Bronzy Inca
Happy New Year. Here we are, 2018, we made it out of 2017. I made bread last night and I’m making quinoa pumpkin soup today. Some things never change. Beyond that, almost all my resolutions are on ice until I feel like I’ve thawed out enough. I’ve had my long underwear on all day to deal with the sub-zero wind chills every time I visit the backyard. Perhaps due to the severe cold, it’s been a fairly relaxing weekend, mostly indoors, with time to revisit the pictures from Ecuador, and when reflection or identification becomes too cumbersome, I happily doze off under the comforter.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
I’ve decided to devote this post to some hummingbirds seen on the trip. The Chestnut-breasted Coronets were everywhere and often bullies at the feeders, which made it easy to try to ignore them, but on the other hand they made themselves available for a lot of pictures, so I obliged.
The Fawn-Breasted Brilliants were not so easy to intimidate, like the one in the top left picture of the mosaic above.
I had almost forgotten the Buff-tailed Coronets but was happy to find pictures of them from the beginning of the trip, several of which are below.
Collared Incas were common and holding up their own at the feeders too.
The White-Bellied Woodstar is just plain cute, and I think he knows it.
The female of the species is charming as well.
Female White-Bellied Woodstar
Not all the hummers were at feeders, like the next three below.
Viridian Metaltail
Shining Sunbeam, not so shining in the rain
Sparkling Violetear
I love the Speckled Hummingbird too. Its facial markings make it easy to recognize.
Speckled Hummingbird
I can’t figure this guy out unless it’s a Long-tailed Sylph without the long tail.
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Buff-tailed Coronet
Two Buff-tailed Coronets getting feisty
Two more feeder shots with a nice flower that was also hard to ignore.
More colorful photographs from Ecuador to come. This is turning into the perfect antidote to a harsh winter.
I hope you are safe and warm wherever you are and may your year be off to a good start.
The irresistible landscape is part of Cayambe-Coca National Park, which we visited on our way from Quito to our first night’s stay at Guango Lodge in Papallacta. Guango was the magical place I stayed at for one night last year on the way down to the Amazon.
In this quick post I am adding a few bird photos of species we saw practically every day. Below on the left is a Speckled Hummingbird.
And a Fawn-Breasted Brilliant, Chestnut-Breasted Coronet and a mystery bird with its back to us at the feeder.
I will be back soon, the three-day weekend will offer more time to get caught up here and try to visit everyone else’s blogs I have not managed to see. I wish you all a joyous and peaceful holiday.