Observations by mattclark72

A pair of Hooded Mountain-Tanagers chased away at least two Turquoise Jays. I got this close-up of one of the tanagers with an insect in his mouth. They were foraging among the mosses on the trees and had no fear of me in the least.

Seen on the road to the ranger station at Cajanuma (Podocarpus National Park). The Plain-tailed Wrens are among the most commonly-heard birds along the road. I heard this one initially, then called it in by whistling and pishing.

I think this is a female Great Sapphirewing. I saw it in montane forest in Yacuri National Park perched in the canopy of a medium sized tree adjacent to a bamboo thicket. It was still for a few minutes.

I saw a pair of Mouse-colored Thistletails in the humid páramo just above treeline in Podocarpus National Park (Lagunas del Compadre Trail). They were very vocal (high single whistling call) and responding to my whistling, coming to within a few feet of me, perching in and among the Miconia plants.

A pair of Variable Hawks seen on a cliff in El Cajas National Park. I first heard them screaming while in the Polylepis forest below, then came out to see one of them flying near the cliff with the other perched. I walked up the cliff to take additional photos.

Seen in the protected municipal forest of El Tundo, which provides drinking water to parts of Sozoranga Canton. El Tundo is a highly unusual forest in that it´s dominated by Neotropical Walnut (Juglans neotropica=. The squirrel is chewing on the walnut fruit.

One of several Tit-like Dacnis around Laguna Illincocha in El Cajas National Park. This is the second time I've been to this site and both times have seen this species in the vegetation near the house and the lake.

I watched this bird for about five minutes, foraging on the herbaceous forb layer in the páramo. I originally identified it as a Glowing Puffleg, but someone corrected me to Blue-mantled Thornbill, which seems right except the distinct white puffs on the legs. Does the Thornbill have those?