The Deskbound Birder: Mashpi Lodge (Galapagos and Ecuador)

Friday, 16 August 2019

Mashpi Lodge (Galapagos and Ecuador) - 16th August (Day 3)

We awoke to the sounds of the rainforest in our beautiful room at Mashpi Lodge, as the light increased a few birds were seen including a Red-eyed Vireo and Purple-crowned Fairy. Just before breakfast I spent a short while birding from the veranda of the lodge and saw Cinnamon Becard, Swallow Tanager, Black-winged Saltator and Black-billed Peppershrike. After breakfast we then walked down the Magnolia Trail and then along the river to the Dragonfly, the trail produced Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Moss-backed Tanager, Linneated Foliage-gleaner, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Glittering-green Tanager, Slate-coloured Grosbeak and Buff-throated Saltator. The Dragonfly is basically a cablecar that extends for several kilometres through and above the canopy of the forest. At its maximum height above the ground this cablecar is elevated some 200m and its fairly hair-raising. From a birding perspective the highlight was a stunning male Black-tipped Cotinga at close range, unfortunately I had the wrong lens on my camera and by the time I had switched lenses the bird had gone. The Dragonfly is a remarkable experience and I have never travelled through or above the canopy of a forest before.

Clearwing Moth Species - Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

Godyris butterfly species - Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

Tobias walking the river down to the Dragonfly - Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

View from the Dragonfly - Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

After a leisurely lunch we took a short drive then a 200m walk to the Life Centre, here, we watched from the viewpoint across the forest and waited to see what came into the banana feeders as well as spending some time in the butterfly house where we were shown a number of species and handled a range of caterpillars. Birds from the veranda included Choco Brush-finch, Choco Parakeet, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, Swallow Tanager, Moss-backed Tanager, Black-crowned Tityra and Buff-throated Saltator. A single Central American Agouti appeared at the feeders and showed well. The walk back to the lodge took around 30 minutes and we recorded Tawny-throated Leaftosser and Crested Guan in the semi-darkness as well as a very small baby Brown Four-eyed Opossum.

Black-cheeked Woodpecker (male) - Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

Black-cheeked Woodpecker (female) - Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

Crimson-rumped Toucanet - Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

Central American Agouti - Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

Lemon-rumped Tanager - Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

Owl Butterflies, Caligo brasiliensis (above) and Caligo atreus - Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

View from Life Centre - Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

After a quick freshen up we did a short night walk from the lodge where the only birds were a calling Black-and-white Owl and a perched Common Pauraque. A range of frogs were recorded including Pastures Rain Frog, Giant Rain Frog and Thick-digit Rain Frog as well as Spotted Anole and Brown Cat-eyed Snake. We crashed at 21:30 after a light dinner.