Saturday, August 15, 2009

Guacamayos Ridge: August 8, 2009

Although it had been raining on and off all day at Cabanas San Isidro, I decided to swing by the Guacamayos ridge for a half hour before we returned to Quito. We arrived with the skies clearing dramatically to the east, with the Antisana and Sumaco-Galeras Reserves streched out gloriously before us. The scene at the ridge has changed recently with the advent of a new parking lot to accompany the old shrine, and there were almost fifty people hanging out and enjoying the view. All the comotion didn't prevent a nice mixed flock from sweeping through right at the entrance to the ridge trail, including a pair of spectacular Green-and-Black Fruiteaters and an impressively large Tyranine Woodcreeper.

Notable birds seen: Tyranine Woodcreeper, Green-and-Black Fruiteater, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Grass-Green Tanager.