Recently received photos - September 2008

Yes, of course,we'll be getting to the birds and birding spots in this month's recent photo selection, but we are in the presence of some amazing "other" creatures while we're out. Here are a couple of tracks from a seriously large Jaguar from John Rowlett's Manu Wildlife Center tour to Peru recently. And check our upcoming October newsletter for a very cool Jaguar story (and amazing photo) from Bret Whitney's summer jaunt to Alta Floresta & the Northern Pantanal.Link to: MANU WILDLIFE CENTER, PERU[photo © guide John Rowlett]

A highlight of the Manu Wildlife Center tour is a visit to the Blanquillo mineral lick, which attracts birds, and especially parrots and their relatives, from miles around. Here a group of flashy Red-and-green Macaws have at it.Link to: MANU WILDLIFE CENTER, PERU[photo © guide John Rowlett]

Moving offshore from South America, we visited the Galapagos on several of our small-group cruises on a fantastic catamaran. Guide Alvaro Jaramillo brought back this image of a Great Frigatebird from the island of Genovesa.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

Here's a shot of rugged Genovesa (also known as Tower and seldom visited by groups -- it's a very cool place with, among other things, a daytime-active storm-petrel colony) and its famous Prince Philip's Steps.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

The Galapagos are of course famous for Darwin's Finches...and here is one with a serious bill -- Large Cactus Finch.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

When we're not venturing around on the islands, there are some fascinating things to be seen beside the boat as well -- here a Green Sea Turtle off Champion island.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

The islands' beaches are in some spots littered with loafing Galapagos Sea Lions, here at Gardner Bay.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

Darwin's Finches may be exotic, but even more widespread species occurring on the islands look somewhat different from what we might be used to back home -- here a Galapagos Yellow Warbler.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

A secretive Galapagos Rail stepping out into the open provides excitement on any visit to the island of Santa Cruz.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

The volcanic origin of the Galapagos becomes sharply evident once we're ashore -- bring some rugged-soled shoes!Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

Sea-watching while cruising between islands can be productive -- here an Elliot's Storm-Petrel follows the boat...Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

...and a White-faced Storm-Petrel is a fabulous surprise as there are very few records for the Galapagos!Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

Some of the wildlife can be amazingly tame, as we observe along the way -- here a Galapagos Mockingbird finds Elizabeth's field hat a useful vantage.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

Two of the delicately "waved" and endemic albatrosses work through a few signals.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

Another handsome endemic, the Swallow-tailed Gull.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

Punta Moreno on Isabela, another island not reached by most groups to the Galapagos, but a great destination.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

An endemic Lava Heron winds up our pix from one of our summer Galapagos tours. We have three more scheduled for summer 2009 so you can see for yourself this amazing destination in a small group on a comfortable vessel.Link to: GALAPAGOS[photo © guide Alvaro Jaramillo]

Shifting back to the South American mainland, we've been very busy over the summer. Here, guide Rose Ann Rowlett photographed her Mountains of Manu (Peru) group birding along the road through the mountains at 9100 feet elevation. Link to: MOUNTAINS OF MANU, PERU[photo © guide Rose Ann Rowlett]

The mountains provide a fabulous backdrop and often superior vantage point for our birding. Link to: MOUNTAINS OF MANU, PERU[photo © guide Rose Ann Rowlett]

En route down from Cusco, we also stop for birds such as Bearded Mountaineer at the Huacarpay Lake marshes and environs, near the ruins of Urpicancha. Link to: MOUNTAINS OF MANU, PERU[photo © guide Rose Ann Rowlett]

Our summer Mountains of Manu tour backs up to our Peruvian Rainforests of the Tambopata trip, on which our group watched this Harpy Eagle juvenile -- a highlight seen near Infierno and photographed by participant John CollinsLink to: PERUVIAN RAINFORESTS OF THE TAMBOPATA[photo © participant John Collins]

The lovely and birdy Reserva Amazonica lodge...Link to: PERUVIAN RAINFORESTS OF THE TAMBOPATA[photo © participant John Collins]

...an exciting stop on our Peruvian Rainforests of the Tambopata tour, photographed by participant John CollinsLink to: PERUVIAN RAINFORESTS OF THE TAMBOPATA[photo © participant John Collins]

Reserva Amazonica features a canopy walkway that gives great access to the treetops and some hard-to-see-otherwise birds.Link to: PERUVIAN RAINFORESTS OF THE TAMBOPATA[photo © participant John Collins]

Birding on Lake Sandoval near Puerto Maldonado, by participant John CollinsLink to: PERUVIAN RAINFORESTS OF THE TAMBOPATA[photo © participant John Collins]

Changing continents, we check in with our France: Camargue & Pyrenees group. The scenery is rugged... Link to: FRANCE: CAMARGUE & PYRENEES[photo © guide George Armistead]

...and the birds impressive, like this Eurasian Griffon... Link to: FRANCE: CAMARGUE & PYRENEES[photo © guide George Armistead]

...while the Pyrenees mountains along the border of France and Spain make some impressive backdrops for raptor watching. Link to: FRANCE: CAMARGUE & PYRENEES[photo © guide George Armistead]