The Deskbound Birder: Barred Puffbird

Showing posts with label Barred Puffbird. Show all posts

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

Spot-crowned Antvireo - Mashpi Shungo Chocolate Farm, Ecuador

Purple-throated Fruitcrow - Mashpi Shungo Chocolate Farm, Ecuador

Club-winged Manakin - Mashpi Shungo Chocolate Farm, Ecuador

View from the Mashpi Shungo Chocolate Farm, Ecuador

Bronze-winged Parrot - Santa Rosa Road, Lower Mashpi Road, Ecuador

Streak-headed Woodcreeper - Santa Rosa Road, Lower Mashpi Road, Ecuador

Barred Puffbird - Santa Rosa Road, Lower Mashpi Road, Ecuador

Buff-rumped Warbler - Santa Rosa Road, Lower Mashpi Road, Ecuador

Birding the Santa Rosa Road, Lower Mashpi Road, Ecuador

Links to Other Days of the Trip (Click to View)

25th April (Day 1) - International flight and transfer to Urcuqui.

26th April (Day 2) - Cerro Mongus.

27th April (Day 3) - Chical Road and Awa Road.

28th April (Day 4) - Tundaloma area AM and Playa de Oro PM.

29th April (Day 5) - Playa de Oro.

30th April (Day 6) - Playa de Oro.

1st May (Day 7) - Playa de Oro AM then Playa las Penas.

2nd May (Day 8) – Silanche and Rancho Suamox.

3rd May (Day 9) - Mashpi Shungo AM and Santa Rosa Road PM.

4th May (Day 10) – Mashpi Amagusa AM then Oilbird Caves PM.

5th May (Day 11) - 23 de Junio AM then Milpe and Mindo area.

6th May (Day 12) – San Jorge de Milpe Lodge AM. Bellavista area PM.

7th May (Day 13) – Paz de las Aves and Bellavista AM.

8th May (Day 14) - Yanacocha Reserve AM then international flight PM.

Thursday, 2 May 2019

Río Silanche Bird Sanctuary (NW Ecuador) – 2nd May (Day 8)

After a rather sleepless night in the Hotel Apollo in Pendro Bicente Maldonado being constantly awoken by barking dogs we headed the short distance to the Río Silanche Bird Sanctuary Here we spent much of the day birding from the 15m high canopy tower, the trail behind the canopy tower and the car park area with short excursions along the adjacent gravel track to various side trails. Despite a drop in temperature since our last few days at Playa De Oro, we were now at 350m, it was still decidedly steamy. The reserve was birdy, particularly the area around the car park and highlights from the day included Barred Puffbird, Choco Tyrannulet, Stripe-billed Aracari, Scarlet-browed Tanager, White-bearded Manakin, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Rufous-fronted Wood-quail, Lanceolated Monklet, Orange-fronted Barbet, Dusky-winged Woodpecker, Pale-legged Shrike-vireo, and the extremely localised and skulking Berlepsch's Tinamou. One of the trials produced an extremely active Army Ant swarm which was accompanied by Bicoloured Antbird, Buff-rumped Warbler and Plain-brown Woodcreeper.

At mid-afternoon we drove the short distance to Rancho Suamox for the rare and declining Brown Wood-rail which has been coming to discarded fruit to the rear of the ice-cream store the fruit being used in the ice-cream making process. Unfortunately we had no luck with the rail and the only birds of note we recorded here were Ecuadorian Thrush and Pallid Dove but the ice-creams were great! We then set off on the 1.5 hour drive to Chontoloma Lodge near to Mashpi Town and arrived at around 19:00 in pouring rain. After a good, but beer free meal, we crashed at around 21:30 to the sound of heavy rain on the roof of the lodge, tomorrow there was a key bird to see and I hoped that the skies would rain themselves dry before dawn.