AYAMPE

Well, after last night’s late arrival (nearly 9.30pm) to the eco-lodge, we were all a little bleary-eyed for our 6am breakfast but were very ready for our first taste of birding in southern Ecuador. From the breakfast table we could see Brown and Peruvian Pelicans flying offshore.  A short walk around the vicinity of the lodge to check for any flowers suitable to host Esmeraldas Woodstar drew a blank, although we did see our first Tropical Gnatcatchers and more importantly a fine Necklaced Spinetail, plus an Amazilia Hummingbird. Then it was a very short ten minute drive to the start of the trail where we would bird along for the next 5 hours and as soon as we left the minibus we were hit by a wall of new birds in a relentless episode that every birder relishes. New species came rapidly and it was one of those times you just didn’t know where to look first. First of all a pair of Yellow-tailed Orioles at the top of a bushy tree were scoped – for a few seconds, as a group of Pacific Parrotlets were found close by. Binoculars were raised to look at these little beauties and no sooner that happened when a male Collared Antshrike was called, followed immediately by a Pacific Pygmy Owl flying into the tree next to us in response to its call via the iPhone! 

Pacific Pygmy Owl

Manoeuvring to get a clear view through a tangle of branches then revealed both Speckle-breasted Wren and Superciliated Wren mobbing the owl. Phew! 

Speckle-breasted Wren

Struggling to keep up with writing notes meant that I almost missed seeing a lifer Ecuadorian Ground-Dove flying by! Amongst the tall grasses and bushes next to the track we watched a flock of Variable Seedeaters disappear into the vegetation, and just then a Striped Cuckoo jumped up and promptly flew off. But further scanning revealed a cracking Crimson-breasted Finch posing in a bare tree with Thick-billed Euphonia and a Pacific Hornero. Then the seedeaters reappeared, posing nicely in some bushes and were joined by many Saffron Finches and a couple of Streaked Saltators. And all this whilst walking about 100m..!! So off we set, for maybe 30 more metres before finding a pair of Black-striped Sparrows, followed by a flyover Ringed Kingfisher and then finally scope views of a group of cackling Rufous-headed Chachalacas. Walking on and a fine Black-capped Sparrow was really appreciated by all, followed by nice scope views of a pair of Hook-billed Kites, close Fulvous-faced Scrub-Tyrant, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher and the first of many stunning male Yellow-tufted Dacnis (plus several females throughout the morning too), Masked Water-Tyrant, Pacific Elaenia, Tropical Parula, Bananaquit, Lemon-rumped Tanager and Tumbes Pewee. 

It was about now that we started to experience some very light rain and this seemed to cause bird activity to drop a little. But that being said, new birds still came steadily and we continued our tick-fest with Plain Antvireo, a stunning Grey-and-gold Warbler, Buff-throated Saltator, skulking Olivaceous Piculet, and an equally tricky-to-see Scarlet-backed Woodpecker all in the same spot. 

 

Over the next hour we kept walking and saw White-bearded Manakin, Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, Bronze-winged Parrot both in flight and perched, several Sooty-headed Tyrannulets, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Streaked Xenops, brief Baron’s Hermit, a pair of Red-rumped Woodpeckers, Great Antshrike, Plain-brown Woodcreeper, Lesser Greenlet, Stripe-throated Hermit, Sooty-crowned Flycatcher, and finished with an Ecuadorian Trogon perched above us. 

Ecuadorian Trogon

What a morning that was! And once back at the lodge we checked the flowers for woodstars again without any joy, but did find a group of Saffron Siskins.

Collared Antshrike (female)

Fasciated Wren

 After a leisurely lunch and a bit of a siesta we checked out several areas around the village. New for our lists were a confiding and noisy pair of Fasciated Wrens, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Baird’s Flycatcher, West Peruvian Dove, an Elegant Crescentchest for Brian and we ended this superb day with an Anthony’s Nightjar circling us in the spotlight. Wow!