Day 5 Bellavista

Day 5  Bellavista.

An early morning breakfast had us out and on our way by 6.00am and looking for lyre-tailed nightjar on the road above tandayapa village, with no luck. So we were soon on our way up to Bellavista at about 2100m and beyond. Our first stop before Bellavista produced Beautiful Jay but our main targets were above the Lodge. We arrived on site at 0620 and very quickly found a Tanager Finch and a Pale-billed Mountain Toucan along with Hooded Mountain-tanager and Rufous-headed Pigmy Tyrant. We then returned down the hill to the Lodge and spent a couple of hours around the garden. The feeders produced Gorgetted Sunangel, Collared Inca and Speckled Hummingbirds whilst other birds seen included Masked Trogon, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Glossy Black Thrush, Masked and White-line Flowerpiercers, Rufous-breasted Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, and Turquoise Jay.

We then walked the F and H trails to the research station road which gave good views of Red-billed Parrot, Toucan Barbet, more Plate billed Mountain Toucans, a superb Common Potoo, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Spillman’s Tapaculo, Streaked Tufted-cheek, Striped Treerunner, Spotted Barbtail, Smoke-coloured Pewee, Green and Black Fruiteater, and Capped Conebill. At the top of the trail, Black and White Becard, Grass-green Tanager, Blue and Black Tanager and a real surprise in the form of a White-faced Nunbird. Time for a Jorge jig.

Back at Bellavista we saw Flame-faced Tanagers on the roof of some of the accommodation and more hummers on the feeders.We had our lunch at the lodge where we added Fawn-breasted Tanager, Azara’s Spinetail, White-winged Brush-finch and a ridiculously tame Masked Trogon.

The return down the mountain produced Plumbeous Pigeon, White-tailed Tyrannulet and ended along the river again where we were joined by a group of other birders. As the skies  darkened a bird flew our above our heads looking more like a giant bat, then another bird was found settled on the road in front of us, a slow and careful walk forward with the bird in the torchlight gave us good views. The bird flew off but circled round and settled back on the road between us and the cars. A great end to a good day. We returned to Tandayapa where we spent some time after dinner checking out the moths on the walls under the lights which included a smart Hawkmoth.