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Ecuador 2021: Antisana (Part 6 of 6)

Posted in Travel for Birding, tagged Andean Gull, Antisana Ecological Reserve, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Blue-gray Tanager, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Carunculated Caracara, Ecuador, Neblina Forest, Red-crested Cotinga, Scrub Tanager, Shining Sunbeam, Stout-billed Cinclodes, White-tailed Deer on July 1, 2021| 1 Comment »

I got one more day of birding in Ecuador than we had originally planned because it didn’t take an entire day in Quito for a Covid test. Xavier had been able to find a doctor near San Isidro who was willing to do the test for us. We met him on the side of the road, I spit in a cup and gave him $65.00, and the next day I had my admission ticket for the plane home – an email with my negative Covid test.

We left San Isidro early on Monday, May 3. Xavier headed back to Quito to prepare for his next tour. Francisco and I also headed towards Quito, but we stopped at Antisana Ecological Reserve, about 60 miles from Quito, for my last day of birding. Antisana volcano is the fourth highest in Ecuador at 18,875 feet. It is surrounded by the ecological reserve which was created in 1993 to protect the unique and fragile flora and fauna. The habitats of the reserve range from mountain forests to grasslands. Below is a photo of Antisana that I took a couple of days earlier from San Isidro.

Officially, Francisco was our driver for the trip, but he was actually so much more. He had done countless things to make the trip easier for me from providing tech support for all my camera questions and problems to helping me get my rubber boots on and off. Francisco was warm, kind, smart, and a good birder, so I was happy to spend the day with him.

We got our first target, Red-crested Cotinga, right away (photo above). Next we went to Restaurante Tambo Condor for a cup of hot tea and hummingbirds. We would return a bit later for a delicious lunch. This is a wonderful place to see the hummingbird with the best name ever, Shining Sunbeam.

We continued on to higher elevations and found more new birds starting with a Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, a life bird for me.

A couple of pretty Black-winged Ground Doves gave me another bird for my life list.

There were quite a few small birds in some areas. Sometimes I got confused, but I just tried to take as many photos as possible. Weeks later, I had a delightful surprise when I was processing my photos and discovered the Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant below. It was not on my eBird checklist for that day’s birding, but, obviously I had seen the bird, so it was fair to add it to my life list.

Stout-billed Cinclodes (below) was a common bird at Antisana. My lifer had been on my earlier trip in 2013 at Papallacta Pass which has some similar habitat.

This is the bird that surprised me the most by how beautiful it is – Carunculated Caracara. We saw several individuals walking around in the grass close to the road. This raptor of the high Andes occurs only in Ecuador and southern Colombia. The individual in my photo below is an immature bird.

Our last bird of the day was Andean Gull. I really like gulls so I was happy to see several of these beautiful birds in the road ahead. They were shy, though, and we were not able to get very close. The photo below is highly cropped. We had wanted to continue on to the lagoon where several more potential life birds awaited, but the road was closed a few miles before the lagoon.

On our way back down the mountains, we saw this White-tailed Deer. Yep, Odocoileus virginianus, the same species that we have here in North Carolina. Its native range is throughout much of North America, through Central America, and south to Bolivia.

We arrived at Puembo Birding Garden (PBG) mid-afternoon just in time for me to watch a few more birds in Mercedes’ lovely garden and rest a bit for my trip home the following day.

During my 15 days in Ecuador, I saw a total of 246 species. I thought that was good considering that this was an easy trip with no hiking on strenuous mountain trails. This number includes 150 species that were new for Ecuador bringing my Ecuador total to 356. And, most importantly, I got 108 life birds.

Below is one of the last birds that I saw in Ecuador, a Scrub Tanager, which I did not see anywhere other than the PBG garden.

My trip was amazing and I can’t wait to go back. I’ve already told Xavier that I intend to return next year. I can’t think of anything that Xavier or Francisco could have done to make this experience more fun. I highly recommend Neblina Forest for Ecuador and other South American nature trips. You won’t be disappointed. Below, a pretty Blue-gray Tanager, a bird that I guarantee you will see in Ecuador.

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Ecuador 2021: San Isidro (Part 5 of 6)

Posted in Travel for Birding, tagged Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Cabañas San Isidro, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Collared Inca, Ecuador, Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Gorgeted Woodstar, Inca Jay, Long-tailed Sylph, Moths, Neblina Forest, Pale-edged Flycatcher, Red-breasted Meadowlark, Russet-backed Oropendola, San Isidro Owl, Scarlet-rumped Cacique, White-bellied Antpitta on June 25, 2021| 3 Comments »

We arrived at Cabañas San Isidro on the evening of April 29 in time for a wonderful dinner, our first of the fantastic meals served there. Our rooms were large and beautiful; mine had floor-to-ceiling glass walls on one side providing a view of the surrounding forest. The restaurant and deck area was lovely, too, with birds nearly always in the nearby trees.

We spent all day April 30 birding around the lodge and on the entrance road. Above is an Inca Jay or Inca subspecies of Green Jay, depending upon which taxonomic authority you follow. If you have seen Green Jays in South Texas, you will think that this bird looks quite different. And, if you enjoy taxonomic discussions, check out Why is the Inca Jay not a Green Jay?

A few of the other birds that I saw right from the deck are shown below. A lovely little Pale-edged Flycatcher was a regular in the trees by the deck.

Earlier, when we observed Russet-backed Oropendolas nest building at Limoncocha, Xavier promised me that I would get good close looks later in the trip. As promised, I saw them every day while we were at San Isidro.

Another regular in the deck area was Scarlet-rumped Cacique. Every morning, I found one in the exact same spot on the deck rail above the moth sheet.

The most intriguing bird at the lodge is the mystery owl. It is in the genus Ciccaba, but otherwise no one can determine what it is! It looks similar to the other Ciccaba species found in Ecuador, Black-and-white Owl and Black-banded Owl, but neither of those are found at an elevation this high. This owl has been found only in a small area near the San Isidro lodge. There are also some minor plumage differences between this owl and the other Ciccaba species. People like to categorize birds, but more importantly birders need to report them. So, eBird created a taxon just for this owl, the “San Isidro Owl (undescribed form).” This beautiful creature was heard calling during our dinner every night.

We started May 1, our second day at San Isidro, by birding around the lodge again. A nice feature of the lodge is the moth sheet below the deck. The area around the sheet is like a typical yard, much more open than the moth blind at WildSumaco. The birds that come to feast on the moths are not particularly skulky otherwise, but it’s nice to get such good looks at them. Below, a pretty Cinnamon Flycatcher enjoys a moth for breakfast.

I liked the moth sheet for more than the bird food it provided. Because the sheet was in the open, I could walk right up to it and view the amazing moths. I photographed several dozen species and I am still trying to identify them, a harder task than I expected. Below is a small sample of the moth bounty. Look closely, especially at the second one, and note that all of the following moths are head up.

After watching hummingbirds, other birds, and moths for a short time, we made our second attempt to see an antpitta, which had not cooperated the first day. It was slower to come for worms than any that we had seen previously, but it was worth the wait. I think that this White-bellied Antpitta was the prettiest of the seven that we saw during the trip.

In the afternoon we went to La Brisa hummingbird feeders where Gorgeted Woodstar (top left photo below) was a life bird. The Collared Inca (top right) was one of my favorites at the lodge at San Isidro. The Chestnut-breasted Coronet (bottom left) did not like it as much as I did, though, as they were very possessive of the feeders. They seemed to particularly dislike the Collared Inca and spent an inordinate amount of time chasing it away. We saw Chestnut-breasted Coronets and Fawn-breasted Brilliants (bottom right) at both La Brisa and our lodge.

One of the most beautiful hummingbirds on the east side of the Andes is Long-tailed Sylph. Watch for it in the slow-motion video below that I took at Cabañas San Isidro.

On May 2, we started the day by heading out to the nearby countryside. It was a beautiful morning as you can see in the photo below. I enjoyed the scenery almost as much as the birds.

On Borja Road, we found a small group of Red-breasted Meadowlarks. It was very exciting to see these beautiful birds.

Our attention switched back to the landscape when we saw gas, steam, and ash plumes rising from Reventador, one of Ecuador’s most active volcanoes. Xavier had only seen this once before, so I felt privileged to share this beautiful and impressive sight.

Next we headed to Concierto de Aves to see some special birds. After watching hummingbirds around Victor and Nilda’s home, we walked down a country road that paralleled a little creek. The Fasciated Tiger-Heron in the creek was a very welcome surprise.

Below, Xavier and me on the road which led to the larger stream. We left the road to walk a trail through the forest that weaved in and out of the stream. Victor and Nilda helped me on the steep parts of the path and through the water. I could not have done it without them!

Our reward at the end of the trail – a female Andean Cock-of-the-rock on her nest. You might be wondering why she is orange instead of red. That’s because we are on the east side of the Andes and this is a different subspecies than the one in northwest Ecuador. There are actually four subspecies; two are red and two are orange.

We were able to see this gorgeous bird so well because once again Xavier had carried a scope on the trail through the forest and creek. Her nest is actually quite well hidden on the side of the mountain by the waterfall. The walk to see the Cock-of-the-rock was one of the most beautiful and amazing adventures of the entire trip.

Nilda and I walked back along the road together and although she does not speak English and I don’t speak Spanish (a deficit that I really need to remedy), we managed to communicate. Nilda saw me photograph a flower, so she took me to see these beauties.

And, all too soon our time at San Isidro was over. This fabulous day was my last with Xavier, but I would have one more day of birding on the way back to Quito with Francisco. Stay tuned for my last post on this wonderful trip to Ecuador with Neblina Forest.

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Ecuador 2021: Limoncocha (Part 4 of 6)

Posted in Travel for Birding, tagged Black-capped Donacobius, Cocoi Heron, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Harpy Eagle, Hoatzin, Horned Screamer, Limoncocha Biological Reserve, Limpkin, Proboscis Bat, Red-capped Cardinal, Snail Kite, White-lored Antpitta on June 8, 2021| 1 Comment »

Limoncocha was different; really different. Many of the birds were strange and bizarre. It was quiet and peaceful, wonderful, almost magical. I had never heard of Limoncocha before the trip, but Xavier suggested it because of a Harpy Eagle nest. And who would say no to that? There would be much more than the eagle, though. eBirders have reported 520 species in the Limoncocha Biological Reserve.

The reserve is on the Napo River, about 230 miles east of Quito, near the little town of Limoncocha. It is one of the most bio-diverse areas on the planet, but its flora and fauna have been continually threatened by nearby oil activity since 1975.

After the drive from WildSumaco, we arrived at the headquarters of the Limoncocha Biological Reserve in the early afternoon. We left our car there and were transported to our lodge on the edge of the Limoncocha lagoon, inside the protected area of the reserve, via a motorized canoe.

After putting our things in our cabins, we immediately left to see the eagle nest. It was a 20-minute boat ride back to the reserve headquarters and then a short drive. Next was what was described as a “20 minute boat ride followed by an easy 20-minute walk along a flat trail.” Apparently, that was true when the trail was dry, but there had been rain the previous few days and the trail was flooded. Our local guide, Wymper, told Xavier that I would not be able to walk the trail and that they were going to carry me! I protested that I didn’t need to be treated like a princess, but Wymper insisted. Obviously, they had done this before as they were prepared with a stretcher that I sat upon while they carried me the last third of the trail. There were tree roots and other unseen obstacles under the water making it very difficult to walk, especially while carrying me.

I was impressed by the efforts of these men getting us to the eagle nest and by the wonderful covered platform they had built there, a respectful distance from the nest tree. And, Xavier had walked the flooded trail carrying a scope so that we would have good views. We did not see either adult as one of them had made a food drop a few hours earlier, but at only 4-1/2 months old, this baby already looks like a Harpy Eagle.

The massive Harpy Eagle is a “holy grail” bird for serious birders. Adults have a six to seven foot wingspan, talons the size of grizzly bear claws, and they weigh 9 to 20 pounds (females are larger than males). Compare that to a Bald Eagle, not a small bird, that tops out at 14 pounds. These apex predators hunt mainly in the canopy and consume a variety of prey, but they have a propensity for small monkeys and sloths. Their large range extends from Central America throughout most of South America, but they are rare everywhere. Sadly, the population is believed to be declining due to habitat loss and direct persecution. Harpy Eagle is classified by BirdLife International as Near Threatened.

After we spent an hour or so watching the eaglet, we retraced our route back to the lodge in time for a simple but tasty dinner. Limoncocha Ecolodge never had hot water and had electricity for only a couple of hours each day, but it was clean, safe, and comfortable.

We started the next day, April 28, on the lagoon at 5:39 am. Hoatzin could be the poster bird for Limoncocha. There were many of them around the lagoon, including a female on a nest right by the dock for the lodge.

We saw a Limpkin, a very familiar bird from all my trips to Florida, but it looked quite different from the Limpkins I knew. Later, I learned that there are several subspecies and the Limpkins in South America are “brown-backed.” Below, the Limpkin at Limoncocha on the left and a Limpkin from Florida on the right.

We also saw an Azure Gallinule that morning. My photos are not as good as I’d like, but most were taken from a boat and we were never as close to the birds as we’d been when feeder watching.

We returned to the lodge shortly after 8:00 am for breakfast and then we drove to the town of Limoncocha for a little birding there. That’s after a boat ride to get back to the car. The lodge is accessible only by boat. We didn’t see as much as we’d hoped for, but I enjoyed watching a small colony of Russet-backed Oropendolas building their nests.

On the boat trip through the lagoon, as we headed back to the lodge, we saw a beautiful Cocoi Heron.

And, a family of Red-capped Cardinals.

After lunch and a little rest, we spent more time on the lagoon. It was nice seeing many Snail Kites, one of the few familiar birds there. This immature bird was especially cooperative.

One of my biggest surprises was a Ferruginous Pygmy Owl that we first heard, and then saw, in the top of a tree on the far side of the lagoon. This was the bird that I missed in Texas a few years ago, so it was especially sweet to get it on my life list.

Limoncocha lagoon teems with all kinds of wildlife. We saw mostly birds, but I was thrilled to also see these Proboscis Bats roosting on a tree.

Black-capped Donacobius had caught my eye when I was preparing for the trip by reviewing photos of birds seen in the Amazon basin. We saw them earlier, but Xavier and Wymper worked that afternoon to find these shy birds again so that I could have a better look and get photos.

Just before dark, Wymper found our last target, perhaps the most bizarre bird of all the Amazon, a Horned Screamer. This delightful blog post, Screaming Unicorns, includes a video link. This National Geographic article describes the sharpened bone spurs on the wings of these unusual birds. Even a Harpy Eagle wouldn’t mess with these huge birds!

In a day and a half, I had 18 life birds. But, wait, there’s more! After our final boat trip back to the reserve headquarters on our last morning, we had one more bird to see. Antpitta #6 of the trip was White-lored Antpitta, trained to come for worms by a local birder.

When I think back on these two days and nights at Limoncocha, it truly feels magical – the lemon-green lagoon, fantastic birds, fishing bats, glow worms. Striated Herons so thick they jumped out of the way by the dozen when we powered the boat through shallow areas. Common pauraque calling in the wee hours of morning.

Limoncocha is more accessible and much more affordable than the fancier lodges two hours farther down the Napo River. If you are interested in a trip like this, I recommend Xavier Munoz of Neblina Forest.

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Ecuador 2021: WildSumaco (Part 3 of 6)

Posted in Travel for Birding, tagged Black-billed Treehunter, Black-faced Antbird, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Great Black Hawk, Green-backed Hillstar, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Napo Saphirewing, Peruvian Warbling-Antbird, Plain Antvireo, Plain-backed Antpitta, Reserva Narupa, Speckled Hummingbird, Torrent Duck, Tourlamine Sunangel, Violet-fronted Brilliant, White-backed Fire-eye, WildSumaco Lodge on May 30, 2021| 3 Comments »

The main road that leads from Quito to the east side of the Andes takes you over Papallacta Pass at about 13,500 feet. The view from the pass is spectacular with the snow-covered Antisana volcano in the distance. I was excited that I would be seeing a new part of this beautiful country and many new birds.

Our first stop was Guango Lodge, the only place that I had visited on this side of the Andes during my earlier trip in 2013. I didn’t get any life birds this time, but I did get my first photos of some these beautiful birds, including the Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Speckled Hummingbird, and Tourlamine Sunangel below.

We walked to the river, often one of the easiest places to see White-capped Dipper, but we had no luck with it. We did see a Torrent Duck, however, a beautiful male resting on a rock in the middle of the river.

We continued east to our destination for the next four days, WildSumaco Lodge, and arrived in time to enjoy the hummingbird feeders before a delicious dinner.

My favorite feature at WildSumaco is the moth sheet which attracts birds early in the morning. We started each of our four mornings here at 6:00 AM. It’s really just a sheet on the side of a steep little hill with lights positioned at the top. In the photos below you can see birders standing above the sheet watching the activity in the little clearing below. The black plastic is just protecting the lights. We only saw a few species here, but they were shy birds that we would not have seen at all without the moths to draw them in.

The most reliable bird at the moth blind was a male White-backed Fire-eye who showed up every day. He was so cooperative that Xavier began saying “Your friend is here” to me each morning. In spite of the overall ease of seeing the bird, I saw the white spot on his back only on the second morning.

When planning the trip, I had told Xavier that I wanted an “easy” trip, so we did road birding rather than hiking the steep, difficult trails. On our first day, on the road to the lodge, we saw this impressive Great Black Hawk.

After lunch, we saw more special birds. Here is antpitta #5 for the trip, Plain-backed Antpitta. We also saw another Ochre-breasted Antpitta (the first one was at Angel Paz’s place on the second day of the trip). A White-crowned Tapaculo also came for worms, but it declined the photo op.

Later that afternoon back at the lodge, we watched more hummingbirds. New birds for the trip and my life list were Many-spotted Hummingbird, Napo Saphirewing, and Golden-tailed Sapphire.

We were at the moth blinds again early our second morning and this time I knew what to expect a bit better. Those shy birds were always going to be challenging to photograph in the low light, but I was thrilled to get the shot below of a White-chested Puffbird.

Another highlight that morning was good looks at a cute little Peruvian Warbling-Antbird.

The most difficult bird to photograph was the Black-billed Treehunter, but I was able to get a shot by leaning over the edge as he came up to nab a moth from the sheet.

After breakfast, we took boxed lunches and set off for Reserva Narupa, one of the 15 reserves established by Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco. My wonderful guide for this trip, Xavier Munoz, and I share a passion for conservation. Xavier was a founding member of the Jocotoco Foundation and he remains involved as a board member. An organization that I support, the American Bird Conservancy, is a partner of the foundation. Both organizations are dedicated to protecting birds and the critical habitat they need to survive, especially endangered and limited range species. So, for many reasons, I was excited to visit the Narupa reserve which protects over 4,000 acres of low montane forest.

Signs along the trail feature birds that depend upon the reserve. It is an important wintering site for Neotropical migrants such as Cerulean Warbler.

A year-round resident of the Narupa reserve and one of our main targets this day was Coppery-chested Jacamar. This bird exists only in a restricted elevational and geographic range mostly in Ecuador. It’s global conservation status is vulnerable. And, as you can see in the photo below, it’s a cool bird!

We also saw lots of hummingbirds; four were new birds for the trip and life birds for me, including the Green-backed Hillstar and Violet-fronted Brilliant below.

The next morning back at the lodge, I was happy to get photos of a couple more visitors to the moth sheet including this Plain Antvireo.

The Black-faced Antbird was much more cooperative that he had been on previous days. Here he is just before grabbing a moth.

I missed the banana feeders that were everywhere in the area northwest of Quito. They attracted tanagers and other birds, but there were no fruit feeders in the Andes’ eastern foothills. The reason seemed to be that the birds here did not come to them enough to make it worth the trouble. Magpie and Silver-beaked Tanager were life birds for me in this part of the trip, but I didn’t get close enough for good photos of either species. However, Xavier kindly carried a scope on all our walks so I did have good views of most of the birds we saw while walking along the road.

To be honest, I was disappointed in the deck at WildSumaco Lodge. It was large and beautiful, but other than hummingbirds coming to the feeders, I think the only bird we saw from the deck was a Bananaquit. I loved the moth blind, though, and we saw some pretty amazing birds during our stay. The rooms were lovely with the best hot showers of the trip and the food was fantastic. I wouldn’t hesitate at all to return for another visit.

Our four days at WildSumaco went quickly; on the morning of April 27, we left for the short drive to Limoncocha.

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Ecuador 2021: Sachatamia (Part 2 of 6)

Posted in Travel for Birding, tagged Blue-capped Tanager, Collared Aracari, Ecuador, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Flame-faced Tanager, Glistening-green Tanager, Golden Tanager, Golden-naped Tanager, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Moss-backed Tanager, Neblina Forest, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Red-tailed Squirrel, Rufous-throated Tanager, Sachatamia Lodge, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Toucan Barbet on May 20, 2021| 3 Comments »

“Baby?” I was talking to the Moss-backed Tanager and he hopped onto the banana that I was holding in my hand. I didn’t realize it happened like that until I watched the video. But, I wasn’t surprised because I frequently talk to birds. It was my third morning in Ecuador on my Neblina Forest birding tour with Xavier Munoz and we were at Reserva Amagusa, about as close to heaven as a birder can get. The bird on my hand at the beginning of the video is a Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager.

There are not enough superlatives to adequately describe this place. We never even made it to the trails because the feeders were amazing and I was having so much fun. We saw species here that we did not see anywhere else, including #1 on my most-wanted list, Glistening-green Tanager. I would have been happy with one of these gorgeous birds, but we got an entire family and even watched the parents feed their babies.

The pretty little Rufous-throated Tanagers, another species that we did not see anywhere else, quickly became a favorite.

Have I mentioned that I love tanagers? Here are a few more beauties we enjoyed seeing at Amagusa – Golden, Golden-naped, and Flame-faced Tanagers. A Flame-faced Tanager ate from my hand in addition to the birds featured in the video.

I was also happy to see Toucan Barbets again. I wondered if this was a pair, but they look alike. The male and female Red-headed Barbet look quite different. These musings sent me on another quest for information and I learned some fascinating things about this iconic bird of the cloud forest. First, Red-headed Barbet is a member of the New World barbet family (Capitonidae), but the Toucan Barbet belongs to a different family (Semnornithidae) that may be more closely related to toucans. The sexes are the same except that the male has an “erectile black tuft on the nape.” Yeah, I didn’t notice that detail or lack thereof on either bird. These barbets may start their day singing a duet between the male and female before foraging for 12 hours. Also fascinating is that Toucan Barbets are cooperative nesters with offspring from previous years sticking around to help the parents care for their younger siblings. This does not occur in other neotropical barbets.

We spent a little time birding along quiet roads in the afternoons. I enjoyed seeing the beautiful Ecuadorian landscape.

The roadsides were filled with lush vegetation like this.

One afternoon, we had a very special treat. Xavier has friends everywhere and one alerted him to this magnificent bird, a Lyre-tailed Nightar, roosting in a steep wooded hill by the side of the road in a nearby small town. The spectacular white-tipped tail feathers of the male are over two feet long! He is well-camouflaged, though, and it would have been hard to spot the bird from the road without the white tips to the tail. This is not a common bird, so we were lucky to see it.

Each of our three nights at Sachatamia, we got back to the lodge early enough for some time at the feeders. I have seen Collared Aracari many times, but they are a cool bird and always fun to see.

Watching the many hummingbirds was fun, too, although I found most of them challenging to photograph. I was happy if I just got something interesting like this Fawn-breasted Brilliant trying to protect its feeder from a Brown Violetear.

Just like at home, squirrels loved the bird feeders, but the Red-tailed Squirrels did not seem as aggressive as our Eastern Gray Squirrels. A little research on these two species indicated that my impression was right. Red-tailed Squirrels are solitary and quiet; Eastern Gray Squirrels are described as aggressive and active.

I was a little sad when our stay at Sachatamia came to an end early on the morning of April 23. I loved the beautiful lodge with the wonderful feeders, good food including my favorite drinks and desserts of the trip, and the kind people who worked there. On one occasion it was raining when we returned to the lodge and a guy ran out to the car with an umbrella to greet me.

More adventures awaited on the other side of the Andes, but first we had one more stop in the area northwest of Quito. The Birdwatcher’s House is aptly named. It is a beautiful little lodge created by a birder for birders. Visitors may also visit the blinds and gardens during the day. It was here that I had my first experience with what I call moth blinds. The blind here is a traditional structure with a narrow window along the length and plastic chairs inside. Two large white sheets are placed at right angles to the blind about 40-50 feet apart. In between the sheets is a natural area with logs and low vegetation. Lights directed towards the sheets are left on all night. At dawn, this creates magic for birders when normally shy birds can be observed as they come for a breakfast of yummy moths. Below, a Strong-billed Woodcreeper plucks a month from the sheet. We also observed several species that are normally very difficult to see including Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, Uniform Antshrike, and Streak-capped Treehunter.

After the “Moths for Breakfast” show, we spent some time watching the hummingbird and banana feeders. In addition to the five life birds that I got at the moth blinds, I also got my lifer Blue-capped Tanager. I love its cute yellow “pants.”

My favorite bird of the morning was another lifer, a spectacular Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan. eBird summarizes it as “Extraordinary and iconic toucan of Andean cloud forest in northwestern Ecuador, just barely reaching southwestern Colombia.” The Birdwatcher’s House is probably the best location to see this bird so well. The photo below was taken with my camera, but I also have cell phone photos that are nearly as good.

It was the perfect way to say goodbye to the Chocó cloud forest. We left The Birdwatcher’s House and started driving east towards Papallacta Pass.

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Ecuador 2021: Sachatamia (Part 1 of 6)

Posted in Travel for Birding, tagged Andean Emerald, Blue-necked Tanager, Central American Agouti, Flame-faced Tanager, Flame-rumped Tanager, Giant Antpitta, Lined Tanager, Monarch butterfly, Moustached Antpitta, Neblina Forest, Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Red-headed Barbet, Sachatamia Lodge, Scrub Tanager, Toucan Barbet, Yellow-breasted Antpitta on May 16, 2021| 2 Comments »

Going to Ecuador was an impulsive decision, but that’s how most of my trips start. For a year, I knew that I wouldn’t travel until I was vaccinated for Covid-19 and I didn’t make any plans. But, then after I was fully vaccinated, the travel bug suddenly hit me hard. The next thing I knew I was planning a private trip with Xavier Munoz of Neblina Forest Birding Tours. After exchanging a few email messages, we had an itinerary and I bought plane tickets.

My flights went smoothly and after a very long day, I arrived in Quito at 9:30 pm on April 19. Xavier and his son, Francisco, who would be our driver for the trip, met me at the airport and whisked me off to Puembo Birding Garden (PBG), a lovely little hotel surrounded by a natural garden, where I would stay on my first night. After a few hours sleep, I had coffee and breakfast and got ready to leave. I was relieved that Xavier was a bit late so that I had time for some birding. I started the day with two life birds, Saffron Finch and Scrub Tanager (pictured below), in the lovely PBG garden. Later I learned that Xavier wasn’t late at all; my phone had not adjusted to the local time as I’d expected and it was an hour ahead.

Life bird #3 appeared immediately after we left PBG, three Croaking Ground Doves near the road. We stopped the car to get out for a good look and I even heard one croaking!

Xavier had known that I would be tired and planned the perfect first day with stops at multiple locations with feeders as we worked our way northwest towards Sachatamia Lodge. The day was filled with hummingbirds and tanagers. I had seen most of these species on my trip to Ecuador in 2013, but I didn’t have many photos from that trip, so a lot of birds felt like lifers. I frequently joke that when you have a bad memory, every time is like the first time. I found that I just didn’t remember the birds that I had not photographed on my earlier trip like this gorgeous Blue-necked Tanager; it felt like a life bird.

I especially enjoyed our visit to Mindoloma Bird Lodge where we were so close to a Crimson-rumped Toucanet that I got good photos and a video with my cell phone.

The male and female Red-headed Barbets at Alambi Cloud Forest Lodge were also nice to see.

A hummingbird that we saw frequently in the area west of the Andes was the pretty Andean Emerald.

We arrived at Sachatamia Lodge in time for some late afternoon birding. I loved Sachatamia because they had hummingbird feeders AND banana feeders. In Panama and Costa Rica they feed various fruits, but in Ecuador I saw only bananas and only on the west side of the Andes. A few of the birds enjoying bananas that afternoon at Sachatamia were the Flame-faced, White-lined, and Flame-rumped Tanagers and Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager below.

A couple of Agoutis also came to forage under the feeders. I have always enjoyed all wildlife, but since I created an iNaturalist account last year (username shelleydee), I’m learning more. Agoutis are common in middle America and I thought they was a species of rodent, but nope. The name agouti refers to about a dozen species of rodents of the genus Dasyprocta, separated mainly by geographic range. All of those that I have seen are Central American Agouti, which ranges from southern Mexico to northwest Ecuador.

At dinner the first night, we realized that although I had been to Refugio Paz de las Aves on my 2013 trip, Angel currently had several cooperative antpittas that I had not seen. Xavier quickly arranged a visit for the next morning and we arrived a little after 7:00 AM.

Antpitta #1 was the famous Maria (probably the 6th generation since the original Maria), the Giant Antpitta that started Angel Paz on the way to worldwide fame among birders. Prior to 2005, Angel was logging the cloud forest on family property and hunting birds on the land for food. A Cock-of-the-Rock lek was discovered on the property and Angel began charging birders to see the birds. One day a normally secretive and elusive Giant Antpitta was spied eating worms on the path before it quickly disappeared into the forest. A friend suggested that birders would pay even more to see the antpitta. With tremendous patience, Angel was finally able to get the bird to take worms from him and even come when called. Since then, thousands of birders have been delighted to hear Angel call out “Maria! Maria! Venga venga venga!” It’s a major ecotourism success story with wins for everyone. Angel and his family have enough income for a decent life, the birds and their habitat are protected, and birders are thrilled to see these special birds. Noah Strycker visited Angel Paz during his world big year in 2015 and tells the story in more detail here Day 72: Birding With a Local Legend.

The previous day’s vacation from physical exertion was over. We climbed moderately strenuous trails into the rainforest to see the antpittas. The second one of the morning, a Yellow-breasted Antpitta, was even more shy than Maria. I was told that she had babies to feed since she was gathering worms rather than gobbling them up on the spot.

We had a little break at the banana feeders where I got another life bird, Toucan Barbet, one of over 50 endemic bird species of the Chocó bioregion of western Colombia and Ecuador. The Chocó bioregion is one of the most species rich areas on earth, supporting a total of over 900 species of birds.

Next we went in search of Ochre-breasted Antpitta, the only one of the day’s antpittas that I had seen in 2013. Angel names all of the birds that he feeds and he calls this one Shakira because it does a little dance, which was quite adorable.

The last antpitta of the morning was Moustached Antpitta. This one did not come when called. Finally, Angel’s brother found the female on the nest and set up a scope a respectful distance away. The half dozen birders took turns quietly walking up the hill to the scope, which was 30 feet or so off the path in the forest, to take a quick peek at the bird. I was last and just before it was my turn, Xavier saw another Moustached Antpitta on the other side of the trail giving us all a much better view.

These fantastic birds were enough to make this a wonderful morning, but they were not all it included. Snacks were served after viewing the antpittas, including the most delicious empanadas I’ve ever eaten. We had snacks at many of the places we visited; those at Refugio Paz de las Aves were the best.

There were a few butterflies in the garden and I was surprised to see a Monarch. Once again, submitting a sighting to iNaturalist sent me on a quest to learn more. Virtually everyone in eastern North America is familiar with “our” Monarch, a migratory butterfly that winters in Mexico. But, I had no idea that these migration super powers have led to the spread of the same Monarch species, Danaus plexippus, to Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Five non-migratory subspecies occur in the neotropical region with the nigrippus subspecies occurring on both sides of the Andes. No wonder the Monarch is the best-known and well-loved butterfly in the world! Xavier Munoz took the photograph below at Refugio Paz de las Aves on the day we visited.

Stay tuned, friends, for much more to come. This covers only the first two days of 14 full days of birding.

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Birding Trip Plan C (Part 1 of 2)

Posted in Travel for Birding, tagged American Lotus, Birding, Birds, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Blue Grosbeak, Bombay Hook NWR, Common Yellowthroat, Gray Catbird, Great Egret, Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, Kentucky Warbler, Least Sandpiper, Little Blue Heron, Maryland, Seaside Sparrow, Soldiers Delight Environmental Area on July 23, 2020| 1 Comment »

Plan A was hatched last fall when the world was still normal. I would drive to Michigan in late May to see Kirtland’s Warblers on their breeding grounds, continue north into Canada and drive the northern shore of Lake Superior, and then spend some time in Sax Zim Bog in Minnesota before returning home. I had scheduled Erik Bruhnke to guide me one day at Sax Zim and I hoped that Diane could join us. Derek might also be able to share part of the adventure with me. When the coronavirus didn’t “just disappear,” that plan became not just inadvisable, but impossible as Canada closed its border.

Plan B was that Derek and I would do an abbreviated version of the trip, perhaps getting as far as South Dakota, where we could both meet some geographical birding targets and perhaps even get a few life birds. But, as the coronavirus got worse instead of better, we didn’t want to stay in hotels.

A large pond of American Lotus at Swan Harbor Farm Park in Havre de Grace, MD

In a last ditch effort to find something both safe and interesting, Derek invited me to Maryland. We could base our travels around his home outside Baltimore, which would put us within two to three hours of several mid-Atlantic states and some excellent birding spots. I left home in North Carolina on July 8, a day earlier than planned, when a Ruff showed up in Virginia. We planned to meet there, but that plan, too, changed when Derek called me mid-morning and said that the Ruff was gone. I reset my GPS for Derek’s home and continued my drive.

We set out for Bombay Hook NWR on our first day of birding, one of the places that I most wanted to go. I hoped to see Saltmarsh and Seaside Sparrows, both species that I have seen only a few times. Saltmarsh Sparrows declined to make an appearance for us, however, we enjoyed cute Marsh Wrens singing in the reeds and this Seaside Sparrow made me very happy.

Seaside Sparrow along the Saltmarsh Boardwalk at Bombay Hook NWR

Gulls, terns, shorebirds, herons, and others made for wonderful birding. The only thing keeping the day from perfection was the constant biting flies. They bit so hard that I had blood running down my legs in a few spots and we wondered if they wanted a chunk of flesh to go with our blood. Later, Derek found the explanation on the Assateague Island National Seashore Facebook page, “Why are greenheads just so nasty?” The short answer to why the bites hurt so badly is that the female greenhead “will probe the surface area to find a place packed with multiple capillaries to feed from a large pool. Then she will use her scissor-like mouth parts to bite and begin sucking blood. As she continues to draw your blood, other mouth parts begin to work her deeper and deeper into your skin.” It was well worth it, though, to see these beautiful birds!

Least Sandpiper on Delaware’s Slaughter Beach

After we completed the wildlife drive at Bombay Hook, we drove to nearby Slaughter Beach. We were surprised to see Northern Mockingbirds on the actual beach. After watching a few minutes, we saw the mockingbirds and Red-winged Blackbirds feeding on horseshoe crabs that had washed up and were scattered all along the water’s edge. Across the road at the saltmarsh, Derek’s sharp eyes caught a brief look at a Saltmarsh Sparrow that I missed and we both saw more Seaside Sparrows.

We worked our way back into Maryland and finished the day with a stop at Daniel Crouse Memorial Park, a nice end to a big day of birding.

At Daniel Crouse Memorial Park, a female Blue Grosbeak with a grasshopper for her babies

Friday started with a hike at Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area, 1,900 acres of the largest serpentine barrens in Maryland and one of the few surviving examples on the east coast of this rare environment. Our targets were Prairie Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Summer Tanager, all of which breed in the scrub habitat. We found Prairie Warblers on the trail through the barrens and Yellow-breasted Chats at a nearly overlook, but we didn’t find any Summer Tanagers. During my entire visit, we had very little luck with passerines in the hot July days.

We had time for several more birding forays that afternoon, including a stop to see a Peregrine Falcon on a water tower. My favorite spot was North Point State Park where we found seven Little Blue Herons around the marshy edges of the lake – three dark blue adults, two white juveniles, and two immature birds sporting calico or pied plumage. Little Blue Herons are white when they leave the nest, helping them blend into flocks of aggressive Snowy Egrets more easily. It takes two years to achieve the full adult plumage. For a short time during the transition from white to blue, one-year-old Little Blue Herons look like the beautiful bird below.

Little Blue Heron at North Point SP

We headed to West Virginia on Saturday with the goal of upping my state list from 34 to 50. It was more challenging without beaches, but I ended the day with exactly 50 species on my WV bird list. My favorite spot was Stauffer’s Marsh Nature Preserve. In addition to a few nice birds, we saw this beautiful Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, Hemaris thysbe.

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth at Stauffer’s Marsh Nature Preserve

Our West Virginia day ended with some fun and relaxing time at Baker Park in Frederick, Maryland, where we enjoyed observing a breeding colony of Black-crowned Night-Herons. This was only the second time that I have ever seen tame night-herons. The following photos were taken just a few feet away from the birds.

Juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron at Baker Park

Adult Black-crowned Night-Heron at Baker Park

Susquehanna State Park is the premier birding destination in northeastern Maryland and that’s where we headed on Sunday. Again, passerines (perching birds) were more scarce than we expected. Where were the warblers foraging with their youngsters? But, we found a Kentucky Warbler right away and I had a very satisfying experience with this species that I don’t see often. This gorgeous bird was still singing when we left and we probably could have watched him for as long as we liked.

Kentucky Warbler at Susquehanna State Park

It wasn’t a warbler, but at least the Gray Catbirds were out with just fledged juveniles in the picnic area.

Juvenile Gray Catbird at Susquehanna State Park

After leaving Susquehanna SP, we went to Swan Harbor Farm Park and added a few more birds to my growing Maryland list. Here’s a close-up of American Lotus, Nelumbo lutea, that covered a pond there and was shown in the first photo in this post.

American Lotus at Swan Harbor Farm Park

We spent most of Monday in Pennsylvania, first at William H. Kain County Park and then at Richard M. Nixon County Park. I had been to these spots in previous trips and it was nice to visit again.

A Great Egret in the beautiful, but horrible non-native invasive Purple Loosestrife at Kain County Park

One warbler that we did see and hear nearly everywhere was Common Yellowthroat.

Male Common Yellowthroat at Richard M. Nixon County Park

We saw many beautiful birds in just five days and my visit was only half over! Watch for Part 2.

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Costa Rica 2019: Savegre Valley (Part 3 of 3)

Posted in Travel for Birding, tagged Acorn Woodpecker, Costa Rica, Epic Nature Tours, Flame-colored Tanager, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Hairy Woodpecker, Large-footed Finch, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, Northern Emerald-Toucanet, Resplendent Quetzal, Savegre Valley, Scintillant Hummingbird, Silver-throated Tanager, Slaty Flowerpiercer, Spangle-cheeked Tanager, Talamanca Hummingbird, Talamancan Palm-pitviper, Tennessee Warbler, Tufted Flycatcher, Volcano Junco, Yellow-thighed Brushfinch on February 10, 2020| 1 Comment »

After breakfast and a little birding around Guayabo Lodge on the morning of December 12, we headed up a steep and mostly unpaved road towards Irazu Volcano. We hoped to get a view down into the volcano crater and also see some high-elevation birds. But when we reached the entrance to the national park, the cloud cover was so thick that we could barely see the road. It didn’t make sense to spend time there, so we slowly started towards Savegre Hotel Natural Reserve & Spa in the Savegre Valley.

After a couple of quick stops for birding along the way, we arrived at our hotel mid-afternoon. We were thrilled to see two Long-tailed Silky-flycatchers before we even checked in.

Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher

The accommodations on this trip were all excellent with Savegre Hotel being the best. The only other place I’ve ever stayed on a birding trip that was as nice was Tiger Camp in India. I quickly got settled in my room and then went out to meet Paul for a little pre-dinner birding.

Within minutes I had another life bird right outside my room, a Slaty Flowerpiercer. These birds live on a diet of insects and nectar. A flowerpiercer will perch on a branch or flower stalk and pierce the base of the flower with its hooked bill. It then extracts the flower’s nectar with its tongue. The bird “cheats” by obtaining sweet nectar without providing any pollination services to the plant.

Slaty Flowerpiercer

After a wonderful dinner at the hotel restaurant, we headed back towards our rooms. We were stopped in our tracks when we saw this gorgeous snake right in front of us. Paul immediately knew that it was something rare and special, but all of us could see that it was incredibly beautiful. After taking a few photos, I went on to my room. Later I learned that it was rare and special indeed – a Talamancan Palm-pitviper which was just discovered in 2016.

Talamancan palm-pitviper, Bothriechis nubestris

The following morning we met our guide, Marino, shortly after 5:00 AM to look for Resplendent Quetzal. We slowly drove down the road from the lodge and soon saw a large crowd. Many cars were parked on the side of the road and birders were watching the trees with binoculars, scopes, and cameras. Knowing that they must be watching a quetzal, we parked, too, and soon saw our target bird in the trees. Marino had me follow him as he quickly moved from one spot to another to get the best views. Over the next few minutes we saw a total of three Resplendent Quetzals – a very exciting start to the day.

We saw many birds with Marino that morning. Some of my favorites were the Golden-browed Chlorophonias we watched in a little apple orchard. We had good looks with the scope, but I wanted to get closer, so Marino climbed up the hill with me – carrying a heavy scope – and made sure that I got good looks and photos of the birds.

Golden-browed Chlorophonia

We also saw a Scintillant Hummingbird on her nest, Sulphur-winged Parakeets, Spot-crowned Woodcreeper, Black-faced Solitaire, and too many others to list. The hotel grounds were beautiful and included this lovely pond and garden.

Garden at Savegre Hotel

Lunch was at the famous Miriam’s Restaurant, a favorite with birders because of the amazing feeders behind the deck in addition to excellent food (especially the fresh mountain trout, which I had both days we ate there). The next four photos were all taken at Miriam’s that day.

Scintillant Hummingbird

Flame-colored Tanager

Acorn Woodpecker

I counted six Acorn Woodpeckers at Miriam’s that day and could easily have missed some. Everyone enjoyed watching these colorful woodpeckers with the clown face, but what really attracted attention was this little Hairy Woodpecker. It appeared much smaller and darker than the birds we see at home. There are 17 subspecies of Hairy Woodpecker with significant variation across their wide geographic range.

Hairy Woodpecker

Next we went to Batsu Gardens, a favorite spot for photographers. I shot the Silver-throated Tanager below at the area set up for photos.

Silver-throated Tanager

I also photographed this Tennessee Warbler at that spot. Although it’s a familiar bird that I see at home, this may be my favorite photo of the entire trip.

Tennessee Warbler

Tufted Flycatcher was one of the life birds that I got at Batsu Gardens. There were two individuals and they could not have been more cooperative as they returned to their favorite perches time and again after sallying out for insects.

Tufted Flycatcher

On our final full day, we started by heading to the mountain at the top of Savegre Valley, Cerro de la Muerte (“Hill of Death”). Several species of birds can only be found in the paramo at the top above the tree line. And, most of those birds are skulty and challenging to see, especially for me with my crappy vision. So, I missed a couple of species, but with persistence and Paul’s help, I did finally get a look at a Peg-billed Finch. No one has ever worked harder than Paul did to help me see difficult birds. The Volcano Juncos were more numerous and cooperative.

Volcano Junco

It was back to Miriam’s for another fabulous trout lunch and more time at the magic feeders.

Talamanca Hummingbird

This afternoon we had two toucanets, one of my favorite birds.

Northern Emerald-Toucanet

The Yellow-thighed Brushfinch kindly showed off his thighs!

Yellow-thighed Brushfinch

The most exciting moment was when a breathtaking male Resplendent Quetzal few in to the trees behind the feeder area. We shared this wonderful experience with a few other birders who were there. I enjoyed talking with Mike Canzoneri, an American living in Costa Rica, and I was standing beside him when we saw the quetzal. Mike generously shared the photo that he took that afternoon and gave me his permission to use it in this post.

Resplendent Quetzal. Photo by Mike Canzoneri.

I could have stayed at Miriam’s forever, so when the others left to go shopping at a local indigenous craft store, I stayed for more birds. I saw a few that I had not seen the previous day and also enjoyed better looks at some of the same birds. You can actually see the big feet on the Large-footed Finch in this photo.

Large-footed Finch

Finally, I had to say goodbye to Miriam’s and we started back to the hotel. We made a stop at another craft store; Paul and I birded instead of shopping. We were rewarded with great looks at two Spangle-cheeked Tanagers, a bird that I had missed earlier and very much wanted to see. This species can only be found in Costa Rica and western Panama.

Spangle-cheeked Tanager

The next morning, December 15, it was time to head to the airport for our flights home. What a trip! Incredible scenery, birds, snakes and other wildlife, wonderful food and lodging, and excellent guiding – the Epic Nature Tours trip led by Paul and Amanda was a wonderful success. I can’t wait to go back again!

Left to Right: Paul, Amanda, “Resplendent Quetzal”, Diane, Shelley

More of my photos can be seen in eBird Costa Rica 2019:

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Costa Rica 2019: Yorkin and Guayabo (Part 2 of 3)

Posted in Travel for Birding, tagged Barred Antshrike, Bribri Indigenous Village, Common Today-Flycatcher, Costa Rica, Crested Guan, Crimson-fronted Parakeet, Epic Nature Tours, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Gray Hawk, Laughing Falcon, Mistletoe Tyrannulet, Red-lored Parrot, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Yorkin River on February 8, 2020| 2 Comments »

On December 9, we left our little spot of paradise on the Caribbean coast and started towards Yorkin where we would spend the night in the Bribri indigenous village, which can be reached only by boat. We traveled up the Yorkin River in a long wooden dugout canoe with a motor assist piloted by Bribri men who were highly skilled in navigating the fast-flowing river. It took about an hour for the travel up the rock-filled Yorkin River which runs along the border with Panama.

Traveling up the Yorkin River

After we climbed up the riverbank trail, we were immersed in the culture of the Bribri people. We would not have Internet or electricity for our nearly 24 hours there. But, those things were not missed at all as we explored the grounds, ate simple meals, and learned all about chocolate and how to process it into an edible form. The best part of the chocolate demonstration was the taste-testing at the end – absolutely delicious!

Our home for the night

The Bribri support their village mostly by farming bananas and cocoa, but they have also begun allowing visitors. The added income from tourism is helping the village to be self-sufficient and maintain their traditional way of living.

I particularly enjoyed the “pets” of the Bribri village – a Crested Guan and several parrots. The guan was quite bold and even came into the thatched huts, where he was promptly shooed outside.

Crested Guan

The parrots were quite tame and allowed me to get close for photos.

Red-lored Parrot

Crimson-fronted Parakeet

Birding was not our main reason for visiting the Bribri village, but we did see birds. Perhaps most exciting were two Short-tailed Nighthawks flying around just before dark. The time went quickly and after breakfast and a little birding around the village the next morning, it was time to head back to civilization.

The beautiful Yorkin River

On the way back, the boat suddenly stopped and the boatman pulled us over to one side of the river. None of us had noticed it, but the sharp-eyed Bribri man had spied a Gray Hawk in a tree on the side of the river and he knew that we would want to see it.

Gray Hawk

The afternoon brought our drive to Turrialba with a pleasant stop for lunch at Restaurante Mirador Sitio de Angostura where we had a nice meal and saw a few birds including the Rufous-tailed Hummingbird and the Common Today-Flycatcher below.

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Common Today-Flycatcher

Later that afternoon, we arrived at Guayabo Lodge, where we would spend the next two nights. The lodge was inviting and comfortable and the gardens surrounding it were beautiful and birdy. I loved mornings at the lodge; we had coffee on the veranda while we watched birds. The day after our arrival, we went to Guayabo National Monument. My favorite bird of the morning was a female Golden-olive Woodpecker working on a nest.

Golden-olive Woodpecker (female)

That afternoon back at the lodge was one of my favorite times of the entire trip. We casually birded the hotel grounds, sometimes together and sometimes drifting apart. I enjoyed close-up looks at common birds like Great Kiskadee, Social Flycatcher, and Rufous-collared Sparrow as well as the less familiar Melodious Blackbird, Brown Jay, and Scarlet-rumped Tanager – all of which came to the fruit feeders. One of my favorite birds that came to the feeder was this Barred Antshrike.

Barred Antshrike

The Mistletoe Tyrannulet did not come to the feeders, but it was quite cooperative and I was happy to get my best looks ever at this species.

Mistletoe Tyrannulet

I was enjoying watching and photographing these accommodating birds so much that I stayed in the gardens when the others went for a hike to a nearby waterfall. Suddenly, Paul came running back and breathlessly said, “Come quick, we’ve got a Laughing Falcon.” Paul and I ran as fast as we could for the 200 or so meters back to where Amanda was still watching and photographing the falcon. It was closer than any of us had ever dreamed we would see one. It continued to stay a while longer, moving its head and looking around, but otherwise appearing relaxed. We were all thrilled to see this gorgeous bird so close.

Laughing Falcon

I fell asleep that night listening to a Common Pauraque calling outside my hotel window. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day.

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Costa Rica 2019: Caribbean Coast (Part 1 of 3)

Posted in Travel for Birding, tagged American Pygmy Kingfisher, Ara Manzanillo, Black River Turtle, Collared Plover, Congo Bongo Ecolodge, Costa Rica, Emerald Basilisk, Epic Nature Tours, Eyelash Viper, Gray-capped Flycatcher, Great Green Macaw, Orange Rusty Wandering Spider, Resplendent Quetzal, Rufous-naped Wren, Spectacled Caiman, Sunbittern, Swamp Lily, white-faced Capuchin monkey on February 6, 2020| 1 Comment »

Resplendent Quetzal is the species that most birders want to see on their first trip to Costa Rica. And, why not? It’s a gorgeous bird, among the most beautiful in the world. But, I optimistically assumed that we would see the quetzal and put Sunbittern at the top of my most-wanted list. It’s also an amazing bird which I had hoped to see in Panama in 2017, but the birding gods had not favored me with a sighting. I won’t keep you in suspense – I was fortunate to see both the quetzal and the Sunbittern. But, let’s start at the beginning.

Resplendent Quetzal

I was not actively looking for a trip last fall, but Costa Rica had been on my mind. When the Carolina Bird Club announced a trip with Amanda and Paul Laurent of Epic Nature Tours, I almost ignored it. But, I didn’t ignore it; I called to ask about the trip. Amanda told me that due to quirks of scheduling only one couple was signed up, but they would run the trip regardless of the number of participants. Because of poor vision, I struggle in large groups, so I quickly decided that this was a unique opportunity. It would be worth the stress of squeezing it into my schedule between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I flew to San Jose on December 4. Paul and Amanda met me and the other participants, Diane and Gary, at the airport and whisked us off for a meal before checking into our hotel. Our first new birds were right in the hotel parking lot – Hoffmann’s Woodpecker and a cute little Rufous-naped Wren.

Rufous-naped Wren

The following morning we were on our way towards Manzanillo on the Caribbean coast where we would spend the next four nights. We arrived at Congo Bongo Ecolodge mid-afternoon after several birding stops and lunch along our drive from San Jose. The lodge has nice trails, including one that leads right to the beach, where we headed after settling in our rooms. It was a lovely spot and it had birds, including my most-wanted shorebird, Collared Plover, a life bird for me.

Collared Plover

December isn’t officially the rainy season, but it rained anyway. Paul and Amanda were quick to adjust our schedule day by day and it didn’t feel like we missed a thing. The lodge was so lovely that I think we all actually enjoyed having a little more time there due to a couple of rainy mornings.

Amanda making breakfast for us in our open-air kitchen

Our bedrooms were at each end of the house and the kitchen, an eating area, and hammocks were in the large open-air middle part. Even without nets, we had no bugs. It was truly a tropical paradise!

The patio on the other side of our house

Eyelash Viper

On our first full day we went to Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge. We saw birds, but the highlight was an Eyelash Viper, which gets its name from the enlarged scales over its eyes.

Eyelash Vipers are one of the smallest venomous species in Central America, reaching only 22-32 inches (females are larger than males). These nocturnal pit vipers live in trees and palms and are not usually aggressive towards humans unless threatened. They come in a wide variety of colors; ours was a beautiful yellow/gold.

Also in yellow was this Gray-capped Flycatcher, another life bird for me, that we saw on one of our stops near Manzanillo.

Gray-capped Flycatcher

The next day we spent the morning kayaking on the Punta Uva River. The river was beautiful with thick vegetation of both sides and we saw quite a bit of wildlife.

Black River Turtles

I photographed this caiman on our journey up the river. Later, when we passed by again on our way back, it didn’t appear as if it had moved an inch.

Spectacled Caiman

We paddled as far upriver as it was passable, and then Paul and Abel, our local guide, knowing how much I wanted to see a Sunbittern, walked a ways into the rainforest with me following a small stream in hopes of finding our target bird. This location was the only one in our itinerary where we had a realistic chance of finding the sought-after bird so we wanted to try as hard as possible to find one. Our quest was unsuccessful, so we abandoned our hopes and started back down the river. We paddled a short distance and then suddenly, magically, two Sunbitterns appeared right in front of us!

Sunbittern

That afternoon we visited the Ara Project, now Ara Manzanillo, a conservation initiative working to save the endangered Great Green Macaw from extinction. We were thrilled to watch 35 to 40 macaws enjoy their afternoon feeding.

Great Green Macaws

On our last full day on the Caribbean Coast, we had a long 7-hour walk at Cahuita National Park. Like other areas near the coast, the park was teeming with wildlife. We saw so many “lizards” that I couldn’t keep up with all of them. This Emerald Basilisk was especially accommodating about a photo op.

Emerald Basilisk

One of my favorite creatures was this big gorgeous spider. This one, Orange Rusty Wandering Spider, is harmless, but it is sometimes confused with Brazilian Wandering Spider, the world’s most toxic and dangerous spider. Fortunately, Paul is not only an expert birder, but also an expert on spiders, snakes, and lizards.

Orange Rusty Wandering Spider, Cupiennius getazi

There were pretty flowers in the rainforest, too.

Swamp Lily, Crinum erubescens

And, of course, we saw birds. The avian highlight for me was an American Pygmy Kingfisher. The others had a brief look at one, but I missed it. Abel patiently waited with me for the bird to reappear while the rest of our group walked on. We were rewarded with an extremely cooperative female who put on quite a show for us flying back and forth, but also sitting still for photos.

American Pygmy Kingfisher

Near the end of our walk, we encountered a large group of white-faced Capuchin monkeys. Capuchins are highly intelligent animals known for their ability to use tools. The only other primates that use tools are chimpanzees and orangutans (and humans, of course). Fascinated, we watched for quite a while, especially enjoying the young monkeys playing, but the little ones didn’t hold still for photos.

White-faced Capuchin Monkey

We had a quick stop on our way back to the lodge for a Northern Jacana on the side of the road and then our wonderful day was done except for dinner. This was also the end of our time on the Caribbean coast as we would check out of Congo Bongo and head to the Bribri indigenous community in the morning.