Galana's Seventh. Lucky numbers.

[lmSA84]

Great start! Hope you have a great time 

[Galana]

On 10/18/2023 at 6:10 AM, lmSA84 said:

Great start! Hope you have a great time 

Well if the  irding and mammals pall We can always take up skiing.

[Galana]

We have moved to Guango Lodge via two unexpected developments,Both good.

When our driver guide arrived it was non oter than my 'friend' Gabriell who had driven for me at the end of the last trip.

AND he was taking us up to Antisana NP 'on the way to Guango. Eh? that is one heck on detour but we are not complaing.

 

So to move the list along a bit with some possble - non repeats, 'improvements.

 

448. Azara's Spinetail. Hacinda Las Cuevas.  WEll you CAN see the tail.

 

449. Blackburnian Warbler.  Hacinda LC.

 

450. Shining Sunbeam. Border of Antisana NP.  Don'tcha luv these names??

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

@Galana you surely scored one of this year's best EBCs, i think, with the spinetail! you're setting a bad example for us by reporting live!

 

hmm i think you're leading the pack as of now? 

Edited October 21, 2023 by Kitsafari

[xelas]

A friend of mine is right now also at Antisana Ecological Reserve, and he is posting on Facebook some very nice birds from that area Maybe you have met him somewhere along the road? He is with Gabriel Fernando Bucheli Suárez ... is that the same Gabriel? His FB post from Antisana: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=ryanacandee&set=a.10232196757283937 .

[janzin]

1 hour ago, xelas said:

A friend of mine is right now also at Antisana Ecological Reserve, and he is posting on Facebook some very nice birds from that area Maybe you have met him somewhere along the road? He is with Gabriel Fernando Bucheli Suárez ... is that the same Gabriel? His FB post from Antisana: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=ryanacandee&set=a.10232196757283937 .

Ha, Ryan is a (real) friend of mine here in Brooklyn--in fact I was the one who twisted his arm to go to Antisana. But he is actually back home now.

[xelas]

Oh, so he is not posting in real time then. Ryan is a FB friend and acquaintance from the time of my visits to Costa Rica.

[Galana]

On 10/20/2023 at 8:06 PM, Kitsafari said:

@Galana you surely scored one of this year's best EBCs, i think, with the spinetail! you're setting a bad example for us by reporting live!

Thanks @KitsafariI do try with the EBCs and there may be more to come.

Posting live is partially deliberate for my convenience. (I might forget what they are when I get home)

I am not one who wastes time post processing. More to life than BY. Indeed the post I will be processing on return will be envelopes hopefully in response to the begging letters we send out to glean funding for our trips.

[TonyQ]

Nice to get a sunbeam in October!

[Galana]

3 hours ago, TonyQ said:

Nice to get a sunbeam in October!

A shining one at that. I am still bemused at the nomenclature for some whole species or Genera in South America. Whats with all these Tyranulets, Hermits and Trainbearers? Some I can understand and others just raise a smile. Best so far is an Agile Tit Tyrant. We had one of those in an office where I worked. He had to go.

 

Anyways, to continue progress we are at the gates of Antisana NP at a restaurant where Gabriel had suggested a comfort stop.

There were Hummer feeders by coincidence.

Here is a good name to start todays batch,

451. Sparkling-Violetear.

 

Another more understandable

452. Black Flower piercer.

 

Go figure this one,

 

453. Tyrian Metaltail

 

454. Black-tailed Trainbearer.

 

And a real 'star' to end with.

455. Ecuadorian Hillstar. As the name implies it can survive the low temperatures of the High Paramo.

 

That's it for now. I have also learned that there are two types of Paramo,(High moorland) 'Wet' and 'dry'.

Antisana is 'dry'. Fancy that.

[PeterHG]

23 minutes ago, Galana said:

We had one of those in an office where I worked. He had to go.

Rightly so….. 

[Galana]

First a product improvement of the miserable showing from Hacienda Las Cuevas.

449. Blackburnian Warbler.

 

 

Moving onwards and upwards both in altitude and numerically with more beautiful birds with strange sounding names.

Antisana NP

456. Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant.  Antisana.

 

457. Plain-coloured Seedeater. So who gets to crunch on the ornate colloured ones?

Not him.

458. Carinculated Caracara. I don't see a wattle worth mention. Why use a small word when a big one sounds so much more educated?

 

459. American Kestrel,

 

460 Many-striped Canastero hides its head in shame.

 

461. Paramo Ground Tyrant. On the Paramo where else?

 

462. Plumbeous Sierra-Finch.

 

463. Bar-winged Cinclodes.

464. Tawny Ant-Pitta.

 

and finally for now

 

465. Stout-billed Cinclodes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Peter Connan]

I guess the world had to run out of sensible names sooner or later, but there seems to be a hell of a lot of tyranny going on in the undergrowth?

And what is Plumbeous?

 

Thanks for keeping us amused Fred!

[Galana]

13 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

Thanks for keeping us amused Fred!

Thanks Peter. (I think)

 

As to Plumbeous. More fancy words. "Lead coloured" works OK in Africa as in Lead-coloured Flycatcher.

From my few days in Grammar School Chemistry the Symbol for the element  metal Lead  is Pb. Short for Latin "Plumbum" and you can imagine what imaginitive 12 yr old males made of that. (Probably the distaff side too but we did not mix with them in my day. Gosh!)

More interesting it is also the root source for 'Plumber' and plumbing as early pipework was base on lead. (Until it was found to be lethal in water supplies.)

 

[Galana]

Struggling with some IDs so just a few more today that should pass muster.

 

Still up on the 'dry' Paramo where I suffered a minor 'dip' when losing my battery far from the spare so 'lost' two nice birds that would have been good capures:

Silvery Grebe and Andean Ruddy Duck on Lake Mica. Ah well.

Here are what I did manage when the camera had life.

 

466. Sedge Wren.

 

467. Andean Gull.

 

468. Blackk-billed Shrike-Tyrant.  Or so I am told.

 

469. Eared Dove.

 

EBC alert.

On the lava cliffs I noted these large birds but it was a long stretch, sorry.

 

470. Andean Condors.

I'll get my coat.

 

[Peter Connan]

6 hours ago, Galana said:

Thanks Peter. (I think)

 

As to Plumbeous. More fancy words. "Lead coloured" works OK in Africa as in Lead-coloured Flycatcher.

From my few days in Grammar School Chemistry the Symbol for the element  metal Lead  is Pb. Short for Latin "Plumbum" and you can imagine what imaginitive 12 yr old males made of that. (Probably the distaff side too but we did not mix with them in my day. Gosh!)

More interesting it is also the root source for 'Plumber' and plumbing as early pipework was base on lead. (Until it was found to be lethal in water supplies.)

 

Thank you, I did not know this.

 

As for the Condor, in one of the photos one can see that at least the bill shape is correct. I'll buy.

[Galana]

Our 'short excursion to Antisana ended with lunch at Tambo Condor with a nice sighting befoe our day continued with the planned transfer over the Papalacta pass at 14,000 feet , to Guango Lodge where we will spend the next five nights.

 

Here is some of our progress, From Giant Condors to the other extreme.

471. Giant Hummingbird. Tambo Condor.

 

472. Variable Hawk. Roadside over Papallacta.

 

473. Buff-tailed Coronet. Guango Lodge.

 

474. Collared Inca. Guango Lodge.

 

475. Tourmaline SunAngel. Guango Lodge.

 

476. Chestnut-breasted Coronet. Guango Lodge in the rain.

 

Next morning I was left in bed, a very comfy bed, until all of 07.30.

Then persuaded for a short walk to see something special. ""he boys a fool" as Eric would say.

Form your own opinions.

477. Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan. Guango Lodge.

 

478.  Masked Flowerpiecer. Guango Lodge.

 

479.White-bellied Woodstar. Guango Lodge. I had endless fun with this little B&W Bumble-Bee.

 

 

and finally..

480. Long-tailed Sylph. Guango Lodge.

 

More will inevitably follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

The Toucan would pull out of a bed any birder, me included! Is it raining daily?

[Peter Connan]

1 hour ago, xelas said:

The Toucan would pull out of a bed any birder, me included! Is it raining daily?

 

And you got some really nice shots of it too!

[Galana]

17 hours ago, xelas said:

Is it raining daily?

Sometime during the day it can blow in wet.

Thanks @Peter ConnanSome EBCs count more than others.

some of each follow.

481. Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle. Above Papallacta village. c 14,000'

 

We are now in the 'wet' Paramo, not that one would notice.

482. Andean Teal. Papallacta.

 

483. Yellow-billed Pintail Papallacta.

 

484. Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch. Guango Lodge.

 

485. Turquoise Jay.  Guango Lodge.

 

486. Pale-naped Brush Finch. Guango Lodge.

 

487.  Stripe-headed Brush Finch. Guango Lodge.

 

488.  Baird's Sandpiper. Small pond on Papallacta track.

 

489. Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe. Papallacta. I indulged myself with this one as having made it up to 4,200mts in mist for the first bird you can imagine my thoughts, (Frying pans came into it), when back at the car we were greeted by the last one.

 

490. White-capped Dipper. Guango Lodge - Papallacta River.

 

The obvious question is 'am I saving something 'special' for the 500.

 

Spoiler alert. Not really. (but the final five are quite pleasant)

 

Travel wise we head down the Napo/Amazon tomorrow morning, with a paddle, so it may grow quiet as Wiffy may be a local runner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Good shot of the handsome caracara. Wake me up anytime for the toucan - and excellent photos of it too!

[PeterHG]

6 hours ago, Galana said:

. (but the final five are quite pleasant)

Well, that goes for the majority of the birds you are showing us. Lots of colour in the hummingbirds, brushfinches and toucans. Looking forward to the nacht batch 

[Galana]

Well there was no webby/wiffy in the Eden we were allowed in here so perhaps historically accurate too. No serpents but a huge Frog was in our bathroom last night and boy could he jump! More n him and other wildlife later.

Am currently in the Gran Hotel de Lago in the fair city of 'El Coca' on our way out and home.

Birding was good and Eden eco Lodge was excellent. Any place where the chef can create fresh breakfast rolls 5 hours down the Amazon/Napo gets my vote.

One excellent lifer, a pair, brought to  mind British comics Dick Emery and Charles Hawtrey.

Any guesses?

Also is it allowed to count Ospreys twice and do mammals that fly count too? MIF?

Tomorrow is a fly out to Quito day so not much chance of birding until back at Hosterias las cuevas for our last evening.

(This Hotel looks good enough to have a decent wine list so it may be goodnight from us for now.)

 

[xelas]

I wish you calm seas on your voyage home!

Edited October 31, 2023 by xelas

[Galana]

Before breaking contact with a doubtful connection tonight I thought to maybe leave you a few bonny birds to look at.

Location lag means that we are still up in Andes around San Isidro/Guango but with some 'improvements' out of sequence.

Here goes..

491. Inca or 'Green' Jay. Guango.

 

492. Northern Montane Cicique. (I may have some mixed in here but it will straighten out as we go. (My book is packed))

 

493. Buff-winged Starfrontlett. Papallacta Hot springs.  (Has he NO shame?)

 

494. Scarlett-bellied Mountain Tanager. Papalacta track.

 

495. Golden-crowned Tanager. Papallacta Hot springs track.

 

496. Black-backed Bush Tanager.  Papallacta Hot Springs track.

 

497. Andean Guan. Papallacta track.

 

498. Spectacled Whitestart. Papallacta and San Isidro Lodge.

 

499. Swordbill. San Isidro. Lodge.

 

and in order.

 

500.  Glowing Puffleg. San Isidro Lodge. Some of these names really baffle.

 

That's all for now. More follows.