Reached Chavarrillo early on, and as it heated up, this large flock of Swainson's Hawks lifted from their roost on the nearby mountain - evidence that the 'River of Raptors' was in flow.
Though the most spectacular movements occur in Autumn, during spring big numbers of hawks make their way back to North America. My September trip to Cardel had been ruined by Hurricane Karl, so I was chuffed to catch up with the birds on their way back. As well as the early-rising Swainson's, a few hours on the hawk-watch tower yielded some large flocks of Turkey Vutlures and Swainsons, and smaller number of Sharp-shinned, Cooper's and Short-tailed Hawks. Even a flock of 120 American White Pelicans flew high and north. Great stuff - I wished I didn't have a bus to catch.
Chavarrillo also holds some very interesting other species. During my morning there, I was lucky enough to catch up with, among others, spectacular Painted Buntings, Green-breasted Mango, Gray-crowned Yellowthroats, Azure-crowned Hummingbirds, Yellow-billed Caciques, Masked Tityras, Tufted Titmice, various Orioles and, in a nearby river, Northern Jacana and Least Grebes.
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