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Ecuador: Eastern Slope of the Andes January 18–28, 2020

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Ecuador: Eastern Slope of the Andes January 18–28, 2020 ECUADOR: EASTERN SLOPE OF THE ANDES JANUARY 18–28, 2020 MASKED MOUNTAIN-TANAGER ABOVE LAS TERMAS DE PAPALLACTA © CARL POLDRACK LEADER: PAUL J. GREENFIELD LIST COMPILED BY: PAUL J. GREENFIELD VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM ECUADOR: EASTERN SLOPE OF THE ANDES JANUARY 18–28, 2020 By Paul J. Greenfield ANDEAN CONDOR AT ANTISANA NATIONAL PARK © CARL POLDRACK This year’s Ecuador: Eastern Slopes of the Andes adventure initiated with a glorious morning in the páramo zone at Antisana National Park and a spectacle of at least twenty Andean Condors (!!!)… in magnificent soaring flight, viewed at a distance, then repeatedly directly overhead, at eye level, and even gathered on the ground around the carcass of a wild horse—we were thrilled to observe adults and many immatures, and we even got glimpses of a nestling. Nesting Black-chested Buzzard-Eagles, super close-flying Variable Hawks, Black-winged Ground-Dove, Ecuadorian Hillstars, Andean Lapwings, Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean Teals, Andean Ducks, Silvery Grebes, Black-faced Ibises, Slate-colored Coots, Chestnut-winged and Stout-billed Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 Ecuador: Eastern Slope of the Andes, 2020 ECUADORIAN HILLSTAR (SUB-ADULT) AT ANTISANA © CARL POLDRACK cinclodes, Many-striped Canastero, Tawny Antpittas, and Plumbeous Sierra-Finches were among the additional species we enjoyed before lunch. A perched male Giant Hummingbird greeted us as we exited our van at Tambo Condor to enjoy delicious local cuisine, along with a male Black-tailed Trainbearer and our first Black Flowerpiercers, among other species. A day that will be engraved in our collective memories… and we just began our journey! The following morning didn’t disappoint either as we first headed for high temperate and elfin forest above Las Termas de Papallacta with Pearled Treerunners, White- throated Tyrannulets, Agile Tit-Tyrants, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrants, Red-crested Cotingas, Pale-naped Brushfinches, Spectacled Whitestarts, Superciliaried Hemispinguses, three of the scarce and local Masked Mountain-Tanager, along with Scarlet-bellied and Buff-breasted mountain-tanagers, a wonderful threesome of Golden-crowned Tanagers, Blue-backed and Cinereous conebills, among the many species seen. After breakfast we headed upslope for some páramo birding at Papallacta Pass where we enjoyed three Andean Guans along the roadside, as we departed from Las Termas. In the Papallacta area, two more close Andean Condors flew right by us, and we checked out woodland patches where we located two Blue- mantled Thornbills and a skulking pair of White-chinned Thistletails among other high elevation specialties. The afternoon was spent around Las Termas where we ‘picked- up’ Tyrian and Viridian metaltails, Shining Sunbeams, a Mountain Velvetbreast, a Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 Ecuador: Eastern Slope of the Andes, 2020 Sword-billed Hummingbird that had trapped himself in a skylight at the entrance of the hot-springs, Mountain Wrens, and a couple of Hooded Siskins to close out the day. ANTISANA VOLCANO FROM ABOVE LAS TERMAS DE PAPALLACTA © CARL POLDRACK Beginning with a morning walk above Las Termas, our third day was spent basically as a point A to B roadtrip (perhaps longer than we had planned), but we still fit in some cool birding experiences en route. Along the ‘La Isla Trail’ before breakfast, we explored beautiful Andean temperate forest along a lovely rushing stream; there and on our walk back down the main drive, where we were blessed by a stunning view of Antisana Volcano, we enjoyed yet another Tawny Antpitta, a White-banded Tyrannulet, an adorable pair of Tufted Tit-Tyrants, a flock of Hooded Siskins, along with Lacrimose and Scarlet-bellied mountain-tanagers, and, after breakfast, at the hotel bridge, a pair of White-capped Dippers. We departed for a short drive to our next birding stop and spent much of the remainder of the morning at Guango Lodge, where their nectar feeders were buzzing with Tourmaline Sunangels, Speckled Hummingbirds, Long-tailed Sylphs, Collared Incas, a Buff-winged Starfrontlet, more Sword-bills, Buff-tailed and Chestnut-breasted coronets, Fawn-breasted Brilliants, and tiny White-bellied Woodstars; the additional non-hummers seen at Guango included a surprising look at the scarce Andean Potoo perched up on its day-roost!, two Turquoise Jays, super Grass-green Tanagers, and Masked Flowerpiercers. We pried ourselves away and continued downslope to the town of Baeza, where we pulled into the Kopal Restaurant for a lunch break and a brief bout of birding around the grounds and along its forest trail—where we came up with a pair of Azara’s Spinetails, two male Andean Cocks-of-the-rock!, our first of many Swainson’s Thrushes, a singing Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 Ecuador: Eastern Slope of the Andes, 2020 Black-billed Thrush, a male Golden-rumped Euphonia, and some Blue-gray Tanagers (the first of many to come) before continuing onward. We then made a brief stop at the village of Cosanga where right along the river there we eventually located a family foursome of Torrent Ducks and two Spotted Sandpipers. The remainder of the day was unfortunately rather unproductive, aside from a few sightings of Inca (Green) Jays en route and three fly-by White-capped (Speckle-faced) Parrots, as roadwork kept the6 road closed until about 6pm, leaving us virtually no time for birding before reaching our planned destination—Wildsumaco Lodge—just in time for dinner. The following morning our two and a half days at Wildsumaco made up for that slow afternoon big-time! The moth light set up near the lodge was quite active on our two early morning visits there, with excellent cameo performances by both White-chested and Black-streaked puffbirds, Plain Antvireos, a Slaty Antwren, Peruvian Warbling- Antbirds, pairs of White-backed Fire-eyes, and Black-faced Antbirds, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, and a Black-billed Treehunter. BLACK-STREAKED PUFFBIRD © CARL POLDRACK A visit to the forest ‘feeding station’ afforded us nice views of Plain-backed and Ochre- breasted antpittas and a White-crowned Tapaculo. Nectar feeders at the lodge, at forest edge, and at the biological station produced White-necked Jacobin, a female Black-throated Mango, a ton of Wire-crested Thorntails, Peruvian (Booted) Racket- tails, Black-throated and Violet-fronted brilliants, fabulous Gould’s Jewelfronts, a last minute Napo Sabrewing, Fork-tailed Woodnymphs, Many-spotted Hummingbirds, and Golden-tailed Sapphires. Violet-headed Hummingbirds were seen at flowering Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 Ecuador: Eastern Slope of the Andes, 2020 Verbena, while a Pale-tailed Barbthroat showed up briefly at a Heliconia bloom. On our birding walks along the main entrance road, on forest trails, and from the lodge deck, we were treated to Plumbeous and Ruddy pigeons; Squirrel Cuckoo; Swallow- tailed Kites; a juvenile Hook-billed Kite (considered to be rare for the area); Roadside Hawks; a family of Tropical Screech-Owls; Collared and Green-backed trogons; Coppery-chested Jacamar; Gilded and Red-headed barbets; Golden-collared Toucanet; Channel-billed Toucan; Yellow-tufted, Smoky-brown, and Lineated woodpeckers; a Buckley’s Forest-Falcon!; a Bat Falcon fly-by; Red-billed Parrot; Maroon-tailed Parakeets; Chestnut-fronted and (a pair of) Military macaws; Lined Antshrikes; Rufous-winged Antwrens; Blackish Antbirds; Olivaceous, Olive-backed, and Montane woodcreepers; Plain Xenops; Montane Foliage-gleaner; Dusky and Dark-breasted spinetails; Slaty-capped Flycatcher; our first Marble-faced Bristle- Tyrant; Golden-faced Tyrannulet; Ornate Flycatchers; Common Tody-Flycatchers; Eastern and Western wood-pewees; a Large-headed Flatbill; Boat-billed and Social flycatchers; three Blue-rumped Manakins; Rufous-naped and Olivaceous greenlets; Chiví Vireo; White-thighed Swallows; Wing-banded, Gray-mantled, and House wrens; White-breasted Wood-Wrens; Swainson’s and Black-billed thrushes; Golden-rumped, Bronze-green, and Orange-bellied euphonias; Chestnut-capped Brushfinch; Russet- backed and Crested oropendolas; Tropical Parulas; Blackburnian, Cerulean, and Canada warblers; American Redstart; Summer and Scarlet tanagers; Magpie, White- lined, Silver-beaked, Orange-eared, Blue-gray, Palm, Spotted, Blue-necked, Paradise (Wow!), Bay-headed, and Golden tanagers; Black-faced Dacnis; Golden-collared Honeycreepers; Chestnut-bellied Seedeaters; Bananaquits; and Grayish Saltator. On two afternoons a pair of Wattled Guans were seen, in nearby Cecropia trees, from the lodge deck. As we departed from Wildsumaco and birded our way down the entrance road, we caught up with a flock of White-eyed Parakeets, Speckled Chachalacas, and a couple of noisy Violaceous Jays. We then made a stop at Río Hollín where we encountered White-tailed (Green-backed?) Hillstars among other hummers. Then a bit further along the main highway, we stopped for a loose group of seven Cliff Flycatchers, before continuing on and upslope to Cabañas San Isidro, located in the lower temperate zone. San Isidro became our new home-away-from-home for the following two-and-a- half days—time that I would say was well taken advantage of. The dining area deck was really super! Nectar feeders and the bright lights there and along the entrance drive, which attracted insects during the night, created a tremendous avian gala performance, especially each morning—hummingbirds were always active, including many ‘old friends’ that had been seen previously at varying localities,
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