tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64773585266247797712024-03-12T21:29:57.156-06:00Belize Field NotesCamera traps, natural history and news featuring Chan Chich LodgeCarolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.comBlogger207125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-25277839274688861292012-03-31T09:00:00.000-06:002012-03-31T09:00:00.303-06:00To my dear friends<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JG5is9l8-Fs/Tb807NNuSoI/AAAAAAAAAeI/tHollSuOCcY/s1600/smoky%2Bsunset%2Bcopyright.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602254653236333186" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JG5is9l8-Fs/Tb807NNuSoI/AAAAAAAAAeI/tHollSuOCcY/s400/smoky%2Bsunset%2Bcopyright.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Dear Friends,<br />
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The time has come to let you know that this is my last post, and Belize Field Notes has come to an end. After more than 25 wonderful years in Belize, Bruce and I are returning the USA. It is a difficult decision, more than a year in the making. Advancing age, health and family issues, and research opportunities have all contributed to to our decision.<br />
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I want you to know that I have loved writing this blog and sharing my love of Belize, its wildlife and the Gallon Jug Estate and Chan Chich Lodge with you. Many of you have visited and I've met you personally. You know the places, people and animals I have highlighted. Other readers are planning to visit. I am sorry I will not be able to meet you in person as that has always been a special pleasure. We've made some wonderful friends over the years in this way. <br />
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The main take home message I want to leave you with is that Gallon Jug Estate is a very special place. Thanks to the excellent protection and responsible ownership that this property has enjoyed during the past nearly 30 years, wildlife flourishes. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for so many heavily human-impacted places in Belize, in the region, in the Americas, in the world. Our grateful and sincere thanks go to the memory of Sir Barry Bowen and Lady Bowen for making Gallon Jug and Chan Chich possible and viable, for so many years. And to think -- we were lucky enough to live here.<br />
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Thank you for your interest in Belize's wildlife and its wildest place and for joining me at Belize Field Notes. Do please, visit Chan Chich Lodge. We hope to get back from time to time, and who knows, we may yet meet!<br />
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With warmest wishes from Gallon Jug,<br />
CarolynCarolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-84457498547286855762012-03-23T07:00:00.000-06:002012-03-23T07:00:11.147-06:00Back to Back Cats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our one remote camera came up with these nice images of an ocelot and a puma walking a trail in the Gallon Jug Estate. It's wonderful to see these cats as they go about their nightly business and know that the Gallon Jug Estate harbors so many of these magnificent animals. That makes another reason why our area is unique!Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-33610203804663842412012-03-15T13:30:00.000-06:002012-03-15T13:30:00.408-06:00Hatchlings on the Way<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a basilisk lizard (<i>Basiliscus vittatus </i>to be precise). A female -- readily determined since she lacks the spectacular crest of the male. Common in the tropics and Gallon Jug, well known as "the Jesus Christ" lizard for its ability to walk on water. Here she is in the gravel, right next to the staircase of our house. And what, you may ask, is she doing? If you look carefully (picture on the right) you can see she is poised over a hole she has excavated and is depositing eggs. Within a hour or so, she'd apparently finished. The area was completely covered over and you'd have no clue that there was a hidden nest.<br />
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The interesting thing is, since 1997, a basilisk lizard has excavated her nest cavity here at this exact -- so far as I can tell -- spot. Is it the same female lizard? Do they live that long? Or do the hatchlings return to their nest site to dig their own nest hole?<br />Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-18214029093869813112012-03-08T13:30:00.001-06:002012-03-08T13:30:00.233-06:00Bats' Night Out<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week was "Spirit Week" at the Casey Community School here in Gallon Jug. It was kicked off on Monday, commemorating the second anniversary of the accident which claimed the lives of beloved teachers, Mike and Jill Casey, their two children, Makayla and Bryce, and Sir Barry Bowen, the owner of Gallon Jug and Chan Chich. Dear friends all and sorely missed.<br />
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The week was filled with fun activities for the students, including Pajama Day and Dress Like a Wild Animal Day on Wednesday. Wednesday also included a lecture from Dr. Bruce Miller about bats and why they are important. That evening, the students accompanied Bruce into the field for a night of "batting" and the opportunity to meet some bats "up close and personal." They listened to bat echolocation calls recorded via special equipment and were able to see a few small bats, captured and released from the harp traps (see above; two tiny bats are clinging to the canvas capture bag).Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-77803666455137496862012-03-01T13:30:00.000-06:002012-03-01T13:42:11.108-06:00Struttin' His Stuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Spring is definitely here ... and the Ocellated Turkeys are courting. Watch as this male struts his stuff, before a bevy of seemingly disinterested females. This sort of display -- fanned tail, stomping and vocalizing -- goes on for weeks. The males seem indiscriminate in selecting their object of affection, displaying to people and vehicles alike that pass by. When you visit Chan Chich Lodge, you will have no problem finding these beautiful turkeys -- they are common and readily seen, right around the cabanas.</div>Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-13214848638433363492012-02-23T13:30:00.000-06:002012-02-23T13:30:00.520-06:00Shower of Gold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The skies are clear, the sun is shining with gentle easterly breezes. Yes, dry season is a upon us and it is one of the nicest times to visit Belize and Chan Chich Lodge. And the Shower of Gold orchid is blooming! This particular one was photographed in our back yard. Since this was a "rescue orchid" found on the forest floor, we tucked it in the crotch of this spanish cedar tree. It's taken hold quite nicely and just beginning to flower -- a great sign of "spring."Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-45867352982802136602012-02-16T13:30:00.000-06:002012-02-16T13:30:00.917-06:00More Fun with Time-lapse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here's one of our hummingbird feeders and you can see it is doing a brisk business. We have five species that use it, though not on a regular basis. The Rufous-tailed Hummingbird and the White-belled Emerald are year-round users. The Green-breasted Mango and the White-necked Jacobin are seasonal, appearing sometime after Christmas and staying until October or thereabouts. Finally, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, familiar in many parts of North America, is an infrequent seasonal visitor.<br />
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When we first put out the feeders 20 years ago, we had no takers. We dumped out the spoiling nectar weekly. It took a Ruby-throat, familiar with feeders in North America, to show the way. It's amazing that a tiny bird on migration recognized a feeder, but it did. Once the Rufous-tails saw the Ruby-throats cleaning up at the feeders, they were quickly on board. And from there it just grew and grew. These days we often go through a quart of nectar daily ... and that is conservative! If we kept the feeders constantly topped up, it would be twice that! When they are ready for more nectar, the hummers fly to the doors ... or the windows ... or bombard us to make sure we get the message!Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-75590094642420018952012-02-09T13:00:00.000-06:002012-02-09T13:00:00.481-06:00Butterflies by the Dozens!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For those of you in wintery areas, you may especially enjoy this time-lapse clip I did recently. This time of year is beautiful here in Gallon Jug/Chan Chich. These vivid red flowers line our driveway. You may recognize them as a variety of kalanchoe. Kalanchoes are recognized as "medicine" in Belize, though I've never tried it myself and am not exactly sure what they are supposed to cure. Being succulents, I like kalanchoes as they thrive in our rocky soil and don't require much care. As you can see, they are in bloom this time of year and must be nectar-rich -- they have attracted butterflies by the dozens!Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-58821290236355887302012-02-02T13:30:00.000-06:002012-02-02T13:30:00.667-06:00Tiny Tiny Gecko<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was so delighted to find this little creature on my kitchen floor recently. It is a hatchling gecko, <i> Sphaerodactylus glaucus </i>to be exact. Geckos in the genus <i>Sphaerodactylus</i> are the tiniest reptiles in the world with the adult <i>S. glaucus </i> not a great deal bigger than the baby pictured here. They do seem to like being in houses. Every place we've lived in Belize, there have always been a couple on hand -- we call them "house geckos." Sadly though, there is a much larger introduced species of Asian gecko that has become common in Belize, and even in Gallon Jug. They are voracious, and while I appreciate that they eat roaches and other creatures I'd just as soon not live alongside of, I'm afraid they also eat this tiny lizard. Certainly their numbers have diminished in recent years, so it is a rare pleasure to be able to photograph this little fellow.Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-60600626217081510962012-01-26T13:00:00.000-06:002012-01-26T13:00:01.475-06:00Baby on Board<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5DJuOHl8wnQ/TwMllnR4qDI/AAAAAAAAApA/SAKh6aYXHTs/s1600/Carollia_with+young+CCL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5DJuOHl8wnQ/TwMllnR4qDI/AAAAAAAAApA/SAKh6aYXHTs/s320/Carollia_with+young+CCL.jpg" width="268" /> </a></div>
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A few weeks ago, Chan Chich Lodge guest snapped this unusual photograph of a Short-tailed fruit bat (<i>Carollia sp.</i>). Liz took this great photo in the Upper Plaza, right next to the Lodge. Short-tailed fruit bats are very common throughout tropical Central and South America. They play a very important role, consuming fruits and dispersing copious numbers of seeds in their droppings. Many of the seeds are important colonizers helping the forest to regenerate in denuded areas.</div>
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What makes Liz's photo so charming and unique is the baby on board. Can you imagine the energy and strength it takes to fly carrying a baby one third your size?</div>
<span id="goog_1568635013"></span><span id="goog_1568635014"></span>Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-18378811246263024822012-01-19T13:00:00.000-06:002012-01-20T10:23:40.022-06:00White Heron ... or Egret?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">This mystery bird has been hanging around Gallon Jug for the past several weeks. More specifically, along the Rio Bravo in Sylvester Village. My neighbor Alan finally snapped photos of it, which took the ongoing local debate to a higher level. At first glance, you'd assume it was a Great Egret (</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Great Egrets (Ardeidae: Casmerodius albus) Fishing"><i>Casmerodius albus</i>)</span>. Common enough and readily seen in Gallon Jug during the winter months. Something about the bill doesn't seem quite right though ... and it is using a slightly different habitat than we are accustomed to seeing for Great Egrets. This bird seems to prefer shady areas along the river rather than the more open areas where we Great Egrets are more readily seen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">That habitat preference seems a bit more Great Blue Heron-ish </span><span class="st">(<i>Ardea herodias</i>) </span><span style="font-size: small;">and it sort of has the Great Blue's form. In fact, there is a rare white morph (=form) of the Great Blue Heron called Würdemann's Heron found only in the Caribbean . And it's apparently not been recorded inland. So is this Würdemann's Heron? Our references were inconclusive.We consulted an upcoming ornithologist here in Belize, Roni Martinez, to get his opinion. This is what he had to say:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"This
bird is almost certainly a white morph Great Blue Heron ... note the white plume originating on the
back of the crown and the gray, not black, legs. Great Egrets have black
legs and do not have neck/crown plumes. Also, the bill is too thick for
Great Egret."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>The <u>Audubon Society Master Birding Guide</u> shows yellow legs
and yellow bill as a field marks for the "Great White Heron" (aka <span style="font-size: small;">Würdemann's</span> Heron). The photographed bird clearly has dark legs. The same reference says "yellow bill, black legs and feet" on the immature Great Egret. That
said, I do agree that the bill appears heavier.</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Roni replied:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"The
legs on the Rio Bravo bird are definitely darker than normal but they
are not black. The bill is right on for Great White, and the single head
plume by itself eliminates Great Egret. The Sibley Guide has an
illustration of a Great White Heron that approaches the bird in the
photograph. Also check out the bill shape and color in the photo at <a href="http://www.oceanwanderers.com/NYGWHeron.html" target="_blank">http://www.oceanwanderers.com/<wbr></wbr>NYGWHeron.html</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"I
am no expert by any means on Great White Heron, so you should get a
second opinion from someone with more experience with the species. Keep
in mind that soft part colors (legs, bill, eyes) on Great White Heron
are likely to be more variable than in a true species like Great Egret.
Various intermediate stage between the Great White morph and the Great
Blue morph are frequent (e.g., Wurdemann's Heron), and the Great Blue
morph does have dark legs."</span></blockquote>
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So what do you think? Opinions? Guesses anyone? Alan is going to try to get another photograph of it ... thanks Alan! </div>
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<br /></div>Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-65142783171903834442012-01-11T09:00:00.000-06:002012-01-11T09:25:07.088-06:00Summary of the 2011 Gallon Jug CBC<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The 2011
Gallon Jug Christmas Bird Count was held, in conjunction with the National
Audubon Society, on December 31, 2011. This marked the 22<sup>nd</sup> year of the Gallon
Jug Estate Christmas Bird Count (GJE CBC) since it began in 1990. Over the years there have been ups and downs
in species, individual birds counted as well as in the number of participants. Along with the variation in number of
observers, there has been a range of good, bad and mixed weather conditions that
influenced bird activity and detectability.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Species
numbers have ranged from a low of 171 to 238 (Figure 1), averaging 203.
Individuals counted have previously ranged from 1718 to 4772 (Figure 2), averaging 2,849. This was one of
the years when intermittent heavy rain impacted bird detectability and bird activity
as well as “observer” activity. All
participants experienced rain that seemed to begin just when we thought it was
safe to step out of the vehicle again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Given the
slow start of the count day and the many hours of light to heavy rain, we were
pleased that the 183 species recorded this year was not the lowest on record (2006
and 2007 were tied at a low of 171). However, the number of individuals counted was at an all time low with 1,646. An
additional 35 species were recorded for the Count Week, but not seen on the
count day.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eLZQ59kifxc/Twx5C94jIFI/AAAAAAAAAqY/U7h67u5p9l4/s1600/all_count_spp.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eLZQ59kifxc/Twx5C94jIFI/AAAAAAAAAqY/U7h67u5p9l4/s400/all_count_spp.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Summary of unadjusted species recorded for each year of the GJE CBC.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Figure 2.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Summary of unadjusted individuals recorded for each year of the GJE CBC.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">This year’s Top 20 are listed in Table 1 and can be compared with 2010. During the 2010 CBC there were scant
frugivores (= "fruit eaters") as a result of the impact of Hurricane Richard (October 24, 2010). As the forest regenerates, the birds are
returning and many of the frugivores that had evidently moved
elsewhere in 2010, made it back into the Top 20 list for 2011.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The top
species this year as in 2010, was the Ocellated Turkey. While the individual numbers
recorded this year were somewhat lower, many were no doubt huddled out of sight
under vegetation trying to stay dry.
This was not the case for many of the observers who were soaked to the
skin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Notably low
this year with only 10 counted, was the Gray Catbird, ranked 5<sup>th</sup> in 2010 with
94 individuals. Last year the White-whiskered Puffbird was notable with a record 32
individuals recorded. The average number
of individuals of this species per count for the previous 20 years was only 9.
This year we had none. However, 2
White-necked Puffbirds were recorded.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Table 1. The 2010-2011 Top 20. Comparison of species with the highest individual
numbers.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 4.65pt; width: 236px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">2011</span></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><br /></td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Species</span></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Number</span></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Ocellated Turkey</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">195</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Olive-throated Parakeet</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">119</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Montezuma Oropendola</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">116</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">White-collared Seedeater</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">63</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Brown Jay</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">56</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Red-lored Parrot</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">46</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Tropical Kingbird</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">37</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Cattle Egret</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">36</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Social Flycatcher</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">35</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Turkey Vulture</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">33</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Roadside Hawk</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">30</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Keel-billed Toucan</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">29</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Rufous-tailed Hummingbird</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">26</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Yellow-throated Euphonia</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">26</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Pale-billed Woodpecker</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">24</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Plain Chachalaca</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">21</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 18;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">White-breasted Wood-Wren</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">21</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 19;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Black-headed Trogon</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">20</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 20;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Melodious Blackbird</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 44.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">20</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 11.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="15"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 21;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">2010</span></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 12.75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><br /></td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 22;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Species</span></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Number</span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 23;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Ocellated Turkey</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">273</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 24;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Cattle Egret</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">219</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 25;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">White-collared Seedeater</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">114</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 26;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Melodious Blackbird</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">102</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 27;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Gray Catbird</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">94</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 28;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Turkey Vulture</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">87</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 29;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Killdeer</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">86</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 30;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Tropical Kingbird</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">83</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 31;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Montezuma Oropendola</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">58</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 32;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Wood Thrush</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">56</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 33;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Clay-colored Thrush</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">54</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 34;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Brown Jay</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">52</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 35;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Black Vulture</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">51</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 36;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Olive-throated Parakeet</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 32.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="44"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">48</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: none; mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="31"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 12.75pt; mso-row-margin-right: 23.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 37;">
<td nowrap="nowrap" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 12.75pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-right-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="161"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Mangrove Swallow</span></div>
</td>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Vaux's Swift</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Great-tailed Grackle</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Ruddy Ground-dove</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Blue-black Grassquit</span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We had a
total of six parties (aka “teams” or groups counting birds) with a combined
time of 34 observation hours. Party results ranged from a minimum of 20 to a
high of 72 species and individuals ranged from 38 to 624. Last year the number
of parties and hours counted were significantly higher.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In order to
compare the CBC results over time, the data is standardized by the number of
party hours for each species. This is how results are posted on the National
Audubon Society's CBC web site for each year’s results. Party hours for the GJE CBC
have ranged from 22.75 to 77.25 with an average of 52 per count year. By using
the data standardized per 50 hours, even
with reduced hours of counting due to the rain, this year’s count of
individuals, while down a bit, was actually not bad.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsAnb-Oy11A/Twx0100dqGI/AAAAAAAAAp4/oX7_bZl_k5U/s1600/Individuals+2009-2011+Std.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsAnb-Oy11A/Twx0100dqGI/AAAAAAAAAp4/oX7_bZl_k5U/s400/Individuals+2009-2011+Std.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Figure 3. 2011 GJE CBC summary based
on standardized number of individuals.</span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Based on the
effort all participants put forth and standardizing the data we actually had an
increase in species per party hour over last year (Figure 4). So while there were fewer of us for a shorter
time, we counted more species than the teams did last year under considerably
more favorable weather conditions.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mc8UVSEyal0/Twx11nPj-vI/AAAAAAAAAqI/qa9634kFYzU/s1600/Species+2009-2011+Std.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mc8UVSEyal0/Twx11nPj-vI/AAAAAAAAAqI/qa9634kFYzU/s400/Species+2009-2011+Std.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Figure
4. 2011 GJE CBC GJE CBC summary based on standardized number of species.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">As always we
thank all participants, including Chan Chich Lodge guests and guides, and our
Corozal contingent who traveled to be here on Count Day. One their way to Gallon Jug, they stopped at
the rice fields near Blue Creek to see the Gadwalls and Redheaded ducks, rare
species for Belize. They reported that Gadwalls
were still around but the Redheads had apparently moved on.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Thanks also
to Chan Chich Lodge for their continued sponsorship of the GJE CBC. We wish to especially
acknowledge Victor Emanuel Nature Tours as they have contributed to all of the
GJE CBCs since the beginning. Our
special thanks go to VENT leaders Brian Gibbons and Bob Sunderstrom who provided
the VENT trip report that contributed to the Count Week birds, as well as their efforts
during the day of the count.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Submitted by:</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Bruce W. Miller PhD.</span></b></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Carolyn M. Miller MSc.</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Gallon Jug, Belize</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">January 10, 2012</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span></div>Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-5705935493967312942012-01-06T09:50:00.000-06:002012-01-06T10:30:28.546-06:00Rainy Day in the Neighborhood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8hkqaAf-NlY/TwMhR3weajI/AAAAAAAAAo0/M-G7V51dtI0/s1600/wet+cold+TVs+copyright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8hkqaAf-NlY/TwMhR3weajI/AAAAAAAAAo0/M-G7V51dtI0/s320/wet+cold+TVs+copyright.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
If these vultures look a little dejected, it's because they are soaking wet and have been for the past few days. Seems we had near record rain ... and over the Christmas Bird Count too. Still, we managed to muster a few teams of hardy souls, braved the elements and conducted our count on 31 December. Those of you facing snow and ice on your Christmas Counts likely do not feel too sorry for us. Even so, torrential downpours beginning late morning and lasting throughout the afternoon put a "damper" on bird activity. We are still tabulating "count week" birds and I'll post the results next week. Stay tuned!Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-30590442544552830422011-12-30T09:43:00.000-06:002011-12-30T09:43:01.017-06:00Christmas Count Turkey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ucVlPRnYMsI/TvnmkYGUCxI/AAAAAAAAAoE/lhHp5pMlOuw/s1600/turkey+stinkeye_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ucVlPRnYMsI/TvnmkYGUCxI/AAAAAAAAAoE/lhHp5pMlOuw/s320/turkey+stinkeye_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
With the 112th Christmas Bird Count underway across the Americas, and the Gallon Jug 21st Christmas Bird Count coming up this weekend, I thought this bird would be an appropriate subject. It is, of course, the Ocellated Turkey (<i>Meleagris ocellata</i>). This colorful species has become something of an icon at Chan Chich Lodge, where a dozen can be seen at any given moment, and dozens more found in Gallon Jug. On average, we record 119 each Christmas Bird Count. The least we've counted was 37 (way back in 1990). And the overall best count for this near-threatened, endemic species in our count area is 236 (see below).<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-akGBgAifS0o/Tvt4WpOF8dI/AAAAAAAAAoo/wmaVxyKo0TQ/s1600/Oturkey.jpg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-akGBgAifS0o/Tvt4WpOF8dI/AAAAAAAAAoo/wmaVxyKo0TQ/s400/Oturkey.jpg.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Clearly, good management on the Gallon Jug Estate has helped the Ocellated Turkey thrive in Gallon Jug/Chan Chich. Wonder if we'll break the record on Saturday?Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-91627237015094496862011-12-22T17:04:00.000-06:002011-12-22T17:46:32.636-06:00Jingle Bells -- Gallon Jug Style!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwaISFlegTbrH6abO3h0bKOOWzjjtfYnBFKnWbGhWmJEi8El1J_DJyKETMA4emL5HsLUIyHGASjQmu_6e4SSA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Every year we look forward to the Casey Community School Christmas carolers as they make the rounds in Gallon Jug and Chan Chich. It's the official kick-off of the holiday season for us. And while it is true that there is no snow or ice, they lack nothing in holiday spirit. <br />
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This year, teacher Miss Debbie composed a more "relevant" verse for the familiar favorite "Jingle Bells." Listen carefully! Those of you familiar with Belize's normal modes of transport will get a chuckle out of this one. <br />
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With Season's Greetings to Belize Field Notes readers from sunny Gallon Jug!<br />
<br />Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-76044479794695830932011-12-16T15:30:00.000-06:002011-12-16T15:30:00.876-06:00Sneak Peek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ucAGTosY_Vg/Tud6sWMh2ZI/AAAAAAAAAnA/8614oVJY5i0/s1600/Tayra+LV+junction_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ucAGTosY_Vg/Tud6sWMh2ZI/AAAAAAAAAnA/8614oVJY5i0/s320/Tayra+LV+junction_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We finally got a good "hit" on our single camera. We'd placed it at a junction near Laguna Verde over the past week. Any idea what this animal is?<br />
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This is a tayra, <i>Eira barbara</i>, taking a sneak peek at the remote camera. The tayra is a large member of the weasel family and in my experience anyway, is not often photographed. It's a common diurnal animal, very curious and bold and frequently encountered. Tayras seem always to be in perpetual motion and it is my guess that they move so fast and frequently that the remote camera is just too slow to catch them. In this case, there were several "blank" photos (after an image of its departing backside) indicating it was still in the immediate area.<br />
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Pretty clear than animals notice what's new in their environment, even if it is camouflaged!Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-91590028739736645022011-12-09T15:00:00.000-06:002011-12-09T15:00:01.499-06:00Sure to be Counted<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v66lcq96v_g/Tt_yIxVB07I/AAAAAAAAAm4/ztCjnisrwcI/s1600/Frank+Buck+chestnut+wpecker+copyright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v66lcq96v_g/Tt_yIxVB07I/AAAAAAAAAm4/ztCjnisrwcI/s320/Frank+Buck+chestnut+wpecker+copyright.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i> </i>This time of year, our thoughts turn to the annual Christmas Bird Count (see my November 18 post). Pictured here, thanks again to Frank Buck, is a bird that will almost certainly be recorded on the Gallon Jug count: the Chestnut Woodpecker, <i>Celeus elegans. </i>It is a species that, with a little effort, can be seen on any given day here in our neck of the woods. This particular bird appears to be a male with its red cheek patch -- females lack this. Otherwise, the sexes appear alike. They are richly chestnut in color, even orangish in brighter light. The Chestnut Woodpecker is fairly large in size. It prefers dead trees for nesting and foraging in good quality tropical forest which the Gallon Jug Estate and Chan Chich Lodge are fortunate to have. Join us, if you'd like to see this attractive species.<br />
<br />Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-86567737874255274102011-12-02T16:00:00.000-06:002011-12-02T16:00:04.953-06:00Nocturnal Visitor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AgpH7xuZiUw/Ttef9U9q2lI/AAAAAAAAAmw/emRppy4bUmg/s1600/Opossum+garage+door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AgpH7xuZiUw/Ttef9U9q2lI/AAAAAAAAAmw/emRppy4bUmg/s320/Opossum+garage+door.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
So we had this hole in our downstairs door. And after a while, there was a sort of well-worn path to it.<br />
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Finally got the remote camera up last night ... and here's the culprit: an opossum. We have a few different opossum species in Belize but so far as I can tell, this is the common Virginia opossum (<i>Didelphis virginiana</i>). Found not only in Virginia, and the eastern half of the US, this adaptable creature's range extends all the way through Central America as well. It is fairly frequently seen here in the Gallon Jug Estate. As you know from personal experience, this is a creature that often raids the garbage. Fortunately for us, it so far has left our garbage untouched.Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com0Chan Chich Rd, Belize17.665614097606255 -89.09706115722656217.605099597606255 -89.176025157226562 17.726128597606255 -89.018097157226563tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-90056300339701575932011-11-25T14:30:00.000-06:002011-11-25T14:30:01.420-06:00Very Creepy, Very Crawly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IGeqhhqNjOg/TsvI_ek4WDI/AAAAAAAAAmo/aSX_Cb3GNiY/s1600/land+planarian%252C+Bipalium+kewense_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IGeqhhqNjOg/TsvI_ek4WDI/AAAAAAAAAmo/aSX_Cb3GNiY/s320/land+planarian%252C+Bipalium+kewense_3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
It's probably a safe bet that this little predator isn't often featured in nature blogs. In fact, when we stumbled over it (well, not <i>literally</i>), I wasn't even sure what it was. Recently, it has been common on the Gallon Jug Ring Road in the early mornings, exactly the time when I take my walk or run. But I wasn't seeing it in late afternoon. Finally, Bruce took a few minutes to research it.<br />
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As it turns out, it is a flatworm or land planarian, <i>(Bipalium kewense</i>). It preys upon earthworms, slugs, larvae and is even cannibalistic. Evidently it is Asian in origin and has been accidentally introduced around the world. It requires high humidity which probably explains why we only are seeing it on the roads in the early morning when it tends to be especially damp and/or foggy. How this invasive species arrived in our remote corner of Belize, we'll never know. Exotic species like this one can be hard to eradicate (how would you even go about it?) and often negatively impact local species. So interesting though this little creature is, it's not exactly a wonderful sign to have it here. If you want to learn more about <i>Bipalium kewense</i>, check it out <a href="http://www.bugs.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/land_planarians.htm">here</a>.<br />
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<br />Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-9875470790589596852011-11-18T14:33:00.000-06:002011-11-18T14:33:00.687-06:00112th Christmas Bird Count<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HelhlMHCwiY/TsQiv0XrJFI/AAAAAAAAAmg/gVAncDXdR7o/s1600/Frank+Buck+trogon+copyright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HelhlMHCwiY/TsQiv0XrJFI/AAAAAAAAAmg/gVAncDXdR7o/s320/Frank+Buck+trogon+copyright.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Thanksgiving is just a few days off and Christmas is right around the corner. So it seems appropriate to feature the Slaty-tailed Trogon (<i>Trogon massena</i>), festive in holiday colors, for a post about the Christmas Bird Count. Yes,<b><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> it's that time of year again ... and we're planning for 21st Christmas Bird Count to be held in Gallon Jug and Chan Chich Lodge. The date we've selected is December 31. So just think, we're going to count birds all day, including the Slaty-tail, and retire to beautiful Chan Chich Lodge on New Year's Eve to compare results and raise a Belikin beer. What could be better?</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Not familiar with Christmas Bird Counts? Here's more detail from the National Audubon Society: </span> </b><br />
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<i><b>Citizen Science in Action</b></i><br />
<i><b>The count period for the 112th Christmas Bird Count will
begin on December 14, 2011. </b></i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i><b> </b>From December 14 through January 5 tens of
thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas take part in an
adventure that has become a family tradition among generations. Families
and students, birders and scientists, armed with binoculars, bird
guides and checklists go out on an annual mission - often before dawn.
For over one hundred years, the desire to both make a difference and to
experience the beauty of nature has driven dedicated people to leave the
comfort of a warm house during the Holiday season.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Each of the citizen scientists who annually braves snow, wind, or
rain, to take part in the Christmas Bird Count makes an enormous
contribution to conservation. Audubon and other organizations use data
collected in this longest-running wildlife census to assess the health
of bird populations - and to help guide conservation action.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>From feeder-watchers and field observers to count compilers and
regional editors, everyone who takes part in the Christmas Bird Count
does it for love of birds and the excitement of friendly competition --
and with the knowledge that their efforts are making a difference for
science and bird conservation.</i><br />
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We'd love to have you join us ... or join a count closer to your home. Check out the National Audubon Society's<a href="http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count"> website</a> for more details about how to go about signing up online, past count results, why Christmas Bird Counts are important and much more.<br />
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My thanks to Frank Buck for the use of his Slaty-tail image!<br />
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<br />Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-54664017003589098552011-11-11T13:59:00.000-06:002011-11-11T13:59:00.548-06:00Catching Some Rays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ri8wwefdJo0/TqmNJ95PVcI/AAAAAAAAAk0/bBfgrokibG0/s1600/Turkey+Vulture+GJ+copyright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ri8wwefdJo0/TqmNJ95PVcI/AAAAAAAAAk0/bBfgrokibG0/s320/Turkey+Vulture+GJ+copyright.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I think it is pretty obvious what this bird is doing: sunbathing. Birds sunbathe for various reasons. In cooler climates, it can be to warm up. In hot climates, it is thought that sunning supports feather health, distributes Vitamin D (from the oil from the preen gland, located at the base of the tail) and even dislodges feather parasites. Sunning can involve various body postures from fluffed up feathers, spread wings and tails with the bird angling its body for maximum sun exposure.<br />
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In the case of this Turkey Vulture (<span class="st"><i>Cathartes aura</i>)</span>, on our hill here in Gallon Jug, I think it was enjoying catching some rays and drying off after a rainy night.<br />
Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-17052753551120161682011-11-03T14:31:00.000-06:002011-11-03T14:31:00.670-06:00Just to Prove My Point ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dg5uqU0sPgY/TrBWbtCoiqI/AAAAAAAAAlE/4QPpcSYhqNE/s1600/ccl+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dg5uqU0sPgY/TrBWbtCoiqI/AAAAAAAAAlE/4QPpcSYhqNE/s320/ccl+bridge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Just to prove my point, my neighbor, Alan, reminded me that the water was even higher over the Chan Chich Bridge last year ... and he had the photos to prove it! That's October 26, 2010 with water well over the bridge, the lower bridge submerged entirely and people marooned on the Chan Chich side (although one staff member is making his way along the railing!). Impressive! And, all things considered, there are worse places to be than being stuck on the Chan Chich side!Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-79882096966113709652011-10-27T13:48:00.003-06:002011-10-27T13:51:22.977-06:00High Water<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GsycwlwgWo0/Tqm0i__B3KI/AAAAAAAAAk8/b3j2kfAkrBs/s1600/CCL+bridge+flooded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GsycwlwgWo0/Tqm0i__B3KI/AAAAAAAAAk8/b3j2kfAkrBs/s320/CCL+bridge+flooded.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
For those of you that have seen Chan Chich Lodge's famous suspension bridge during the dry season, you may well have thought it was, well, a bit extravagant. After all, Chan Chich creek is not very wide and ankle deep and here's this big bridge arcing over it.<br />
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That all changes during the rainy season!<br />
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Recent photos from our rainy season (above) show how much water is passing beneath it these days. Since our area includes a vast drainage network, we can often have near flood conditions depending on what the rainfall has been in Guatemala.<br />
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And, while you may have thought the bridge is overkill, keep in mind that every few years it actually is under water!<br />
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<br />Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-51030367832872564342011-10-25T08:16:00.000-06:002011-10-25T08:16:00.613-06:00Impressive Creepy-Crawly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_nCRwqTRYPk/TqAptlG0fII/AAAAAAAAAks/5FHJ1f_IVcM/s1600/Golden+Orb+Weaver+Spider_copyright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_nCRwqTRYPk/TqAptlG0fII/AAAAAAAAAks/5FHJ1f_IVcM/s320/Golden+Orb+Weaver+Spider_copyright.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Halloween is coming -- it's time for a creepy-crawly! This large spider (genus <i>Nephila)</i> is a Golden Orb-Weaver, named for its web which often glints gold in the sunlight. Its web is made of incredibly strong stuff and has been investigated for potential commercial use with regard to the compounds that comprise it and give it strength. Genus <i>Nephila</i> is widespread in warm climates and, as you can see, in the case of females anyway, can be quite large. So large that, in fact, there are reports of orb weavers that can entrap and consume <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=golden+orb+weaver+spider&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=21Q&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=m7mlTo6BJKfliAKR-MxI&ved=0CDYQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=617">small birds!</a> (Warning! If you are an arachnophobe, you do not want to check out this link).<br />
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While no one wants to be bitten by a spider, the Golden Orb-Weaver is only mildly toxic and not a danger to humans (unless, of course, you were to have an allergic reaction). With a little effort, you should be able to see this impressive spider at Chan Chich Lodge.Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6477358526624779771.post-86784452436925144642011-10-18T15:56:00.000-06:002011-10-18T15:56:00.106-06:00It's a Violated Trogon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1SnA-dpYRPY/Tpb65vf4A4I/AAAAAAAAAiY/3aLxu0OVRqw/s1600/V+trogon+copyright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1SnA-dpYRPY/Tpb65vf4A4I/AAAAAAAAAiY/3aLxu0OVRqw/s320/V+trogon+copyright.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
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"I saw a violated trogon!"<br />
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What a chuckle we got out of that when a beginning birder shared his excitement over seeing the Violaceous Trogon. Now there are no more Violaceous Trogons or <i>Trogon violaceus</i> at Chan Chich Lodge. Oh the birds are still here, but now we must call them by their new official name: the "Gartered Trogon (<i>Trogon caligatus</i>)." <br />
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Who comes up with these names? Well, in the case of North, Central and South America, that would be the august members of the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). As science marches on, ornithologists are uncovering minute differences in some populations of species that had been lumped together as one. Often these differences have been detectable via recent DNA studies and are thus responsible for some some populations being split off and renamed. In the case of the attractive bird above, apparently there was a slight difference in the call of the Gartered v. the Violaceous trogon and a slight difference in color. So "violated" no more, we now have added the Gartered Trogon to Chan Chich list.<br />
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<br />Carolyn M. Miller, MSc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01518067760235031998noreply@blogger.com1