2007 Tour Narrative
2007 marks the 17th year in a row that I have led a tour to La Selva, which continues as a wonderful Amazonian lodge both for birds and for service. In all these years, I have seen a fair amount of change along the river between Coca and La Selva with the expansion of oil exploration – but, amazingly, La Selva seems timeless. The tranquil setting on an idyllic oxbow lake was exactly as it was during my first visit – and the birds, as well, seem to appreciate their pristine haven.
We began with a day trip out of Quito just in case luggage or participants were delayed. Fortunately neither was the case, and we sampled the Western Andes a short distance from Quito, beginning at Yanacocha, a Jocotoco Foundation reserve on the slopes of Pinchincha, the large volcano that rises above Quito to the west. The lush cloud forest is always a joy to bird, and we had great success finding the fancier birds of the reserve including Scarlet-bellied and Black-chested Mountain-Tanagers (Yanacocha being the best location I know of for the latter). A performing pair of Crowned Chat-Tyrants and a cooperative White-browed Spinetail as well as three species of flower-piercers entertained us as we moved towards the hummingbird feeders at the end of the trail. The feeders certainly did not disappoint, with point-blank views of Sword-billed Hummingbird, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Great Sapphirewing, Sapphire-vented and Golden-breasted Pufflegs and Rainbow-bearded Thornbill. Just the names conjure up a tropical paradise! We continued to the old Nono-Tandayapa Road where we saw a selection of tanagers and flycatchers. Our main destination was a private residence near Tandayapa and simply the most amazing hummingbird spot I know of! We tallied another 17 species or so including gems such as Empress and Fawn-breasted Brilliants, Booted Racket-tail, Purple-bibbed White-tip, Collared and Brown Incas, Wedge-billed Hummingbird and even a rarity – a female Little Woodstar! On this day alone we saw 25 species of hummingbirds – yikes!
Our travel to La Selva went smoothly, and we arrived in the late afternoon in time to take our first of many canoe rides around Garzacocha, the tranquil oxbow lake on the edge of which La Selva Lodge is sited. Garzacocha means “Heron-Lake,” and this was a very appropriate name for our first afternoon. A specialty that has made La Selva famous is the diminutive Zigzag Heron – one of the rarest herons in the world – and we managed to find one and get great views on this first outing! Next we found an Agami Heron and then a Boat-billed Heron! Add Rufescent Tiger-Heron to these and we had ourselves a very heron-filled afternoon! Although we never found another Zigzag, the cocha was very rewarding during our stay – some of the better birds we sleuthed out around the lake included a very cooperative pair of Point-tailed Palmcreepers, great looks at Dot-backed, Silvered and Plumbeous Antbirds, White-chinned Jacamar, Long-billed Woodcreeper, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Hauxwell’s Thrush, Cinnamon Attila and of course the numerous prehistoric-looking Hoatzins.
Our visits to the canopy tower were a huge highlight of the trip. We never knew what we might see from the tower, but as usual we saw many species that we simply couldn’t see from the ground (unless as a disappointing “speck” at the top of a tree!). The canopy tower is always superb for toucans, cotingas and tanagers (all frugivores), and this year we had superb scope views of Channel-billed and White-throated Toucans, Many-banded and Ivory-billed Aracaris, Golden-collared Toucanet, Ringed and Cream-colored Woodpeckers, Purplish Jacamar, White-browed Purpletuft, Spangled Cotinga and an array of splendid tanagers including Paradise, Turquoise, Yellow-bellied, Green-and-gold and Masked! Even non-descript species such as Dusky-capped Greenlet and Gray-crowned Flycatchers have a certain appeal when viewed from up close at the top of a tree! My favorite as always was the wintering Blackpoll Warbler in the tower tree. Considering just how expansive Amazonia is, it always amazes me to find a Blackpoll in the one tree they built a tower in! What are the odds?
The group were delighted with our visit to the parrot clay licks – both the one on the river, where large numbers of Blue-headed, Yellow-crowned and Mealy Parrots gather, and the interior forest clay lick, with the amazing burst of color provided by the Orange-cheeked Parrots and Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlets. What a sight! We were greateful for the “stake-out” Common Potoo, and in the forest had a fine display of manakin species including Wire-tailed, Golden-headed, Blue-crowned and Striped. My own favorite was the Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin: although rather average plumage-wise, its behavior of sitting in the same spot all day, every day, giving its two-note call, adds new meaning to the expression “get-a-life”! Our forest birding, always the most difficult, was also the most rewarding. Just when you think there are no birds in the forest, up pops a White-chested Puffbird, or a Collared Puffbird, or a mixed-species flock with antshrikes and antwrens, or another incredible frog, or another amazing caterpillar – such is birding in the rainforest! We did manage to see a good array of antbirds – including Black-spotted Bare-eye, Scale-backed, White-shouldered and Yellow-browed Antbirds (perhaps my favorite) – just to name a few.
Other fun activities at La Selva included a visit and canoe ride at Mandicocha, which was very different from the main lake and home to great birds such as Azure Gallinule, American Pygmy Kingfisher and Black-capped Donacobius. On the Amazonian River Islands, we saw a collection of very specialized riverine species, including Ladder-tailed Nightjar, Black-and-white Antbird, White-bellied and Parker’s Spinetails, Lesser Hornero, River Tyrannulet and Lesser Wagtail-Tyrant (all birds that I hold dear to my heart, as they were my main study birds for my Master’s degree at LSU!).
La Selva is always memorable. Whether it was the eleventh-hour Amazonian Umbrellabird, or the stunning views of Crested Owl, or just relaxing during a rain storm in the bar and enjoying the antics of the Sand-colored Nighthawks, the Amazon is really a stunning environment. To experience just a tiny bit of it in relative comfort is truly lucky.
Gary Rosenberg
Updated: March 2007