After a night of constant heavy rain we awoke to it still raining. Koos had mentioned recording 110 species of birds along the Waterfall Trail in 3 months so I decided to give it a try despite the rain. Encouragingly the rain eased as I left the complex of cabins and a Mourning Warbler at the start of the trail proved a considerable surprise but unfortunately it had started raining again by the time I made the forest proper so at times the trail name was a rather apt description for the trail itself! Dripping forest never seems too lively but as I descended on the slippery cobblestones I saw a male Andean Cock-of-the-Rocks flying through the forest and at the same time saw a movement on the trail itself. A White-throated Quail Dove had emerged from the forest, presumably due to the wet weather, and was walking down the trail ahead of me - a much-wanted bird so an excellent result! I made the waterfall and whilst it wasn't surprising that the lek wasn't active in the rain an obliging White-capped Dipper was nice compensation. There was a trail complex beyond the waterfall trail that I explored for a while before deciding to call it a morning but not before seeing 2 Handsome Flycatchers, a Violet-fronted Brilliant around the cabins and what was presumably a hybrid Warbler. We then drove to San Isidro Lodge where the rain continued. The birders and their guides present were gathered on the covered veranda watching the Hummingbird feeders so we joined them. Alejandro, the lodge manager, kindly told us that the 'San Isidro' Black-banded Owl had been seen the evening before and the White-bellied Antpitta had been seen that morning. I enquired about Peruvian Antpitta but his reply was 'not anymore since it was scared by flash-photography several years ago'. He said that if we arrived at the dining hall by 7.30am the next morning we would be welcome to try for the White-bellied Antpitta. The gathered group on the veranda had seen a female Gorgeted Woodstar the previous afternoon but it failed to show in the next few hours until the rain eventually cleared. We then opted to walk the road outside the lodge towards the research station but it seemed very quiet although I saw two new birds being Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet and Black-eared Hemispingus. Soon after dark we heard the Owl commence calling and soon found it sat alongside the 'streetlights' along the entrance track.
Plain-breasted Hawk 1
WHITE-THROATED QUAIL-DOVE 1
White-capped / Speckle-faced Parrot 5
Smooth-billed Ani 3
'SAN ISIDRO' BLACK-BANDED OWL 1
Green Violetear 4
Sparkling Violetear 4
Speckled Hummingbird 10
Violet-fronted Brilliant 1
Fawn-breasted Brilliant 2
Bronzy Inca 4
Collared Inca 6
Buff-winged Starfrontlet 2
Buff-tailed Coronet 2
Chestnut-breasted Coronet 15
Long-tailed Sylph 8
Emerald Toucanet 3
Azara's Spinetail 1
Montane Foliage-Gleaner 1
Olive-backed Woodcreeper 1
SULPHUR-BELLIED TYRANNULET 1
HANDSOME FLYCATCHER 2
Tropical Kingbird 1
Andean Cock-of-the Rock 1 male
Inca Jay 6
Brown-capped Vireo 1
White-capped Dipper 1
Blue-and-white Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 1
House Wren 1
Mountain Wren 4
Blackburnian Warbler 6
Mourning Warbler 1
Canada Warbler 4
Slate-throated Whitestart 2
Masked Flowerpiercer 2
Saffron-crowned Tanager 1
Blue-grey Tanager 4
Common Bush-Tanager 2
Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager 2
BLACK-EARED HEMISPINGUS 1
Rufous-collared Sparrow 6
Northern Mountain Cacique 1
Moth at Kopal Cabins, Baeza
presumed hybrid Warbler sp. at Baeza
Whilst basically the bird's upperparts, wings, undertail coverts and even perhaps its white cheeks looked a close fit for Blackpoll Warbler its pale yellow forecrown and throat did not. Could a Blackburnian x Blackpoll hybrid take on this appearance?
Male Violet-fronted Brilliant at Baeza
House Wren at Baeza
Smooth-billed Ani at Baeza
Cinnamon Flycatcher at San Isidro Lodge
Green Violetear at San Isidro Lodge
Bronzy Inca at San Isidro Lodge
Male Collared Inca at San Isidro Lodge
Male Long-tailed Sylphs at San Isidro Lodge
Inca Jays at San Isidro Lodge
Blackburnian Warbler at San Isidro Lodge
Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet at San Isidro Lodge
'San Isidro' Black-banded Owl at San Isidro Lodge
