Michael‘s Seventh Year

[TonyQ]

850 and counting, well done.

Some hard work on this batch, but also some lovely birds

[michael-ibk]

855/EC324) Blue-Necked Tanager (Tangara cyanicollis) / Azurkopftangare

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. One of the more common Tanagers in the area.

 

 

It had been a long morning - made it back to the lodge at noon. Even if my photos do not really reflect it this was one of my favourite outings. With the group we had mostly been on proper roads, birding from the edges of the forest. The tracks in the middle of the forest were more difficult but I still prefer them. And I had recorded a staggering 94 different species. All seen (somewhat), heard even more.

 

Lunchbreak!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

5 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

850 and counting, well done.

Some hard work on this batch, but also some lovely birds

 

Thanks Tony!

[PeterHG]

12 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

And I had recorded a staggering 94 different species.

That is just in incredible! I can see why, in spite of the challenging photography conditions, it was still a very enjoyable outing.

[Dave Williams]

That's utterly mad.94 in a morning!! The diversity is fabulous too. What gear were you using for these forest shots where the light is obviously challenging? I also appreciate with so many shots to post PP is minimal.

[Galana]

19 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

The tracks in the middle of the forest were more difficult but I still prefer them.

If ever I start grumbling when in Uganda's forests please feel free to kick me.

What a splendid walk that was. I actually envied you and your EBCs.

What gets me is how the Rails and Ant Pittas know you have just put down some grub.

[michael-ibk]

10 hours ago, PeterHG said:

That is just in incredible! I can see why, in spite of the challenging photography conditions, it was still a very enjoyable outing.

 

The diversity around Wild Sumaco is fantastic indeed. They also have Puma, Jaguar and lots of smaller stuff, but extremely rarely seen except on trapcams.

 

10 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

What gear were you using for these forest shots where the light is obviously challenging? I also appreciate with so many shots to post PP is minimal.

 

My good old Canon 7D with the 100-400II. Well, you should see the unprocessed photos. Not much to see there.

 

3 hours ago, Galana said:

What a splendid walk that was. I actually envied you and your EBCs.

What gets me is how the Rails and Ant Pittas know you have just put down some grub.

 

Thanks Fred. The Rail´s home is quite a small field, and it knows Byron is bringing goodies. And the Antpittas are called in. Not with playback but just by whistling or (as in Angel Paz) just by shouting "Venga Venga" into the forest!

[michael-ibk]

 

The lodge is extremely nice, it was my favourite place in Ecuador by far. Very comfortable, great gardens, really tasty food and very, very nice staff.

 

 

There were two other guests with their guide during my stay, and one afternoon they had a big group coming in for lunch.

 

 

Communication was ... interesting. My Spanish is basic at best. The actual manager was on leave, and Elisabeth who ran the place for her, does not speak a lot of English. She was quite embarrased about that but totally made up with being super-nice and helpful. And I actually enjoyed the challenge of conversing in Spanish. I had too little cash because all three ATMs on the way here from Quito had not worked. CC did not work at the lodge. And I needed quite a bit of money because I decided to do more guided walks. Did not worry too much but was sure we´d find a solution. And we did, we finally thought about Western Union. They only received the money after I had left but trusted me. Again, very nice. They rather apologises for not being able to offer CC.

 

I did not lose weight here:

 

     

[michael-ibk]

856/EC325) Black-Throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis) / Schwarzbrust-Mangokolibri

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. I spent most of the lunch break trying to pick up some new Hummers.

 

[michael-ibk]

857/EC326) Many-Spotted Hummingbird (Taphrospilus hypostictus) / Tropenkolibri

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. One of the most common Hummers around the lodge.

 

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

858/EC327) Fork-Tailed Woodnymph (Thalurania furcata) /Schwalbennymphe

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. The lowland equivalent of its Crowned cousin I had seen on the Western Slopes.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

859/EC328) Gilded Barbet (Capito auratus) / Orange-Tupfenbartvogel

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. As mentioned before there are no fruitfeeders here so I was quite delighted to get a reasonable view of my fourth Barbet from the terrace.

 

 

Some Monkeys (Napo Tamarins) also stopped by to say Hi.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

860/EC329) Plain-Brown Woodcreeper (Dendrocincla fuliginosa) / Grauwangen-Baumsteiger

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. A bit after 3 o´clock it was off to the trails again. The weather had further deteriorated, and it was even darker than in the morning now. And more quiet, but of course we had already picked up a lot of stuff so more tricky to get new ones.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

861/EC330) Golden-Winged Manakin (Masius chrysopterus) / Goldschwingenpipra

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. Did not even recognise it as a Manakin in the field, visibility was too bad.

 

[michael-ibk]

862/EC331) Spot-Backed Antbird (Hylophylax naevius) / Ockerflecken-Ameisenwächter

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. An excellent view for an Antbird actually. Typical understory bird.

 

[michael-ibk]

863/EC332) Yellow-Throated Spadebill (Platyrinchus flavigularis) / Gelbkehl-Spatelschnabeltyrann

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. A small, rare flycatcher of Andean cloud forest. Less than 300 reports on ebird so a really good find.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

864/EC333) Band-Bellied Owl (Pulsatrix melanota) / Bindenkauz

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. The undisputed highlight of the afternoon. Byron led me off-track for a while, through some rather difficult terrain, for a "surprise". I certainly did not complain.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

865/EC334) Speckled aka Sclater´s Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus maculatus) / Sclater-Musendrossel

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. After dinner Byron promised me a second Owl. Sure, a splendid idea, let´s run the tracks again in the pitch-dark, armed with the lights of my mobile phone to defend against Puma and Jaguar, of course I´m in. This one was peeked out from its nest right by the path. Just a very quick shot, did not want to disturb it too much.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

866/EC335) Rufescent Screech-Owl (Megascops ingens) / Salvinkreischeule

 

Wild Sumaco, 17/8/2022. After about 45 minutes we were in the Owl´s home, and found it after about five minutes. Quite large for a Screech-Owl.

 

 

Justified a Whiskey back at the lodge!

 

[michael-ibk]

867/EC336) Wing-Banded Wren (Microcerculus bambla) /Weißbinden-Zaunkönig

 

Wild Sumaco, 18/8/2022. Initially I had only booked a guide for the transfer, one full day and a half-day at the lodge. Birding around Wild Sumaco I found out a) how vital a guide is here, especially a fantastic one like Byron and b) that I would fare terribly on my own and miss a lot. So I booked up. Alex, my Tropical Birding guide, had also suggested trying to get a bit farther down and East from the lodge in order to boost my list. Unfortunately Byron was only available for the morning, and I´d have a different guide the next day. He had to do some test to become a full-fledge recognized tourism guide in Quito. Of course he easily passed, and I really wish him a splendid careere - he deserves it.

 

So this morning we went by car to lower our elevation a bit. That´s the fascinating thing in Ecuador, go up or down a couple of altitudinal metres, and different birdlife awaits you.

 

This nice littel Wren was taken before sunrise.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

868/EC337) Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris) / Wegebussard.

 

Wild Sumaco, 18/8/2022. The most common raptor during the trip. Or rather the only common raptor - birds of prey were really scarce.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

869/EC338) Black Caracara (Daptrius ater) / Gelbkehlkarakara

 

Wild Sumaco, 18/8/2022. Often found around human activity in agricultural areas and riverside towns.

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

870/EC339) Black-and-White Tody-Flycatcher (Poecilotriccus capitalis) Schwarzweiß-Todityrann

 

Wild Sumaco, 18/8/2022. A bamboo specialist, and our target in such an area close to the road. Byron knows where to find stuff.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

871/EC340) Ornate Stipplethroat aka Antwren (Epinecrophylla ornata) / Schmuckameisenschlüfer

 

Wild Sumaco, 18/8/2022. Another habitat specialist here.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

872/EC341) Chestnut-Headed Crake (Anurolimnas castaneiceps) / Rotmaskenralle

 

Wild Sumaco, 18/8/2022. Our target in a forested area close to the road. Took them a while to attend the worms Byron had laid out for them. Moving very fast, super-difficult to catch in the dark understory.