The Deskbound Birder: Mashpi Shungo and Lower Mashpi Road (NW Ecuador)

Friday, 3 May 2019

Mashpi Shungo and Lower Mashpi Road (NW Ecuador) – 3rd May (Day 9)

After a sound night sleep we awoke to dry conditions which was somewhat of a relief after last nights deluge. After a good breakfast we drove the short distance from our lodge at Chontoloma Ranch to Mashpi Shungo Chocolate Farm. After meeting our guide, we walked through the cocoa plantations while our guide cut ripe cocoa pods from the trees and we snacked on the sweet and succulent flesh of the seeds. After leaving the plantation we entered the forest and climbed a steep trail to a forested plateau above the farm. Here our guide began to call and it was not long before our target bird responded. Within a few minutes we were watching a stunning Rufous-crowned Pittasoma at a range of some 3m, its bright crown gleaming in the murk of the forest understorey. The guide spoke softly to the bird while feeding it chopped earthworms and we had stunning views over 30 minutes or so of those usually very shy and elusive forest bird.

We spent much of the rest of the morning birding the forest here seeing Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Choco Parakeet, Pacific Antwren, Spot-crowned Antvireo, Black-crowned Antshrike, Bicoloured Antbird, Zeledon's Antbird, Purple-throated Fruitcrow and Choco Warbler amongst others. A Club-winged Manakin showed well and performed its remarkable wing-snapping display above us but despite this being one of my most wanted birds on the trip I was somewhat disappointed by this birds somewhat unkept appearance. We descended from the forest and enjoyed trying and buying chocolate produced at the farm and tasting some of the fruit used to flavour the chocolate.

After lunch back at the Chontoloma Ranch we birded various spots along the Lower Mashpi Road spending most time on the Santa Rosa Road, however, heavy rain showers interrupted the birding and we saw relatively little with the highlights being Barred Puffbird and Streak-headed Woodcreeper. We headed back to Chontoloma Ranch for dinner and crashed at 21:00.

Rufous-crowned Pittasoma - Mashpi Shungo Chocolate Farm, Ecuador

When the Rufous-crowned Pittasoma first appeared it had a mosquito feeding on each eye, here one remains full of blood - Mashpi Shungo Chocolate Farm, Ecuador