Day 15 - Thursday 17/09/2105: Perinet
Today, I saw sense and had a day of rest.
Leaving me in bed, Alison left with the rest of the group and had a strenuous day in the forest, which included a piggy-back from Patrice over a difficult river crossing. Other members of the group also enjoyed the piggy-back experience but Johnny waded. The only species seen, that I was unable to catch-up with, was Collared Nightjar. This is a shame as it sounds like a most interesting species. It is sufficiently unlike any other nightjars that Brian thinks it should be placed in a monotypic family. It roosts on the forest floor in pairs, each using its partner to contribute to its camouflage (the only nightjar to do so); it is the only nightjar that has no call; it has atypical large rictal bristles, a different shape to its bill and a larger nostril than other nightjars.
I had a quiet day reading and resting but did manage a couple of short strolls around the hotel grounds, and took some photographs of some of the commoner Madagascan birds. To add injury to insult I slipped on a wet mossy rock on a steep slope and fell over on one of these walks, resulting in a few grazes and a bruised leg – but fortunately no significant damage done.
After I small evening meal – bed.
Leaving me in bed, Alison left with the rest of the group and had a strenuous day in the forest, which included a piggy-back from Patrice over a difficult river crossing. Other members of the group also enjoyed the piggy-back experience but Johnny waded. The only species seen, that I was unable to catch-up with, was Collared Nightjar. This is a shame as it sounds like a most interesting species. It is sufficiently unlike any other nightjars that Brian thinks it should be placed in a monotypic family. It roosts on the forest floor in pairs, each using its partner to contribute to its camouflage (the only nightjar to do so); it is the only nightjar that has no call; it has atypical large rictal bristles, a different shape to its bill and a larger nostril than other nightjars.
I had a quiet day reading and resting but did manage a couple of short strolls around the hotel grounds, and took some photographs of some of the commoner Madagascan birds. To add injury to insult I slipped on a wet mossy rock on a steep slope and fell over on one of these walks, resulting in a few grazes and a bruised leg – but fortunately no significant damage done.
After I small evening meal – bed.