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| Look closely for the flock of around 80 glossy ibis passing over the rice fields! |
17 Mar. 2020 On our way back to UCNH after teaching about
birds at Bon Berger school on the outskirts of Limbe, Wilnise, Elio, and I stopped
to see the birds that flock to the rice fields along National Route 1. Each
morning large flocks of glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) fly from the east to these fields, and each
evening return to wherever they roost, perhaps along the Baie de l’Acul. We walked
into a small patch of mango trees to find a suitable place to regularly survey
with our spotting scope. We saw at least 100 glossy ibis! As
well as cattle and great egrets and one green heron.
We planned to return during a morning to
spend more time surveying. And also planned to return to the mangroves at Camp
Louise that coming Saturday. But two days later on 19 March, two confirmed
cases of COVID19 were discovered, Haiti shut down its borders to people
entering and exiting the country, and I was left scrambling for a flight back
to the US. So this project is on hold until people are able to freely travel in
Haiti. Thanks to BirdCaribbean for helping us with this great start! Our conference
to train the local school teachers in using BirdSleuth materials is on hold
until I can get back to Haiti. In the meantime, I left materials with my
assistants so they can commence birding and teaching once the pandemic passes
and kids resume school, this fall I hope.
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| Wilnise and Elio teaching about birds at Bon Berger. |
