Peter James Fullagar: Ecuador day 13

Guango Lodge viewed from the stream side

Panorama from the viewing balcony at Cabanas San Isidro

25 February - Monday. As we left the lodge at 6.30 this morning we were reminded of the volcanic nature of the area, seeing one or two guests disappearing into the steam rising from the hot pools. We took our packed breakfast back to Guango Lodge. Near to the lodge a Chestnut-crowned Antpitta had been accustomed to the presence of people by regular feeding and duly showed itself. Afterwards we birded the main trail for a couple of hours in improving, dry conditions and were treated to views of such exciting birds as Turquoise and Inca Jays, Russet-backed Oropendolas and Subtropical and Northern Mountain-Caciques.

Looking for hummers in the garden at Guango Lodge

Beautiful unidentified species of swallow-tailed butterfly seen here today (image by EJP)

Various views and plants along the streamside trail at Guango Lodge

Going beyond this style risked an encounter with a frisky bull!

The "Bridge"

Eric again cheerfully walking on the dodgy bridge!

The reasons why it was deemed unsafe!

A much better prospect!

Walking further down the trail and back onto the road to return to Guango Lodge

At 9.30 we drove along the Quijos road and across the river to San Isidro for lunch. After lunch we birded at the feeders there and took a walk down a nearby unmade road and later paid a visit to the Yanacyacu Butterfly Research station. The weather had stayed mostly fine all day and we made our way back to Termas Lodge in the late afternoon.

The furthest point east that we reached today.
The towers are associated with the oil pipeline running west from the Amazon basin

On the bridge where we watched a Torrent duck feeding.
Also splendid views of a mob of Russet-backed Oropendola
with some of them messing about carrying nesting material

This is the area in which the male Torrent Duck was feeding

A section of the pipeline crossing the river at the bridge

The special Owl found at Cabanas San Isidro.
We did not see it at one of its know daytime roosting sites.
It is the Black-and-white Owl Strix nigrolineata

A fascinating little butterfly associating with dung!

At the butterfly research station

The dog!

Today 99 species were recorded but 13 of them were only heard including three species that were only heard on this day: White-faced Nunbird, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant and White-bellied Antpitta. A further 26 species were only seen today and these were: Yellow-vented Woodpecker, Northern Emerald Toucanet, Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Masked Trogon, Highland Motmot, Bronzy Inca, Gorgeted Woodstar, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Rufous-crowned Tody-Tyrant, Variegated Bristle-Tyrant, Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, Pale-edged Flycatcher, Long-tailed Antbird, Striped Treehunter, Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Andean Solitaire, Black-billed Thrush, Olivaceous Siskin, Canada Warbler, Grey-hooded Bush-Tanager, Black-eared Hemispringus, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Plushcap, Russet-backed Oropendola and Subtropical Cacique. Specially numerous birds today, not including species already mentioned, were White-collared Swift, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Tourmaline Sunangel, Band-tailed Pigeon, Tropical Kingbird, Pearled Treerunner, Turquoise Jay, Inca Jay, Blue-and-white Swallow, Blackburnian Warbler and Blue-grey Tanager.