Day 5
I lay in bed in the pitch dark working up the courage to leave the warmth of the cocooning bedclothes and brave the icy room. I had laid all my clothes out in order the night before so as to be able to get dressed as rapidly as possible but even so there were some subsequent uncomfortable moments in the bitter cold of the room. However, once dressed, it was just my face that suffered with numbness from the cold, everything else was well covered in many layers of insulation.
The dawn was rising and now I could see out from a huge picture window in the living room of our lodge to a view of supreme grandeur, totally unsuspected and unsensed in the pitch blackness of last night.
On looking out I found that we were perched high up on one side of the valley or more appropriately gorge, right at the very edge and with a view looking over and across to the other side which towered even higher. Far, far below was a lake and a river winding away into an indeterminate distance of where mountain and cloud coalesced.
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| The view from our window |
I could see some white gulls floating around on the lake below.They were the size of our familiar Black headed Gulls and to all extents looked very similar but they were much more exciting.They were Andean Gulls. An excellent start to the day.
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| Looking down on the Lake below our accommodation |
My plan was to go and stand by the hummingbird feeders near to the main lodge and photograph the hummingbirds as they came and went. Breakfast would not be for another hour or more at least. I slowly walked up the sloping grass track we had driven down last night in the dark and a small flock of nondescript, finch like birds flitted before me along the fenceline. They were Plain colored Seedeaters, the females an unexceptional streaky brown, the males purer grey overall. They kept in a little flock and eventually flew off across a field to a hedge. A Great Thrush, a species which prefers to live at altitude, perched on a fence post and looked and behaved very much as a Blackbird would.
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| Rufous collared Sparrow |
I did have in mind a particular hummingbird I was hoping to see here, a Giant Hummingbird, a species I have always wanted to find and soon I was looking at one perched on the very tip of a twig at the top of a small bush. It looked enormous compared to the other species of hummingbirds I had grown accustomed to and was somewhat dull of plumage, being mainly an unexceptional greyish brown but with a prominent white rump and distinctly rufous belly.
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| Giant Hummingbird |
Another hummingbird arrived, but this one was much more colourful and spectacular in appearance, its plumage ranging from blue to green dependent on the light. It was also large and with beautiful shining blue wings, hence its name.
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| Great Sapphirewing-male |
It was a Great Sapphirewing and was followed by the extraordinarily dusky brown and pale cinnamon coloured Shining Sunbeam, a hummingbird that defies the norm and instead of a predominance of green feathers is a rich rufous and darker brown in colour.
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| Shining Sunbeam |
It was going well and to add to this growing collection of quality hummingbirds a male Black tailed Trainbearer perched in the sun and looked an absolute picture as the light illuminated its green iridescence. and its ridiculously long black tail.
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| Black tailed Trainbearer |
The most ubiquitous of the hummingbirds were the Sparkling Violetears, by far the most frequent visitors to the feeders and startlingly attractive. Two Tawny Antpittas were calling loudly from the hillside across the road but I was determined to concentrate on the hummingbirds.
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| Sparkling Violetear |
Gabo joined me just as a Black chested Buzzard Eagle flew high above us, then to glide down and land on the cliff face opposite, where it sat in the sun and we could watch it in Gabo's scope.
After an early breakfast we planned to drive higher up, through a buffer zone, to the Antisana Ecological Reserve, created in 1993 by a far sighted Ecuadorian Government. It is a huge area comprising 120,000 hectares of paramo wilderness ranging from 1400-5704 metres asl, protecting local and rare flora and fauna and where many exciting species hopefully awaited us. Conditions are extreme with low temperatures and low oxygen levels and the whole area is dominated by the extinct Antisana Volcano which dwarfs even the other impressive mountains that encompass the area.
The sun had now risen but it was still cold enough for gloves and a fleece as I stood by the hummingbird feeders in the thin, cold mountain air at just above 3500m asl
A familiar bus arrived, last seen at Paz de las Aves, and disgorged the Birdquest Group in the small car park.They stood around chatting and then wandered off in search of the still calling Tawny Antpittas. A pity really as they would have been better off staying and checking the feeders.
A breakfast of fruit salad, scrambled eggs and coffee set me up for the morning and after breakfast we left our bags in our rooms, planning to collect them later. Thanking our stars that we would not have to endure another night in the extreme cold of our accommodation we jumped into the 4x4 and drove along the road past the mirador from where we had seen the Andean Condor yesterday, and commenced following the deserted road up into the paramo.
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| Breakfast at Tambo Condor |
We came to a checkpoint and after completing the inevitable paperwork, the barrier was lifted and we were allowed to proceed onwards through what is called the buffer zone, a huge rolling, undulating barren landscape of grass and bushes sweeping up on all sides to huge mountains stretching upwards to the sky. We saw a number of rabbits which according to Gabo were Brazilian Rabbits although they looked very similar to any other rabbit I have seen.
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| Views from Antisana Ecological Reserve |
The volcanic mountain, Antisana, was particularly impressive today although for the most part it was shrouded in cloud but frankly this was a landscape that could not fail but impress, one of awe inspiring huge skies, towering mountains and vast open landscapes.Nothing but nothing was on anything less than a grand scale.
I love this kind of terrain, miles of openness, wild, empty, bleak even and totally devoid of human life, where you feel marginalised by the sheer magnitude of your surroundings and can imagine all sorts of fantastical things. The road, the only vestige of humanity in this vast empty landscape wound onwards, a ribbon of sinuous foreverness, dwarfed into insignificance by the topography, I guess I felt at home as it is a bit like the familiar open moors of Sutherland in Scotland but on a very much grander and heroic scale.
Our first stop was to admire a ringtail harrier quartering the ground to our right and close to the road but this was no ordinary harrier but a Cinereous Harrier, a rare sighting indeed and one that got even Gabo excited. We followed it for five minutes before it drifted off behind us.
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| Ringtail Cinereous Harrier |
Our next stop was at a small culvert where a Paramo Pipit was singing and we left the 4x4 and approached it in the paramo. It was not very co-operative but we managed to get some images of it, being like all pipits an unremarkable buff coloured bird with darker streaking.
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| Paramo Pipit |
Whilst looking at the pipit another larger bird flew from one spongy mound of vegetation to another and allowed us quite a close approach. It was a Paramo Ground Tyrant, a large mostly terrestrial flycatcher.
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| Paramo Ground Tyrant |
We moved on, reaching a slightly higher elevation where the paramo broadened out onto a wide flat plain. Dotted across the plain were large birds, walking with an upright carriage and looking very smart in a combination of black and white plumage. They were Carunculated Caracara's, the adults are black above and partially so below, but the breast is heavily streaked with white and it has a bare face of orangy red skin. They studiously stalk the short paramo grass on sturdy longish legs of yellow protruding from white baggy trousers, looking for invertebrates and look dapper compared to the dowdier immatures which are mouse coloured and heavily streaked with darker brown.
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| Immature Carunculated Caracara with a snail |
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| Adult Carunculated Caracara |
Gabo told me that he hoped to find amongst them a very rare bird indeed and after a spell of scanning with the scope he found what he was looking for, two Black faced Ibis, a really good find as they are by no means seen here on a regular basis and are now very scarce.
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| Gabo off to search for the Black faced Ibis |
In Ecuador they are at the very northern extreme of their range and considered endangered. They are unmistakeable with their buff head and neck, grey upperparts, long decurved grey bill and pink legs.These two looked to be adults and possibly were a pair and were relaxed, standing in the grass and preening.
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| Black faced Ibis |
We moved on towards Lake Mica that acts as a reservoir to supply water for Quito. The lake shore is meant to be out of bounds according to the water company but officialdom is so scarce here that there is no Ecuadorian equivalent of a jobsworth to tell you off if you do trespass.
On our way to the lake we came cross another three Andean Gulls using the road as a convenient place to rest. Again the similarity to our Black headed Gull was not lost on me and one was almost in full breeding plumage.
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| Andean Gull |
We drove onwards towards the lake, parking by a bridge over a small mountain river running through a narrow gorge.The bridge led over the gorge to another gatehouse where we had to check in yet again, this time either to the park proper or the lake I am not sure which, but this took but a few minutes and then we were free to enter.
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| The bridge leading to the lake and reception area |
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| The gorge and river below the bridge |
Two Black winged Ground Doves were sunbathing on the rocky sides of the gorge, remarkably well camouflaged against the rocks and soil and later showed themselves much more obviously, perched on the wooden rail of the bridge. A Brown backed Chat Tyrant perched on a signboard as we made our way to the gatehouse and we heard an Andean Tit Spinetail but could not lure it out from some dense bushes.
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| Brown backed Chat Tyrant |
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| Black winged Ground Doves |
There were some wooden park buildings on the other side of the gatehouse and we explored the area around them finding some Plumbeous Sierra Finches feeding on seed put out for them.
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| Male Plumbeous Sierra Finch |
Gabo told me there was a man trying to sell a horse and we watched as he kitted the horse out in a fancy saddle and bridle.The potential buyers were driving a hard bargain and for the hour we were present it looked like no agreement had been met between the two parties.
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| The man hoping to sell his horse |
Then literally out of the blue a very desirable hummingbird, a male Ecuadorian Hillstar, flew and perched on the gatehouse, but it was gone in an instant although we later found a female perched in some bushes that remained long enough to allow a photograph.
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| Female Ecuadorian Hillstar |
Gabo found a Tawny Antpitta hopping about in the open on the other side of the gorge but due to some confusion about the directions I missed it but there would be other opportunities.
Both Stout billed Cinclodes and Bar winged Cinclodes, the latter the smaller of the two and hardly different from its larger cousin, showed little alarm at our presence, no doubt being used to humans as the park receives so many visitors.They are strangely satisfying birds to see, plump and round with a slightly decurved bill.
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| Bar winged Cinclodes |
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| Stout billed Cinclodes |
We also rescued a Rufous collared Sparrow that had become trapped in one of the buildings and felt suitably righteous as none of the park staff seemed to be bothered about its predicament.
We walked on and down to the side of the lake noting the Llamas feeding on the grass and a pair of Andean Lapwings became more and more vocal as we neared the lake shore, finally flying up complaining loudly at our intrusion. I had hoped to flush an Andean Snipe from the boggy ground but had no such luck.
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| Llamas and Lake Mica |
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| Andean Lapwing |
Our main focus here were the Silvery Grebes, a now decreasing species found on deep water lakes in paramo such as here. There were a number, possibly as many as eight, usually in pairs and conveniently they kept close to the shore and showed little alarm at our presence. To my eyes they looked about the same size and shape as a Black necked Grebe and their breeding plumage of silvery grey upperparts and gleaming white underparts was reminiscent of a Black necked Grebe's winter plumage. As they were in breeding plumage they had fans of feathers on their cheeks that were silver grey rather than the golden fans of a Black necked Grebe.
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| Silvery Grebes |
They were a nice addition to our list and another welcome new species for me. Other waterbirds sharing the lake with them were Andean Teal, Andean Ruddy Duck, Yellow billed Pintail and Andean Coots.
We spent maybe forty five minutes here and then commenced a slow walk back to the 4x4. The clouds overhead had taken on an ominous shade of grey, darkening even as we looked and the erratic silhouettes of the surrounding mountains were disappearing as low cloud and distant rain reduced the visibility from the west. Suddenly a jagged line of white and blue lightening forked across the clouds and a huge crack of thunder reverberated all round us. There was a storm brewing and already a few spots of rain began to fall on us.
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| The storm heading our way |
As we walked back a Tawny Antpitta commenced to call from some bushes very close to us. At first we could not locate it. Used to antpittas lurking on the ground under cover we were naturally surprised to find it perched openly on the branch of a low bush calling constantly. Initially facing away from us it turned to give us a better view as it tilted its head and bill skywards, stretched its neck out to its fullest and gave voice. Tremendous. Yet another antpitta species seen well.
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| Tawny Antpitta |
But now the rain was increasing and so we made a rapid return to the 4x4 just as the most violent hailstorm arrived, spattering pellets of ice across the bridge and gatehouse and the roof of the 4x4. The storm hurled down with an elemental and fearful violence and soon the bridge, road and car park were turned to white by masses of hailstones lying inches thick on the surface.
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| A whiteout of hailstones in the car park |
We sat and rode out the passing storm and all became benign once again as we set off on our return route, back the way we had come. We passed a White tailed Deer stag and then coming to the flat area of paramo where we had stopped to watch the caracaras and ibis, luck once more favoured us.
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| White tailed Deer |
I saw a raptor chasing a caracara low across the ground. Initially I thought the raptor to be a Merlin but its size in proportion to the caracara was far too large.By some miracle of chance I got a photo of the falcon chasing the unfortunate caracara and on examining the image we found we had just seen an Aplomado Falcon. What a tremendous bonus that was. The falcon gave up the chase of the caracara and swept across the road and the short grass on the other side to harass a flock of Andean Gulls congregating on the grassland.
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| Aplomado Falcon chasing a Carunculated Caracara |
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| Andean Gulls disturbed by the Aplomado Falcon |
We made our way back to the original checkpoint, signed out and then it was back to Tambo Condor for some more hummingbird action and lunch, before we were to collect our personal belongings and head for Papallacta.
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| Sparkling Violetear |
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| Shining Sunbeam |
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| Black tailed Trainbearer |
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| Giant Hummingbird |
The hummingbird feeders came up trumps with some especially stunning views of a Giant Hummingbird that sat above a feeder as if it was guarding its own particular supply of nectar.
A Black Flowerpiercer floundered through the flowering bushes, using its curiously adapted crooked bill to pierce the flowers and get to the nectar. A Yellow breasted Brushfinch passed through the same bushes but did not hang about and then it was time for lunch, after which we drove down to our lodge to collect our bags. An Andean Condor floated high above the cliffs and was joined by a Black chested Buzzard Eagle, probably the one from earlier this morning.
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| Black Flowerpiercer |
I was sorry to leave Tambo Condor and could happily have spent a few days there. This whole area and its sheer physical magnificence had me firmly under its spell by now but we had to get back to a place called Papallacta, where we would spend the night and, in between, Gabo had a couple of places he planned to stop at where we had a chance of seeing some good birds.
We drove back along the tortuous road towards Pintag, negotiating the endless stream of diesel belching yellow trucks trundling up and down from the lava flow excavations. We survived the lottery of potholes, created by the same yellow trucks destroying a road that was totally inadequate for such overuse.
Eventually we stopped by the side of a long and new looking road of almost motorway proportions to the east of Quito. As before there is no restriction about stopping on such roads and apart from the occasional huge truck and container combination, far bigger than we get in the UK, there was nothing to threaten our safety.
Here Gabo thought we might have a chance to see a Giant Conebill but despite walking alongside the road and playing a tape of its call there was no response from the woodland by the road. However we did find a small group of birds feeding in the trees and bushes, one of which was a White throated Tyrannulet, so the stop was not a complete waste of our time.
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| White throated Tyrannulet |
We headed onwards and Gabo told me we were now going to make an unscheduled detour to the Papallacta Pass which rises up to a dizzying 4400 metres asl. When I asked why he said there was a chance of finding some Rufous bellied Seedsnipe at the very top. He had found them there before he told me.There were no objections from me as this was another bird I have always coveted but never seen.
Seedsnipes are resident in The Andes ranging southwards from Ecuador and although they look like a grouse or partridge they are in fact waders that have adapted to a vegetarian diet, feeding on the buds and leaf tips of cushion plants that are found at high altitude in The Andes.
We wound our way upwards and the cloud began to close in and around us and everything became very gloomy to match my mood. It was touch and go whether we carried on but we took a chance and the cloud, as it does, drifted and swirled from opaqueness into reasonable visibility. We turned onto another dirt road and stopped at another check point where we had to sign in yet again. The officials usually ask you for your passport number and age at these checkpoints, both of which I make up and as long as they have something to write down in their book they seem perfectly happy.
This took all of a few minutes and then we were on our way again, driving ever upwards towards the top until the road petered out where a collection of old tin sheds, derelict buildings and communication masts, clustered on a mound looking over to the surrounding mountains and the lakes far below.
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| The Papallacta Communication Masts |
Even on a cloud shrouded day such as this the view was sensational as the mountain tops stood proud of the cloud rising up from below and lakes shone in the distance. An untamed vista of rugged beauty on yet another vast scale.
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| Views from the seedsnipe location |
We stopped by the communication masts and got out into a barren and unpromising landscape of rocks and low hummocks of ground hugging vegetation.The cloud and light rain were depressing at first and we really were unsure where to start looking for the seedsnipe. Gabo played a tape of the seedsnipe more out of desperation than hope which was immediately answered by two birds that seemed very close but could we find them? No. They seemed to have just vanished and despite playing the tape several times more there was no further answer. Seedsnipe are notoriously hard to find as like any grouse or partridge they will crouch and remain still until the last possible moment if they feel threatened, and move only when you almost tread on them.
We wandered around the immediate area looking in all the places we thought a seedsnipe might hide but there was nothing. We did a small circuit and found ourselves just below the collection of communication masts on the track we had driven up and there right by the track were a pair of seedsnipe. Their cryptically camouflaged plumage blended to perfection with the rubble, stones and low vegetation they were currently inhabiting. So well were they camouflaged that at first I could not see them crouched motionless but then they slowly moved and all was revealed. Their plumage is a marvel of intricate and complicated vermiculations and scalloping on their upperparts and underneath the lower underparts are chestnut.They behave exactly like a grouse would, shuffling furtively along on short legs and hunched bodies.They were not particularly shy and once we stood still they soon relaxed and commenced feeding, plucking at the shoots of small plants.
This was a really good find and all the better because it was impromptu and could have just as easily ended in failure, so both of us were overjoyed at finding them and so quickly.
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| Rufous bellied Seedsnipes |
Now we needed to head onwards towards Papallacta as time was passing fast but there was one more stop to be made on yet another deserted road, a dual carriageway this time.
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| Empty highway.Nothing coming from either direction |
As before we just stopped and got out and wandered across the four lanes of what looked very new road but totally unoccupied by any passing vehicles. It really felt strange. The road signs were also somewhat different with yellow signs at the side of the road, depicting a mother bear and two cubs, saying Despacio Osos Cruzeiro. which was warning you about bears crossing the road.
There was a nest of a Great Horned Owl on a rocky outcrop above the road and sure enough we found two well grown young sitting there, one of them looking at us impassively but there was no sign of an adult. We returned to the 4x4 and decided to look over the other side where the land dropped away dramatically into a deep grassy valley full of shrubs and bushes with forest on the further side.
At first it looked dead and devoid of life but then, sensationally off to our left and further down on the side of the valley, Gabo found a bear. The first I knew of this was as he involuntarily shouted BEAR!
The next minute or so were a bit chaotic as I steadied myself on an insecure and perilous vantage point and tried to look down at a full grown Spectacled Bear feeding on a bromeliad which, according to Gabo, is a favourite food. The adult bear was also sporting a neck collar, presumably some sort of tracking device.
But just a moment. Surely there was more than one bear present? Carefully checking, as they were obscured by vegetation to a greater or lesser degree, we ascertained there was a mother bear and two cubs. Fantastic. Three bears but where was that minx Goldilocks? Yes I know but it was that kind of moment!
Currently they were quite distant but close to the road further down, so I suggested to Gabo that we drive down the road and stop approximately opposite where we thought the bears might be
It would be a bit of a guess but this is what we did and it worked like a charm, as on clambering out of the 4x4 and looking over the lip of the valley we could see the bears a lot closer than before. They however saw us after a few minutes and decided to leave. It was what I call an orderly withdrawal not a mad panicked rush but a steady progress to put distance between themselves and us and the last we saw of them was as they went up the other side of the valley and into the forest. What an end to the day.What could beat that?
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| Adult female Spectacled Bear |
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| The Spectacled Bear family |
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| The two bear cubs |
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| The Spectacled Bear family depart |
We drove into Papallacta and found that the hotel Gabo had booked for tonight, had double booked our rooms.There were no rooms to spare so we went in search of somewhere else and found a place by the main road that was cheap but hardly comfortable. It was only for one night so we put up with it but it really was dire.It was a huge place, with motel like rooms and run by an old couple who were obviously well past it and spent all their time sitting on a sofa watching Ecuadorian TV which is pretty bad believe me. The young staff did their best but it was obvious nothing was going to change until the elderly owners were no more.
One positive thing was that it was far less cold at this lower altitude than at Tambo Condor so although a heater was still required to heat the room it did actually manage to effectively warm the room. The shower, despite a promise of hot water, was ice cold and never looked like deviating from that and the only vegetarian meal available in the restaurant and advertised as potatoes, rice and salad turned out to be chips, boiled rice and a few green leaves and chopped tomatoes.
It was only for one night though and nothing was going to dampen my spirits or get in the way of another really great day especially the unexpected encounter with the bears.
Birds seen on Day 5
Silvery Grebe; Andean Teal; Andean Ruddy Duck; Yellow billed Pintail; Andean Coot; Great Horned Owl; Andean Condor; Black chested Buzzard Eagle; Cinereous Harrier; Aplomado Falcon; Variable Hawk; Carunculated Caracara; Black faced Ibis; Andean Gull; Plain colored Seedeater; Black tailed Trainbearer; Sparkling Violetear; Giant Hummingbird; Shining Sunbeam; Great Sapphirewing; Ecuadorian Hillstar; Tyrean Metaltail; Tawny Antpitta; Yellow breasted Brushfinch; Black Flowerpiercer; Great Thrush; Rufous bellied Seedsnipe; Andean Lapwing; Paramo Pipit; Stout billed Cinclodes; Bar winged Cinclodes; Plumbeous Sierra Finch; Plain capped Ground Tyrant; Brown backed Chat Tyrant; Black winged Ground Dove; White tipped Dove; Grass Wren; Andean Tit Spinetail (heard only); White throated Tyrannulet; Spectacled Whitestart; White collared Swift; Brown bellied Swallow;
Mammals seen
Spectacled Bear
White tailed Deer
Brazilian Rabbit
Day 6
I awoke and, as we agreed last night, Gabo and myself left the hotel at dawn to bird the road outside that ran through some promising wooded hillsides. It was Saturday so the road would not be that busy and frankly it was a pleasure to leave the depressing, spartan confines of my hotel room although we would return to the hotel for breakfast.
First we walked down the road and soon found some mountain tanagers such as Scarlet bellied, Buff breasted and Masked Mountain Tanagers and a Cinereous Conebill, perched obligingly on some overhanging vegetation by the road.
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The road we birded at Papallacta.The trees on the left were
full of birds |
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| Looking down on Papallacta from our viewpoint on the road |
I confess I am rather partial to the large and colourful tanagers that inhabit montane regions.They are often spectacularly beautiful, come in a range of bright colours, but with a few exceptions, the colour blue always features in their plumage
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| Scarlet bellied MountainTanager |
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| Masked Mountain Tanager |
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| Buff breasted Tanager |
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| Cinereous Conebill |
We checked out a Black chested Buzzard Eagle nest site by the road but there was no sign of life. We turned and walked uphill and found some Pale naped Brushfinches feeding on seeding grasses by the roadside as was a Plain colored Seedeater, and a Shining Sunbeam sat high on a perch above us, its tiny silhouette visible above the trees covering the hillside.
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| Plain colored Seedeater |
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| Pale naped Brush Finch |
Great Thrushes were everywhere and the best find was a Red crested Cotinga to which we were alerted by its extraordinary call, a frog like rasp that was totally unbirdlike.
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| Red crested Cotinga |
A Black crested Warbler was a good find on the way back to the hotel. singing lustily from a tall tree whose canopy was level with the road, so we viewed it at eye level.
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| Black crested Warbler |
We returned for breakfast which, despite my misgivings, was good, comprising of coffee, scrambled eggs and toast and unsweetened blackberry juice which is surprisingly tasty. We paid the bill and set off for the nearby Cayamba Coca National Park which bureaucracy dictates must repel all visitors before 8am. We were there on the dot and were soon taking another tortuous dirt road upwards from our current elevation of 3600m. We eventually came to the lodge entrance and a car park where you must leave your car and walk the rest of the road.
The scenery was again jaw dropping. Vast and breathtaking, with forested hillsides dying away as the mountains soared above and with the huge bulk of the snowcapped Antisana Volcano dominating everything.
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| A sort of tree lupin growing profusely at the roadside |
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| Antisana Volcano and surrounding area viewed from the road we birded on foot |
We continued upwards and just stopped where the fancy took us, looking down into wooded valleys trying to encounter any passing feeding flocks. Eventually we found one which contained, amongst others, a good number of Black backed Bush Tanagers and a brilliant and scarce Golden crowned Tanager, with the most indigo and electric blue plumage you could imagine. Another Red crested Cotinga appeared and some Spectacled Whitestarts flirted their long white outer tail feathers at us.
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| Black backed Bush Tanager |
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| Spectacled Whitestart |
The best of all was a small, scarce hummingbird called a Rainbow bearded Thornbill which perched prominently but sadly, rather distantly, on a bare branch. Its colours are subtle with overall bottle green plumage and a midnight blue tail with prominent white tips. It gets its name from its throat patch which as it turns its head can change from glittering green to shining orange, tapering to a fiery red point on its chest.
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| Rainbow bearded Thornbill |
A Rufous Antpitta started to call below us but although we lured it nearer with a tape it resolutely remained in cover and we never saw it. A similar attempt to prise out a Crescent faced Antpitta met with no response at all.
We made our way back down the mountainside stopping briefly to admire a couple of Andean Gulls gulls, one in summer plumage the other not, before heading off to another last minute addition to Gabo's itinerary.
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| Andean Gull in summer pluamge |
Now we were headed for Guango Lodge, another of those hummingbird viewing businesses which are currently the rage. This one has been well established for some years and also provides accommodation as well as food and there are trails around that you can walk, one of which follows a tumbling mountain river.
We arrived at the gate and Gabo rang a bell and a man came running to let us in. We had the place to ourselves despite it being a Saturday and relatively near to Quito, so we set to with a will to watch the hummingbirds coming to the many feeders scattered about but concentrated our efforts at one central point where you can sit and watch the dramas played out before you from just a few feet away.
Hummingbirds were flying in and out and from all directions at once on a constant basis and, as with all hummers, there were endless conflicts between them. By far the most quarrelsome and aggressive and forever battling amongst themselves as well as with the other species were the Chestnut breasted Coronets.
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| The forever combative Chestnut fronted Coronets |
There were other hummingbirds to be seen though, such as Tourmaline Sunangels, Long tailed Sylphs, Collared Incas and the tiny demure woodstars. A Masked Flowerpiercer, entirely blue apart from a black mask and wine red eye also came to feed from the nectar dispensers and despite being considerably larger was confronted by the coronets and seen off.
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| Tourmaline Sunangel |
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| Long tailed Sylph |
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| Collared Inca |
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| White bellied Woodstar |
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| Masked Flowerpiercer |
Gabo had been staking out another 'quieter' feeder near the lodge and found a Sword billed Hummingbird. Its bill is really preposterously long and has to be seen to be believed.
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| Sword billed Hummingbird |
Then it was time for lunch and in the pleasant surrounds of the lodge we had a very acceptable bowl of soup and a ham and cheese sandwich. Coffee, as always, was free and constantly available and very good it was too.
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| The dining room and reception of Guango Lodge |
Then it was back for more hummer action but then Gabo suggested we should follow a trail running alongside the tumbling waters of the Rio Papallacta
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| The forest trail following the river |
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| Home to the Torrent Ducks |
Our hope was we might find a Torrent Duck. I have tried every time I have visited South America to find them but despite looking at what appeared to be ideal rocky mountain rivers have always failed to find any sign of them. What I would give to find one or more today on what had turned out to be a pleasant day of sunshine.
We followed the trail though the forest with the roaring of the waters from the close by river in our ears. Every so often there would be a gap where you could walk down to the river's edge to check the tumbling white water and huge boulders in the river. With no little excitement I checked our first stop but there was nothing and walking for the best part of a mile and a half we came up short at every similar opening we tried. It was just not fair as everywhere here looked ideal for a Torrent Duck. I was getting tired and fraught by now but we decided on walking to just one more clearing where we could scan the tumbling waters. I walked down to the edge and stood on a rock. I scanned upriver, checking every rock diligently. Nada. Nothing. I turned to look the other way downriver and there was a small chestnut duck swimming strongly across the raging white waters of the river, from my side to the other. It had to be and it was. Duck!! I shouted. Torrent Duck!! Gabo looked and saw it too and also noticed that it had two young following it across the river.Then on the other side a male appeared and stood right on top of a huge smooth boulder. What a sight. His scarlet red bill and black and white striped head a most welcome sight. At last, after all the hoping, here at the very last possibility of finding them we had succeeded.
The entire duck family congregated around the rocks and the young birds, about two to three weeks old in my estimation, surfed the tumbling waters as if to the manner born. As the adults stood on the rocks I noticed how large their webbed paddles were, doubtless this aids them in coping with the fast flowing water they love.Their tail feathers are also long and stiff doubtless another adaptation to living in fast flowing water. The young too showed both these features even at their early age.
The whole family then headed downstream a little way and came out onto some more distant rocks.I suggested to Gabo there might be another opening to the river where we could get nearer to them but he was not sure.There was only one way to find out and that was to go and look, which is what we did and there, fortunately, was a suitable opening to the river and we got to see them even closer.
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| Young Torrent Duck |
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| Female Torrent Duck |
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| Male Torrent Duck |
Eventually they decided to move on and the last we saw of them, was rounding a bend in the river and disappearing from view.
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Another top day with another top bird.
We returned to Guango and had another coffee and a chat with the owner and one of the staff about football. I bought a book on hummingbirds that was on sale and had a lot better illustrations than any other book on hummingbirds I had seen so far.
Then it was goodbye to Guango and we left to head for a place called Baeza where we would spend the next two nights.
We arrived in Baeza about an hour later. Before we went in search of our accommodation in Baeza we had a coffee at a little place in the old part of the town.
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| The Coffee Shop in Baeza |
The owner, speaking perfect English was really helpful and after ordering our coffees, sat and talked with us.There were hummingbird feeders literally right outside the window and a new hummingbird for me, in the form of a female Violet fronted Brilliant, as well as a Blue Gray Tanager but of the eastern form which is much brighter and has white on its wing coverts unlike its duller counterpart I had got used to in the west.
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| Violet fronted Brilliant-female |
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| Blue Gray Tanager of the eastern form T.e coelestis |
Even better an Orange winged Amazon Parrot joined us although it seemed a bit habituated.The owner of the coffee shop however told us it was wild and was free to come and go as it pleased.
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| Orange winged Amazon |
It was so pleasant in the Coffee Shop I suggested to Gabo why not stay here, as they had accommodation. Gabo made enquiries but sadly they only had one room available so we left it. I bought some organic coffee from the shop and we headed off to our accommodation for the next two nights
Baeza is a very small town and has a definite aura of easy going, hippy bohemian charm about it and I felt I was going to like it, especially after our experience just now in the coffee house. I remained in the 4x4 as Gabo went to check in at our accommodation but came back to tell me they were full and there were no rooms available. It was pointless making an issue out of it so I suggested we should find somewhere else pretty quick. As it turned out our misfortune turned into our good fortune for we randomly stopped at a place called Hostal La Casa del Rodrigo just around the corner.
Rodrigo, a cool and friendly kind of guy, who spoke good English was stood outside and said he had rooms available and showed us one It was enormous with a generous bathroom to match and HOT WATER! Hooray. We took them.
There were many nationalities staying here, mainly to go kayaking on the fast flowing rivers around Baeza, which we learned was famous amongst the kayaking fraternity. There is also white water rafting and hiking available and currently a large French contingent and a few Americans were there for the kayaking. In the friendly restaurant, right next door, we sat down that night to a meal in a place that had an easy going cosmopolitan atmosphere that was really quite pleasant.
The complimentary liqueur was also a nice touch from the owner.
To be continued ................
Birds seen on Day 6
Torrent Duck; Andean Gull; Inca Green Jay; Orange winged Amazon; Scarlet bellied Mountain Tanager; Buff breasted Mountain Tanager;Masked Mountain Tanager; Golden crowned Tanager; Black backed Bush Tanager; Blue Gray Tanager; Palm Tanager; Red crested Cotinga; Hooded Siskin; Plain colored Seedeater; Pale naped Brushfinch; Rufous collared Sparrow; Black crested Warbler; Cinereous Conebill; Bananaquit; Great Thrush; Brown bellied Swallow; White collared Swift; Chestnut naped Antpitta (heard only); Rufous Antpitta (heard only); Spectacled Whitestart; Masked Flowerpiercer; Rainbow bearded Thornbill; Viridian Metaltail; Shining Sunbeam; Great Sapphirewing; Buff winged Starfrontlet; Swordbilled Hummingbird; Long tailed Sylph; Collared Inca; Chestnut breasted Coronet; Buff tailed Coronet; Tourmaline Sun Angel; White bellied Woodstar; Mountain Velvetbreast; Bronzy Inca; Violet fronted Brilliant;White tailed Hillstar; Mountain Cacique; Cinnamon Flycatcher; Rufous breasted Flycatcher; Rufous breasted Chat Tyrant;White throated Tyrant;Tropical Kingbird; Grey breasted Wren (heard only);Plain Tailed Wren (heard only);Mountain Wren
Wonderful! We glimpsed a couple of torrent ducks from the train to Machu Picchu but never seen them properly. Bears!!!! The palm tanager reminds me more of a blue-grey than a 'normal' palm!
ReplyDeleteHave justv read all three posts...I'm bloody exhausted.
ReplyDeletewasatbird
Nice report! Good bear watching! I visited Antisana and Papallacta last October and we had observations of species very similar to theirs. Best regards!
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