Stygian Owl at REGUA!!!!

Stygian Owl <em>Asio stygius</em> at the wetand, 31 July 2011. The second record for Rio de Janeiro State! (&copy; Mikael Käll)
Stygian Owl Asio stygius at the wetand, 31 July 2011. The third record for Rio de Janeiro State! (© Mikael Käll)

Birding at REGUA in July ended with a huge bang, when on the evening of the 31st lodge manager Helen Cavilla, volunteer Duncan Wilson and lodge guest Mikael Käll went out to the wetland looking for Scissor-tailed Nightjars and came face to face with this stonking Stygian Owl!! Mikael managed to take these incredible images while the bird showed down to 5 metres! This is just the third record for Rio de Janeiro state.