Ecuador day 3

Early morning birding along the road leading into Maquipucuna Lodge

15 February – Friday. This was a repeat of yesterday - early morning walk before breakfast and the whole morning along the Main (or Forest) trail. At first it was dry with periods of hot sunshine and temperatures up to 27°C At lunch the heavy rain began again but we were able to walk part of the Wetlands trail later in the afternoon. The Maquipucuna Reserve covers some 4500ha and is characterised by steeply sloping cloud-forested hillsides covering three-quarters of the area, waterfalls and fast-flowing rivers and streams.
A feature of the day was the parties of noisy parrots flying over the canopy - Bronze-winged and Red-billed Parrots and many Barred Parakeets.

Ferns

Lantana!

Interesting dumplings!


Signage along the Main trail

Birding from a raised platform in the forest off the Main Trail

The forest viewing platform


unidentified plant


Butterfly with semi-transparent wings -approx 10cm wingspan
(lower image by EJP)


Observation point along the Main Trail - not far from the lodge
(upper image by EJP)

Close to the lodge on the return self guided loop

We saw an impressive 102 species today including our only encounters with Olivaceous Piculet, Collared Trogon, Green-fronted Lancebill, Common Nighthawk (at dusk flying over the Lodge), White-faced Bristle-Tyrant, Black-and-white Becard and Plain-brown Woodcreeper, Also heard but not seen at any other time on the trip was Wattled Guan, White-backed Fire-eye and Spotted Barbtail. Notably large number of Barred Parakeet were seen today and White-collared Swift, White-necked Jacobin, Lemon-rumped, Blue-grey and Swallow Tanagers were again numerous.

Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner

White-necked Jacobin - preening

This is why it is called the White-necked Jcobin

A Jaobin must shelter from the rain somewhere!

Not sure of this species

Buff-tailed Coronet
Wing-stretch on alighting is typical of this species and the genus Boissonneaua