Birding Ecuador Part IV; The Southwest
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Covers Feb 14-18 when we moves south, from the Manglares-Churute area to Buenaventura NP (staying at Umbrellabird Lodge), then to Jorupe with some Moth Mania-photos inserted and a trip down to Zapotillo. That’s when the film ends, since we had more adventures in the south than fit into one part. Had to split it up! Feb 14 starts very wet. We learn that access to Manglares-Churute isn’t possible because that same wet weather has been on it for a while. Back-up place Tamarind was a treat, and thankfully the rain stopped! Bird seen at those places (incl views along the highway) are Horned Screamer (photo), Rufous-headed Chachalaca, Pacific Hornero, Northern Violaceous Trogon, Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant (photo) and a preening Pacific Royal Flycatcher mightily out of focus… This AF-thing is a curse that follows me through the trip. The focus tends to pounce on things in the background, even when the background is a small percentage of what’s in the frame. I knew there was a way to manage the focus manually but simply hadn’t been able to figure it out and the camera lacked good handbook. It turned out that you have to go online and find the data on the web. Suffice to say I didn’t manage that while in Ecuador! To make up for the tawny blur I have an inserted, perfect photo from my trusted camera! Anyway, the adventure continues. We drive towards Cuenca and of course stop at El Cajas NP, high altitude habitat. This is THE place to go in the world if you want to see Violet …
Hummingbirds are fun, entertaining, full of energy and it’s easy to attract hummingbirds.
