After closing the evening the day before with an immaculate pair of Torrent Ducks, and the proverbial torrent of hummingbirds at the Guango Lodge feeders (including regular extreme close-ups of the scarce Glowing Puffleg), we were not sure what could top this. Although, a short time after dawn, and having ate a hearty, pre-dawn, breakfast, some raucous noises right around the lodge delayed our morning walk: the resident flock of Turquoise Jays were demanding our attention, and they got it. They also had half a dozen or so, even more noisy Mountain Caciques in tow with them. After admiring these for a while, as they literally hopped around ON the lodge, we set off in pursuit of a flock. We were not to be disappointed in what turned out to be a bumper day for tanagers in particular; something no one ever complains about! Along the trail we found our first Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, sporting the tear that lends the bird its name, and also found a beefy Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager, along with Andean Guan, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Pearled Treerunner, Spectacled Redstart, Pale-naped Brush-Finch and others. Back at the feeders, before we had to bid farewell to this classic Andean lodge, we scoffed ourselves on hummingbirds, admiring the common Chestnut-breasted Coronets, dapper Collared Incas, tiny White-bellied Woodstars, and dazzling Long-tailed Sylphs in particular, before we decided we simply had to depart with some other higher Andean targets in mind, even if the weather did look ominously similar to the day's before atrocious climate.
We perked up our collars, boarded the bus, and held our breath, as we ascended higher into the Andes for the highest point of the trip, and some of the most highly-desired birds of the trip...
1 comment:
I always feel like I am right there with you when I read these.
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