Ok been without wifi for a few days so can post a few things now.....
Another 4.30am breakfast and drive back to Santa Cruz
airport this morning, but we weren’t flying. Instead we patrolled the
surrounding area from the coach in search of Red-winged Tinamou, which sometimes feeds out in the open along the
approach road. After a few minutes we picked up a bird feeding at the edge of
some tall grass and on closer inspection it turned out to be a Darwin’s Nothura,
a most unexpected bonus!
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| Darwin's Nothura |
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| Darwin's Nothura |
In fact we found another couple in the same area as well,
as we continued our tinamou search. With nothing much happening we decided to
head out into the vast expanse of grassland, and this proved to be a very good
move as a number of good birds were discovered. A Great Pampa-finch was perched up in a spindly bush despite the near
gale-force winds, Upland Sandpiper, Nacunda Nighthawk, Buff-necked Ibis, White-tailed
Hawk and Red-breasted Blackbird
also put in an appearance as well. Eventually, after a longish walk across the
grassland we had several flight views of at least 4 Red-winged Tinamous before leaving and driving to the Botanical
Gardens.
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| Three-toed Sloth |
Upon arrival a Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth was found walking across a flower
bed and we had the most amazing views, but it was only when it began climbing a
nearby tree did we realise it was carrying a baby which was clinging to its
belly! At the lake we saw Anhinga, Amazon Kingfisher, Green-backed Heron and Black-crowned
Night-heron. Whist nearby, Red-crested
Finch, Crested Oropendola, Variegated Flycatcher, Black-backed Grosbeak and Picui Ground-dove were found. The trail
then took us into some decent gallery forest and then more drier thorn scrub
where we finally found a Bolivian Slaty-Antshrike that performed very well
for several minutes at point-blank range. A nearby Plain Tyrannulet was less appealing and a Fawn-breasted Wren only slightly better!
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| Bolivia Slaty-Antshrike |
The walk out produced Red-crested Cardinal, Creamy-bellied Thrush and the rather
incongruous sighting of a Thrush-like
Wren feeding a young Shiny Cowbird
in its nest. From here we drove towards our next base at Los Volcanes, stopping
en-route for some cold drinks and to eat our picnic lunch. But I don’t think
anything could have prepared us for the amazing view
as we approached the turn off to the lodge.
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| Los Volcanes |
Huge sandstone pillars surrounded a
small grassy area far below us in the valley where we could just see the lodge
– such an impressive sight. So we loaded our luggage into two jeeps and set off
walking down the very steep dirt track, leaving our coach behind and birded the
first section of hillside. It was admittedly quiet but we picked up Mitred Parakeet, Slaty Elaenia, Swainson’s
Thrush, Golden-rumped Euphonia, Two-banded Warbler and Plush-crested Jay. Once down at the
lodge we had some time to take in the scenery and enjoyed a superb Military Macaw flying around us, as
well as a huge Andean Condor soaring
over majestically.
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| Toco Toucan |
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| Black-chested Buzzard-eagle |
A few Blue-fronted
Parrots posed nicely for us in the treetops, a group of at least 8 Toco Toucans
moved through the trees nearby, several Black-chested Buzzard-eagles soared around the
cliffs and were mobbed at one point by a Cliff
Flycatcher. A little later a White-tipped
Swift flew over, as did a King
Vulture to end the day nicely….....
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| Rufescent Screech-owl |
Well until a Rufescent Scops-owl was called in
and landed right in front of us after our excellent pizza dinner!
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