Ecuador day 5 and 6, Mashpi and Milpi

Velvet Purple Coronet, Mashpi area, Ecuador, Nov 20, 2015

Golden Tanager, Mashpi area, Ecuador, Nov 20, 2015

Golden naped Tanager, Mashpi area, Ecuador, Nov 20, 2015

Violet tailed Sylph, Mashpi area, Ecuador, Nov 20, 2015

Glistening Green Tanager, Mashpi area, Ecuador, Nov 20, 2015

Empress Brilliant, Mashpi area, Ecuador, Nov 20, 2015

Lyre tailed Nightjar, Mashpi area, Ecuador, Nov 20, 2015

The morning and early afternoon of Friday the 20th was spent in Mashpi which is a bit lower in elevation than the lodge and is located in the foothills. We walked the road down and then spent some time at a local house that had some fruit feeders and hummingbird feeders out. The walk down the road produced quite a few birds but intermittent fog made viewing tough at times. The feeders were very active and produced a number of hummingbirds including Velvet purple Coronet, Empress Brilliant, Green Thorntail and Violet tailed Slyph among others. The feeders also produced tanagers as well including Flame faced, Golden, Moss backed and Blue gray Tanagers. Once we finished up with those feeders after the arrival of another large group of birders we walked part of the road back up and ran across more mixed species flocks. Lots of good birds but the large group of birders followed us and scared a lot of stuff away. We got ahead of them and made it to another set of fruit feeders that held additional tanagers including Black throated Mountain Tanager plus Moss backed and Rufous throated Tanagers. We then headed back out again with a stop for lunch before working a few more stretches of road further out which produced more birds including a roosting Lyre tailed Nightjar. We arrived back at the lodge in late afternoon in the rain and I spent some more time checking out the hummingbird feeders which produced double digit species variety once again. We managed to avoid rain for the day and only had to contend with some fog and light drizzle a couple times.  A total of 99 species for the day was quite respectable.

Full lists: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26008994
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26009176

Choco Toucan, Milpi, Ecuador, Nov 21, 2015

White necked Jacobin, Milpi, Ecuador, Nov 21, 2015

Booted Racket-tail, Tandayapa Lodge, Ecuador, Nov 21, 2015

Andean Emerald, Tandayapa Lodge, Ecuador, Nov 21, 2015

On Saturday the 21st we headed down to Milpi which is situated about midway between Rio Silanche and Mashpi and therefore contained species from both areas (as well as some new ones). The hummingbird and fruit feeders there held quite a few birds with numbers of White necked Jacobins, Crowned Woodnymph and a nice selection of tanagers and euphonias. The road just outside produced our best looks yet at both Choco and Black mandibled Toucans. We then walked the trails but they were actually quite quiet but we did manage two species of manakin (Golden winged and Club winged). We then went up the road just a bit to another set of trails in the jungle and landed a few mixed species flocks. By the time we finished up it was a bit after noontime and we made a short drive into town to eat a nice, warm meal at a restaurant overlooking the Rio Blanco. The restaurant also had feeders which produced more hummingbirds and good numbers and variety of tanagers. On our way back to the lodge we took the rough dirt road over the mountain into the Tandayapa valley. We walked a short bit along the road but the rain started falling quite heavy so we ditched that plan and drove down the rest of the way into the valley. The ride didn't produce much variety but did produce some quality with a Sickle winged Guan and an Andean Cock of the Rock female sitting on a nest. A late afternoon arrival at the lodge in the rain found the feeders as busy as I have seen them with swarms of hummingbirds totaling at least 15 species and dozens of individuals.  We broke a hundred species again today with a total of 103.

Full lists: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26009313
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26009348
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26009394
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26009420

Ecuador day 3 and 4, the Tandayapa Valley and Rio Silanche and species #1000 for me

Plate billed Mountain Toucan, upper Tandayapa Valley, Ecuador, Nov 18, 2015

Beautiful Jay, Tandayapa Lodge, Ecuador, Nov 18, 2015 (life bird #1000)

Red headed Barbet, Tandayapa Lodge, Ecuador, Nov 18, 2015

Fawn breasted Brilliant, Tandayapa Lodge, Ecuador, Nov 18, 2015

Purple throated Woodstar, Tandayapa Lodge, Ecuador, Nov 18, 2015

On Wednesday the 18th we spent the entire day in the Tandayapa Valley which started with a predawn visit to the forest blind. A few lights are left on all night to attract insects and in the morning various species come in to feed. We didn't have anything too unusual but getting decent looks at any ant thrush is always nice. When the activity slackened off at the blind we started the short walk back were quickly stopped by a few Beautiful Jays moving past...I had put my camera away and by the time I got it back out I could only get a few marginal shots...oh well!  The Beautiful Jays became species #1000 for me so I was happy to get any shot of it.  We then had breakfast at the lodge and enjoyed the comings and goings at the hummingbird feeders as well as the fruit feeders. Once breakfast was done we made our way to the upper Tandayapa Valley and had a host of new species to keep us busy including a number of tanagers and hummingbirds. We spent a lot of time trying to attract and get looks at a Plate billed Mountain Toucan and eventually we got a great look. Overall the morning was cloudy which made viewing tough at times. The fog rolled in late morning and it started to rain by midday. We worked our way back down to the lodge for lunch and then spent an hour or so at the hummingbird feeders which attracted at least fifteen species...amazing! By mid afternoon we headed back out around the lodge and then back up the valley a bit. The light rain eventually turned to heavy rain and we then sat in the truck waiting for the weather to clear and it to get to be dusk so we could go try to find a Lyre tailed Nightjar. No luck for us with finding that nightjar but we did have a couple flyby Rufous breasted Nighthawks.

Full lists:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25995359
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25995435
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25995682

Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant with nest material, Rio Silanche, Ecuador, Nov 19, 2015

Laughing Falcon, Rio Silanche, Ecuador, Nov 19, 2015

Collared Aracari (pale mandibled), Rio Silanche, Ecuador, Nov 19, 2015

On Thursday we made the long drive down to the lowlands at Rio Silanche where we spent the morning walking the road to Rio Silanche and the afternoon in the reserve itself before working another part of the road before making our way back to the lodge. The birds came fast and furious in the morning along the road with lots of new species (plus a number I had seen before in Costa Rica). The habitat is quite fragmented and the constant flow of trucks in the early morning heading to the quarry made it less than ideal but the birds did not seem to mind and most showed quite well. Once we got past the quarry the road traffic died right down and it was even more enjoyable. The afternoon walk through the reserves trails were a bit more quiet but what we lacked in quantity we made up for in quality. Many highlights from the afternoon including a few trogon with one being a Choco Trogon, a pair of Black crested Pgymy Tyrants building a nest and many others. It was a very long, but rewarding day and we did not arrive back at the lodge until just before dinner.

Full lists:  

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26008787

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26008864

Ecuador Day 1 and 2 (Quito and Yanacocha)

Sparkling Violetear (first life bird of the trip), Quito, Ecuador, Nov 16, 2015

I arrived in Ecuador very late on the night of Sunday the 15th and then spent the next day in Quito resting up for the next several days of intense birding. During my off day on Monday I spent some time outside in the small courtyard of the the hotel I was in and despite the activities and noise of the city I still managed to find some life birds including two new hummingbirds...Black tailed Trainbearer and Sparkling Violetear. I also added Eared Dove as a new life bird. Mid morning I walked several blocks up to a small city park (Parque La Carolina) and found many of the same birds I had at the hotel but added Great Thrush and Cinereous Conebill. Five new life birds in a day paled in comparison to what the next several days brought me.

Band winged Nightjar, Yanacocha, Ecuador, Nov 17, 2015

Hooded Mountain Tanager, Yanacocha, Ecuador, Nov 17, 2015

Barred Fruiteater, Yanacocha, Ecuador, Nov 17, 2015

Sword billed Hummingbird, Yanacocha, Ecuador, Nov 17, 2015

Turquoise Jay, Nono-Mindo Rd, Ecuador, Nov 17, 2015

Crimson rumped Toucanet, Tandayapa Lodge, Ecuador, Nov 17, 2015

On Tuesday I met the guide for the trip Jose Illanes bright and early in Quito and the group then headed out to Yanacocha, high up in the mountains along the slopes of the Pichincha Volcano. We made a couple of brief stops along the way and added a few species. Once we arrived we spent the next few hours there and were rewarded with a great number of birds including hummingbirds (including the impressive Sword billed Hummingbird among them), Band winged Nightjar, tanagers, fruiteaters and many others . We made it out a few miles to where we intended to turn back and then it started to rain (always happens when you are as far away from the car as possible!). We got soaked on the way back but a little time in the car and some food had us forgetting all about it. We then slowly worked our way toward Tandayapa Lodge along the old Nono-Mindo road with several stops along the way that produced more birds (and more rain!).  We made it to Tandayapa Lodge late in the day in the rain but the hummingbird feeders still put on a show with a dozen plus seen in just a little bit of time. Another noteworthy sighting was a Crimson tailed Toucanet that tried its best to capture a hummingbird but had no success.  The first full day on the tour produced 85 species total with 65 of those life birds.

Check of the valley for geese and other waterfowl

Cackling Goose, UMASS campus pond, Amherst, MA, Nov 29, 2015

Cackling Goose, UMASS campus pond, Amherst, MA, Nov 29, 2015

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 29, 2015

Red necked Grebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 29, 2015

I headed out this morning to try to see if I could catch up with any goose flocks in the area in the hopes of finding something unusual among them (a Pink footed Goose has been in Turners Falls the last few days on and off).  I started off along the river in Hadley and then went north through North Hadley and over to Amherst and then back down south to Hadley again before heading over to the Quabbin area.  Overall the goose numbers were very low but that is not really surprising in fall as the hunting pressure on the birds is quite high and finding good size flocks can be difficult (especially compared to spring).  Nevertheless I still managed to catch up with one unusual goose when I had a Cackling Goose at the campus pond at UMASS. There were no geese in any fields I checked and the only location that had any numbers of geese at all was the campus pond.  Low numbers of other waterfowl around with mostly the typical stuff with Mallards and Black Ducks as well as Hooded Mergansers, Common Goldeneye and a single Red necked Grebe.

Morning around south Quabbin

Mute Swans, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 27, 2015

Common Goldeneyes, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 27, 2015

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 27, 2015

After spending yesterday trying to get over lack of sleep from the previous days and the effects of a cold I got out a little this morning to see what might be around and enjoy some of the unseasonable warmth (50's in the AM climbing to the low 60's).  I stayed close to home with visits to Quabbin Park and Beaver Lake.  Winsor Dam was quiet for birds but I did run into Bob Z. and he mentioned he had the Pink Footed Goose (found by James S. the previous day) leaving the power canal in Turners Falls yesterday so hopefully it is still around and will works its way down the river to Hampshire County.  Quabbin Park produced a little excitement when I got down to Hank's Meadow and saw a group of five swans round the corner near the area of Gate 52.  I really hoped they would be Tundra Swans but they were just Mute Swans (an unusual species at Quabbin but not nearly as good as Tundra Swans would be).  Also had eight Common Goldeneyes, nine Horned Grebes and four Common Loons in the area.  Beaver Lake was a little busier then it has been lately but didn't produce anything unusual.

Back from Ecuador

Choco Toucan, Milpi, Ecuador, Nov 21, 2015

Choco Trogon, Milpi, Ecuador, Nov 21, 2015

Just back from a spectacular trip to Ecuador.  Loads of birds and many, many photos to go through.  I will just put up a couple of digiscoped shots for now.  I'll review the entire trip in upcoming posts but for now this will have to suffice.

Another Franklin's Gull this morning!

Franklin's Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2015

Franklin's Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2015

Franklin's Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2015

With just a short amount of time available to me this morning I managed to turn up a Franklin's Gull for the third consecutive morning at Winsor Dam...crazy!  The bird was not in view when I arrived around six but came in with a group of Ring billed Gulls a few minutes later and stayed for about 15 minutes before heading out to the west with the other gulls around 6:20.  Luckily Steve arrived just in time to see it but unfortunately Bob was a few minutes too late.  I assume it roosted with the other gulls a bit to the north so checking out the birds coming back to roost this evening or stopping at first light tomorrow might turn the bird up again...who knows?  The full list from the morning here:  http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S25837230