MORE PICTURES AND END OF THE SEASON

Here are some wonderful pictures taken at the hawkwatch by several volunteers.
The season is almost over and we'll be all leaving on December 1. I cannot believe Fall 2005 is over.

When I have a little more time I will tell you what the plans are for the next season. There are new projects starting and a whole new group of people will come to Costa Rica to help us carry out the migration count.

I fly to Portugal on December 5, to pass Christmas and New Years with my family and friends, and I can't begin to describe how excited I am about this, for I haven't been at home since March.

I will also freeeeeezzzze, because I spent the last year in the hot desert and in the hot caribbean!

Ok, here are the pictures! Keep in touch, wherever you are! Tell me what you think about this blog, I would love some comments on how to make it even better!

THE SEASONS CHANGE – TALAMANCA IN THE RAIN

My blog has been sitting around for a few weeks, mainly because the migration season just got crazy, a lot of work to do, the house full of people, friends visiting, and I even had time to do a little vacation trip to Panama, to the islands of Bocas del Toro.

The weather is slowly changing from mostly sunny to wet and grey. It is the start of the rainy season in Talamanca and pretty soon, it will be raining every hour and every day. And it is amazing how the weather can change your mood and spirit. I have been mostly melancholic these past days, thinking of Christmas and going to Portugal for some time.

I just bought my plane ticket… so on December 5 I’ll be in my little country by the sea. I will spend Christmas with my family and friends, and be back in Costa Rica by Feb 13. Finally, I will see how Costa Rica looks like in the Spring season.

I leave you a table with the numbers of birds we have seen until last week at Kekoldi Hawkwatch… we have passed 2.5 million birds… Will it be this year that we’ll make it to 3 million? The weather doesn’t seem to be helping, but who knows?

This information about the Hawkwatch and much more will soon be available in a newsletter and on our new webpage you can visit at www.talamancaraptors.org!

Take care!

Species (English Name)	Especie (Nombre Español)	Scientific Name / Nombre Cientifico	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Season Total
Turkey Vulture	Zopilote Cabecirrojo	Cathartes aura	0	280	564673	150753	715706
Osprey	Águila Pescadora	Pandion haliaetus	26	801	1505	32	2364
Hook-billed Kite	Aquilucho Piquiganchudo	Chondrohierax uncinatus	0	1	5	1	7
Swallow-tailed Kite	Elanio Tijereta	Elanoides forficatus	3047	342	19	0	3408
Snail Kite	Elanio Caracolero	Rostrhamus sociabilis	0	0	0	0	0
Mississippi Kite	Elanio Colinegro	Ictinia mississipiensis	4328	225048	19148	10	248534
Plumbeous Kite	Elanio Plomizo	Ictinia plumbea	863	61	1	0	925
Northern Harrier	Aguilucho Norteño	Circus cyaneus	0	1	0	0	1
Sharp-shinned Hawk	Gavilán Pajarero	Accipiter striatus	0	0	3	0	3
Cooper's Hawk	Gavilán de Cooper	Accipiter cooperii	0	6	6	3	15
Zone-tailed Hawk	Gavilán Colifajeado	Buteo albonutatus	0	3	31	5	39
Broad-winged Hawk	Gavilán Aludo	Buteo platypterus	0	28173	1078989	277	1107439
Swainson's Hawk	Gavilán de Swainson	Buteo swainsoni	0	2	495803	10082	505887
Red-tailed Hawk	Gavilán Colirrojo	Buteo jamaicensis	0	0	7	0	7
American Kestrel	Cernícalo Americano	Falco sparverius	0	0	4	0	4
Merlin	Esmerejón	Falco columbarius	0	10	138	18	166
Peregrine Falcon	Halcón Peregrino	Falco peregrinus	0	211	1942	33	2186
Unidentified Kite	Ictinia No Identificado		0	3	0	0	3
Unidentified Accipiter	Accipiter No Identificado		0	0	2	0	2
Unidentified Buteo	Buteo No Identificado		0	0	2	0	2
Unidentified Falcon	Halcón No Identificado		0	1	5	0	6
Unidentified Raptor	Rapaz No Identificada		0	104	1958	0	2062
TOTAL			8264	255047	2164693	160762	2588766