30 Sept 2001
My last day in the Iberá is enjoyable, especially
since it is my 57th birthday! I receive several nice gifts, the first a confiding
Donacobius, who poses on reeds at the edge of the marsh. This odd bird, once thought
to be related to mockingbirds, now seems, on DNA evidence, to be a member of the wren
family.
Despite the threatening overcast sky, Maximo talks me into exploring
the southwest side of the laguna. Here I receive a second gift, cooperative
Scarlet-headed Blackbirds, one of which sits for a photo just as the sun attempts a brief
wan appearance. This bird is called Federal in Argentina because its red
color is the same as that used by a political party here. It is common in the
Iberá, but has eluded my best effort until today. For me, it is the most beautiful
blackbird in the world. Just as with the Blue Manakin at Intervales, perhaps my
stay here will have a happy ending.
Later - After lunch I depart for Posadas with driver Marcellos and his girlfriend
Carolina. The previous week of rain has left the road north a quagmire. His
4WD receives a good workout as we skid and veer for 170 km to paved road. It is a
wild afternoon - low clouds scudding overhead, egrets, blackbirds, and cuckoos scattering
before our mad charge through the mud. We pass the time sipping yerba mate, a strong
sweet tea that is drunk through an ornate metal straw from a rough porcelein cup.
The ritual requires that each of us take a few sips, then pass it to the next person.