Ecuador day 6

Milpe Bird Sanctuary entrance and building

The MCF

18 February - Monday. By 6.30am this morning we were on our way to the nearby Milpe road but this time we were able to enter the Milpe Bird Sanctuary, a project of MCF (the Mindo Cloudforest Foundation).

The road outside the MCF Milpe sanctuary

Signage at the MCF Milpe Bird Sanctuary

Here, in mist and drizzle we managed an hour of excellent birding before steady rain drove us on. Of special interest was the endemic Chocó Warbler and an amazing display by at least 2 lekking Club-winged Manakins. From the Manakins we heard the distinctive click and buzz sounds made by vibrating their wings vertically over their backs.

Trail near the Club-winged Manakin lek

Milpe is at about 1100 metres (3600 feet) and our route further into the Chocó took us via Rio Silanche (another MCF site with an observation platform deep in the forest), only 35 km NW - but already down to 350 metres (1150 feet). Overall today, in rainy conditions with occasional sunny periods, we travelled 340km via San Lorenzo towards Esmeraldas on the coast. We arrived at our next destination, the Cotinga Lodge at Tundaloma at 6pm where we would stay for 4 nights, only 20-odd Kilometres from the Colombian border.

Along the trail at Milpe

Yes, they are even here in Ecuador!

Heading north from the Milpe area

Lunch break on the way north

Birding along the highway heading north

Bat Falcons use this area. We see two of them sitting in a tree to the left of this view

This was the day of the Club-winged Manakins! The total of 103 species seen today included White-tipped Swift, Peregrine Falcon, Black-tipped Cotinga, Golden-winged Manakin, Club-winged Manakin, Russet Antshrike, Esmeraldas Antbird, Plain Xenops, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Brown-billed Scythbill, Pale-vented Thrush, Ochre-breasted Tanager, Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, and Chestnut-headed Oropendola that were only seen today. Also, White-breasted Wood-Wren and Scarlet-rumped Cacique were heard only today and not encountered at any other time. Numerous birds today included Barred Parakeet (yet again!), Bronze-winged Parrot, White-collared Swift, Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon seen while passing though towns!), Band-tailed Pigeon, Cattle Egret, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Blue-and-white Swallow, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager and Lemon-rumped Tanager. We see Bat Falcon near a cliff face cave. We have now moved into the Chocó region proper.

Lineated Woodpecker - male (EJP)