Parrot Blogger - Peter Cowen

The creation of a transect and the case of a wasp nest!

by Peter Cowen

After endless early morning foraging walks through primary forest, I finally have started to gather some information on which birds are feeding and on what! Each transect is at least 2km so most round trips are over 4km! My feet have never had so much work to do in their short lives but they are starting to become accustomed!

As cold fronts have been occurring regularly, it has given me the temperature to create my own transect ´El Peter´ which snakes through secondary forest! My first afternoon of creation was uneventful, however, my second day was interesting!

While hacking my way through some thick bamboo, I came across a clearing which consisted of chest high grass! To my amazement seven Chestnut Fronted Macaws were feeding on the flowers on a balsa tree only five metres in front of me. I slowly moved closer to get a better look and to take a picture, eventually reaching a log which I was able to perch on. Unknown to me, the log was home to a wasp nest and didn’t take kindly to my disturbance. I was stung several times before I realised what had happened and had the chance to make haste!

After numerous blisters on my hands the transect is still in its infant stage and currently lies at 1km! Give it a couple of days and it should be finished but knowing my look I will end up getting carried away by army ants! Watch this space!

UPDATE!
One of the many wasps nests i have encountered!