Algarrobo Costa

 Tuesday 1 December

Full Moon still looking down on me

First day of the month and once more back up my usual riverside walk upstream of the Rio Algarrobo.  But this time, off just after first light at 8.20 before the walkers, I hoped.  Not exactly to be but very few about.  On the other hand, very few birds about.  The Sun was just coming up to my right (east) and the Full Moon was still very clear in the sky to my left on the other side of the river.

Welcomed to the opening spinney by a lone Collared Dove and immediately  a Black Redstart and a White Wagtail foraging around the roadside rubbish bin. Plenty of warning of the approaching squadron of screaming Monk Parakeets, quite deafening, then onwards and upwards.  A couple of Spotless Starling and a single Blackbird before noting the 14 Wood Pigeons resting on the wire above and to my left.  A further couple of Wood Pigeons were resting high up in a Eucalyptus tree and the start of seeing a continuous supply of Collared Doves.

Early morning Wood Pigeons Paloma Torcaz Columba palumbus

Regular sightings of Black Redstarts as I continued up the the motorway underpass where I picked up a handful of House Sparrows and many more Spotless Starlings and once near the entrance to the "Experimental Station" a further four White Wagtails and a score or more Yellow-legged Gulls were noted.  Making my way back towards the road crossing over the weir I noticed the half-dozen Linnets foraging at the riverside.  

One of the half-dozen Linnets Pardillo Comun Carduelis cannabina at the river's edge

A lone Cattle Egret was seen heading up river and once at the sewage works a second Cattle Egret resting atop of a pole.  Nothing to be seen inside the works on this occasion as too much activity.  Back over the river and on down stream where I eventually found some of the resident Chiffchaffs, again feeding in the Eucalyptus trees.

Cattle Egret Garcilla Bueyera Bubulcus ibis keeping watch over the sewage works

Birds seen: 

Cattle Egret, Yellow-legged Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Monk Parakeet, White Wagtails, Black Redstart, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Linnet.

Not so much a "Parrot in a Pepper Tree" but one of many Monk Parakeets Cotorra Argentina Myiopsitta monachus

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