THE CORDILLERA DEL CONDOR

                          THE CORDILLERA DEL CONDOR 

    In SE Ecuador is a mountain range named the Cordillera Del Condor.  Translated it means “Mountain Range of the Condor.” These extend into Northern Peru, and are home to a few birds of interest, and as far as Ecuador goes, they are the only place in the country to find a few resident Ecuadorian birds. From Yankuam one can see the part of the ridge just north of the Peruvian border.

THE CORDILLERA FROM THE LODGE

THE CORDILLERA IN THE BACKGROUND.  WE ARE AT THE BRIDGE
FROM RIGHT TO LEFT TIM, AARON, CHARLIE AND ME. 
HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT CHARACTER RIDING ON THE TOUCAN?

When my wife and I were here 2 years ago, I learned that the beautiful Royal Sunangel could be seen “up” there.  The male of this species of Hummingbird is all deep purple, and so certainly named appropriately, purple being the historic color for royalty.  I wondered if I’d ever have occasion to go up there.

During dinner on the eve of our first full day of birding the Maycu Reserve and beyond, Christian, our bird guide, began egging us on to go up there in the morning.  I was not going to consider that because I knew Charlie and Tim would certainly not want to tackle it.  I felt like I’d be somewhat abandoning them at the lodge for a morning should Aaron and I embark on that hike.  I was not so sure I wanted to tackle it either. 

I tried to pump Christian for more information about the jaunt, but due to shortcomings in language communication, it was unclear about what I’d really be in for.  So I went over to have a chat with Nelson, the bilingual bird guide who was there with 2 chaps from Britain.  After pumping him with questions I learned the following important info for making the decision:  The last 300 meters or so were very steep and you’d have to clamber on all fours, grabbing on to vines and roots to pull yourself along.  It would be wet and muddy.  It would take about an hour and a half, excluding stops for birding.  I was NOT thrilled with such prospects, but both Tim and Charlie were OK to be left  birding and photographing on their own, and Aaron was agreeable to haul my daypack, so I figured it was now or never.  At 70 I’m not getting any younger.  I would have liked to impose upon Aaron to haul my camera gear, but an additional 6.5 lbs was just not in the cards.

It was not a clear day at dawn, at all.   The ridge was not even visible, so it would be a wet jaunt. We ate a hefty breakfast and were off.  Carlos had made Aaron and me  walking sticks, which turned out to be life savers.  It turned out that Nelson and the two Brits were going to start on the same trail to “see how it went.”  We met them a couple hundred feet along the trail where they were listening to some Marbled Wood Quail.  

The trail was dark with drops of water falling from the wet leaves.   As we ascended higher little by little, we’d hear occasional birds, but getting a visual on them was rare.  Christian had explained that the birding was best in the intermediate range, just before the “final ascent.”  It turned out he was right.  In the space of about 200 meters we heard, and then saw, many of the following:  Rufous-breasted Wood-Quail, Ruddy Pigeon, Green-backed and Blue-crowned Trogons, Purplish Jacamar, Plain-winged Antshrike, White-flanked (#400) and Rusty-winged Antwrens, Black, Gray, White-browed, Black-faced, Zimmer’s and Spot-backed Antbirds, Buff-throated Woodcreeper and a Bar-winged Wood-wren.

    I suppose tallying these birds was motivation for what followed as we soon reached the steep area.  There were roots all over the place and you’d have to pick your way along, placing each step in an appropriate place for the foothold.  There were places where you could bounce yourself on the roots, as if they were spring loaded. And every 3rd or 4th time you placed a walking stick in the ground, it would go down a foot or two below the roots.  Leaves and other debris often covered a hole, and you’d only find that out the hard way. At one point there was a tiny creek marking the “trail.”  But the roots also served as “hand rails” to grab onto to pull yourself along.  I supposed seeing a Royal Sunangel was going to be worth it, but concluded long before I would reach the top that if we did not see one, I’d not be returning for a second attempt.  

At one point we heard Aaron yelp, and we looked back to see he had fallen into a hole just large enough to swallow him up to his hips!  Am glad I missed it.  But I’d step into a hole here and there up to my ankles and let Aaron know to avoid it.  Every so often we’d stop and guzzle down water and let our heart beats return to “normal.”  Oh, and did I mention we were sweating like pigs due to the humidity?  At one stop we’d conjecture on descending, and if it would be more difficult than going up. 

After what seemed long enough to have reached the top, we asked Christian how much farther it was, and he said “20 meters.”  I am not sure if he really knew or if he was relaying the short distance to motivate us, but I was happy to see that he was correct.  The trees got shorter and the gray sky became more visible.  It would still be another hundred meters to the top, but at least for now the going was easier as the “edge” of the ridge was rounded.  

It was eerily weird on top.  I just wish it was clear so we could have seen more.  It was certainly a “cloud forest” with bromeliads and moss everywhere.  Christian was in front, me second and Aaron third almost all the way up.  As we rounded a corner right after reaching the top, Christian called out, “Royal Sunangel!”  Wow, there he was in all his glory.  We did not have to wait it out for one to show up.  I could have turned around right then and there because the mission was accomplished.  

WE WERE ALL THUMBS UP CELEBRATING

CHRISTIAN’S PHOTO

THIS SHOT WAS UP TOP

    The bird stayed perched for us to enjoy for a minute or two, and then flew off.  After a few high-fives we walked farther.  In another 50 meters we saw a 2nd Royal Sunangel!  This one soon flew to a different perch where the lighting was better, and Christian dug out his camera for a few pics.  

    We were really on “cloud 9” now.  This bird stayed perched for some 3 minutes for us to enjoy.  After he flew off, we hashed over what else would be a good find up here.  The next best bird would be the Subtropical Pygmy Owl.  So Christian played a few toots on his phone, and one responded immediately.  Wow!  The #2 target now landed on our list.  But after a couple of minutes of playback, it was apparent he was not going to come in for a visual.  But that was OK.  We had our fill and it was soon time to descend.  

Soon we reached the decline on the side of the ridge, and really had to watch where we placed our feet.  Going up it was physically demanding, but going down an important mental component was necessary.  We had to calculate every step.  Would this root hold us or not?  A couple times my foot went through the roots and I’d start falling forward, and luckily there was something to catch my fall.  It would have been easy to break an ankle under the circumstances.  

It was very welcome to reach the area where it was less steep and we were on “Tierra Firme,” where there was actually bare dirt beneath our feet.  Usually my knees can handle such a decent, but they were sure feeling it now.  I still had my walking sticks which really helped.   I don’t remember what birds we heard on the way down, and frankly did not care.  I was exhausted and all I cared about was reaching the road.  We again ran into Nelson and company and briefly described our success, and were then continuing downhill.  I finally heard a vehicle on the road below, so knew the end was to soon be in sight.  

And reach the road we did.  We had that feeling of being completely worn out but well satisfied.  Our clothes were wet and muddy, so we placed our rain gear on the seats of the car to keep them clean.  Once back we relayed our success to Tim and Charlie, and found out they had some good successes of their own, taking pictures of birds around the lodge.  The 3 of us hit the showers.  As I write this two days later, my legs are still sore, but my spirits are high.  I doubt I’ll ever embark on another similar adventure like that, but……. you never know.  

SOUTH ECUADOR - PART TWO

                                          PART TWO 

             THE EAST SIDE OF THE ANDES

Sunday, February 16, we slept in as there was no rush to leave early.  We were headed east over the Andes Mountains to the town of Zamora.  Charlie had volunteered to drive on this portion of the trip, and we were happy that his car had more room than my Chevy Vitara.  He picked us up at 09:00 and we headed north to Loja, to Parque Colinar, a park on the north end of the city.   

Our targets here were Plumbeous Rail, Andean Coot, Common Moorhen, Purple Gallinule and Brazilian Teal.  Apparently the teal are in the midst of expanding its range, and is being seen more in Ecuador, but it was the only one we missed.  I suspect the many visitors to the park the preceding day may have spooked them.  Also present was a couple Striated Herons, the South American counterpart of the Green Heron to the north.

PLUMBEOUS RAIL

We soon began ascending the west flank up to the pass at 9,000 feet.  There is an old road which takes off to the NE at the pass, and I had borrowed the key to get past the gate, and we drove in far enough so the car would not be visible from the highway.  We walked a ways down and then back up, and I think the only new addition to the list was a Pale-naped Brushfinch.  However, this Tyrian Metaltail obliged us for a picture.  

MALE TYRIAN METALTAIL

We then descended the east flank to Zamora, stopping at the Malecon, a large “paved” walkway along the muddy Zamora River.  Here we ate the lunch my wife packed us, and then checked out the birds.  Thrush-like Wren, Crested Oropendola, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Ruddy-breasted Seedeater, White-banded Swallows, Snowy Egret, and a Mottled-back Elaenia:

WHITE-BANDED SWALLOW

MOTTLED BACK ELAENIA

SOCIAL FLYCATCHER

THRUSH-LIKE WREN

From here we drove the last couple miles to Copalinga, the Jocotoco run lodge, well known among birders.  Check in was easy as they were expecting us.  A nice greeting was the many hummers buzzing about the feeders and  flowers:

VIOLET-FRONTED BRILLIANT

VIOLET-HEADED HUMMINGBIRD

WIRE-CRESTED THORNBILL

GOLDEN-TAILED SAPPHIRE

We had arrived just in time for the feeding of the Gray Tinamou, one of the larger of the Tinamou species.  Every day at 4 PM, one is fed “up” a trail outside a blind built for the occasion.  He was already there awaiting food, so an easy tic.  

GRAY TINAMOU

The next morning Walter, the resident bird guide, got in the car with us and directed us a few miles to the east to a small town along the muddy Zamora.  It appeared that a number of roads were created here, but not many houses were built, and a few lots were still for sale.  This was ideal for birding as there were plenty of trees and no traffic.  We tallied some 75 species for the morning, and new additions included: Ruddy Ground Doves, Smooth-billed Anis, Little Cuckoo, Blue-tailed Emerald, Blackish Rail, Tiny Hawk (which was # 300 for the trip), Little Woodpecker, Lafresnaye’s Piculet, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Black Caracara, White-browed Antbird, Dark-breasted Spinetail, Olive-faced Flatbill, White-thighed Swallow, Short-crested Flycatcher, White-vented Euphonia, Magpie Tanager, Chestnut-vented Conebill, Black-billed and Chestnut-bellied Seedfinches, and a Bluish-gray Saltator.   When we reached 300 species for the trip, I was curious to know what the final tally would be.  If Yankuam was anything like it was 2 years ago when my wife and I were there, it would be like a grand finale, and 400 would be possible.  

TURKEY VULTURE

SLENDER-BILLED XENOPS

DARK-BREASTED SPINETAIL

YELLOW-TUFTED WOODPECKERS

SPECKLED CHACHALACA 

RUDDY GROUND DOVE

BLUE-GRAY SALTATOR

After lunch at the lodge, Walter took us out on the adjacent trails.  Up, up, up and then down, down, down.  A bit of a cardio workout, but it paid off with: Green Hermit, Lanceolated Monklet, White-crowned Tapaculo, Ornate Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Chlorospingus, Orange-billed Sparrow, Olive Finch, and Masked Tanager.

At dinner a little later on, we saw 3 Black Agoutis eating the corn put out for them:

BLACK AGOUTI

The next morning it was raining, so I texted Christian, our birding guide for the next 3 days, to meet us at Copalinga, as there was no hurry to be off birding in the rain.  While waiting for him we saw the female Spangled Coquette which makes short appearances to the flowers at the lodge.  I opted to not bring my camera so as to protect it from water damage, which I regretted because of the photo ops.  Tim decided to stay at the lodge area to photograph birds as the rain more or less dampened his spirits.

We struck out to the parking area for the trail to the visitor center of the park, and were soon walking on it.  Birding was slow as it was still raining.  But little by little the rain let up and stopped.  Birding was best at the visitor center, and we added: Plumbeous Pigeon, White-necked Parakeet, Wedge-billed and Strong-billed Woodcreepers, Streaked Xenops, Blue-rumped Manakin, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock (The orange form is on the east side), Amazonian Umbrellabird, Masked Tityra, Cliff Flycatcher, White-capped Dipper, Ashy-throated Chlorospingus, Scarlet-rumped Cacique, Buff-rumped Warbler, Orange-eared  and Green-and-gold Tanagers.  

When back at the lodge, Christian requested we meet him in Yantzaza, his home town.  So after lunch and packing, we were headed farther east.  We picked up Christian and headed for a spot he knew of to find the rare Blue-fronted Jacamar, but the bird was a no show, so we wasted 30 minutes of precious time.  We then headed south toward Yankuam, but at the town of Paquisha, we took the Santa Cecilia Road and headed east into the Corillera del Condor,  a mountain range flanking the east side of the large Nanagaritza River Valley.  

Up in these mountains is the Zarza Reserve, and is the only place in the country to find a few of its resident birds.  We again ran into Nelson and the Brits, only to find out there was a landslide up the road, impeding car travel.  So we parked and walked about a mile up the road.  Birding was super slow as it was raining.  But after a while it stopped and we tallied: Deep-blue Flowerpiercer, Rufous-chested Tanager, Smoke-colored Pewee, Uniform Antshrike, Red-billed Parrot, Greenish Puffleg, Long-tailed Sylph, Plumbeous Pigeon, Blue-crowned Trogon and another obliging Golden-headed Quetzal.  

It was another 2 hours to Yankuam, and I did not calculate going there in the dark.  Two years ago a taxi took us there and the roads were dry and dusty, but now the rains had made lots of mud, potholes and puddles, so driving was a challenge at times for Charlie.  We made it OK, had dinner and went to bed.  It was not until we departed the area 3 days later that we were able to see just how extensive the gold mining operations are along the river.  We also now assumed the road was  in poorer shape because of all the heavy equipment using them.  Once again, Nelson and the Brits were here, and again it was good to compare birding notes.  

We were up before dawn the next day imbibing coffee and eating fruit before going out to the Maycu Reserve, just down the road from the Yankuam Lodge.  If you want to see the famous Orange-throated Tanager in Ecuador, this is THE place to see it, and we saw a pair quite well.  Other birds we listed were: Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Bicolored Hawk, Green-backed Trogon, Lemon-throated Barbet, Channel-billed Toucan, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Blue-headed Parrot, Duida Woodcreeper, Golden-winged Tody-Tyrant, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Violaceous Jay, Fulvous-shrike Tanager, Turquoise Tanager and Purple Honeycreeper.  

After lunch we returned on the same road but went farther to some different habitat.  A funny quirk along this road is that it goes into Peru for about a quarter mile with no official checkpoint.  We decided it would be fun to make a checklist there, as Aaron, Tim and Charlie had never been to Peru.  So make a checklist we did, and saw 12 birds to put on it. The best were Greater Yellow-headed Vultures and Gray-rumped Swifts.  

I cannot remember clearly, but either before Peru or after, we finally found our first Aracari, a Chestnut-eared Aracari.  While seeing him, a male Scarlet Tanager in breeding plumage appeared.  I did not think they molted until migration time, but here was one in all his gleaming glory.  I just wish I got his picture.  A little later we heard a Blackish Pewee.

CRIMSON-CRESTED WOODPECKER

CHANNEL-BILLED TOUCAN

FLAME-CRESTED TANAGER

OROPENDULA NESTS

Farther along we parked and walked toward the small town of Shaime.  Here were ran into a few mixed flocks and so did not make much forward progress.  We also found a dead Fer de Lance, one of the most deadly poisonous snakes in the world.  He was flatter than a pancake, but you could still clearly make out the back pattern.  A few more birds here were: Gray-fronted Dove, Squirrel Cuckoo, Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, Slaty-capped Shrike Vireo, Coreya Wren, Yellow-bellied and Green and Gold Tanagers,  Blue Dacnis, and Slate-colored Grosbeak.   We looked toward the ponds by the river when we could as 3 weeks prior another Brazilian Teal was reported here, but we did not see it.  

GREY-HEADEDFLYCATCHER

RUSSET-BACKED OROPENDULA 

PURPLE HONEYCREEPER

CHESTNUT-EARED ARACARI

FEMALE SWALLOW TANAGER

YELLOW TYRANNULET 

CRESTED OROPENDULA 

MALE THICK-BILLED EUPHONIA

That evening during dinner Christian suggested the possibility of going up the cliff face across the valley, part of the Cordillera del Condor range.  I decided to write a separate blog on that, which link was included in the email.  Aaron, Christian and I went up there that morning, and topped 400 for the trip!  You will just have to read about that adventure. 

In the afternoon we embarked on a boat trip upriver, the 5 of us plus a family of 4 who were staying at the lodge at the same time.  The hoped for bird was the prehistoric looking Hoatzin, and we found 3 near the southern end of our trip.  The water was brown (muddy) from all the gold mining activity upriver, and we saw plenty of areas where current digging and drenching was going on.  In between that we went through a couple of gorges which were scenic.  Due to the rains we saw a number of waterfalls, both small and large.  We probably went some 10-12 miles upriver before turning around.  Some of the birds we saw were Ringed and Amazon Kingfishers, Striated Herons, a Great Egret, Great Kiskadee, Swallow Tanagers, Black-crowned Tityra, Glittering-throated Emerald, and a reminder from Oregon, the Spotted Sandpiper.  

WATERFALL IN THE GORGE

HERE ARE SOME SHOTS GOING UP RIVER ON THE BOAT TRIP. 

THE THREE STOOGES, ER, I MEAN HOATZINS

While at Yankuam Charlie and I kept hearing bad news about problems with a bridge between Loja and Vilcabamba, which ended up collapsing.  This would mean we’d have to drive over to Catamayo en route home,  an extra 2 hours out of the way.  It took us over 5 hours to get back.  When leaving the Catamayo area I suggested we stop at a certain junction where I always check for birds, and where we had stopped after picking up the guys from the airport.  I said, “This is going to be our last chance to find the Pacific Parrotlet.”   We no sooner stepped out of the car and saw one.  A tiny 4” parrot, mostly green.  I thought this was a great way to end the trip, but later that night Aaron heard the Striped Owl who pays us a visit about once per month, so one last species was added to the list.  

PACIFIC PARROTLET

The next morning I drove Tim and Aaron back to Catamayo to catch their flight to Quito.  They had arrangements made to return to Oregon the next day.  It was a fun trip, and all were satisfied.  I was pleased with the outcome, and happy that there were no mishaps.  The next two mornings I slept in 1-2 hours, quite rare for me being a morning person.  Guess I was more exhausted than I realized:

This trip and another upcoming one in May are designed in part to work out any kinks for future trips for which I intend to go into a small business for, along the line of budget birding.  So if these blogs inspires you to come down, my door is open.