Day 3, Rio Quijos Ecolodge, 3/10/16

I got up early and headed downstairs to the dining area and Matt, Mark and Camila were already having breakfast.  We enjoyed the fresh eggs, bread and fruit over more spirited discussion, this time about drug legalization.  Afterwards they packed up to leave and I headed out to explore the grounds of the Rio Quijos Ecolodge.  The California couple were off on a trip to the local Oilbird cave.

Yesterday I had driven down the kilometer long lane that leads to the lodge and thought that this road needed further investigation.  My first birds of the morning were a bit of a disappointment, wintering Blackburnian and Canada Warblers and Swainson's Thrushes.  These turned out to be some of the most common birds of the area.  But then a good one popped up, Highland Motmot.  Here it is with a separate shot of its motmot tail.

Further down the road I heard a familiar sound, Green Jays.  Well though they sound like Green Jays, they were actually a close relative, Inca Jays.  This striking species was chosen to be the symbol for the lodge.

As I followed the lane uphill, the habitat changed from second growth forest to pastures,  Birds included common Russet-backed Oropendolas, Blue-necked Tanagers, Tropical Kingbirds, Rufous-collared Sparrows, Smooth-billed Anis and more Inca Jays.  I walked back downhill to explore some trails and found a Myiarchus Flycatcher.  I wasn't sure what it was, maybe just a Dusky-capped.  But after some study I discovered it was a Pale-edged Flycatcher because of the pale edges of the outer rectrices and the concolor crown, nape and back.

In the same area was an expected Squirrel Cuckoo.

And then a neat little Lafresnay's Piculet.  It's little head was a blur as it drilled on a twig for insects.

I followed a trail down to the river where I didn't see much except a couple of Black Phoebes.  Then another trail ran along the river though some tall cane where a large dark bird proved to be a Sickle-winged Guan.

The trail curved away from the river and ran into other trails making a good network for exploring the second growth forest.  Birds included Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, Streaked Xenops (below)

and Montane Woodcreeper.

Finally I found a good diverse flock of tanagers that included Summer, Black-capped, Saffron-crowned, Blue-necked, Golden and Golden-eared Tanagers, Orange-bellied Euphonia and Black-billed Thrushes. Unfortunately they were high and difficult to photograph. Here's a Golden Tanager with a surprise Golden-olive Woodpecker in the background.

And a Golden-eared Tanager which I think may be a lifer but I have not entered anything from the trip on Avisys and my old records are not on eBird yet.

Back at the lodge I had a little lunch and a siesta and then it was time to work the hummingbird feeders.  I had brief looks at a lifer Tawny-bellied Hermit the previous night and it really showed this afternoon.  They normally feed on Heliconia but will also make an occasional visit to the feeders.

Finally I got Booted Racket-tail for my life list.  The east Andean slope birds have buffy orange boots while the west slope birds have white boots.  What a little gem!

I had seen a large brown blur the previous evening and suspected Bronzy Inca.  Another lifer!

Common but a bit more shy is the Speckled Hummingbird.

And then there were still the Violet-fronted Brilliants.

And the feeder bosses, White-tailed Hillstars.

I finished the day with an unspectacular list of 42 species.  But it was still lots of fun, I got some lifers and I finished the day with a mighty churrasco, the hunger buster of Ecuadorian dinners.

Tomorrow a run up to the Cabinas San Isidro.