Ecuador 2016 Monday 22 – Tuesday 23 February 2016 Pretour Extension to Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge (Merilyn Browne, Hugh Buck)
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BUCKBIRD JOURNEYS LTD Ecuador 2016 Monday 22 – Tuesday 23 February 2016 Pretour extension to Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge (Merilyn Browne, Hugh Buck) Wednesday 24 February – Saturday 5 March 2016 From the Andes to Amazonia (Jack Anderson, Paul Bristow, Merilyn Browne, Hugh Buck, Ken Cole (Shiripuno only), Lelis Navarrete (guide) A select group of dedicated birders all of whom had done all or parts of this route previously and relying on the skills of guide supreme Lelis Navarrete to show them, in a fast paced tour, a selection of desired species they had not seen before. The beautifully sited lodges of Bellavista, Guanco, San Isidro and Wildsumaco produced many of these and the remote and rustic lodge of Shiripuno was ideally situated but a lot of rain made our time there rather difficult. But a bird list approaching 400 species and a select group of mammals testifies to the success of our venture into this slice of Ecuador’s “Magic Birding Circuit” All photographs by Merilyn Itinerary Monday 22 February MB and HB have met up at the grandly named but in reality more simple Quito Airport Suites the night before and the Bellavista Lodge car is on hand at 0600 to take them on the misty and drizzly 2 hour journey into the edges of the Choco cloud forest region and the quirky but comfortable lodge itself. A good breakfast and guide Nelson is on hand to take us on our first forest and road walks to get to grips with some of the specials of this region. They include our first array of Hummingbirds, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Toucan Barbet and, in the afternoon, a nice Plushcap in a mixed flock. At dusk the newly described Olinguito comes to its bananas and is joined by a White-eared Opossum, the unsuccessful target for a hungry Mottled Owl Tuesday 23 February A trio of Tayras give great views at the bananas at dawn and some notable birds in the morning include a Barred Hawk, a pair of Powerful Woodpeckers and a Tanager Finch at one of its few locations in Ecuador. A minibus takes us in the afternoon back to the Airport Suites where we find PB in residence and JA arrives later that night Wednesday 24 February Lelis and driver Edwin are on hand at 0600 with a comfortable minibus and we are soon away on a rather overcast morning up to the Pappalacta Pass (4000m)and the Cayembe Coca National Park A few birds on the lower slopes, breakfast which includes fresh trout for some but the upper reaches are bedevilled by rain, mist and wind which make life a little difficult and observations restricted to looking from the bus. We descend to the nicely situated and comfortable Guanco Lodge for a box lunch amongst our first blitz of Hummingbirds. Afternoon on the La Cascada trail is blighted by drizzle and, although it clears by evening, little is seen on both evening and night walks near the lodge Thursday 25 February On the La Cascado trail the group leaves HB for an eventually successful wait for the elusive Mountain Avocetbill at a favoured patch of Centropogon flowers. The afternoon sees us descend to the equally nicely situated and comfortable Cabanas San Isidro where, after dark, a pair of the celebrated “San Isidro” Owl perform nicely for us. Dinner continues the high standard we will enjoy at all three of these Andean lodges Friday 26 February Our early morning is dominated by a White-bellied Antpitta coming for its daily worms then trail bashing in continuing uncertain weather produces a steady trickle including a vocal Long-tailed Tapaculo. Shortly after dark a Rufous-banded Owl shows itself superbly and after dinner a marathon drive up the main road eventually produces the eyeshine of an Andean Potoo which responds to the ipod to fly towards us and catch a moth before returning to a rather obscured perch. But great to get this elusive critter Saturday 27 February The little and little known Peruvian Antpitta was once being fed here but a visit to its territory produces nothing and it is left to a canopy flock containing such as Variegated Bristle Tyrant and a pair of Rufous-crested Tanagers to salvage the morning. On again, a nice pair of Greater Scythebill on the Guayacamos trail then, in the afternoon, on to our next superb lodge at Widsumaco where a blizzard of Hummingbirds includes such gems as Black-throated Brilliant, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Gould’s Jewelfront, Napo Sabrewing and Rufous-vented Whitetip to mention but a few. A nicely responding Napo Screech Owl (now split by IOC from Foothill) graces our early evening and dinner reaches a new high Sunday 28 February Rain again interrupts our early morning but clears and the road and FACE trail produce its reliable roosting Band-bellied Owl (1 today and 2 tomorrow and we score another after dark by the main road) and a good variety of others include Dusky Spinetail, Blue-rumped Manakin, Wing-barred Piprites, Olivaceous Greenlet, Spectacled Bristle Tyrant and a couple of female plumaged Cerulean Warblers. Only close calling Black-billed Treehunter and Wing-barred Wren which refuse to come into view provide frustration. Afternoon on the Coopman’s Trail produces a male Coppery-chested Jacamar before a Plain-backed Antpitta comes for its own worms. Magic stuff this Antpitta feeding, pioneered in Ecuador Monday 29 February Our leap year morning is again productive with Red-billed Tyrannulet and Grey-mantled Wren from the roadside and then a much wanted Grey-tailed Piha on the (appropriately named) Piha trail. Afternoon on the FACE trail produces both Foothill and the rarely encountered Plain-winged Antwrens. Some stay on to dusk for a Rufescent Screech Owl and JA and HB on their trek back in the evening have long views of a White-bellied Antpitta feeding on the track. That this is special is underlined by the fact that Jonas, major Ecuadorian birder and part owner of the lodge, has never seen one here in several years of searching Tuesday 30 February We are sad to leave Wildsumaco with its ever tempting bird list but Amazonia beckons. A last morning walk gives us a clear view of Sumaco Volcano and boosts the lists with small groups of Napo (Black-mantled) Tamarins and North Amazon Red Squirrel as well as a vocal Large-headed Flatbill. Then it is 2 hours down to Coca to meet up with KC and guides Harold and Pancho for our 6 hour journey by taxi then speedboat to the remote Shiripuno Lodge. It is rustic but comfortable enough, the food is robust and it is beautifully situated in prime Amazonian lowland forest Wednesday 1 March In overcast but dry weather we start off well enough along the Colibri Trail where a slow but steady flow of birds include both Brown-backed and Rufous-tailed Antwrens and a male Ash-throated Gnateater. Undoubted star of the morning is a roosting and motionless Rufous Potoo giving us scope views of this ultimate Amazonian night bird. The afternoon boat trip is however a bit of an anti climax – no hoped for Currasows and a reportedly reliable Black-banded Owl refuses to cooperate Thursday 2 March Ferocious rain in the night and into the early morning will prove to be an effective death knell to our ambitious hopes. It clears but the trails are very gloomy and quiet although Spix’s Guan, a Sunbittern, a glorious male Fiery Topaz (both from the boat) and a Collared Puffbird do oblige. In some ways the mammals are better with Common Squirrel and Northern Woolly Monkeys, a night time Kinkajou and a Spiny Tree Rat (with a liking for MB’s cabin windows) all adding to our lists Friday 3 March The terra firme Salava Trail is anything but and, after a Grey-winged Trumpeter appears on a drier section of the path, we have to abandon it and try the Mysterozo Trail instead. Here a male Lunulated Antbird is skittish, a vocal Black-necked Red Cotinga eventually gives views to some and White-fronted Capuchin and a scoped Monk Saki Monkey augment the mammal total. A pair of Noisy Night Monkeys peering down at us from a favoured riverside tree are a good as anything. But afternoon rain again blights our progress and we are forced to concede mostly defeat in attacking Shiripuno’s potentially awesome bird list Saturday 4 March Our 0600 boat trip up the now swollen river is delayed by engine trouble but we get to our destination and taxis in time to catch our midday flight back to Quito. If the last 2-3 days have been a bit of a disappointment it has nevertheless been productive and enjoyable and the three Andean lodges and their riches will remain long in the memory. Our thanks to Lelis and our other guides for making it so Systematic Lists Birds (Follow IOC taxonomy) B = Bellavista, G = Guanco, S = Shiripuno, SI = San Isidro, W = Wildsumaco Note for completion I have included all heard birds although several of these (and sightings) were probably by Lelis only 1. Great Tinamou (Tinamus major) (h) S heard only 2. White-throated Tinamou (Tinamus guttatus) (h) S heard only 3. Cinereous Tinamou (Crypturellus cinereus) (h) S heard only 4. Little Tinamou (Cryturellus soui) (h) W heard only 5. Undulated Tinamou (Crypturellus undulatus) (h) W, S heard only 6. Torrent Duck (Merganetta armata) G 7. Speckled Chachalaca (Ortalis guttata) S 8. Sickle-winged Guan (Chamaepetes goudotti) SI, W 9. Andean Guan (Penelope montagnii) G.