The Scarlets

It is the start of the dry season here at Punta Islita - temperatures rise to between 30 and 40 on an average afternoon rendering most animals and biologists inactive during the middle of the day. 

But, this seasonal change also brings with it powerful Pacific winds bending the trees almost every morning. This means just one thing for the macaws: TIME TO FLY!!!

We have two groups of macaws at the moment - group 1 have been released and living wild for over a year now, and group 2 live in a flight aviary and should be ready for release in early February 2013.

Group 1 spend their mornings &  evenings flying in formation and break-neck speeds across the valley - performing mid-air acrobatics; playing and fighting as they go. Not to be outdone - Group 2 have started practicing formation flying (admittedly only for the 16 metre length of the aviary) but it is an important step towards their future release.

Seth stretches out his crimson feathers in a sharp upwards bank.

June bombs across the aviary as the last rays of sun disappear behind the hills.

Group 1 heading out towards the valley - making the most of some rare cloud cover.

Ted swoops down low - making sure the biologists have not forgot his 16:00 sun flower seed feeding.

Seth peers through the boughs of the mighty Guanacaste tree in which the birds spend much of their time.

Ted and Harry swoop upwards - glowing in the setting sun.