Milpe
Milpe Bird Sanctuary
Tuesday, July 12, 2011: After breakfast, we drove to the Milpe Bird Sanctuary. We started in the fields across the road. There we found Black Vulture, Bronze-winged Parrot, Choco Toucan (our first Choco endemic), Cattle Egret, Southern House-Wren, White-lined Tanager, Swallow Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager, and Southern Rough-winged Swallow. We also saw White-thighed Swallow, probably here, but I forgot to write it down. Some of the group saw White-shouldered Tanager here too.
Then we moved into the sanctuary itself, concentrating on the area around the hummingbird and tanager feeders (i.e., bananas). A Bay Wren was heard nearby, and Jose pointed out that a bird most of us had written off as a Tropical Kingbird was really a Snowy-throated Kingbird. Green Honeycreeper, Green Thorntail, Cinnamon Becard, and One-colored Becard. Wandering into the woods, we found Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Golden-winged Manakin, and heard White-bearded Manakin. We circled back to the feeders, adding Thick-billed Euphonia, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper (nearby), Green-crowned Brilliant, and Pale-mandibled Aracari. A Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan also visited the feeders, as did Flame-faced Tanager. A Spotted Woodcreeper was on a nearby tree, and we walked down the trail a bit after Choco (Golden-bellied) Warbler. Coming back, we saw a Orange-billed Sparrow. Smoky-brown Woodpecker was also in the vicinity, and we were shown a nesting Golden-olive Woodpecker.
We walked some trails, up and down through the forest, adding Black-winged Saltator, Choco (Golden-faced) Tyrannulet, Guayaquil Woodpecker, and White-whiskered Hermit. Contining on, we found Bananaquit, Squirrel Cuckoo, Ruddy Pigeon, Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager, Tawny-breasted Flycatcher, Plain Xenops, both Lineated Foliage-gleaner and Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner, and Collared Trogon. While I was trying to photograph the trogon, part of the group saw a Club-winged Manakin. I rushed up to see it, but it disappeared before I could get a good look. Fortunately, it was still in the area, and I eventually got a decent look. Continuing on, we found Purple Honeycreeper, Red-faced Spinetail, Lesser Greenlet, and Ornate Flycatcher. There were actually quite a few Ornate Flycatchers, and we saw them most of the way back to the feeders. I spotted a Turkey Vulture as we passed through an open area.
 |
 |
| Pale-mandibled Araçari | Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan |
 |
 |
| Toucans! | Flame-faced Tanager |
 |
 |
| Flame-rumped Tanager | Golden-winged Manakin |
Back at the feeders, we added Silver-throated Tanager and Green-crowned Woodnymph while eating our box lunches.
Milpe Gardens
After lunch, we visited Milpe Gardens which is adjacent to the older portion of the Sanctuary. The gardens include part of the Chalhuayacu river valley, and have an extensive trail system. There we saw White-whiskered Puffbird, Broad-billed Motmot, Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant. Further on, three Buff-rumped Warblers were on the trail itself. We also added Ochre-breasted Tanager, Russet Antshrike, Blue-tailed (Choco) Trogon, and Rufous-tailed Antwren before moving on.
We did some roadside birding in the rain. Someone spotted a Masked Water-Tyrant by a farmhouse. A family of Band-backed Wrens flew into a bare tree. Some seedeaters along the roadside included both Yellow-bellied and Variable Seedeaters. Finally, we saw an Olive-crowned Yellowthroat. By then, it was time to return to Tandayapa.
 |
 |
| Ornate Flycatcher | Clearwing Butterfly |
 |
|
| Caterpillar | |
My bird total for the day was 80 species, including 21 lifers. My trip total increased by 62 to 182 species, with 54 lifers.
Tandayapa Bird Lodge