Wednesday July 4 - Colorful Fireworks of Bird Colors!

Bob and I joined the others at six AM for delicious tomato and onion omelets, before walking down the path to the bus and onto 5N. It was mostly clear, probably because it had poured rain last night. We birded the highway wall on the uphill side which was covered with ferns, epiphytes and orchids and in most places dripping moisture. Two young boys passed us on their bicycles pedaling uphill for several miles to school accompanied by their black-spotted female dog. She returned and watched us warily but then warmed up as we gave her a few snacks. As we drove up and down the highway in search of various birds, she would appear wherever we stopped!

"Perra Buena" by our bus

She was very skinny, but obviously loved by her family and well-trained - a nice companion!

We climbed over a barbed wire fence and found ourselves on a very steep cliff covered with bromeliads looking over an expansive vista of valleys and huge trees to mountains in the distance. We looked carefully down onto a brilliant red bromeliad flower and Bob and I saw a large dark hummingbird that we think was a Royal Sun Angel. One of our wonderful drivers/cooks found us and gave us “elevenses” of wonderful passion fruits that we cracked open to eat the gelatinous seedy interior.

We returned to the lodge at one PM for lunch of papas a la huancaina, then some meat Milanese, thinly cut and deep fried with rice & sweet potato -lots of starches are the rule in the Andes!- and cut up Pepino - a melon-like fruit.

Dining Room at the Lodge

We got a break until 3:30 and I attempted to send a blog post, to no avail - you need the patience of a saint, and after I thought I was all set to send it at 3:15...it seemed to disappear!

I dashed back to our cabin and met the others for a short walk through the woods and to an observation tower. We climbed up about 50’ to a platform from which we could see an amazing 360˚ view of the countryside and eye-level views of the bromeliad mats at the tree tops. We got great looks at the Rufus-vented Whitetip, a type of hummer, and then John called in a flock of White-Capped Tanagers, large black tanagers with a bluish sheen on their wings, snowy white crown, and a brilliant red throat - perfect for the Fourth of July! I staggered down the tower as my knees are still suffering from the march last night, but thrilled with such a beautiful sight!

Birding from the tower

Bromiliad from the Tower

We met in the dining room for the nightly ritual of “The List” in which John or Pepe reviews the birds we have seen that day and we check them off our lists. Last night we were way too exhausted, so tonight we had a double list, followed by warming chicken soup, chicken with mashed yellow Peruvian potatoes and a pudding made from the purple corn that we drank the first night here. The food is certainly good with lots of local specialties!