We began our birding by the gate to the reserve. A muddy path across the road is the best spot for Ochre-fronted Antpitta. We walked up the trail through thick forest. We arrived at a spot with enough of an opening to look up a hill through the trees. Alex played the call and the bird called back, but never came into view. We crossed back to the reserve and Juan Jose told us he had seen a Lulu's Tody-tyrant, one of our main target birds at the lodge, in the trees below the parking area. Unfortunately we couldn't re-find it. We got in the van and started down towards Rioja where we would part company.
Our first stop was a biggie. We were looking for Royal Sunangel, a navy blue hummingbird. It was my second most wanted hummingbird for this trip. We parked at a work area where both men and women were staging to carry supplies up a steep mountain for a radio tower. It was really impressive to see workers hoisting up bigger loads than I could carry from the car to the front door and starting up a mountain trail that led straight up to the top, no switchbacks here. They regarded us with a little curiousity.
The best spot to see the Sunangel is on the top of a little bluff next to the road. That path was steep, too. Initially I thought I would not try it, as I could see down hill from the roadside pretty well, but after the group glimpsed a Sunangel zip by, I clambered up. We did see it again, though not as well as I had hoped. There wasn't very much room to stand, so I started down. I was being over cautious, as there was a little scree and I felt like I could easily slide. One of the men waiting to carry supplies up saw me and ran up the hill to assist me down. I was really touched by his kindness! The others followed me down shortly after. We heard both Andean and White-eared Solitaires singing, but never saw either.
We travelled further down hill. stopping several times to work mixed flocks along the road. White-capped Tanagers were real crowd pleaser (if you can call our little group a crowd) We had We arrived at an area called Afluentes that proved to be wonderful. The tanagers alone with worth the stop, with Golden, Flame-faced, Blue-capped, Beryl-spangled, Green-and-gold, Blue-necked and Yellow-throated. We also scored big with Versicolored Barbet. Probably my favorite bird at this spot was Speckle-chested Piculet, a tiny woodpecker. This area is well known as a spot for Vermilion Tanager, but we had no luck.
We moved further down hill and had lunch in Aguas Verdes at an interesting chicken restaurant, called "El Eden". It wasn't exactly my idea of paradise. Inside it looked like it used to be a car garage. There was motor oil spilled on the floor and it was built of rough wood. While we ate a scruffy looking chicken walked under the table. (Watch out! You might be lunch tomorrow!) There was an assortment of pregnant dogs and a mother cat with kittens, but the food was good and the waitress was very nice.
We departed for Rioja and arrived at our hotel. We bid our friends goodbye and checked in. Our original plan was to drive to Tarapoto with Kathy, Jens and Dan, where they would depart for Lima, and we would return to Rioja for the night, but Gunnar called and told Alex and Juan Jose there was a change of plan. There were road closures going on and I think he was worried we might get stuck coming back. Gunnar arranged alternate transportation for them and Juan Jose and Alex stayed with us in Rioja.
After a little siesta we took off to bird an area outside of the city. There is a spot outside of the city called Yakumama, which was excellent! Fork-tailed Palm-swifts were shooting by overhead. A Point-tailed Palm-creeper flew by very close in response to Alex's playback. We were particularly thrilled to see Huallaga Tanagers. A pair of Magpie Tanagers flew over, joined by the ubiquitous Palm and Blue-Gray Tanagers. A small pond held a Russet-crowned Crake. All in all it was a very satisfying day.
Pictures for the day:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157624081462561/
Bird list for the day:
1 Great Egret
2 Striated Heron
3 Black Vulture
4 Turkey Vulture
5 Roadside Hawk
6 Black Caracara
7 Russet-crowned Crake-heard
8 Band-tailed Pigeon
9 Plumbeous Pigeon
10 Ruddy Ground-Dove
11 Blue Ground-Dove
12 White-eyed Parakeet
13 Cobalt-winged Parakeet
14 Red-billed Parrot
15 Smooth-billed Ani
16 Short-tailed Swift
17 Andean Swift
18 Fork-tailed Palm-Swift
19 Violet-headed Hummingbird
20 Speckled Hummingbird
21 Chestnut-breasted Coronet
22 Collared Inca
23 Royal Sunangel
24 Emerald-bellied Puffleg
25 Long-billed Starthroat
26 Ringed Kingfisher
27 Gilded Barbet
28 Lemon-throated Barbet
29 Versicolored Barbet
30 Emerald Toucanet
31 Speckle-chested Piculet
32 Azara's Spinetail
33 Rufous-fronted Thornbird
34 Pearled Treerunner
35 Point-tailed Palmcreeper
36 Buff-browed Foliage-gleaner
37 Streaked Xenops
38 Olive-backed Woodcreeper
39 Streak-headed Woodcreeper
40 Ochre-fronted Antpitta
41 Rufous-vented Tapaculo
42 White-crested Elaenia
43 Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
44 Variegated Bristle-Tyrant
45 Spectacled Bristle-Tyrant
46 Ashy-headed Tyrannulet
47 Peruvian Tyrannulet
48 Ornate Flycatcher
49 Common Tody-Flycatcher
50 Cliff Flycatcher
51 Rufous-tailed Tyrant
52 Great Kiskadee
53Social Flycatcher
54 Tropical Kingbird
55 Barred Fruiteater
56 Brown-capped Vireo
57 Red-eyed Vireo
58 Rufous-browed Peppershrike
59 Green Jay
60 Blue-and-white Swallow
61 Southern Rough-winged Swallow
62 Gray-breasted Martin
63 Mountain Wren
64 Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
65 Black-capped Donacobius
66 Andean Solitaire
67 White-eared Solitaire
68 Great Thrush
69 Slate-throated Redstart
70 Citrine Warbler
71 Russet-crowned Warbler
72 Magpie Tanager
73 White-capped Tanager
74 Black-eared Hemispingus
75 Gray-hooded Bush Tanager
76 Common Bush-Tanager
77 White-lined Tanager
78 Huallaga Tanager
79 Silver-beaked Tanager
80 Blue-gray Tanager
81 Palm Tanager
82 Blue-capped Tanager
83Yellow-throated Tanager
84 Green-and-gold Tanager
85 Golden Tanager
86 Flame-faced Tanager
87 Yellow-bellied Tanager
88 Blue-necked Tanager
89 Beryl-spangled Tanager
90 Silver-backed Tanager
91 Black-faced Dacnis
92 Purple Honeycreeper
93 Buff-throated Saltator
94 Chestnut-bellied Seedeater
95 White-sided Flowerpiercer
96 Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch
97 Rufous-collared Sparrow
98 White-winged Tanager
99 Scarlet-rumped Cacique
100 Yellow-rumped Cacique
101 Bronze-green Euphonia
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