From the Field
November 27:
Jon Feenstra on the completion of the second half of his tour, Ecuador: The South
After the first half on the Amazon slope of the Andes, it felt like a whole new tour when we crossed the Continental Divide and got into the birds of the Pacific slope. First of all, we went from the cool, humid cloud forest of Reserva Tapichalaca to the hot, dry (even though it did rain on us a little), deciduous forest of Reserva Jorupe. Then after a couple of days birding around there, we made another transition to humid low foothill rainforest at Reserva Buenaventura. And, finally it was back into the dry country for coastal thornscrub, more dry forest, and even a little bit of scoping mudflats and the ocean to round out the bird list and sample the last zone of biodiversity. Just like the first half on the Amazon slope, this Pacific stretch had some great highlights. We started off our first day with a flock of Scarlet-fronted Parakeets, a beautiful, noisy, and little known bird in Ecuador.
A blurry image of Scarlet-fronted Parakeets; they were close...and fast
Some of the common flock birds we saw in this habitat were Collared Antshrikes, Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrants, and seemingly every Tropical Gnatcatcher in the world. At Reserva Jorupe, we saw at least two Pale-browed Tinimous as they poked out of the forest to grab some corn behind the lodge, and flashy White-tailed Jays were also there being a lot less subtle.
White-tailed Jay
In the humid forest of Buenaventura we had no problem finding the critically endangered El Oro Parakeets now that they're nesting in a box near the top of the reserve. We also saw a few Gray-backed Hawks, Broad-billed Motmots, Chestnut-headed Oropendolas, Rufous-winged Tyrannulets, and marveled at the impossible tootling of Song Wrens. Last but not least, certainly not least, and a contender for Bird Of The Trip was the Long-wattled Umbrellabird displaying in the forest below the lodge. It's booming voice (somewhere between a fog horn and a cow) and seemingly impractical appendage make it a thing of superlatives and must be seen to be believed.
Long-wattled Umbrellabird
We finished the trip along the coast with Necklaced Spinetails in the bushes, Chilean Flamingos in the ponds, Peruvian Boobies flying by the bluffs over the Pacific Ocean and some spectacular aerobatics by Magnificent Frigatebirds.
Magnificent Frigatebird choreography
November 25:
Rich Hoyer on the second half of his tour to Peru: The Manu Biosphere Reserve and Machu Picchu
The latter half of our SE Peru tour saw us boating for seven delightful hours down the Upper Madre de Dios from the uppermost port of Atalaya to the Manu Wildlife Center. For some, this relaxing ride in the hands of our skilled boatmen Horacio and Luis was a highlight of the tour. Along the way we saw several Fasciated Tiger-Herons, unexpected Sungrebes (usually in shady, calm waters; not on big open rivers), and many others. One of the more surprising birds was a migrant American Golden-Plover on the rocky shore.
American Golden Plover
Our five days and six nights at the fabulous ecolodge of Manu Wildlife Center flew by. Our visit to the clay lick on a cloudy, rain-threatening morning was a bit odd, as the usual hoards of parrots and parakeets only made brief appearances in the trees overhead before flying off. But the Red-and-green Macaws gathered gradually and descended for a spectacular show of well over a hundred noisy, feathered bundles of primary colors.
Red-and-green Macaws
Two more of the tour’s most enjoyable outings were also by boat, these on a quiet floating platform as we were peacefully paddled around oxbow lakes by Horacio and Luis. On one we had the local and rare Pale-eyed Blackbird and Great-billed Seed-Finch, and an abundance of Purus Jacamars.
Purus Jacamar
On the other boat ride we came close to a heard-only Paint-billed Crake, finally caught up with Lesser Kiskadee, and had amazing views of a Green-and-rufous Kingfisher.
Green-and-rufous Kingfisher
Then there were the trails at Manu Wildlife Center, which revealed many treasures as we walked them slowly. An army ant swarm had a several birds, the most conspicuous of which was a pair of Black-spotted Bare-eyes. Gilded Barbet popped in a few times for excellent views, and a pair of Bat Falcons announced their presence from an exposed dead tree in the middle of the forest. Absolute trip highlights for some were a Cream-colored Woodpecker foraging quietly very low over the trail, a pair of Red-necked Woodpeckers doing the same and completely unconcerned with our presence, and a very seldom encountered Collared Puffbird that conveniently chose a perch we could see from the trail.
Cream-colored Woodpecker
Red-necked Woodpecker
Collared Puffbird
The canopy platform revealed several treasures of the treetops that we would have never seen from the trails below. Peruvian Spider Monkeys lounging in distant tree tops, Ivory-billed Aracaris hopping around in the canopy, and tanager flocks at and below eye level are just some examples. Most memorable was a pair of Blue Dacnis just feet away, glowing in the morning sunlight, and electric Paradise Tanagers in the same tree were hard to forget.
Paradise Tanager
Even the gardens around our cabins were worth watching, with the porterweed hosting a White-chinned Sapphire, Sapphire-spangled Emeralds, a Reddish Hermit, and a male Festive Coquette, providing wonderful viewing opportunities.
Festive Coquette
We finished at the incomparable Machu Picchu with Vilma, a wonderful guide who clearly takes pride and interest in the story of this wonder. She can also take a mean group photo.
Group at Machu Picchu - Photo: Vilma Zuñiga
We also had some excellent and memorable birding here at Machu Picchu. A Collared Inca looking almost more like a glittering jacamar was a most stunning specimen, and a pair of Inca Wrens duetting and showing off their beautiful plumage were unforgettable. We walked along the tracks to find the charming White-capped Dipper, and a female Torrent Duck dipped into the river several times at very close range, eventually resting on a rock just below us to re-waterproof her plumage.
Torrent Duck
I can’t guarantee we’ll be able to keep the species count down to a more reasonable number next year (nearly 600 species is hard to keep track of!), but no matter what we see, I look forward to some exciting and truly memorable experiences.
November 21:
Paul Holt on the completion of his tour to Goa, India
Highlights of this year's tour, our 16th to this balmy South Indian paradise, were many and varied but included regional specialities such as Black-capped Kingfisher (voted ‘Bird of the Tour’), Indian Pitta, Sri Lanka Frogmouth and Brown Wood Owl; a large number of gorgeous south Asian species such as Indian Roller, Green Bee-eater and Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher and even a few local rarities such as a Red-headed Merlin.
Bird of the tour - Black-capped Kingfisher
Sri Lanka Frogmouth
Brown Wood Owl
Indian Roller
I love this tour. The birding is superb and we stay a remarkable, stress free, 14 consecutive nights in the same hotel! Can any other bird tour anywhere say the same? With comfortable, well-appointed rooms, an immaculately clean swimming pool, great food and superbly friendly, attentive service, it was all the more remarkable that we did as much birding as we did! Combine all this with Goa’s gorgeous weather, and one has the ingredients for a fabulously successful tour.
Basecamp
November 19:
Jon Feenstra from the midway point in his tour to Southern Ecuador
It has felt like a bit of a whirlwind, but that's the way it goes when traveling from one great birding destination to another, each one bursting with endemics, near-endemics, local specialties, and just plain spectacular tropical birds.
Grass-green Tanager
We're half way through the tour of southern Ecuador and so far we've been almost entirely on the Amazon slope of the Andes from tree line in El Cajas National Park to the low foothills of the remote Cordillera del Condor, and various levels of cloud forest in between. We've made visits to both high and low elevations of the vast Podocarpus National Park, and the small corner of the Rio Maranon watershed with its own special bird life. Some of our bird highlights include the critically endangered Pale-headed Brushfinch and the striking Jocotoco Antpitta, the bird that started a huge conservation movement here in Ecuador.
Jocotoco Antpitta
Other goodies were a pair of Giant Conebills working the branches in a polylepis grove, seemingly daily Andean Cock-of-the-rock sightings (including as many as six at once feeding in fruiting trees in Podocarpus National Park), a Coppery-chested Jacamar, Amazonian Umbrellabird, White-necked Parakeets, several of the gorgeous and near-endemic Orange-throated Tanagers, a dizzying array of tanagers and hummingbirds, and plenty of tricky little flycatchers and such just to add a little challenge to things.
Part of the group in Polylepis looking at Giant Conebills
Coppery-chested Jacamar
Orange-throated Tanager
The backdrop to all of this has been pretty amazing as well. We passed Cotopaxi, an erupting volcano on our first day, and waterfalls, sheer cliff faces, rainbows, and huge swaths of unbroken green-ness meet us every day.
A smoking Cotopaxi
Tomorrow, we're off to the Pacific slope of the Andes with new adventures and entirely new birds in store.
November 9:
James Lidster from his just-completed tour to Namibia
I just completed our first modern day tour to Namibia and it looks like I may have a new contender for my favorite tour! It offersed everything; over 250 species of bird and nearly 40 species of mammals;dramatic scenery from dunes and coast to rolling hills, desert and savannah; and superb lodges and food are also superb... and I really should add the odd German bakery and good South African wine.
Just another dramatic lodge location
The highlights of the first trip were the endemic and near endemic Dune Lark, Herero Chat, Hartlaub's Francolin, Ruppell's Korhaan (photo), Rosy-faced Lovebird, Ruppell's Parrot (photo), Monteiro's (photo) and Damara Hornbills, Benguela Long-billed Lark, White-tailed Shrike, Rockrunner, Bare-cheeked Babbler and Carp's Tit.
Ruppell's Korhaan
Ruppell's Parrot
Monteiro's Hornbill
And from our several days in Etosha driving our own Safari we were treated to 16 Black Rhinos. lots of African Elephants and Lions, one Cheetah and on the preceding evening a night drive with 5 Aardwolves!
Black Rhinos
African Elephants
Lion
Aardwolf
November 5:
Fabrice Schmitt and Steve Howell from their ongoing tour of Chile
Now back in Santiago after the first two sections, in Tierra del Fuego and the Lake District. Many highlights to date, ranging from majestic King Penguins on Tierra del Fuego (including a lone wanderer on a beach far from the new colony!) to demure Des Mur’s Wiretails in the Lake District bamboo thickets. A few images below, before we start our birding in Central and Northern Chile.
Our roadside ‘vagrant’ King Penguin!
The understated Des Mur’s Wiretail
Seeking Magellanic Plover...
...Finding Magellanic Plover
Rufous-chested Plover and Two-banded Plover on Tierra del Fuego
Darwin’s Rheas huddled in a 60-knot wind!
Many-colored Rush-Tyrant, seen on our first afternoon.
November 3:
Rich Hoyer from the mid-way point on his tour of Southeastern Peru
The first half of our Manu Biosphere Reserve tour has been so full of amazing bird sightings it was like a tour all in its own. In the past six days we’ve descended the moist slope of the Andes from Acjanaco Pass to Villa Carmen Biological Station (with some light rain just part of one morning, much less than expected) and are soon heading out by boat down the Madre de Dios River to the lowlands where the diversity is supposed to increase. But that’s hard to believe. We’ve already seen over 350 species of birds in less than a week.
At the highest elevations a couple of tanager flocks finally appeared with gorgeous Grass-green, Golden-collared, and Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanagers showing well, as well as a very cooperative Black-throated Tody-Tyrant.
Black-throated Tody-Tyrant
Close fly-bys of two female Swallow-tailed Nightjars, a tantalizingly close calling Rufous-banded Owl, and roosting Chestnut-collared Swifts were highlights from a short evening walk. My attempts to rile hummingbirds with Yungas Pygmy-Owl imitations resulted in a the real thing responding and flying it. But instead of keeping hidden in a tree high above our heads as they often do, this one landed amongst the lichens, bromeliads, and orchids in the trees below eye level on the down slope side of the road where we had excellent views.
Yungas Pygmy-Owl
We had a good experience watching some very active Andean Cock-of-the-rocks on their lek, one bird being particularly bold by performing his head-bowing display on a branch right in front of us.
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
The feeders at our mid-elevation lodges of San Pedro had nice Booted Racket-tails, Many-spotted Hummingbirds, and Violet-fronted Brilliants, but it was a resident Wedge-billed Hummingbird that fed from the pink Heliconia flowers in the garden that stole the show.
Wedge-billed Hummingbird
Other birds in the garden were gorgeous Silver-beaked Tanager in rich light and a pair of bold Andean Motmots (two of several that we saw) that came to feed on bananas.
Andean Motmot
Perhaps the most astonishing and thrilling sighting from the mid-elevations was a juvenile Black-and-chestnut Eagle that our van flushed from a low log on the side of the road. The monster flapped slowly in front of us as we came to a sudden stop, and it perched not 10 yards from the road. A passing car threatened to flush it before we got photos, but the bird remained nonplussed, proceeded to preen, and the driver of the passing car even paused to point his camera phone out the window.
Watching the Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Juvenile Black-and-chestnut Eagle
On our way to the lower Kosñipata Valley we saw yet more great birds. Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulets foraged at eye-level, a pair of Wattled Guans surprised us in trees next to the road, and a stationary Lanceolated Monklet perched in the open but far from obvious was brilliantly spotted by one of the participants. The butterflies were out of this world. Some of the showier and more colorful were the clear-winged metalmark Chorinea sylphina and the shocking Superb Leafwing, wings spread below a bridge over a small stream.
Clear-winged Metalmark
Superb Leafwing
The birds of the bamboo thickets here at Villa Carmen Biological Station were amazingly cooperative. While standing in one spot just a ten-minute walk from our rooms we saw Bamboo Antshrike and Yellow-breasted Warbling-, Goeldi’s, White-lined, and Manu Antbirds. White-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher was in another bamboo thicket as well, and we ended that first day with over 130 species. Even closer to our rooms was a family group of the most unlikely of the world’s birds, the Hoatzin, and at the same marsh we enjoyed a tail-wagging, head-bowing, and sac-inflating performance from a pair of Black-capped Donacobius. The overnight thunderstorm and yesterday morning’s continuing sprinkles produced a termite emergence that resulted in an explosion of bird activity such as a flock of a dozen flycatching Purple Honeycreepers and three male Plum-throated Cotingas perched in some treetops. We then watched a non-swarming column of army ants with a kleptoparasitic silverfish living amongst them, followed immediately by a cooperative Rusty-belted Tapaculo that everyone got to see very well. Later in the afternoon a great surprise and first local record was an Upland Sandpiper in a newly planted field in the agricultural plots that are part of the station’s involvement in helping the communities of the region develop sustainable farming methods. We missed seeing the adult Common Potoo that had been on a nest, but in its place instead was the most adorable half-grown chick roosting on its own, trying its best to look like a tree trunk.
Common Potoo chick
November 1:
Gavin Bieber and Susan Myers on their recently concluded tour to Queensland and New South Wales, Australia
Our tour covering Queensland and coastal New South Wales kicked off with a fine week around Cairns and the Atherton Tablelands. From a surprisingly bold Noisy Pitta striding around the grounds at Kingfisher Lodge to an unexpectedly difficult but very much appreciated Southern Cassowary in the rainforests near Kuranda there was a wealth of birds.
Noisy Pitta Photo: Ade Buckel
Southern Cassowary
The bird diversity in the northern reaches of the tableland was higher than normal, benefitting from the record droughts to the west. Larger than usual numbers of Australian Bustards and Squatter Pigeons and a few truly irregular species to the area such as Diamond Dove made for excellent birding.
Diamond Dove
Australia has more than a few beautiful species of pigeons, and we were happy to see gaudy Topknot Pigeons perched in the canopy and large numbers of the elegant Torresian Imperial Pigeons along the coast.
Torresian Imperial Pigeon
Our day on the Great Barrier Reef was complicated by some boat issues, but the birds were plentiful, with 11 species of terns seen over the course of the day (Here is a mixed flock with Black-naped, Common, Roseate, and Lesser Crested Terns). We must give special mention to the area’s many species of mammals, especially this sleeping Lumholtz’s Tree-Kangaroo (and the very cooperative Platypus) that we found south of Yungaburra, our pleasant base on the tablelands.
Black-naped, Common, Roseate, and Lesser Crested Terns on a Great Barrier Reef beach
Lumholt's Tree-Kangaroo
Our second week centered around the famous O’Reilly’s Lodge SW of Brisbane and Royal National Park on the southern outskirts of Sydney. The birds around O’Reilly’s are astoundingly tame. Forest birds often investigate your shoelaces and even normally very shy birds like Eastern Whipbird can be easy to spot. Bolder birds like Rufous Fantail can be positively pushy.
Eastern Whipbird
Rufous Fantail
The gorgeous Regent and Satin Bowerbirds are common visitors around the lodge, where Eastern Spinebills frequent the flowering shrubs, and Australian King Parrots look over (or from) your shoulder for any dropped tidbits.
Regent Bowerbird
Satin Bowerbird
King Parrot
Our scheduled pelagic trip out of Sydney was cancelled due to high winds and swell, but our backup visit to Barren Grounds National Park gave us superlative views of Eastern Bristlebird. Royal National Park was a great and scenic backdrop for our final day and a half, with Superb Lyrebird showing well, and dazzlingly blue Azure Kingfishers lining the creek.
Superb Lyrebird
Azure Kingfisher
We finished the Eastern Tour with 283 species, and an amazing 444 species for the two tours combined. . It is always with a touch of sadness that I board the plane to leave this amazing continent, and I very much look forward to next year’s tours!
October 30:
Gavin Bieber on his just-completed tour of Western Australia and Northern Territory
We spent the first week of our new Western Australia Tour birding around the southwest corner of the country. A wetland in central Perth provided our first waterbirds, including these fine courting Black Swans.
Black Swan
Forests around Dryandra and the Stirling Ranges were very productive, with repeated views of Carnaby’s (Short-billed) Black-Cockatoos, the aptly named Splendid Fairy-Wren, the western form of Crested Shriketit (surely an excellent candidate for species status) and Rufous Treecreeper. The gorgeous coastline near Cheyne’s Beach was our backdrop for several days, where we had especially good views of Western Whipbird (as well as the other two skulky heathland endemics; the Noisy Scrubbird and Western Bristlebird) and several beautiful Southern Emu-wrens.
Splendid Fairy-Wren
Southwest Australia coastline
Our second week covered the red center of the country around Alice Springs, the tropical north of the 'Top End' around Darwin, and two days around the outpost town of Kununurra, near the east end of the Kimberley Mountains. Around Alice Springs we found some confiding Spinifex Pigeons, marveled at the shiny purple nape patch of Western Bowerbird and were lucky to find a nesting pair of the generally scarce Black-breasted Buzzards.
Spinifex Pigeon
Western Bowerbird - Photo: Ade Buckel
The humid and comparatively lush lands surrounding Darwin seemed stuffed with new birds at every turn. Hulking Blue-winged Kookaburras and a very cooperative pair of Rufous Owls were especially nice.
Blue-winged Kookaburra
Rufous Owl
Kununurra has the feel of a real outback town, with isolated and very beautiful grottos, and almost comically swollen Baobab Trees dotting the savannahs. Although it was very dry this year, we still found 10 of 11 species of finches possible in the area (including the beautiful Gouldian and scarce Yellow-rumped Mannikin), and the day trip out to Lake Argyle was superb with dozens of Yellow Chats, flocks of Magpie Geese, and tame Short-eared Rock Wallabys. We wrapped up the 17 day itinerary back in Darwin, with an amazing 323 bird species seen!
Kunnunura grotto
Northern Territory Baobab
Short-eared Rock Wallaby
October 19:
Rich Hoyer on his recently completed tour to Bolivia
The Chaco region was as interesting as ever, this year providing abundant Black-legged Seriemas as well as Crested Hornero, Many-colored Chaco-Finch, Chaco Earthcreeper, Lark-liked Brushrunners and many other regional specialties. A Crested Gallito that perched up for photos was perhaps the star of this part of the trip.
Crested Gallito
Our time in the enchanting valley of Refugio Los Volcanes was superb despite the persistent winds – Bolivian Recurvebill, Bolivian Tapaculo, Slaty Gnateater, and this most confiding of Subtropical Pygmy-Owls.
Refugio Los Volcanes scene
Subtropical Pygmy-Owl
We had the good fortune of seeing a flock of Red-fronted Macaws fly right over us in our first afternoon in the Comarapa area, followed the next day by Bolivian Earthcreeper and Bolivian Blackbird. Productive birding up in the Siberia included seeing Trilling and Diademed Tapaculos but most amazing was a Hooded Mountain-Toucan in a small patch of cloud forest where we did not expect one, let alone to have one perch up so nicely.
Hooded Mountain-Toucan
On our way to Cochabamba we had the delightful conundrum of deciding whether to look at the two Andean Condors soaring at eye-level only a couple hundred yards away or at the stunning male Red-tailed Comet perched just 15 yards away. Fortunately both remained visible for several minutes and we got fabulous views.
Andean Condor
Red-tailed Comet
Our final days in the Cochabamba area were also delightful, and a five-canastero day up at Cerro Tunari, along with Short-tailed Finch and several other high-elevation specialties was especially fun.
It was wonderful to be in bird-filled Bolivia again, and I look forward to returning as soon as I can fit it into my schedule – look for a repeat of this itinerary in 2017, with perhaps an extension to some additional far-flung corner.
Mercado San Antonio
Picnic lunchs were brilliant thanks to Benita