![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xUWu-5OsLeeaD67vrKkwGkgi3nuCBrQ98tk-pwuYAsldZ1usBOyzAVNva35R9Wexfm-GfKg1U4slC1Rcz6rbfFmbd3q3dgUI0JC8JSNLsSiFkx5GAIBGQwG56p5q8Ag05nWrKA_YiIFZ/s400/Giant-Conebill-IMG_3027-El-Cajas-NP-14-Feb-2011.jpg)
Our finale for the tour was a visit to the windswept grasslands of El Cajas NP, birding up to more than 4000m elevation. We found Tawny Antpittas bounding across the paramo (high Andean grassland), Mouse-colored Thistletails crawling through the shrubbery, bright blue Tit-like Danis creeping through the polylepis woods, and the smart endemic Violet-throated Metaltail that came in so close it was hard to squeeze it all inside the scope for a view! We also found my former nemesis perched out prominently as they should be (where were they for me over the last five years!), Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant looking a little damp on an overhead cable.
However, the bird of the day for me was right by the highway in a dead patch of their favored polylepis trees, a wonderful pair of nuthatch-like Giant Conebills, that despite appearances and behavior are actually a strange kind of high Andean tanager. At least they showed me some love on Valentine's Day!
However, the bird of the day for me was right by the highway in a dead patch of their favored polylepis trees, a wonderful pair of nuthatch-like Giant Conebills, that despite appearances and behavior are actually a strange kind of high Andean tanager. At least they showed me some love on Valentine's Day!
No comments:
Post a Comment