VOLCAN CONCEPCION & ALTAGRACIA, OMETEPE ISLAND
NICARAGUA
LAKE NICARAGUA (Compass)
Lat:00o00´S/00o00´W ha topography msl
Protected/registered status
Best Time for visit (14-15th January, 2005)
Birding Site Guide
Altagracia was reached by a 4 hour (twice weekly ferry) from Granada. A few birds were seen from the ferry. There are also daily ferries from San Jorge near Rivas. From Altagracia I climbed Volcan Concepcion which reaches over 1600m. It is a fairly recent volcano with little vegetation higher up. It was also very windy and misty which was not good for birding. On reflection it would have been better to climb Volcan Maderas (on the other side of the island) which has better forest. The Volcano is accessed from the small settlement of La Sabana, 2km South of Altagracia. The road between Altagracia La Sabana had quite a few birds as did the farmland on the lower slopes of the volcano. I saw 30 species including 2 lifers.
Species seen
- Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus
- Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens
- Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
- Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis
- Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
- Laughing Gull Larus atricilla
- Rock Dove Columba livia Introduced
- Red-billed Pigeon Patagioenas flavirostris
- Inca Dove Columbina inca
- White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi
- Pacific Parakeet Aratinga strenua
- Red-lored Parrot Amazona autumnalis
- Yellow-naped Parrot ? Amazona auropalliata
- White-eared Hummingbird Hylocharis leucotis
- Cinnamon Hummingbird Amazilia rutila
- Salvin's Emerald Chlorostilbon salvini
- Black-headed Trogon Trogon melanocephalus
- Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons
- Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus
- Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus
- Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis
- Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
- Gray-collared Becard ? Pachyramphus major
- Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata
- Banded Wren Thryothorus pleurostictus
- House Wren Troglodytes aedon
- White-throated Magpie-Jay Calocitta formosa
- Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
- Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
Other Fauna
A total of -- species of mammals.
There are -- recorded species of amphibians and reptiles.
Flora
Author: Charles Hesse
www.birdingsiteguide.com
