the tagged La Serena bird in her usual row of trees just down the road from Bob's house. We spent the next 4 hours trying to get her to come into the harness. She does not seem too interested. Finally, near dark, as we both looked away from her, she did a series of hard, fast stoops but refused to hit. We think that she may remember being captured here by Tom and Jesus two years ago. She seemed to be interested but just not too committed to the hunt. So off she went into the darkening sky of evening.
One of the problems we are having is that the farmers are planting in this area right now. The area is very rich in both farmland and in bird life. Quite different from the desert. It has huge flocks of pigeons, lots of shorebirds along the beach and passerines everywhere. But the fields are either being plowed, just planted or growing crops. There are only a few "postage sized" fields to throw in, often with dozens of farm hands in the next fields harvesting tomatoes.
So the trapping is incredibly challenging for this bird.
After dark, we drove into town to check on the cathedral bird and found her perched on an entirely new place on the tower. Later, after Kathy had dinner (I'm still sick), we found that she had left the cathedral entirely. Although we looked around, we could not find her anywhere. This is creating a really challenging problem. How do you capture an adult peregrine perching in a busy city, on a tall cathedral, and unpredictable in her roosting and perching habits? We are not sure but we are working on it.
Kathy and I drove north into intense Atacama Desert today heading for the location of Paco's transmitter, lost last year when we assume he died on the coast of Chile. We drove past Chanaral, up onto the high and dry coastal plateau moving for hours through the hot, open, barren desert with its myriad colors, rolling hills and bright sunlight. Arrow straight roads, mining side roads heading out seemingly nowhere into the distant foothills, constant semi trucks hauling materials up to distant cities. This is simply and elementally one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
We pulled into Taltal, a small coastal community and got some food in the afternoon, fried chicken for me and later to prove a big mistake on my part.
Drove a few miles north on the coastal road and found the GPS position for Paco easily in a small cirque of rock and dirt. We jumped out and started intensively searching the ground for his transmitter. We not only wanted to find it and re-cycle it but were also looking for any type of clue as to what might have happened to him.
We did find that this is a popular camping area for local Chileans and there were several families and cars immediately below us. That means a source of potential food for the foxes in this area and we did find many piles of fox scat and tracks in and around the area. Of interest is that almost all of the scat contained bird feathers so we know now that foxes are definitely a source of mortality for birds here.
We also saw many Turkey Vultures patrolling the hillside right at the GPS site. It is unlikely that they missed a dead peregrine for long in this hot, near tropical climate.
2 March 2009 (Monday, Day 7)
Rough night as a result of the bad food. Pretty sick. Fortunately Kathy is doing fine and took off pre-dawn to hike the mile and a half up the mountainside to the last GPS point for Paco's transmitter. It was at about 2,500' elevation up a long steep ridge. Kathy made it up in record time and spent over four hours looking for the transmitter among cactus, rock and brush, over and above the call of duty. Amazing job on her part but unfortunately with no success. We simply do not know what happened to this transmitter. A fox followed her back down the trail for most of her return trip. Guanacos here too.
Finally headed south again and drove the rest of the day to Copiapo and beyond, camping out in the silent desert under bright stars. You really have to be far away from the lights of the city to remember just how bright the Milky Way can be. Breathtakingly beautiful.
3 March 2009 (Tuesday, Day 8)
Drove south across the Atacama back to La Serena which is where the habitat really changes to a more Mediterranean/California type of vegetation. We have left the desert behind. Looked for the La Serena bird again with no luck. Visited the cathedral and had the adult female dozing on the tower. Spent the evening with our friend, Bob, strategizing on how to catch the church bird. Still feeling pretty sick.
4 March 2009 (Wednesday, Day 9)
Drove into town to pick up some items for a new trap for the cathedral bird. En route, we spotted the tagged La Serena bird in her usual row of trees just down the road from Bob's house. We spent the next 4 hours trying to get her to come into the harness. She does not seem too interested. Finally, near dark, as we both looked away from her, she did a series of hard, fast stoops but refused to hit. We think that she may remember being captured here by Tom and Jesus two years ago. She seemed to be interested but just not too committed to the hunt. So off she went into the darkening sky of evening.
One of the problems we are having is that the farmers are planting in this area right now. The area is very rich in both farmland and in bird life. Quite different from the desert. It has huge flocks of pigeons, lots of shorebirds along the beach and passerines everywhere. But the fields are either being plowed, just planted or growing crops. There are only a few "postage sized" fields to throw in, often with dozens of farm hands in the next fields harvesting tomatoes.
So the trapping is incredibly challenging for this bird.
After dark, we drove into town to check on the cathedral bird and found her perched on an entirely new place on the tower. Later, after Kathy had dinner (I'm still sick), we found that she had left the cathedral entirely. Although we looked around, we could not find her anywhere. This is creating a really challenging problem. How do you capture an adult peregrine perching in a busy city, on a tall cathedral, and unpredictable in her roosting and perching habits? We are not sure but we are working on it.
2009 SCPP - Reports from the field. 24 Feb. thru 28 Feb.
24 February 2009 (Tuesday, Day 1)
Southern Cross members Kathy Gunther and Bud Anderson flew from Seattle to South America via Dallas. Took the usual all night killer flight to Santiago wondering why on earth the airlines insist on flying us all night long. A day flight would be so much better. Depending on his work commitments, Mark Prostor will hopefully be joining the team a bit later.
25 February 2009 (Wednesday, Day 2)
Arrived in Santiago around 10 AM to a beautiful, sunny, warm late summer day. Quite a contrast from winter in Washington.
We were met by SCPP team member and friend, Christian Gonzalez and his two wonderful kids, Seba and Fran. We went to their house in Colina north of Santiago and after throwing our bags down, joined them for some biological control work in the local vineyards. Christian and his wife, Giannina, operate a business called Rapaces Chile. They fly their trained hawks (Harris's Hawks and Aplomado Falcons) at birds in the orchards and vineyards of Chile. We were also joined by a local film crew doing a story on their work.
After a long day, we had a barbecue at the new house that they are building and then hit the sack.
26 February 2009 (Thursday, Day 3)
We spent this day preparing for the expedition. Christian and Giannina helped out with packing gear as we got Lula Belle, our truck, ready for the trip. Changed dollars, bought food and extra gear and headed out around 5PM. We will be driving north to La Serena to look for our tagged bird there and hopefully catch her so that we are able to "recycle" her transmitter. We also want to tag another bird at the cathedral in town. Finally, we are going to try to find Paco's transmitter on a high coastal ridge and perhaps gain some insights into his demise last May.
Arrived at the coast at dusk near La Ligua. By chance, we encountered two young Chilean biologists at the beach. Christian Silva Barrera and Carolin Schachermayer are working on seabirds and fisheries on the Chilean coast at Coquimbo and we had alot to talk about. Christian had recognized the SCPP logo on the side of Lula Belle. He was aware of our project and had even visited the FRG website so it was great to know that we are having an impact here.
They invited us to stay with them at his parents house in nearby La Ballena, an offer we could not refuse. We met his parents, Rosendo Silva and his wife, and enjoyed a late dinner and conversation about birds. Chilean hospitality is legendary and we were once again a recipient of this wonderful element of Chilean culture.
Muchas gracias!
27 February 2009 (Friday, Day 4)
We headed north early, after saying goodbye to our new friends. We will be driving along the Pan-American Highway for the next several days. We revisited some cell towers at Tongoy where we had seen a pair of tundra falcons two years earlier but with no luck.
Continued up to La Serena and drove directly to the row of trees where I saw La Serena last December on her usual branch. This bird appears to be remarkably regular at this site. We found another adult male instead and observed him vocalizing at other adults flying overhead which made us wonder if he is La Serena's mate.
Again by chance, we met up with another new friend, Bob Lang, a fascinating retired American, who is refurbishing a house he bought here a few years ago. He lives right down the road from the perch trees.
From there, we went into the town of La Serena and met our friend and colleague, Manuel Enrique Rojas, an architect in town, who has been watching the two tundra peregrines on the cathedral for several years. He is the local expert on these birds. We went to the cathedral and obtained official permission to go up onto the roof and look at the birds (thanks to Manuel!). We had sighted both adults as we walked to the cathedral, one on the church and the other in a nearby tree. Both had kills and both were eating! Nice to see them again.
In the afternoon, we went back to look for the La Serena bird with no luck. But the male was there.
Met up with our friend, Bob, and he joined us for dinner. Afterwards, he kindly invited us to stay over at his place, which we did. Again, hospitality wherever we go here.
28 February 2009 (Saturday, Day 5)
Up and going after morning tea and coffee with Bob, a fellow traveler and a definite bon vivant who gave me my first taste of good cognac.
We headed over first thing to see if the La Serena bird was at her perch. But no, we only watched as the adult male came into the trees. However, as we waited for her to arrive, Kathy spotted an adult peregrine coming in towards us from the south. Kathy was tipped off by hearing the adult male ee-chupping at another falcon.
It was the La Serena bird in a full, hard driving angled stoop at a flock of pigeons! She flew right by us at top speed, a remarkable thing to see at close range. We could clearly see her transmitter and antenna as she passed by. She missed the pigeons by put into a single tall tree just down the road. We jumped out and served her a free pigeon which she took in the air, landing on the ground soon after. We drove up slowly and managed to get some good looks at her being harassed by Chilean Lapwings and surrounded by 8 Chimango Caracaras waiting for a meal. I managed a few mediocre digi-scope shots from a window mount just to document her transmitter. Too cool. We were delighted with our luck.
From there, we headed north on the highway. Drove all day through Vallenar, Copiapo and finally to the coastal town of Bahia Inglesa near dark. I spotted an adult male peregrine perched on a cell phone tower, a favorite perch for Chilean tundra falcons it would seem. Kathy went out and threw for him and he came in immediatly as soon as he saw the trap. We had to work him for an hour or more as he had an extremely full crop already but we eventually succeeded using Lula Belle to get close to him. We weighed, measured, and banded him before release. Also took a small blood sample for DNA analysis (Hi Isabel!).
Camped on the sandy beach under a moonless, star-filled night with the Southern Cross to the south.
Southern Cross members Kathy Gunther and Bud Anderson flew from Seattle to South America via Dallas. Took the usual all night killer flight to Santiago wondering why on earth the airlines insist on flying us all night long. A day flight would be so much better. Depending on his work commitments, Mark Prostor will hopefully be joining the team a bit later.
25 February 2009 (Wednesday, Day 2)
Arrived in Santiago around 10 AM to a beautiful, sunny, warm late summer day. Quite a contrast from winter in Washington.
We were met by SCPP team member and friend, Christian Gonzalez and his two wonderful kids, Seba and Fran. We went to their house in Colina north of Santiago and after throwing our bags down, joined them for some biological control work in the local vineyards. Christian and his wife, Giannina, operate a business called Rapaces Chile. They fly their trained hawks (Harris's Hawks and Aplomado Falcons) at birds in the orchards and vineyards of Chile. We were also joined by a local film crew doing a story on their work.
After a long day, we had a barbecue at the new house that they are building and then hit the sack.
26 February 2009 (Thursday, Day 3)
We spent this day preparing for the expedition. Christian and Giannina helped out with packing gear as we got Lula Belle, our truck, ready for the trip. Changed dollars, bought food and extra gear and headed out around 5PM. We will be driving north to La Serena to look for our tagged bird there and hopefully catch her so that we are able to "recycle" her transmitter. We also want to tag another bird at the cathedral in town. Finally, we are going to try to find Paco's transmitter on a high coastal ridge and perhaps gain some insights into his demise last May.
Arrived at the coast at dusk near La Ligua. By chance, we encountered two young Chilean biologists at the beach. Christian Silva Barrera and Carolin Schachermayer are working on seabirds and fisheries on the Chilean coast at Coquimbo and we had alot to talk about. Christian had recognized the SCPP logo on the side of Lula Belle. He was aware of our project and had even visited the FRG website so it was great to know that we are having an impact here.
They invited us to stay with them at his parents house in nearby La Ballena, an offer we could not refuse. We met his parents, Rosendo Silva and his wife, and enjoyed a late dinner and conversation about birds. Chilean hospitality is legendary and we were once again a recipient of this wonderful element of Chilean culture.
Muchas gracias!
27 February 2009 (Friday, Day 4)
We headed north early, after saying goodbye to our new friends. We will be driving along the Pan-American Highway for the next several days. We revisited some cell towers at Tongoy where we had seen a pair of tundra falcons two years earlier but with no luck.
Continued up to La Serena and drove directly to the row of trees where I saw La Serena last December on her usual branch. This bird appears to be remarkably regular at this site. We found another adult male instead and observed him vocalizing at other adults flying overhead which made us wonder if he is La Serena's mate.
Again by chance, we met up with another new friend, Bob Lang, a fascinating retired American, who is refurbishing a house he bought here a few years ago. He lives right down the road from the perch trees.
From there, we went into the town of La Serena and met our friend and colleague, Manuel Enrique Rojas, an architect in town, who has been watching the two tundra peregrines on the cathedral for several years. He is the local expert on these birds. We went to the cathedral and obtained official permission to go up onto the roof and look at the birds (thanks to Manuel!). We had sighted both adults as we walked to the cathedral, one on the church and the other in a nearby tree. Both had kills and both were eating! Nice to see them again.
In the afternoon, we went back to look for the La Serena bird with no luck. But the male was there.
Met up with our friend, Bob, and he joined us for dinner. Afterwards, he kindly invited us to stay over at his place, which we did. Again, hospitality wherever we go here.
28 February 2009 (Saturday, Day 5)
Up and going after morning tea and coffee with Bob, a fellow traveler and a definite bon vivant who gave me my first taste of good cognac.
We headed over first thing to see if the La Serena bird was at her perch. But no, we only watched as the adult male came into the trees. However, as we waited for her to arrive, Kathy spotted an adult peregrine coming in towards us from the south. Kathy was tipped off by hearing the adult male ee-chupping at another falcon.
It was the La Serena bird in a full, hard driving angled stoop at a flock of pigeons! She flew right by us at top speed, a remarkable thing to see at close range. We could clearly see her transmitter and antenna as she passed by. She missed the pigeons by put into a single tall tree just down the road. We jumped out and served her a free pigeon which she took in the air, landing on the ground soon after. We drove up slowly and managed to get some good looks at her being harassed by Chilean Lapwings and surrounded by 8 Chimango Caracaras waiting for a meal. I managed a few mediocre digi-scope shots from a window mount just to document her transmitter. Too cool. We were delighted with our luck.
From there, we headed north on the highway. Drove all day through Vallenar, Copiapo and finally to the coastal town of Bahia Inglesa near dark. I spotted an adult male peregrine perched on a cell phone tower, a favorite perch for Chilean tundra falcons it would seem. Kathy went out and threw for him and he came in immediatly as soon as he saw the trap. We had to work him for an hour or more as he had an extremely full crop already but we eventually succeeded using Lula Belle to get close to him. We weighed, measured, and banded him before release. Also took a small blood sample for DNA analysis (Hi Isabel!).
Camped on the sandy beach under a moonless, star-filled night with the Southern Cross to the south.
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