Soil Hill birding; updates from the week 15th - 21st August

  At the close of this week we have managed to see no less than 72 different species on Soil Hill during August. To make that fact even more bonkers is that 66 of those have been seen in just the last week with some excellent local species turning up with ample common migrants. Once the heatwave had moved on the birding became more vulnerable to windy conditions but fortunately this only really affected us on one day so we were still able to make the most out of our time on the Hill. 

  It was also a huge bonus that my replacement camera arrived on the 18^th, which means I can now hopefully get more photos of any potential rarities that turn up during the autumn. It has been a success so far, although I am already finding a few limitations that will need some getting used to. 

• The last day of the heatwave was the 15^th, and it was also the day with the best bird of the week. At the bottom of the North Slope, Lia was recording a ‘tacking’ Grasshopper Warbler when I heard a distinct but distant call that was almost certainly a Green Sandpiper. I gestured to Lia to move her microphone to record this new call. The bird was clearly approaching but it took us some time to pick it up as it was flying at some height and moving fast. Once we did though we could clearly see the contrasting upper and lower halves of the bird, as well as the white rump. It quickly made its way down the valley and was soon lost behind the Hill, on its way towards Halifax. This is only my second record here after the bird on the 1^st August 2020! 

• On the 16^th the good birding continued. At 08:45 from the bottom of the North Slope, we spotted a raptor circling distantly over Denholme which gave the impression of soaring with its wings at a distinct angle, indicating Marsh Harrier. As the bird flew south, coming closer, it became clear that we were right, and the bird was a juvenile Marsh Harrier. It eventually circled over us a couple of times before flying off towards Bradford. This is only my fourth observation of this species here on Soil Hill, and more than two years since the last!

• The final standout of the week was on the morning of the 21^st as Lia and I were walking up Taylor Lane. At around 06:35 there was the distinctive call of Dunlin overhead, and we looked up to see four flying SW towards Halifax. Lia tried to audio-record them and I tried to photograph them, but we both failed; Lia because they didn’t call again, and me because I had butchered my settings the previous day. Needless to say, frustrated wouldn’t quite cut it, but sometimes these things happen. Of course, it is difficult to confirm that all four birds were Dunlin based on just the single call, but they appeared uniform in size and structure.

  Once again there was a healthy number of migrants passing through during the week. The weather was more hit and miss than during the previous week once the heatwave had subsided, but there was still ample activity and already you can see the demographic of the migrants beginning to change as the autumn draws on.

• This week the Whinchats finally started to appear! The first was found by HC in the evening of the 17^th, sat on the Stone Circle in the company of three Wheatears (the only Wheatears of the week). Two days later on the 19^th Lia and I came across three at the bottom of the North Slope, showing very well. In windier conditions, only one was still present on the 20^th, but on the 21^st there were two. All these birds were on the dry-stone walls at the bottom of the North Slope. In total, I would say that there had been at least five birds during the week, but it could be up to as many as seven. 

• The only Spotted Flycatchers of the week were on the 15^th, but the three we managed to find across the site on this date are the most I have ever recorded here in one day. Surprisingly, we could not find any more for the rest of the week. 

• There were four additional Tree Pipits this week, bringing the autumn total so far to 12. There were singles on the 15^th and the 21^st, and then two flew south on the 19^th. The wind made it difficult to audio record them this week, but still good to know that they are migrating south over the Hill.

• Just the one Sedge Warbler this week, on the 19^th. It seemed to be following round the small group of Whinchats, which was odd to observe. Grasshopper Warbler was seen on three dates during the week, all appearing to refer to the same juvenile bird at the bottom of the North Slope. The state of the bird, including its apparent gape, suggests it is a juvenile and would seem to suggest that the birds did produce a second brood. A male and a brown-headed Blackcap have also been around the bottom of the North Slope throughout the week.

• After a peak count of 15 on the 15^th, Willow Warblers really dropped off during the week, with no other counts in double figures, although they were seen every day. The first Chiffchaff of the autumn started to appear this week, with singles on the 16^th, 18^th and then on the 21^st. Soon they will replace the Willow Warblers as we draw later in autumn.

• Just the one House Martin this week, a distant individual on the 16^th. And Swift was also only seen on one date, although that did involve three individuals during the evening of the 17^th.

  There was also a handy selection of other species on offer, including Curlews seen (or heard) on two dates during the week. The first was feeding in the bottom fields on the 16^th and then a heard only on the 18^th. There was just one Common Snipe during the week with one flying over the bottom Cattle Fields on the 21^st.  

  We saw the Barn Owl twice this week, with singles on the 17^th and again on the 19^th. On the 15^th a Peregrine was hunting distantly over Denholme. And once again there have been a couple of sightings of Grey Partridge, with six seen on the 18^th and two on the 21^st.

-Spotted Flycatcher

-Whinchat

-Marsh Harrier

-Green Sandpiper

-Green Sandpiper recording

Species List:
Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Western Barn Owl, Little Owl, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Common Blackbird, Spotted Flycatcher, European Robin, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, 

Cromwell Bottom twitching Willow Tit

 We awoke to see that news had circulated overnight of a Marsh Tit visiting the feeding site at Cromwell Bottom. The birder was not involved with the Calderdale Bird group, but the photos showed the bird clearly. Lia and I headed to Soil Hill as usual, hoping that someone more local would be able to confirm the bird was still present but by 09:00 no news had reached us, so we decided to go for it regardless of news, and it is a good thing that we did. 

 As we arrived another birder was already present at the feeding site. He stated that the bird had not been seen by him, but that he had only been there for half an hour. Less than 10 minutes into our stay the bird appeared on the bird table at the right side of the feeding site. It then spent a few minutes traveling around the feeding site visiting a number of different feeders and often showing well. It then left for around 10 minutes before it returned, but only travelling through the canopy and not visiting the feeder.

 It took another 20 minutes or so for the bird to return to the feeding station, during which time DF, JM and DJS had all arrived, and we were all able to enjoy the bird as it showed very well at times. We all agreed that the smaller bib and pale spot at the base of the bill made this bird a Marsh Tit rather than a Willow Tit. Frustratingly, it never called in the hour that we stayed. 

And unfortunately had we heard the bird call we would have been able to identify it there and then as a Willow Tit. Instead it took a week before a researcher who stuides this species pair corrected the identification based on photos I posted on Twitter. Whilst still a Halifax tick for me, Marsh Tit is a much rarer bird in West Yorkshire and I had hoped that the initial identification had been correct.

 After the feeding station, Lia and I had a short walk round and we found a nice Kingfisher, but it was a Saturday so the site was full of dogs and kids, so we decided to call it a day and head back home. 

-Willow Tit

Species List:
Cromwell Bottom: Mute Swan, Mallard, Common Wood Pigeon, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Magpie, Coal Tit, Willow Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Wren, European Robin, Dunnock, Grey Wagtail, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Goldfinch, 

Swillington Ings twitching Spotted Crake

  It was mid-morning when news broke to us of a Spotted Crake at Swillington Ings. While I don’t really bother twitching so much anymore, this species, a British tick, being so close to home was quite tempting. However we waited for confirmation that it would not be a one-off sighting, and when news came through of the bird still showing, Lia and I made the journey across to Swillington.

  Once there the crowd was actually pretty small, mainly from regulars rather than any real gathering of twitchers. The bird itself was feeding in a small lagoon with extensive muddy margins surrounded by Moorhen and Coot, with a very dapper Black-tailed Godwit for company, just for good measure. It showed extremely well, much better than the only other time I saw this species in Germany when I was restricted to a single poor glimpse. Here the bird paraded itself around, often without a care in the world, really allowing us to study it.

  After an hour of watching the Crake, we went for a walk around the rest of the site. On the wader front, it was nice to see Greenshank, Ruff, and the aforementioned Black-tailed Godwit. There was a smart eclipse Garganey tucked into the reeds, as well as a last Black-necked Grebe juvenile clinging on. The areas grazed by cattle were alive with Yellow Wagtails, and we counted 19 in total. And then we had a brilliant encounter with a Bearded Tit male that flew from the reeds and right at us before dropping back into the reedbed on the opposite side of the path. Overall an absolutely brilliant afternoon out with a British tick to boot. 

-Spotted Crake

-Garganey

Species List:
Swillington Ings: Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Water Rail, Spotted Crake, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Common Snipe, Common Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Bearded Reedling, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Western Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, 

Soil Hill birding; updates from the week 6th - 14th August

I was away working for the first few days of August, but the second week really brought home everything great about August on Soil Hill. Despite the heatwave, Lia and I managed to record over 40 species on nearly every morning before the oppressive weather set in. There were plenty of migrants scattered around in the various shrubby areas, including some of the more unusual ones, as well as my second patch tick of the year, bringing me up to 117 in total...

• The undoubted highlight of the week was a Lesser Whitethroat that was in the Koi Farm Copse on the morning of the 10^th August. As we walked up early doors a Sylvia warbler was ticking in the garden along Taylor Lane, but due to a Blackcap being present the previous day and the fact that we needed to check the bottom of the North Slope before the quarry opened, we made haste and didn’t investigate further. It was only when we saw this bird that it became clear. It showed incredibly well considering, which was awfully frustrating given my current camera predicament. Digiscoping through binoculars doesn’t work so well with Passerines. Huge thanks to JJL for use of his spare camera which allowed me to get some shots when we returned in the evening, when the bird continued to show well. I have searched for this species so long at this site, it was an incredible feeling to finally find one.

• On the morning of the 9^th a Short-eared Owl was hunting the fields along Ned Hill Track. It has been nearly two years since I last saw this species here, so it was much appreciated. Being a bigger bird I was able to get some digiscoped photos, although they are certainly lacking some quality.  

Migrants were really the stars of the week, as they usually are at this time of year. The warm weather brought out lots of activity with many birds flycatching and showing well in the early morning light. 

• The first Spotted Flycatcher of the week was on the 10^th when Lia found and identified the bird as we were waiting for the Lesser Whitethroat to appear. In the evening it showed very well on the wires above the Koi Farm Copse. The second of the week was in the North Slope Tree-Line on the 14^th, and it too showed very well.

•  The tall grass at the bottom of the North Slope has been a hubbub of activity, mainly Reed Buntings, Whitethroats and Goldfinches but also a few Warblers. At least one Grasshopper Warbler is lingering there, with another individual reeling at the top of the North Slope on the 14^th, so at least two birds present on that date. There has also been two Sedge Warbler in the area, occasionally showing well but generally elusive. Both are juveniles, so could indicate that breeding did occur here, but I personally remain skeptical.  

• As is typical for August, there was a good showing of Tree Pipit here. Often we heard an individual but it then did not call again and we did not see it, so would not commit to the ID. However, there were still enough individuals for which cooperated that during the week we managed to record eight different birds, some flying right overhead.   

• We also had a brilliant showing of Willow Warblers. Every day had double figures with a new record count of 20 on the 8^th, and counts of 17 on the 9^th and 16 on the 6^th. The yellow juveniles absolutely dazzled in the early morning sun.

• There has been light passage with Swifts seen on most days, including 17 on the 14^th. There have also been two dates with House Martins two on the 11^th and 4 on the 14^th.

Other birds included the first Common Snipe of the Autumn on the 13^th, Great Spotted Woodpeckers on the 10^th and 13^th, the latter date being the first time I have recorded two different individuals on the same day here, and finally two Ravens distantly mobbing a Buzzard on the 15^th. 

But perhaps the real 'best of the rest' was a covey of 10 Grey Partridge, clearly demonstrating successful breeding on the Hill this year. They were first seen on the 6^th before then being seen on the subsequent four days. It really was a sight to behold.

-Lesser Whitethroat

-Short-eared Owl

-Spotted Flycatcher

-Sedge Warbler

-Tree Pipit recording by LNK

Species List:
Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Little Owl, Short-eared Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Northern Raven, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, Spotted Flycatcher, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, Roe Deer, Weasel, European Rabbit,

Halifax birding; updates from the week 26th - 31st July

Our time in Ecuador ended prematurely and with a more significant financial cost than we had anticipated thanks to all our equipment being stolen on a coach journey between cities. Consequently, we decided to return home to the UK and as such have spent the past week birding around local sites using older optics and the scope.

Whiteholme provided some birds this week, which was nice. A dapper adult Turnstone appeared on the 26^th July, and on the 28^th another flew over calling but unseen. Frustratingly, or perhaps not given my lack of camera, the bird on the 26^th July stayed probably only a minute in total before it left, the same as the bird the previous year.

Due to my optics not being up to scratch I avoided Soil Hill, as I did not want to be left frustrated by the birding. Once new bins arrived we started visiting again and found a juvenile Sedge Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler still lurking at the bottom of the North Slope on the 31^st July. There were also a few Willow Warbler around and 3 Grey Partridge on the same date.

We also visited a few other birds in the local area as they were new for Lia. A Black Redstart found near the Withens Head by DJS was a nice treat, and it showed well on the walls there on the 28^th July. And then on the 29^th BS had a Greenshank on Fly Flatts, which was a Halifax tick for me, long overdue but still nice to see, despite being very distant. 

-Turnstone

-Black Redstart

-Greenshank

Whiteholme Reservoir: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Eurasian Teal, Common Swift, Common Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Ruddy Turnstone, Dunlin, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Linnet,
Fly Flatts: Barnacle Goose, Canada Goose, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Common Ringed Plover, Common Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Kestrel, Northern Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Reed Bunting,
Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,

Ecuador Day 9; Playa de Oro - Day 2

  For our first day in Playa de Oro we had hoped to go out with a group of Ecuadorian guides that were also staying at the lodge. Sadly, Lia awoke and felt incredibly unwell so we pulled the plug on that original plan and so decided to stay around the lodge while Lia stayed in bed. While this did mean that we missed a number of interesting species that the group saw, we saw a few nice bits of our own.

  In the morning we had fantastic views of a Black Hawk-Eagle flying low over the hotel after we heard it calling far over the forest. In the afternoon we found a nice group of Antbirds following an ant swarm, including Spotted Antbird, Bicolored Antbird and also Dot-winged Antbird. Since for the most part I was birding on my own, I struggled to get to grips with the brief views I was restricted to on many occasions.

  While we obviously lost a day, it did not feel so much like it. The birding was difficult but still enjoyable. 

Species List:
Playa de Oro: Dusky Pigeon, Squirrel Cuckoo, White-collared Swift, White-whiskered Hermit, Neotropic Cormorant, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Swallow-tailed Kite, Black Hawk-Eagle, White-tailed Trogon, Black-throated Trogon, Stripe-billed Aracari, Laughing Falcon, Rose-faced Parrot, Southern Mealy Amazon, Black-crowned Antshrike, White-flanked Antwren, Dot-winged Antwren, Dusky Antbird, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Bicolored Antbird, Spotted Antbird, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, White-bearded Manakin, Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher, Olive-striped Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Grey-capped Flycatcher, Snowy-throated Kingbird, Tawny-faced Gnatwren, Stripe-throated Wren, Tawny-crested Tanager, Lemon-rumped Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Purple Honeycreeper, Buff-throated Saltator, 

Ecuador Day 8; Playa de Oro - Day 1

  Today we traveled to the remote Playa de Oro reserve deep in the lowland Choco forest between the Andes and Pacific Ocean. The reserve is only accessible by boat and arranging access is something of a challenge. That said, through contacts of Lia we were able to reserve three nights in the reserve and we were extremely excited!

  We got the boat mid-morning and traveled for over an hour to the lodging. On the way we saw Fasciated Tiger Heron, which was a new species for me. Once we arrived at the lodging we found ourselves deep in the forest, and so everything was very basic in its setup. We had lunch and then set off out into the forest for the afternoon.

  The birding here was very very difficult. Lots of noises and calls that we heard but did not recognise at all. Many of the birds we did see were restricted to the top of the canopy and the others were limited to the understory darkness. That said, we enjoyed a number of new birds and quite a few of those were South American lowland Choco endemics, such as; Stripe-billed Aracari and Scarlet-browed Tanager.

  In the evening we found that a group of guides from the Mindo valley were also staying at the lodge, and they invited us to come with them the following day, and this would undoubtedly help us get to grips with the species at the site. 

Species List:
Playa de Oro: Dusky Pigeon, Squirrel Cuckoo, White-collared Swift, Band-rumped Swift, White-whiskered Hermit, Neotropic Cormorant, Snowy Egret, King Vulture, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Roadside Hawk, Ringed Kingfisher, Stripe-billed Aracari, Choco Toucan, Laughing Falcon, Chestnut-backed Antbird, White-bearded Manakin, Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant, Long-tailed Tyrant, Grey-capped Flycatcher, Piratic Flycatcher, Snowy-throated Kingbird, Lesser Greenlet, Tawny-crested Tanager, Lemon-rumped Tanager, Palm Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Green Honeycreeper, Scarlet-browed Tanager

Ecuador Day 7; Awa Road

  Today was more of a travelling day than a birding day as we first dropped Giselle off at the airport in the morning as she was returning to Argentina. Then Lia and I completed a few errands in the city of Quito before setting off down the Andes to visit a lowland Choco forest reserve that we were extremely excited to visit. This journey would take five hours, and since we did not start it until late morning we had already reached the conclusion that most likely we would not be birding today.

  But we made good time on our travels and as such we decided to call off at the Awa Road, a track that runs through an area of forest that we planned to visit on our return journey. Since we had time we made a short visit, although the rain would likely hinder our birding.

  The main target here was Choco Tapaculo, a Scytalopus species that is endemic to the lowland Choco here. Normally these birds and difficult and elusive, so we were prepared for a difficult time, but as it happened we found one singing almost immediately and with some playback it showed incredibly well. Its movements were erratic but it would often reveal itself before diving back into the undergrowth.

  Other birds on the road included Choco Toucan and Purple-crowned Fairy, but once we had our main target, and with rain still coming down, we decided to call it a day and complete our travelling for the day. 

-Choco Tapaculo

Species List:
Awa Road: Ruddy Pigeon, Purple-crowned Fairy, Choco Toucan, Blue-headed Parrot, Choco Tapaculo, White-bearded Manakin, Tropical Kingbird, Tawny-crested Tanager, Lemon-rumped Tanager, Blue-black Grassquit, Thick-billed Seed Finch, Variable Seedeater, 

Ecuador Day 6; Reserva Amagusa

I think it is safe to say that this was the best day of our time in Ecuador. The birding was simply fabulous with loads of different birds on offer. We had travelled over the mountains to another birding site to the north the previous evening, so we were well placed to arrive early at our next birding site; the Mashpi Road. This road cuts through a pristine area of Choco forest as the access road to the very prestigious Mashpi Lodge, that was quite simply well out of our price range.

The birding along the road was excellent with a number of interesting birds encountered. The mixed species flocks were large and had a huge diversity of species within them. The bird I really wanted to see here was the Moss-backed Tanager, a very range-restricted species, and we very quickly found a few in the flocks along the road. In the understory we also had brilliant views of Zeledon’s Antbird, which remained remarkably chilled out when we were watching it.

Halfway along the road we found the private Reserva Amagusa, which has feeders for both hummingbirds and tanagers. We chatted to the owner and since the reserve was cheap we headed in where we had phenomenal views of many species of hummingbirds including the stunning Empress Brilliant, Violet-tailed Sylph and Green Thorntail. The tanager feeders had many species visiting, including the Moss-backed Tanager which would happily sit while we watched and photographed them. There was also Glistening-green Tanager and the Choco endemic Rufous-throated Tanager. A Crimson-rumped Toucanette also stopped by briefly. And that wasn’t all, as the fruiting trees in the garden provided food for Rose-faced Parrot, and a feeder on the ground hosted a White-throated Quail-Dove.

And the feeders were not all that we got for our visit, as the reserve manager also guided us during the afternoon, showing us our much wanted Club-winged Manakin, a juvenile male, as well as other Choco species such as Indigo Flowerpiercer, Rufous-rumped Antwren, Choco Tyrannulet and distant views of Yellow-collared Chlorophonia. Sadly in the afternoon the rain set in, and although we were able to continue birding by simply watching the feeders, we struggled to find many more birds in the forest. That said though, this was without a doubt our favourite day birding during our time in Ecuador. It was phenomenal! 

Species List:
Reserva Amagusa: White-throated Quail-Dove, Squirrel Cuckoo, Green Thorntail, Violet-tailed Sylph, Brown Inca, Velvet-purple Coronet, White-booted Racket-tail, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Empress Brilliant, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Andean Emerald, Turkey Vulture, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Rose-faced Parrot, Bronze-winged Parrot, Rufous-rumped Antwren, Zeledon's Antbird, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Pacific Tuftedcheek, Red-faced Spinetail, Slaty Spinetail, Club-winged Manakin, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Barred Becard, Cinnamon Becard, Streak-necked Flycatcher, Slaty-capped Flycatcher, Bronze-olive Pygmy Tyrant, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Ornate Flycatcher, Choco Tyrannulet, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Black-billed Peppershrike, Choco Vireo, Chivi Vireo, Blue-and-white Swallow, House Wren, Bay Wren, Sepia-brown Wren, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Andean Solitaire, Black Solitaire, Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, Thick-billed Euphonia, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Yellow-throated Bush Tanager, Black-striped Sparrow, Chestnut-capped Brushfinch, Choco Brushfinch, Tropical Parula, Choco Warbler, Slate-throated Whitestart, Lemon-rumped Tanager, Moss-backed Tanager, Black-chinned Mountain Tanager, Glistening-green Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager, Palm Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager, Golden-naped Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, Golden Tanager, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Variable Seedeater, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Black-winged Saltator, Slate-colored Grosbeak, 

Ecuador Day 5; Bellavista

Today was our last day in this area of the Choco Andes of the Mindo area, as tonight we would lodge in another small village just over an hours drive away to target a new selection of birds in the morning. Although we had many species we still wanted to see, the big one was still Tanager Finch. And so we headed back to Bellavista and try and find the bird that had so far eluded us.

And it eluded us again, without us having a sight or sound of the bird during our final day birding along the road here. The forest was lively with lots of birds around including a new species for us in Turquoise Jay, which was absent on our last visit but appeared very common this time. Otherwise the overall composition was very similar, only we were unable to tape out any Ocellated Tapaculos, although the ever-abundant Spillmann’s Tapaculo was much more performative on this occasion, with a few individuals actually showing quite well.

In the evening we met up with Jacob Drucker, an old friend from Israel who had provided various bits of advice on how to maximise our birding in the area, since he was conducting his PhD research there. It was fun to hear him chat about his work and reminisce on old times, before we headed off to our next location. 

Species List:
Bellavista: Plumbeous Pigeon, Lesser Violetear, Gorgeted Sunangel, Speckled Hummingbird, Collared Inca, Buff-tailed Coronet, Golden-headed Quetzal, Masked Trogon, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Red-billed Parrot, Streak-headed Antbird, Spillmann's Tapaculo, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Montane Woodcreeper, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Lineated Foliage-gleaner, Striped Treehunter, Azara's Spinetail, Rufous Spinetail, Golden-winged Manakin, Streak-necked Flycatcher, Cinnamon Flycatcher, White-tailed Tyrannulet, Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet, Smoke-colored Pewee, Turquoise Jay, Mountain Wren, Plain-tailed Wren, Great Thrush, Thick-billed Euphonia, Dusky Bush Tanager, Choco Brushfinch, Three-striped Warbler, Russet-crowned Warbler, Spectacled Whitestart, Blue-capped Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, Golden-naped Tanager, Blue-and-black Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Capped Conebill, Masked Flowerpiercer, Slaty Finch,