Peter James Fullagar: Ecuador day 12

Fantastic views of the snow covered Pichincha volcano to the south and west of Quito

24 February - Sunday. As last time we were the only guests for breakfast in the hotel at 6am - our vehicle arrived to be off at 6.30 (our driver and guide sensibly seeing their respective families overnight).

Pichencha

Torrent

Good for Andean Condors?

Distant Pichincha from the road to Papallacta Pass

Giant's footsteps?

Changing views of Pichincha as the clouds roll in

Birding on the way up to Papallacta Pass

Further up the highway to Papallacta Pass

The reason for this stop. A fine Polylepis tree at the roadside

The exfoliating bark of Polylepis

Pinnate leaves of Polylepis

Polylepis australis, also known locally as Tabaquillo or Queñoa is a South American member of the family Rosaceae. The genus Polylepis originated in eastern South American Andean forests. Polylepis australis is presumed to hold the high altitude record for any woody plant, growing at up to 5,000 m in the Andes. The plant has small, pinnate leaves, 7–10 cm long, normally composed of five or seven leaflets. In harsh winters, Polylepis australis survives by producing rolls of loose, papery like exfoliating brownish bark; the rough outer covering of the woody stem of tree. (text based on Wikipedia entry).

We drove up the old Papallacta road in fairly settled conditions stopping at increasing altitudes to birdwatch the changing terrain. At our first stop we were rewarded with great views of Giant Hummingbird, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker and Azara’s Spinetail.

Crimson-mantled Woodpecker

Heading along the old Papallacta road

Hopeless very distant digiscoped shot of the local Andean Cottontail rabbit.
This is supposed to be the widespread Forest Cottontail Sylvilagus basiliensis but
I really do not believe it. Look at its short ears and rounded face.
Is it an as yet undescribed Andean species?

Looking down on the new highway from the old Papallacta Road

Getting up to and into the Paramo

Polylepis forests on the slope opposite

Tussock grasslands and an alpine flora

A grizzly find but useful.
A road killed rabbit showing some of the features of these Andean Rabbits

Sphagnum

At the top of Papallacta Pass. Raw; very cold and windy!

Lake Papallacta

We eventually reached the top of the Papallacta Pass at 4078 metres (13,380 feet) amid mist and drizzle and managed to see some speciality ‘Paramo’ region species in their bleak tussock habitat, such as Stout-billed Cinclodes and Paramo Ground-Tyrant.

In view of the cold, damp conditions we moved down what were now the eastern slopes of the Andes stretching out into the vast Amazonian basin – but still a very long way away. We stopped for our packed lunch alongside Lake Papallacta but, it being Sunday, there was quite a lot of local disturbance.

We decided to move on to Termas Lodge, our home for the next two nights, arriving soon after 2pm.

Once we’d checked-in and stowed our luggage we took a closer look at our surroundings. At 3300 metres (10,800 feet) we were in a bowl amid towering mountainsides - clearly volcanic in origin, which was confirmed by the steaming hot pools in the lodge grounds being used by hotel guests.

We drove over to the other, better-known Guango Lodge spending time around the many hummingbird feeders and walking along the nearby river bank until dusk.

Gunnera

Views along the track south of Guango Lodge - avoiding the bull!

Eric walking off a decidedly unsafe looking bridge!

Further views along the trail and stream south of Guango Lodge

Today’s bird list came to a total of 70; seven of which were only heard and only one of these was heard only on this day - the Streak-backed Canastero. Another 13 species were only recorded on this day and they were Yellow-billed Pintail, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Red-backed Hawk, Carunculated Caracara, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant, Paremo Ground-Tyrant, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Many-striped Canastero, Paremo Tapaculo, Capped Conebill, Plumbeous Sierra-Finch and Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch. Numerous species today included, apart from species already mentioned, Andean Teal, White-collared Swift, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Tyrian Metaltail, White-bellied Woodstar, Rock Pigeon (feral town birds), Black Phoebe, Great Thrush, Brown-bellied Swallow, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Plain-coloured Seedeater and Black Flower-piercer.

Great Thrush