Explorations of an Ecologist: A Quick Trip to Ecuador: Part 10 (Last night-hike, final morning at Sani Lodge)

Part 1: Intoduction, Mindo Valley (March 24, 2019)
Part 2: Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary (March 25, 2019)
Part 3: Mindo Waterfall Trail, Papallacta Pass (March 26, 2019)
Part 4: Guango Lodge (March 27, 2019)
Part 5: Papallacta Pass (March 27, 2019)
Part 6: Travel to Sani Lodge, first night hike (March 28, 2019)
Part 7: First full day at Sani Lodge (March 29, 2019)
Part 8: Second full day at Sani Lodge (March 30, 2019)
Part 9: Amazonian river islands (March 31, 2019)
Part 10: Last nighthike, final morning at Sani Lodge (March 31 - April 1, 2019)

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March 31, 2019 (continued)

Our final nighthike in the Amazon failed to turn up any snakes but as usual there were many other curiosities to point our headlamps at. Frog diversity was once again very high and we added a couple of new species, including this Big-headed Frog (Oreobates quixensis) below.

Big-headed Frog (Oreobates quixensis) - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Rough-skinned Green Treefrog (Boana cinerascens) - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Map Treefrog (Boana geographica) - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

South American Common Toad (Rhinella margaritifer) - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Short-nosed Treefrog (Dendropsophus brevifrons) - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Gladiator Treefrog (Boana sp.) - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Invertebrates are common constituents of night hikes. This katydid was insane - turns out, it is a carnivorous species! Needless to say I kept my distance from those chompers...

Panacanthus cuspidatus - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Roundback Millipede sp. - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Proscopiidae sp. - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

As expected, we also came across a few Brown-eared Anoles and Amazon Climbing Salamanders; both species appear to be common in the vicinity of the lodge.

Brown-eared Anole (Anolis fuscoauratus) - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Amazonian Climbing Salamander (Bolitoglossa altamazonica) - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

April 1, 2019

The following morning we were thrilled to hear that Guillermo would be with us again. We would be heading back to the canopy tower for a final kick at the can. I inquired with him about our chances with Cocha Antshrike - the extremely range-restricted species that until recent decades was largely unknown - and Guillermo knew of an active territory! Even better, it was on the way to the canopy tower. We set off in the pre-dawn glow, the paddles softly splashing in the water while first few birds of the day began to sing.

We rounded a bend in the creek and a dark lump in a nearby tree drew our attention - a Spectacled Owl! After a few seconds, it took off silently into the deep woods.

Spectacled Owl - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

We added quite a few memorable species on the boat ride, including three species that were "lifers" for me - Band-tailed Barbthroat, Orange-headed Tanager and Ivory-billed Aracari. We also heard a Sunbittern, found a pair of White-chinned Jacamars and saw (and photographed very poorly) a Sungrebe.

White-chinned Jacamar - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Soon we were in the area where the Cocha Antshrikes were supposedly found - an area we had passed by at least six times already with Gustavo. Guillermo instructed me to play my tape, so I let it rip for a few renditions. Suddenly, a dark shape appeared at the edge of the creek. A male Cocha Antshrike! A female appeared as well, her chestnut and black plumage appearing rather dapper.

Cocha Antshrike - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

The male slipped back into the varzea forest but the female stuck around long enough for me to snap off some photos. Just awesome!! This was the icing on the cake on what was already a pretty memorable trip to Ecuador.

Cocha Antshrike - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

We had our fill of the Cocha Antshrikes and then continued on to the canopy tower. The rain threatened the entire time, but we climbed the tower without incident and settled in, with no major rain showers disrupting our vigil.

Slate-colored Hawk - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

We had an awesome morning on the tower with one highlight after another. A few nice mixed flocks of tanagers moved through that included Opal-crowned, Opal-rumped, Turquoise, Green-and-gold and Yellow-bellied Tanagers (still no Paradise Tanager!).

Opal-rumped Tanager - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Flycatchers were in abundance, while we also heard a Long-billed Woodcreeper. This is a species that has to be seen to be fully appreciated (though its song is pretty cool as well!); unfortunately that will have to wait until a future trip.

Gray-crowned Flycatcher - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

A small group of Many-banded Aracaris landed in a nearby tree to feed on the figs. Easily the best looks we have ever had of this species!

Many-banded Aracari - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

The new species kept coming. I was pretty stoked to see a Gould's Jewelfront - a brilliant hummingbird species - land on one of the guy-wires on the tower. And even when we decided to pack it in, we found a pair of Spot-winged Antshrikes and a Whiskered Flycatcher (along with a Great Jacamar, a species that I had been fortunate to have seen on a handful of other occasions).

Great Jacamar - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Upon exiting the tower, Guillermo had one more surprise in store for us. There was a hide set up a short walk away, in an area where Wire-tailed Manakins sometimes group together and "lek" (the males performing for a watching female or two). I am not sure why Gustavo never took us to this area since it surely must be well-known among all the guides.

We had hardly been at the hide for two minutes when the fiery plumage of a male Wire-tailed Manakin shot across our view. We quickly found him in our bins and watched him do his thing for a minute, but he left as quickly as he arrived. What amazing colours on this species!

Wire-tailed Manakin - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

And with that it was time to get going, since the morning was disappearing on us. On the walk back we heard a Black-spotted Bare-eye (my last avian "lifer" of the trip), but try as me might, he just would not show himself. Around that time we managed to catch this awesome little lizard, a White-striped Eyed Lizard (Cercosaura oshaughnessyi).

White-striped Eyed Lizard (Cercosaura oshaughnessyi)

Soon we were back in the canoe, making good headway back to the lodge. We packed up our bags and said goodbye to the staff (including Panchita, the friendly Collared Peccary).

Panchita, the Collared Peccary - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

On our walk back to the Rio Napo we stopped one more time after hearing some rustling in the trees. It was a group of (really cute!) Black-mantled Tamarins.

Black-mantled Tamarins - Sani Lodge, Sucumbios Province, Ecuador

Fifteen minutes later we had loaded ourselves into the boat and we began to make good headway back up the Rio Napo to the docks in Coca. From there we taxied back to the airport and flew to Quito, leaving Amazonia behind. It had been a whirlwind of a trip but we were both very satisfied with how it had gone. We could not wait to get back to Ecuador at some point!

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Thursday 3 October 2019

A Quick Trip to Ecuador: Part 10 (Last night-hike, final morning at Sani Lodge)

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