Ecuador Part 2

Ecuador tour – August 2012 – Part 2.

Hummingbirds, tanagers and more

hummingbirds! . . . and still cold!

Sachatamia Lodge was high on a hill. It was an impressive timber lodge with a very cosy bar/dining-room and fairly distant, well-spaced chalets for guests. Each chalet was surrounded by forest. There wasn’t much lighting away from the dining room/bar; just the odd, weak lamp.

Golden tanager

Halfway to the bar once, well before dawn, in near pitch blackness I had to return to the room to get something. I left Lynne to carry on to the dining room. I was quick, and I was surprised that Lynne had managed to get so far ahead of me without a torch! She wasn’t at the bar so I retraced my steps to find her almost in tears after she had taken the wrong path! Here is our chalet:

Our chalet at Sachatamia Lodge

And a carved wooden ‘Yumbo’ hunter outside the bar:

A Yumbo hunter at Sachatamia Lodge

It was still pretty cold at this altitude, even at the Equator! Survival depended on being well tucked up in bed each night!!
Our first morning at Sachatamia involved getting up before 06.00 and being ready to start at 06.30. The carpark had a strong light that burned all night, attracting many moths and other insects which landed and stayed on the main pole of the light and on the surrounding bushes. At dawn, birds would come to feast on the unsuspecting insects. 

Red-eyed vireo

After breakfast we drove to various places/reserves. We had morning coffee in a café with a lovely garden where fruit was left for the birds.

Green thorntail (a hummingbird)

There was also the obligatory battery of hummingbird feeders. It was really relaxing. Drinking coffee and watching all manner of hummingbirds, tanagers and other birds. What could be better? The tanagers are a large group of colourful birds. I love them!

Brown violetear (another hummingbird)

Here is the 'café' called Jardin de Orquideas (Orchid Garden):

Café 'Jardin de Orquideas'

Next day was spent entirely at Milpe, at a very productive nature reserve.

Lemon-rumped tanager

We never got up later than 06.00 and sometimes it was an hour or two earlier depending how far we had to go! Certainly, every day involved a very early start so I won’t bother to mention it each time from now on!

Swallow tanager

We didn’t mind these early starts (well, I didn’t mind; not sure about Lynne) because until we got used to the time difference we found ourselves awake by the small hours anyway. It was no big deal then just to get up!

Blue-grey tanager

More early-morning birdwatching around the lodge on Sunday before setting off for Quito again for the night.

White-whiskered hermit (another hummingbird)

En route to Quito, we went in search of the rare ‘white-tailed shrike-tyrant’. (Most of the birds here have really long names!) This involved a long walk and a climb up the foothills, forcing our way through thorny bushes. Lynne, sensibly, stayed back. I went most of the way but stayed behind when the others pressed on, further along the ridge.   I enjoyed the solitude of the place, and, in the calm after the others had left, I noticed a burrowing owl sitting on the dry branch of a nearby bush. 



Burrowing owl

My comrades had pushed another couple of hundred metres along and they called and gesticulated to me. I went to join them and saw the shrike-tyrant further up the hill. It was rather distant, so the photo is not too good.

White-tailed shrike-tyrant

We went back to the same hotel in Quito for a relaxing shower, a very pleasant evening meal, a lovely bottle of red wine – followed by. . . . .  another pre-dawn start!

Ecuador - Part 1
Ecuador - Part 3   
Ecuador - Part 4

Ecuador Part 1

Ecuador tour – Part 1 – August 2012.

1.      Long flights, lost luggage, freezing cold (yes, even at the equator!)

We started well from Heathrow after the taxi dropped us off. A long flight to Miami, followed by one to Quito, where, after delays, we arrived at 23.30 on Tuesday 31 July, dog tired. We waited for our cases, which didn’t appear, though many of the locals had trolleys piled high with 6 or 8 really large cases. We were really worried as we had never lost any cases before, but, as we made our claim to American Airlines and spoke to others, it became clear that non-arrival of luggage was commonplace. They simply didn’t have room on the plane for all the cases.

Giant antpitta

We had only the clothes we stood up in, and I had only flight socks (those knee-length, tight socks to prevent blood clots). At 00.30 we left the airport, relieved to find that our taxi driver had waited for us. We were soon at the hotel and asleep. We were woken by a call at about 5.45 from Gustavo, the guide, inviting us down to breakfast. He thought our cases would turn up in a day or two! In the meantime, I had no tripod, and neither of us had anything else! It was quite unsettling. However, as we made our way to the Bellavista Lodge in the cloud forest, all worries about lost suitcases were temporarily forgotten!

Red-headed barbet

Quito is about 2,800m high so it wasn’t that warm. Just as well! At least we didn’t sweat very much and start to smell!

Andean condor

Our group was small, only 5, plus Gustavo and our driver. It was a nice number for birdwatching. Too many and those at the back of the group often arrive too late to see a bird.

Great saphirewing



We drove out of Quito, stopping occasionally to search an area for birds. One of the rarest on the first day was the Andean condor which we were lucky enough to see in flight on the first morning. Photographically, those first two days were frustrating. I had my camera, but no tripod! I had my battery charger but no cable! Hand-holding a camera weighing 5.5Kg isn’t easy for more than a minute or two. Keeping it still to take a picture is even harder.

Here we are on a high mountain path in the Andes

Bellavista Lodge was also high, at about 2,300m in the Tandayapa Valley, about 2 hours North West from Quito if you took the fast route. We took all day, naturally. This map shows where the reserve (coloured green) is in relation to the capital:

Bellavista Lodge (in green) high in the Andes

The Lodge was quite remote and natural. Our room was basic but attractive. We both had a shower and dressed again in the same clothes before going to dinner. The cloud forest lived up to its name and it rained quite a lot. One of the receptionists lent me a cable so I could charge my camera battery. Gustavo rang American Airlines. There was only an answering machine. Gustavo told them we were leaving the following afternoon and that if they didn’t send our cases soon, they would have to deliver them to somewhere much further away!! It was true.

Our room at Bellavista Lodge

On Thursday 2 August, we woke at 5 and left at 5.30. This was to be the pattern for the whole holiday. We had a packed breakfast and spent the morning birdwatching around the lodge. This was very enjoyable and took our minds off the subject of cases. As soon as we stopped and came back to the lodge for lunch, the thought of having to manage without our luggage loomed large again. Fortunately, while we were out that morning a taxi had arrived from Quito with our cases. We were over the moon! We had a shower, changed into clean clothes, I assembled my tripod and we went out twice as happy as before lunch. What a relief!

Dining room at Bellavista Lodge

We then loaded the van and made our way to another high area, Sachatamia Lodge. We arrived as darkness fell but there was enough light to see that this was a haven for hummingbirds!

   
Ecuador - Part 2    
Ecuador - Part 3
Ecuador - Part 4

Long journey for short-billed dowitcher.

Flushed with my success with the Baillon's crake yesterday, I left at 05.00 this morning for Weymouth, Lodmoor, to see the short-billed dowitcher, an American wader. At 7.35 it was nowhere to be seen, despite there being about 8 or 10 birdwatchers on site. I decided to look on the South side which the long-billed dowitcher had preferred last year. I got about 200 metres down the path when a wader caught my eye. Through my binoculars it had all the hallmarks of the short-billed dowitcher. By that I mean it looked pretty much the same as the long-billed!! Sure enough, that was it. A couple of the others arrived but the bird moved into a clump of reed and stayed hidden for several minutes before emerging again. It was reasonably close but still tended to hide in the reeds a lot. I was back home at 12.00 noon.

A second lifer in 2 days. OMG, I hope I'm not becoming a twitcher again!!


Short-billed dowitcher - juvenile.

Short-billed dowitcher - juvenile.

Biding our time for the Baillon's crake

Was it worth the wait? Did we see it? Read on.

Got to Rainham RSPB at about 6pm where those nice people in the RSPB had decided to keep the reserve open on a Sunday till 8pm! Thank you all the staff.

Trudged round to the hide but the bird was nowhere to be seen. The hide was heaving. Then someone saw it briefly but not many could get onto it before it retreated into the reeds again. Standing on a swivel stool was risky but necessary to see over the heads of everyone and to get a better angle on where the bird had just been.

After over an hour one man left disgruntled saying he had been there since early morning but not had a glimpse because nobody could give any accurate instructions as to where they were seeing the crake!!

At nearly 19.25, the RSPB person announced that the hide would be closing at 7.30 so the reserve could close at 8. We started to pack up slowly. Suddenly, someone next to me announced that the crake was climbing up the reeds just in front of us. I quickly got onto it. It was already dark in the hide. I cranked up the ISO to 3200 and took a few shots before we had to leave.

Well, it was another lifer for me.

Baillon's crake - juvenile. It kept us waiting until the light was really poor.
This shot and the one following was taken at ISO 3200 and 1/25

Baillon's crake - juvenile.

It's a Race! A long one.

I haven't been out much since I got back from holiday so I was looking forward to the bird race at Canons Farm, Banstead Woods. I picked David up at 6.20 and before 6.30 we were there. Weather not brilliant; a bit drizzly at first. However, David picked up the call of 2 yellow wagtails flying over, the first of several birds he located by call that day.

6 or 7 birdwatchers attended. I went round with David most of the time, Ian went with Steve, Paul did his own round, and Roy held the fort at the highest point on the site and skywatched.

David and I walked around the field near the houses to get the garden birds. Suddenly we heard an unfamiliar call just over our heads and a large wader headed North away from us. I followed it briefly with my bins before trying a photo. I couldn't get a shot because the drizzle had got onto the lens of my viewfinder and I couldn't see the bird! Luckily, David got some shots and confirmed his thought that it was a bar-tailed godwit, a very rare bird in those parts and a first for the site!

We picked up the usual suspects during the morning. After lunch I headed for the Legal & General playing fields where I knew there would be pied wagtails. I wasn't expecting the number I found; 29 in all.

I then spent a while photographing the whinchat which was being quite co-operative on a nearby fencepost. The male common redstart nearby wasn't quite so obliging, but stealth and patience paid off. I then went to find the female about 500m away. I was lucky again with good views of the female common redstart.

Late in the afternoon I joined up with David again for a visit to the scrub. I picked up lesser black-backed gull and treecreeper on the way, followed by nuthatch, bullfinch, willow warbler, whitethroat and blackcap at the scrub, bringing my total for the day to 54. Notable absences of fairly common birds were goldfinch, song thrush and the red-legged partridge. These latter two were seen by others in the day.

After over 12 hours on site carrying my camera, my shoulders were aching a little!!

Whinchat

Male common redstart

Female common redstart

Sutton Peregrines 2012 - New pictures.

I went just after 6 a.m. on Saturday to keep watch over the young ones and take more photos. I saw both adults and 3 chicks, but I am pleased to report that all 5 chicks were seen on Friday evening. Great news! Mum was very active again, showing the young ones how it's done. Dad sat on his ledge for over 2 hours and did nothing! Neither parent brought in any food in the 3 hours I was there.

Two of the chicks flew while I watched. The third sat and peeked over the parapet. Here are some photos of the birds in flight.

The adult female

The chicks flying in formation!

A chick. Note the differences in plumage from the adults.

Flying Red Arrow style!

The chicks at aerial play above Quadrant House.

Sutton Peregrines 2012. Learning to fly.

The Sutton peregrines raised 4 chicks last year and 5 chicks this year. That must be almost a record!

Sadly, it's becoming doubtful whether all 5 have survived. Recently, only 3 chicks have been seen at the same time. On Thursday I went down for a couple of hours in the evening to keep watch. At least one of the young ones was flying regularly. The mum and dad flew to the nearby building and called to the chicks to join them. The mum was quite active in encouraging them. At one point she tempted them by hovering over them with the remains of what looked like a pigeon. In fact, it wasn't a very appetising morsel; just a scrap of flesh with a pair of wings attached! No wonder they weren't interested!

Mum was very demonstrative in teaching the one who was flying. She showed him the way and he struggled to keep up, flying with legs all over the place!

Here are a few photos.

Mum landing on the corner of Quadrant House

Wait for meeee!

Mum (or this could be dad) with ungainly chick following.

Mum takes chick into a dizzying dive!

Black-winged stilt and little bittern

I've given up traditional twitching in favour of foreign trips but I have added 3 British ticks to my list in as many weeks. The first was the marsh warbler at Rainham. No photo I'm afraid as it only showed for a few seconds at a time while it flitted from bush to bush!

While at Chichester a couple of weeks ago I went to see the black-winged stilts at Pennington Marshes as it wasn't too far away. I hadn't been there before but I found it by chance on the first attempt. It was a drab and dreary morning but the stilts were on a pond only a couple of hundred metres from where I parked. There seemed to be an adult and a juvenile.  Here they are:

Black-winged stilt.

Blackk-winged stilt with a redshank.

Today, I decided to go for the little bittern which has been at Rickmansworth all week. I picked Alex up near his house and we headed round the M25 to the Aquadrome LNR. Unfortunately, we took the long way round, not knowing where the bird was. Eventually we got there and the little bittern was keeping a very low profile out of the wind! The sun went in and it started to rain. After about half an hour, the bittern came out of hiding and skulked behind some vegetation. Then it came right into the open for about 30 seconds enabling me take a few photos and a short video before it disappeared back into the undergrowth.

Little bittern, Rickmansworth.

Istanbul weekend May 2012

We spent a long weekend in Istanbul over 3-7 May. I decided to travel light and took only my Canon compact zoom camera (SX30). A big mistake! The city was live and bustling. Mosques all over the place. Hotel was good, food too. We visited the Blue Mosque, the Bazaar, the Spice market, the undergroud cistern, Topkapi Palace, went on a round city bus tour, had a meal in a restaurant where the floor show included whirling dirvishes and a belly dancer, did a cruise on the Bosphorus, had coffee in various cafes and generally chilled out.

The birds were not terribly evident in the city. There were grey herons nesting in the trees of the local park, all the doves were laughing, all the gulls were yellow-legged, all the crows were hooded and all the parakeets were Alexandrian. The trip on the Bosphorus was interesting for the large flocks of Yelkuan shearwater that made their way up towards the Black Sea. The photos were mainly taken with my daughter, Louise's, Canon 1000D with a small 15x zoom lens as my Canon SX30 turned out to be almost useless for any sort of action shot as the screen blanks out for about a second after every shot before coming back on. Following any sort of action was impossible. Should have taken my 7D!

Lynne, me and Louise on the terrace of the Topkapi Palace.

Louise outside the Blue Mosque

Yelkuan shearwaters heading up the Bosphorus

Alexandrian parakeet

Laughing dove

Bona fide bonaparte's gull at Creekmouth

I'm still wading through a mountain of photos from my Costa Rica trip but, in the meantime, I went today with David Campbell to his patch at Canons Farm and saw the handsome red-legged partridge that was still there.

Red-legged partridge

News came through of a bonaparte's gull at Crossness! A lifer for me and a London tick for David. We set off and it moved to the North bank while we on the way. A friend of David's saw it just before we arrived but we failed to locate it after a couple of hours. We started back and had got over the Dartford crossing and 6 or 7 miles south when news came through that it had returned.

We went back and saw a group of birdwatchers way along the bank at Creekmouth. I decided to run as I thought the bird was drifting down river away from us. I puffed up to see the bird through someone's scope and had about 10 seconds before it flew off!! David didn't run and missed it. However, after 25 or 30 mins it showed up again and we got good though distant views. The tide was right out so the birds were quite a long way from the bank. Light also not good as very overcast. The poor thing was constantly chased by black-headed gulls so it was on the wing most of the time. Here are a couple of photos showing the main ID features: black spot behind the eye, relatively clean underwing, black bill and pink legs.

Bonaparte's gull (in the middle)

Bonaparte's gull chased by black-headed gull

Went back on Sunday to try and get a better shot. I did get a little closer. Here three of the main ID features are shown better: spot behind the eye, black bill and pink legs.





Bonaparte's gull - with larger juvenile herring gull.