Jun 3rd - Silanche, Rio Blanco Mirador, Mindo
Restaurante Mirador Rio Blanco
3rd June - Silanche
The Silanche Bird Sanctuary is an 80 hectare preserve owned and protected by the Mindo Cloudforest Foundation. This site is one of the last remnants of Chocó lowland rainforest in the region. This was our first port of call today, after an early start [of course!], to drive to the entrance which is NW of Mindo. The main attraction here was a tall observation tower accessed along a short track. After parking up the bus we made for the tower and ascended its slightly rickety structure, and found ourselves on a viewing platform at canopy level. It was then a matter of getting ourselves sorted and waiting for the action. The latter was soon in evidence and it looked as tho' we had timed it to perfection as wave after wave of feeding birds of all kinds started moving through the canopy - it was difficult to know where to look next, or in some cases where to point the lens next, as new birds were called. Some highlights of what we saw in a frantic couple of hours or maybe more, both up the tower and walking an adjacent trail afterwards [I did not indicate on my checklist birds only seen from the tower - too complicated!], include Grey-rumped Swift, Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift, White-whiskered Hermit, 6 Purple-chested Hummingbird, Gorgeted Sunangel, Orange-fronted Barbet, Red-headed Barbet, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker, Bronze-winged Parrot, Maroon-tailed Parakeet, the tiny Plain Xenops, Plain Brown-, Wedge-billed and Black-striped Woodcreepers, Black-crowned Antshrike, Dot-winged Antwren, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Grey Elaenia, Brown-capped Tyrranulet, Choco Tyrranulet [a specialist of the region], Olive-striped and Slaty-capped Flycatchers, White-bearded Manakin, Red-eyed Vireo, Lesser Greenlet, White-thighed Swallow, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Bay Wren, House Wren, Tawny-faced Gnatwren, Slate-throated Gnatcatcher, Scarlet-rumped Cacique, and Tawny-crested Tanager. Quite a number of these were new ones for the trip list . Another little run of new birds comprised Yellow-tufted Dacnis, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Blue Dacnis, Scarlet-browed Tanager and Guira Tanager. Many of these birds were flitting through the canopy and impossible to get photos of. Another bird we saw as we descended from the tower was a Hook-billed Kite drifting over. It is also worth saying that after we had been up the tower some time, an Ecuadorian guy who we had also seen at the Angel Paz sites the day before, arrived and it was then we appreciated the early start as the rush of birds had subsided and it was very quiet. However as often happens, another feeding flock can pass through so we left him hoping that he would strike lucky. After a refreshing snack at the bus, we then set off for our next port of call.
The Silanche Bird Sanctuary is an 80 hectare preserve owned and protected by the Mindo Cloudforest Foundation. This site is one of the last remnants of Chocó lowland rainforest in the region. This was our first port of call today, after an early start [of course!], to drive to the entrance which is NW of Mindo. The main attraction here was a tall observation tower accessed along a short track. After parking up the bus we made for the tower and ascended its slightly rickety structure, and found ourselves on a viewing platform at canopy level. It was then a matter of getting ourselves sorted and waiting for the action. The latter was soon in evidence and it looked as tho' we had timed it to perfection as wave after wave of feeding birds of all kinds started moving through the canopy - it was difficult to know where to look next, or in some cases where to point the lens next, as new birds were called. Some highlights of what we saw in a frantic couple of hours or maybe more, both up the tower and walking an adjacent trail afterwards [I did not indicate on my checklist birds only seen from the tower - too complicated!], include Grey-rumped Swift, Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift, White-whiskered Hermit, 6 Purple-chested Hummingbird, Gorgeted Sunangel, Orange-fronted Barbet, Red-headed Barbet, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker, Bronze-winged Parrot, Maroon-tailed Parakeet, the tiny Plain Xenops, Plain Brown-, Wedge-billed and Black-striped Woodcreepers, Black-crowned Antshrike, Dot-winged Antwren, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Grey Elaenia, Brown-capped Tyrranulet, Choco Tyrranulet [a specialist of the region], Olive-striped and Slaty-capped Flycatchers, White-bearded Manakin, Red-eyed Vireo, Lesser Greenlet, White-thighed Swallow, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Bay Wren, House Wren, Tawny-faced Gnatwren, Slate-throated Gnatcatcher, Scarlet-rumped Cacique, and Tawny-crested Tanager. Quite a number of these were new ones for the trip list . Another little run of new birds comprised Yellow-tufted Dacnis, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Blue Dacnis, Scarlet-browed Tanager and Guira Tanager. Many of these birds were flitting through the canopy and impossible to get photos of. Another bird we saw as we descended from the tower was a Hook-billed Kite drifting over. It is also worth saying that after we had been up the tower some time, an Ecuadorian guy who we had also seen at the Angel Paz sites the day before, arrived and it was then we appreciated the early start as the rush of birds had subsided and it was very quiet. However as often happens, another feeding flock can pass through so we left him hoping that he would strike lucky. After a refreshing snack at the bus, we then set off for our next port of call.
3rd Jun Restaurante Mirador Rio Blanco
After the session at Silanche we made our way to lower elevations, to the Restaurante Mirador Rio Blanco [ see header banner], which is in the small town of San Miguel de los Bancos. We arrived quite early so had some time to relax before lunch was served. The restaurant is in a wonderful position, way above the river Rio Blanco below, with a viewing platform and hummingbird and feeding stations alongside. We had a good hour here with coffee, tea, and beer, taking photos of the many birds coming to the feeders. There were also numbers of Swallow-tailed Kites drifting by, and they must have been breeding in the valley somewhere. An excellent find sitting in a distant tree was a beautiful pale Laughing Falcon. Hummers at the feeders included White-necked Jacobin, Green Thorntail, Green-crowned Woodnymph, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Andean Emerald, and Green-crowned Brilliant. Other species worthy of mention are Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Choco Toucan, a Black-cheeked Woodpecker which came very close on a feeder, Spotted Woodcreeper, White-lined Tanager, Golden- and Silver-throated Tanagers, Rufous-throated Tanager, Buff-throated Saltator, and an excellent find of an Ecuadorian Thrush. Ruddy Pigeon was the only one seen on the trip, and a White-tipped Dove was only the second. We also counted around 100 White-collared Swifts out over the valley. Sometime during the course of all this activity of course, we had an excellent lunch! Eventually, satiated both lunch-wise and ornithologically, we re-boarded the bus to head back towards Mindo where we planned to check out the surroundings again before returning to the lodge.
After the session at Silanche we made our way to lower elevations, to the Restaurante Mirador Rio Blanco [ see header banner], which is in the small town of San Miguel de los Bancos. We arrived quite early so had some time to relax before lunch was served. The restaurant is in a wonderful position, way above the river Rio Blanco below, with a viewing platform and hummingbird and feeding stations alongside. We had a good hour here with coffee, tea, and beer, taking photos of the many birds coming to the feeders. There were also numbers of Swallow-tailed Kites drifting by, and they must have been breeding in the valley somewhere. An excellent find sitting in a distant tree was a beautiful pale Laughing Falcon. Hummers at the feeders included White-necked Jacobin, Green Thorntail, Green-crowned Woodnymph, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Andean Emerald, and Green-crowned Brilliant. Other species worthy of mention are Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Choco Toucan, a Black-cheeked Woodpecker which came very close on a feeder, Spotted Woodcreeper, White-lined Tanager, Golden- and Silver-throated Tanagers, Rufous-throated Tanager, Buff-throated Saltator, and an excellent find of an Ecuadorian Thrush. Ruddy Pigeon was the only one seen on the trip, and a White-tipped Dove was only the second. We also counted around 100 White-collared Swifts out over the valley. Sometime during the course of all this activity of course, we had an excellent lunch! Eventually, satiated both lunch-wise and ornithologically, we re-boarded the bus to head back towards Mindo where we planned to check out the surroundings again before returning to the lodge.
3rd June - Mindo & surrounds
On getting back to Mindo the first thing we decided to do was to check out the Common Potoo we had seen on 2nd. This time we got even better photos as the large fluffy chick was much more visible, but still cuddled up face to face with the adult. Next we birded along a track outside the village, running parallel with the river. Juan Carlos' sharp eyes soon had us looking at a Golden-headed Quetzal sitting up in a tree, sadly not in a ideal position for good photos, at least with my equipment. Quetzals, like Trogons, are very colourful birds that like to spend long periods sitting very still, very slowly moving their heads around to see what is going on. And talking of Trogons, the next bird was a White-tailed Trogon, sitting up in a tree doing what I just said! Next up was a flock of 10 Red-billed Parrots, then a few Social Flycatchers. Another surprise was an Osprey drifting over. Time was marching on so we headed back to the bus and set off up the hill to return to the lodge. Passing an open area a shout went up and we ground to a halt. Someone had spotted a bird sitting on top of a dead tree - a diminutive Bat Falcon, looking like a tiny cross between a Peregrine and a Hobby, or Red-footed Falcon. Our driver kindly found somewhere reasonably safe to park and we all piled out to get some photos - not easy as it was silhouetted against a white sky. Finally birded out we went back to Septimo Paraiso to freshen up and partake of another excellent dinner. Afterwards some of us went out in the dark again to try for Owls, but without success this time. I did take some photos of a few interesting moths settled around a light near the entrance gate.
On getting back to Mindo the first thing we decided to do was to check out the Common Potoo we had seen on 2nd. This time we got even better photos as the large fluffy chick was much more visible, but still cuddled up face to face with the adult. Next we birded along a track outside the village, running parallel with the river. Juan Carlos' sharp eyes soon had us looking at a Golden-headed Quetzal sitting up in a tree, sadly not in a ideal position for good photos, at least with my equipment. Quetzals, like Trogons, are very colourful birds that like to spend long periods sitting very still, very slowly moving their heads around to see what is going on. And talking of Trogons, the next bird was a White-tailed Trogon, sitting up in a tree doing what I just said! Next up was a flock of 10 Red-billed Parrots, then a few Social Flycatchers. Another surprise was an Osprey drifting over. Time was marching on so we headed back to the bus and set off up the hill to return to the lodge. Passing an open area a shout went up and we ground to a halt. Someone had spotted a bird sitting on top of a dead tree - a diminutive Bat Falcon, looking like a tiny cross between a Peregrine and a Hobby, or Red-footed Falcon. Our driver kindly found somewhere reasonably safe to park and we all piled out to get some photos - not easy as it was silhouetted against a white sky. Finally birded out we went back to Septimo Paraiso to freshen up and partake of another excellent dinner. Afterwards some of us went out in the dark again to try for Owls, but without success this time. I did take some photos of a few interesting moths settled around a light near the entrance gate.