Day 11--San Isidro Area, Macucoloma Trail, Couchera Road

TUESDAY JANUARY 29, 2013
Night--San Isidro Lodge

Iris and I were up early and nearly the first at the dining room, but we stopped short of the dining building to identify the many birds that were at the lights along the drive above it. These birds were stuffing themselves with the moths and other insects that were attracted to the lights.

We saw Green Jays—which reminds me that I forgot to mention the Turquoise Jay we saw at Huashapamba. See both species below and Sally’s humorous photo of two San Isidro Green Jays. We also saw Olive-backed and Strong-billed Woodcreepers, a Brown-capped Vireo, Sulphur-bellied Tyranulets. Cinnamon Flycatchers were plentiful and I did not mind their repeated appearance in my binoculars. They are lively, interesting birds.We also spotted several North American migrants: Blackburnian Warbler, Canada Warbler, and Swainson’s Thrush. 

Turquoise Jay, Nick Athanas; Green Jay, elta.wpordpress.com; Sally's humorous photo of two Green Jays at Isidro

North American vacationers: Blackburnian Warbler Laura Gooch; Canada Warbler, Hans Toom; Swainson's Thrush, Julia Flanagan

Cinnamon Flycatcher, Guy Poisson; Brown-capped Vireo, Nick Athanas; Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet, unattributed

(L)Olive-backed Woodcreeper (R)Strong-billed Woodcreeper, both photos Nick Athanas

After breakfast, the birds and moths were still plentiful, so we spent about half an hour watching the feeding frenzy. Russett-backed Oropendolas were taking advantage of the insects at the lights. They were building nests in a palm tree near the upper parking lot. Their nests are large, woven hanging teardrops. They nest colonially, many nests to a single tree.  

Russett-backed Oropendola, photo by Tom Pavlik

Oropendola nest hung low in a tree near the cabin for examination. These nests are 2.5 to 3-feet long.

Oropendola nests in a tree near the upper parking lot

While we were observing the birds at the lights, Sally looked down the drive and spotted a Crested Quetzel sitting calmly on a branch over the drive. It sat for quite awhile. Oddly, it was lacking its long tailfeathers. 

Sally Marrone's photo of a Crested Quetzel, minus its long tailfeathers

After breakfast, we hiked San Isidro’s Macucoloma Trail. A White-bellied Antpitta came for Guido’s worms and we all got a great look at it. This antpitta, like the Tawny Antpitta at El Cajas, was quite bold. We tried for the rare Peruvian Antpitta and it answered our playback and came a bit closer, but it eventually stopped calling without showing itself.  

San Isidro White-bellied Antpitta, photo by Sally Marrone

We rotated positions on this narrow trail so that everyone got a first look at whatever the leader scared up.It was like being in a drafting group on a bike, the lead rider--walker in this case--peeling off, waiting for the tail, and then hooking on at the end of the group. Along the trail I suddenly realized that my sunglasses were no longer perched atop my head. Fortunately we returned on the same route, and Rose Ann found them unscathed.

The group with Rose Ann and Willy who are calling the Peruvian Antpitta, which shy bird repeatedly responded and came a bit closer, but after a long calling session went silent without showing itself. R.A. says: "The Peruvian Antpitta is one of  the least known antpittas, and is considered "Near Threatened" by Bird Life International. It used to come for earthworms at San Isidro, but it hasn't been coming for some time. We were lucky just to hear it."



A Tawny-bellied Hermit visited us while on the trail perhaps attracted again by Iris's and my red
raincoats which we were wearing around our waists

The Macucoloma Trail was muddy in places and had some up and down but we were helped on these ups and downs by ingenuous steps created from gravel-stuffed vehicle tires (below). While the outer edge of these tire steps could be slippery, their centers were solid and a big help. 

In the afternoon we birded Las Couchera Road. It was a narrow, dirt, rural road with mostly farms, some wooded areas, and eventually a creek with a wooden bridge. The big bus had to be guided over this bridge and passed over several other smaller bridges. I held my breath each time as these bridges seemed pretty rickety and not designed for a big bus. Holding my breath and squeezing my eyes shut must have worked because not once did a bridge collapse under us.

Returning to San Isidro, we visited the lodge’s hummingbird feeders where we enjoyed watching Bronzy Incas and the usual variety of jewel-like hummers slipping in for sips of nectar . . . when the many honeybees on the feeders would let them. Willy claimed that these were Africanized honeybees, and they did seem quite aggressive and possessive of the nectar supply. In all of our travels around Ecuador, I have not seen any farm with bee hives, or maybe they do not use the same hive boxes as we in their bee yards.

Bronzy Inca--the most common hummer at the San Isidro hummingbird feeders