Day 16
Mitu Cachiveira
This area holds the white sand specialities, Jose, Jeff and myself set off and met our guide Miguel at the bridge of the 2 de Octubre village where the road ends. From here we explored the Mitu Cachiveira trails. Even before we had left the village proper we found a Speckled Chachalaca and roosting Plumbeous Kite, and with the frustrating numbers of Tropical Kingbirds that need checking out "just in case". There was plenty of bird activity to get us going, the first bit of dense forest produced a pair of Amazonian Antshrikes and a bird we had heard but missed seeing a few days earlier, Pectoral Sparrow, really good views of two birds unfortunately they didn't hang around (typical of most of the Amazon birds.... it doesn't take much movement in the dense undergrowth to lose them and not catch back up with them).
Miguel is another local guide who does his spotting with his ears and he is very very good. He tips his head to one side and points, Jose then translates for us! it worked very well and something that happened a lot today with some fine birds being seen from the direction of his pointed finger.
One of the good birds pointed out was a male Red Necked Woodpecker, the only one of the trip and a great looking bird. A few regular species were added to the day list, Blue Crowned Manakins, Cherries Antwrens, Purple Honeycreepers, the inevitable White browed Purpletufts etc.... seems hard now but these sort of birds became easily overlooked as they were numerous and were often seen more than several times a day, what would we all give to have a regular Purple Honeycreeper or Cherries Antwren visiting our gardens back home!
Collared Gnatwren, Great Billed Hermit and Brown Headed Greenlet all became lifers in a small mixed flock before a little searching and perseverance got us a Spot Backed Antwren, the lifers and skulkers just keep on coming.
Miguel led us to a clearing in the white sand forest where we would have breakfast, while unpacking his rucksack Miguel heard a Black Manakin, we looked a little but decided to eat as it called not too far away. Without warning it popped out and perched at virtually ground level 20ft from us, then a fumble of hard boiled egg while stretching for the camera resulted in a stunning view but no image, the bird decided to tease me for the next 10 minutes by flying to every bush in the clearing without actually stopping long enough to get a photo. Its a huge bird compared to the other Manakins that I saw and a great bird for the day, trip and life lists!...... oh but things would get better, and by some way.
Jeff had a hope and a not too confident hope of adding Pompadour Cotinga to his life list. As we finished packing up breakfast we all had a scan of the surrounding area where I cant remember who saw it and grabbed the scope (Either Jose or Jeff) when I was told "Quick Scope... look".
Pompadour Cotinga, perched. Some distance away so we headed off to get nearer views. Miguel was excited too, its not a common bird here and people normally have to travel some way from this area for them. Things got better as we eventually as the day wore on saw at least 4 individuals (inc a pair in the same tree....).
The birding continued with White Fringed Antwrens, Yellow-Green Grosbeak, Blackish Nightjar that we accidentally flushed form a fallen tree and it took shelter behind it, Blue Crowned Motmot and an incredibly hard to get onto Buff Rumped Warbler, I think this bird took nearly half an hour to find.
Plain Brown Woodcreeper, Epaulet Oriole and what we think was a Chestnut Woodpecker (rather than a Scale-breasted, as neither called back) was counted and as backup we would get to see another Chestnut tomorrow anyway were making the days total respectable.
An enjoyable moment was the finding of a Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin as it eventually gave up brilliant views deep in the forest off the track and after a fair bit of creeping over vines etc. A nice moment. White-eyed Tody-Tyrant, Grey Bellied Antbird a large flock of Maroon Tailed Parakeets a Black Tailed Tityra, Wedge Billed Treecreeper, White Crowned Manakins and Blue Black Grosbeak quickly followed, just before I had an episode with some seriously painful ants. I had sat down on a fallen tree not seeing the ants, wow the pain. Jose and Miguel smiled and I heard Jose say "Dancing ants". Blimey I had to drop the trousers to flush them out which kind of did the trick or so I thought! A while later while the 4 of us tried to get onto a Silvered Antbird the ants hit back, it was painful and I couldn't keep quiet as I had to take the trousers off ...... we all just about managed to get the bird.
We had walked a fair distance up this track and the elevation had started to get steeper, my thought were wandering between have I had enough of this clinbing and I hope something good is at the top...... oh boy was it. I was only a few paces behind Miguel when even I can understand in broken Spanish\English "Cock of the Rock" Effing hell, a Male Guianan Cock of the Rock perched a little distance away. Blimey I wasn't expecting that and I am still not sure if Miguel was either. It was brilliant, we all got onto it as it flew to a few various trees, it eventually perched near enough to allow me to get a prized image, not the best ever, but one that I will cherish for sure, what a bird and what a moment. Miguel said tat we could climb for maybe 10minuted more..... we declined the offer and trudged back down in a jovial mood.
A mixed flock gave us Green and Gold and Flame Crested Tanagers as well as a Black Throated Trogon, Grey Antwren, Long Tailed Woodcreeper and some other stuff that we all missed. We heard a Screaming Phia..... nothing unusual there then, and as we headed back to the village we got onto Fuscous Flycatcher, unfortuantly Jeff missed this as he was fending off Hornets which took a swipe at his ear and upper lip, Chestnut Bellied Seedfinch, Plain Breasted Ground Dove and more Squirrel Cuckoos. As a last hoorah, we drove a short way into the edge of Mitu and easily picked up a Point-tailed Palmcreeper, a very nice end to a great day.
I emptied the rest of the ants from my trousers, Jeff got a cool bear to ease the pain from the sting and we reflected on a great day with Miguel and seeing 4 Pompadour Cotingas and a Cock of the Rock.
One of the best bits today was Miguel. He took great pleasure in getting us good birds and genuinely looked please when we saw them, often resulting with a high five, great bloke.
