Thursday 26th November. Today we sadly said goodbye to Mike who was heading off to Quito then home to Perth in Scotland. He started on the tour a day or two before me so I had some catching up to do. Gabriel and I visited Mashpi Cloud Forest, site of an ultra-luxury eco lodge which restricts access to much of the area unless you stay there. However there is plenty of good cloud forest still accessible, plus at Amagusa Farm a local couple have set up feeders and monitor the bird life in the area, and for a small fee will introduce visitors to their domain. Mashpi Lodge hit the news recently when a new species of tree frog was discovered there.
I will post a few photos of the landscape and the forest today so the reader will get a feel for the environment we are in. Cloud forest in Ecuador is at an elevated altitude on the slopes of the Andes which typically have very high levels of rainfall. In fact the most useful article of clothing I brought along was a good, lightweight rain poncho. All the eco lodges provide guests with rubber boots (Wellies) which are much better suited to walking the forest trails than hiking boots.
I will post a few photos of the landscape and the forest today so the reader will get a feel for the environment we are in. Cloud forest in Ecuador is at an elevated altitude on the slopes of the Andes which typically have very high levels of rainfall. In fact the most useful article of clothing I brought along was a good, lightweight rain poncho. All the eco lodges provide guests with rubber boots (Wellies) which are much better suited to walking the forest trails than hiking boots.
Looking down from the cloud forest
First bird photo of the day is a moody shot of a Broad Winged Hawk. The cloud forest was living up to its name but I think the misty conditions enhance the feel of this image. It imparts a feeling for the dank, humid conditions & make it a very realistic shot.
There were plenty of birds around but in such resticted visibility getting any worthwhile shots was difficult. until the Quetzal that is. I had been itching to get good views of this bird and bingo, today was the day. This was a Golden Headed Quetzal, not a rare bird and in these conditions it's not a great photo, but I was thrilled. Thank you Quetzal.
Golden headed Quetzal
As we drove up a long hill through the dense forest the ground rose up steeply on one side of the track. Here is a typical view taken through the window of our 4x4.
Along here we came across a local woman studying something on the steep bank. She was the lady who, together with her husband ran the birding station on their property further up the hill, Amagusa Farm. We stopped to see what her interest was, and it took me some time before I could make out what it was she had found. can you see it?
Lyre Tailed Nightjar
It is in fact a sleeping Lyre Tailed Nightjar. Now that's what I call camouflage! I don't know how she had located it but without her we would not have stood a chance. After peering at it curiously for a few minutes and taking the obligatory photos, we moved on and left it in peace. In fact I think I can see it's eyes cracked open slightly, but it otherwise did not move a muscle.
Lyre Tailed Nightjar
So the lady mounted her motorbike and we followed her up to her birdwatching place on Amagusa Farm. The first spot was mainly hummingbird feeders but up here were some new species for me so I took some photos....
Velvet Purple Coronet
This one, above and below, is a Velvet Purple Coronet. It is a particularly colorful hummer and that purple velvet really glows. A beauty.
Velvet Purple Coronet
And another I hadn't seen before, the Purple Bibbed Whitetip.
Purple Bibbed Whitetip
Two poor photographs next, here for the record. My excuse is it was raining now and sometimes they just won't sit still. On the left with a long downcurved bill is a White Bearded Hermit, and on the right a little Green Thorntail.
 White Bearded hermit |  Green Thorntail |
The last shot is a better photo of a male Green Thorntail. The bird above is a female.
Purple Throated Sunangel
The Empress Brilliant I have seen frequently before but don't remember if I have a decent record shot, so here it is.
Empress Brilliant
And finally a Violet Tailed Sylph again , yes seen many times before, but I like it.
Violet Tailed Sylph
These are just a few of the hummers that were floating about, often chasing each other and sometimes engaging in real fisticuffs, I saw a couple of little ones going at it tooth and nail to the extent that they fell to the ground and carried on fighting. I guess it's the territorial instinct which they need to overcome if they are to visit feeders which attract birds from a wide area.
Bronze Winged Parrot
I noticed this Bronze Winged Parrot watching proceedings from the wings, he didn't think he was spotted but I tagged him.
From the hummer site we went to another glade where they had set up fruit feeders where we watched the Tanagers and others coming to eat bananas. I have already posted most of the photos previously but here's another look at the unreal Glistening Green Tanager. An below that is a rather nice shot of a Dusky Bush Tanager looking quite attractive.
From the hummer site we went to another glade where they had set up fruit feeders where we watched the Tanagers and others coming to eat bananas. I have already posted most of the photos previously but here's another look at the unreal Glistening Green Tanager. An below that is a rather nice shot of a Dusky Bush Tanager looking quite attractive.
Glistening Green Tanager
Lemon Rumped Tanager, female
While sorting through my photos I found some of an Ecuadorian Hillstar. I wouldn't have expected to see the highland hummingbird here, but there it is. No mistaking the date on the file. (Update 20/12 Reviewed this photo and correct it to a White-necked Jacobin).
White-necked Jacobin
After lunch spent watching Tanagers and Hummingbirds we decided to explore along some quite open forest trails. I post a couple of shots of a tree in which the next birds were photographed. I hope it gives an idea of the conditions and the environment.
Tree in the Cloud Forest
This is what it looks like standing below looking for birds up into the branches.
And below you can see what we did, a pair of Orange Breasted Fruiteaters. Fine looking birds that were moving around in the upper branches quickly, making it difficult to get a clear shot. The shot below is the male.
Orange Breasted Fruiteater, male
The female was somewhat easier as she moved out into the open giving much clearer views as she fed on the fruit of the laurel tree.
Orange Breasted Fruiteater, female
Here below is another look at the brightly coloured male, now out of the laurel tree. A handsome chap in gold, black and orange. This species is native to the foothills and slopes of the western Andes and its range extends from southwestern Colombia to southwestern Ecuador, mainly between the altitudes of 600 and 1,900 metres. A cool bird.
Orange Breasted Fruiteater
By now the light was really fading so we made our way slowly back to las Gralarias Lodge, stopping along the way to pick up more bird species. Unfortunately I did not get any more Photos worth posting, but it had been a good day.
