Bat Falcon Love

Saturday, May 27, 2006, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Saturday we decided not to get up at the crack of dawn, but were ready to go at 10:00. We headed for Gomez Farias, which sounds like a person but is actually a place. Another long drive. We stopped off for Mango Pay (pie), which was so delicious I had two pieces. Then climbed a bit of elevation into moist tropical forest, and assured our rooms at a local guest house. After checking in we stopped for cokes, fantas, and modelos. Then headed to eat Langostinos, filets, rice and fries. After lunch we went on a boat and did some birding, which was fantastic. We saw birds in every direction. That night we went to Agua de Ojo (Ojo de agua?) and set up the photo tent and equipment quickly.

Side note on the value of taking a trip to mexico with high ranking people (branch chief and assistant director). It has allowed me to hear the casual conversations between two individuals who have influence. Even hearing the questions they ask about habitat, the comments they make, the general way they conduct themselves. My general impression: I am super impressed with Bruce’s photography abilities and his ability to make things happen. Somewhat amusing, he does not travel well. He likes things to run smoothly, and needs to have an assistant to attend to the details in life: like keeping organized, setting alarms, waiting at border crossings, tracking lists, making phone calls. On the other hand, he is king of delegation, at least of the details. He could practice a little self control when delegating the obvious (like his repeated command for me to catch the bats after each fly through the chamber). On not traveling well…when traveling in mexico, or anywhere in latin america (possibly all travels abroad, but I’ll withhold comment until I have the other continents on my list) one should expect a few delays, discomforts, inconveniences. For people who travel many times to these areas, this is part of the fun, of not knowing exactly what you’re going to get, and rolling with it. Predictability and smooth travels may occur in the most stringently planned itineraries with guide companies. I wouldn’t know, I prefer not to travel that way (well perhaps when I’m 90).

Ate mango pie; took frog photo; ate langostinos and tilapia
Male bat falcon gave female bat falcon a dragonfly

Butterflies: blue morpho, pale yellow, pale green, orange. Dragonflies: green, black

Blue-crowned mot mot
Anole
Bobwhite
Muscovy duck
Slider turtles
Orioles
Green jay
Mexican jay
Ani (groove or smooth billed?)
Chachalacas
Ringed kingfisher
Green kingfishers
Snake on bank shelf had just eaten
Green heron
A couple warblers
Orange/black oriole
Tamaulipan parrot snake (?) looked like a green vine, narrow (leptophis mexicanus)
Central american yellow bat (Rhogeessa tumida)
Tiny bat with black, frost tipped fur
Evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis)
Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis)