Monday, May 28

Today started at 5:30 so that we could be in the bird blind by sun-up. This proved exceptionally productive, yielding Scaled Antpitta, Uniform Antshrike, Immaculate Antbird, White-tipped Dove, White-throated Quail-Dove, Chestnut-capped Brushfinch and Streak-headed Treehunter. After breakfast, we gathered our things for a day in the Upper Tandayapa Valley. Just as we were getting into the SUV, a Smokey-brown Woodpecker made an appearance—a bird I had barely missed my last time here.

On the drive, Jose found a much better view of a Cock-of-the-Rock just off the roadside. We stopped near the entrance to the side road I walked in March, but we spent the remainder of the morning walking along the Old Nono-Mindo Road.

As with my previous attempts, this was a frustrating day. The light is almost always terrible and the birds stay largely in the canopy. By the end of the day, I have missed as many birds as I have shot and ache from head to toe. Nonetheless, the day was very productive and I should focus on the many birds I was able to find (really, the guide was able to find and I was able to photograph).

The first good find was a Golden-naped Tanager that allowed a much better view than previously. I noticed a lot of activity in a tree across a field, which resulted in a healthy mixed flock and my first of many frustrations. I struggled mightily just to manage a terrible set of photos of Russet-crowned Warbler. Returning to the road, I spotted a White-bellied Woodstar and later found a pair of Grey-breasted Wood-wren

Continuing along the road, a new mixed flock appeared including a Yellow-bellied Chat Tyrant, Orange-bellied Euphonia and Capped Conebill. Jose had been using the call of an Pygmy Owl to flush up birds, but to our great surprise, it actually produced a Andean Pygmy-Owl, who as subsequently swarmed by other birds.

We dipped on the Tanager Finch, but soon after located a pair of Powerful Woodpecker. Near the gas pumping station another mixed flock—always with a Collared Inca and a pair of Spectacled Whitestart in the lead—was moving through and included Dusky Bush-Tanager, White-tailed Tyrannulet, Brown-capped Vireo, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Flavescent Warbler and Cinnamon Flycatcher. I missed out on a photo of a Mountain Wren. A little further on we found a Grass-green Tanager.

We started the drive back to the lodge around noon, but were soon distracted by another feeding flock. This generated a great diversity of species in a location that actually allowed for a good view at eye level, rather than staring blindly into the overcast sky or through a fog. This led to the best views of Tuftedcheek, Bush-Tanager, Western Hemispingus, and Black-crowned Warbler. I also saw a Sepia-colored Wren, but was unable to get a photograph.

After lunch and a nap, we hiked the trails around the Lodge, which netted a wonderful photo of a Cock-of-the-Rock along with Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner, Whiskered Wren, Tawny-bellied Hermit, Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, and Toucan Barbet.

21 Lifers