Today we started our return journey west, having made it as far east as our itinerary would take us over the last few days. That said, we still had a little unfinished business to attend to, including a return to El Zarza to try and catchup on a few missed targets from the previous day, and then an afternoon visit to a hummingbird garden to try and wrap up a few other targets.
Our return to El Zarza went well. We encountered less flocks
than the previous day, but this might be due to the sunny and warm weather we
had, in complete contrast to what we experience yesterday during the drizzle
and the gloom. Although there were no new birds in the flocks, it was good to
the Equatorial Greytail again, this time with much better light behind it, and
we had trip ticks with Rufous-rumped Antwren and Yellow-Olive Flycatcher.
Coppery-chested Jacamar again showed well, and we had nice views of Amazon Dwarf Squirrel.
Although most of our few remaining targets eluded us, one
did not; the White-bellied Antpitta. We finally heard a bird singing as we
walked up the road, and descended into the forest to find it. The bird was very
vocal but frustratingly reluctant to approach us, meaning only I got views of
the bird, and they were always too brief for any photos. After a good hour of looking,
we eventually gave up, resolving to try again on our descent back down the
road. Fortunately we found a second individual a little further up the road. This
time the forest was much cleaner in the understorey and we were optimistic we
would be able to see this bird better. Although the bird sang near constantly
as we approached, descending the bank as gently as we could, it never approached
our tape. In the end, we had to climb down the entire bank, reaching the small
stream at the bottom, where we could look into the tangle of vegetation from where
it was singing. Finally, at this point, we managed some good views, although obscured
by the vegetation. Although it never showed well, we were pleased we managed to
connect with another new Antpitta.
Around lunchtime we headed back from the reserve, on the way
I added Yellow-browed Sparrow to my life list, a common bird in Amazonia, just
one I had not managed to bump into before. After lunch we headed to a site
called Mi Paradisa, a well-known hummingbird spot where the stunning Spangled
Coquette visits.
Initially we had some struggles to actually find the place,
as directions were not clear. However, we were eventually able to make it
inside the site. In my head this was a well-maintained hummingbird feeding setup,
but the reality could not be further from the truth. The overgrown garden was
just full of Verbanum flowers, masses and masses of them. And this is what the
hummingbirds were visiting. Although not the best time of year, we quickly
managed to see a female Spangled Coquette, and after a couple of hours, even in
the mid-afternoon sun, we had totalled up four individuals. Sadly no adult
males, but that is to be expected in April. We also had a couple of other
Hummingbird lifers, with Blue-tailed Emerald and Violet-headed Hummingbird. All
in all a worthwhile stop on our itinerary.
We finished the day by driving west to the town of Zamora,
so as to be ideally placed for the following day when we would visit the
podocarpus national park.
El Zarza: Speckled Chachalaca, Plumbeous Pigeon, Ruddy Ground Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo, Grey-rumped Swift, Green Hermit, Peruvian Racket-tail, Glittering-throated Emerald, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Golden-collared Toucanet, Lafresnaye's Piculet, Rufous-rumped Antwren, Plain Antvireo, White-bellied Antpitta, Olive-backed Woodcreeper, Streaked Xenops, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Equatorial Greytail, Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant, Yellow-olive Flatbill, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Cliff Flycatcher, Ornate Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Long-tailed Tyrant, Tropical Kingbird, Inca Jay, Blue-and-white Swallow, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Chestnut-bellied Thrush, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Ashy-throated Bush Tanager, Yellow-browed Sparrow, Tropical Parula, Blackburnian Warbler, Magpie Tanager, Silver-beaked Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager, Palm Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager, Paradise Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Golden-eyed Flowerpiercer, Blue-black Grassquit, Chestnut-bellied Seedeater, Bananaquit, Buff-throated Saltator,
Mi Paradise: Spangled Coquette, Blue-tailed Emerald, Violet-headed Hummingbird, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Glittering-throated Emerald, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Tropical Kingbird, Silver-beaked Tanager, Blue-black Grassquit,
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