We left in a couple of four-wheel drive vehicles and headed up to the top of the mountain (2500m) early this morning. The weather was good and the views were pretty spectacular as we got our kit together and staked out the hummer feeder just below the army camp.
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| View from the top of Tatama NP |
A Tourmaline Sunangel, Buff-tailed Coronet, Masked Flowerpiercer and Collared Incacame in just before the hoped for endemic Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer, which promptly gave outstanding views.
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| Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer |
Looking down the slope a pair of Grass-green Tanagers could be seen at the top of a moss-covered tree, whilst Beryl-spangled and Blue-capped Tanagers and Bluish Flowerpiercer also appeared.
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| Grass-green Tanagers |
Walking down the road to the next hummer feeder produced Tawny-bellied Hermit, a group of Lacrimose Mountain-Tanagers and a showy Streak-headed Antbird.
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| Streak-headed Antbird |
At the feeders we enjoyed a good picnic breakfast along with several Velvet-purple Coronets, Speckled Hummingbird, Violet-tailed Sylph and Purple-bibbed Whitetip. We also had great scope views of the endemic Gold-ringed Tanager perched above us on a mossy stump and a few stunning Purplish-mantled Tanagers. What a result!
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| Gold-ringed Tanager |
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| Purplish-mantled Tanager |
Walking lower Spillman’s Tapaculo showed, an obliging Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher appeared, a group of Dusky Bush-Tanagers crossed the hillside above us and an endemic Munchique Wood-Wren gave great views to everyone. At the next feeders Empress Brilliant and Greenish Puffleg showed well.
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| Greenish Puffleg |
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| Munchique Wood-Wren |
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| Narino Tapaculo |
We spent some time getting to grips with a Narino Tapaculo that called incessantly from the dense vegetation beside the track but our persistence paid off and everyone saw it well. We drove a little lower and at a bend in the road had a magic half an hour with Sharpe’s Wren, a pair of Glistening-green Tanagers, Fulvous-dotted Treerunner and a pair of Saffron-crowned Tanagers.
After a hot picnic lunch brought to us on a motorbike the mist began to bug us and hindered our birding for large chunks of the afternoon. Despite this and with much perseverance we saw a pair of Golden-collared Honeycreepers, more Glistening-green Tanagers, and a Bronzy Inca trying its hardest to escape the bullying attentions of a pair of Velvet-purple Coronets at another feeder.
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| Bronzy Inca |
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| Velvet-purple Coronet |
In the thick mist it was really, really frustrating looking at Orange-breasted Fruiteater and Golden-headed Quetzal. However when birds were closer it was ok and we saw Silvery-throated Tanager, Handsome FlycatcherandRed-faced Spinetail. Another magic half an hour bonanza resulted in Flame-faced Tanager, a group of Choco Brushfinch, a skulking Tawny-throated Leaftosser, and then a flock paused near us with the mega pair of Rufous-throatedTanager and Black-and-gold Tanager.
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| Rufous-throated Tanager |
There was also several Golden Tanagers, Flame-faced, Beryl-spangled and Glistening-green Tanagers, Rufous-rumped Antwren, Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant, Buff-fronted Foliage-Gleaner, and a pair of cracking Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia. After that excitement we walked a bit lower seeing some Yellow-throated Bush-Tanagers and another Handsome Flycatcher. Walking back the last 4 kms with Neil & Rob wasn’t my greatest idea but it was a good workout!
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