Day 3--Catamayo Valley & Loja

MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 2013

Flight to Catamayo Valley; FG bus toLoja
Up at 3:00 am; bags down at 3:45 am; leave hotel for airport 4:15 am; Dep Quito 5:45 am
Bird at Catamayo Airport and the fertile Catamayo Valley and slopes to 4500' to 6500'; arrive Loja around 5:30 pm
Night at Hostal Aguilera, Loja

Iris and I were up early, by necessity. We had left our room service breakfast orders on the door to be served at 3:30 am. However, we had completed the order form incorrectly, so only one breakfast arrived, and that not what either of us had ordered--scant fruit and coffee, both unwise choices for me so early in the am, so I passed on breakfast.

Last night, both of us had sorted our clothes and laid out our clothing for the day, so we were soon dressed and in the Sheraton lobby with the others awaiting the Sheraton shuttle to the airport.

We were served a midget croissant & cheese mid-flight, so we were not running on empty after all.

We arrived in Catamayo's small "airport." The sole airport building was being renovated so there was no terminal, though there was a small single toilet for each sex outside the gate, for which we all were thankful.

A tired Edgar met us in the airport parking lot. While we were birding yesterday, he was driving his bus from Quito to the Catamayo Airport to meet us--a trip of about 650 miles. Edgar, a knowledgable birder will make the 12th member of our group, and will transport us for the remainder of the tour.

At the hotel the day before, Rose Ann had introduced us to Edgar, "The best bus driver in the world." He started driving for Rose Ann 16 years ago and had gradually worked his way up through smaller vehicles until he was able to purchase his present bus--an elaborate Volkswagen bus--no, not the hippie kind, but a Volkswagen tour bus the size of a city bus. It was large enough so that each of us could sit at a window seat. Snacks, lunch food and beverages were stashed in coolers on the rear bench seats.

Edgar with his bus

Edgar's steering wheel was blue marbled plastic and his dash was of the same material. The lights over the seats were like go-go lights, all different colored circles. Edgar was very proud of his bus and kept it immaculate despite our muddy boots and paraphernalia.

After we'd loaded our suitcases and gear onto the bus, Edgar joined us for a little birding right off the airport parking lot. Here we saw flocks of Pacific Parrotlets, Peruvian Meadowlarks with their bright red breasts, Saffron Finches, Croaking Ground Doves, Band-tailed- and Dusky Pigeons, Gray-breasted Martins, a couple of stripy Fasciated Wrens on the wires of a pole, an Ash-breasted Sierra Finch, and our first hummer, an Amazilla, as well as several other less striking birds.

Pacific Parrotlet; Internet photo: ibc.lynxed.com

Peruvian Meadowlark; Internet photo: Dubi Shapiro

Fasciated Wren; Internet photo: Dustin Brinkhuizen

Amazilla hummingbird; Internet photo: Peter van Zoest

After birding the airport, we boarded the bus and drove to an arid area close by where we spent several hours. In this area we found a pair of Burrowing Owls that seemed as curious about us as we were about them. Also Speckle-faced Parrots flew over, better heard than seen. We also saw a Golden-olive Woodpecker, Pale-legged Hornero, Tumbesian Tyrannulet, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, Three-banded Warbler, Eastern Blue-gray Tanager, and a Peruvian Pygmy Owl. Of the Owl, Rose Ann said: "Its distinctive 'song' is a very rapid series of whistles, almost too rapid to imitate."


Our burrowing owls; photo taken by Sally at some distance

Peruvian Pygmy Owl; this owl is very tiny, big feet and long talons not withstanding; internet photo Dubi Shapiro

Eastern (L) and Western Slope (R) Blue-gray Tanagers. The eastern slope bird has a white wing patch and is much brighter and showier; This  is a good photo of the Western slope bird because it generally appears almost dull blue-gray; Internet photos: eastern,Nick Anthenas; western, antpitta.com







This gorgeous guy is a Golden-olive Woodpecker; it's breast is striped something like a flicker's; Internet photo

We took the old dirt road over the mountains to Loja, getting off the bus often to bird a mile or two and then reboarding. The first area off the main road had been used as a garbage dump. We saw the actual dump later from the bus. It was covered with Black and Turkey Vultures.

Loja and the Catamayo Valley are very  green and fertile

The sun illuminating the hills below ours

What kind of geological phenomena creates such a peak among the more rounded slopes?

At about 11 am, we enjoyed a picnic lunch, set out by Willy and Edgar beside the road: sandwich makings, chips, cookies, and cold drinks, including cold beer. My tiny, tri-cornered camp stool felt quite luxurious. We got up early and have hiked quite a distance all told.

Willie, always quick to get the scope on a bird, directs us to move back down the road to where he has located a bird

Despite sunscreen on my face, I am sunburned in a weird upside down V-pattern created by holding my binocs to my eyes. I forgot to apply sunscreen to my neck and chest and must have sweated off the sunscreen I'd applied to my face. I am also sporting numerous insect bites, some of which are raised and fiercely itchy. I had Willy look at them just to ensure that I'm not harboring a bot fly or some other disgusting freeloader. Willy and Rose Ann assured all of us that there are no malarial mosquitoes in this area, either, TG.

I was very muscle sore when we arrived at the hotel--due to the steep climb down and back to see the banded cuckoo yesterday; and, I think, the long, tense waits beside the road today when Rose Ann would try to call into view a tiny tapaculo, antpitta, or other "skulker." Sometimes these silent stands would last for 30 minutes or more. Several of us tried to sit on our camp stools, but with this many birders and the sneaky forest-floor birds, you couldn't see unless standing. The standing, climbing, and weight-bearing is very hard on my hip . . . plus my feet and legs remain swollen. Gads, am I a wreck or what?

Our Loja hotel

Mural across the street from the hotel

What the motorist sees after passing through the city gate

Iris's and my room was on the second floor, Room 8. It was a large room with four single beds, a wardrobe, and a fairly large bathroom. From our room we could look out across the hotel parking lot to the castle that was the city gate.

The family who owns this hotel have come to know Rose Ann and Willy over the years. They are very congenial, looking after our every need. For instance, Ricardo, the head of the family and primary owner, washed some plums that Mike had bought at roadside in a special antibacterial solution so that all could have a taste without getting a stomach bug.

Owner Ricardo and his son; note the Elvis poster behind the bar

Son, Ricardo, Ricardo's wife, two women--undoubtedly relatives--who work as staff

Since this was the first opportunity to do a wash, Iris and I sorted and itemized our sweaty, muddy clothes, and each took a bag of dirties to the front desk. The clothes were done in a washer/dryer, so service was one-day only and very inexpensive--less than $4 ea.

For dinner this evening we were served typical Ecuadorian fare of chicken, beans, and rice, as well as a cream of spinach soup appetizer served with tasty garlic-Parmesean toast points. Desert was ice cream and bananas drizzled with chocolate. . .my lactose-intolerant dessert sans the ice cream. Bah! This meal was plentiful, delicious, and far better than the stylized, self-conscious dishes at the Sheraton. After dinner we compiled our bird sightings for the day. My favorite of the day was the Barred Fruiteater, I think, followed by the hooded Mountain Tanager.

Barred Fruiteater; Internet photo: cougarbiology.pbworks.com



Hooded Mountain Tanager

Iris and I were in bed and asleep shortly after dinner. There was only one ceiling light in our room and it was not bright enough to allow for leisurely note taking or reading. It was an odd looking affair--an ornate metal chandelier with a single, modern, twisted light bulb in the center, and all the other sockets empty.