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YANACOCHA & UPPER NONO-MINDO ROAD & LIST

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Written by Jane Lyons, Vinicio Perez, Charles Hesse, BSG
Jul 06, 2006 at 05:54 PM
YANACOCHA & UPPER NONO-MINDO ROAD & LIST (2006) ECUADOR PICHINCHA (NW) Lat:00^o10´S/78^o35´W 3200-3600m 1,250ha, high altitude montane forest, access to paramo above is possible but actual reserve includes little. Birding Site Guide Access is from the old stone Nono-Mindo road, which is followed for several km before a Yanacocha signed left turning through a white-pillar archway. The sign says 10km to reserve. The road is very rough in places and 4-wheel drive is recommended. Yanacocha is a Fundacion Jocotoco reserve quite near Quito. You can contact the foundation office in Quito or just turn up and pay your entry fee to the 2 guardaparques. If you don't have your own transport, you can hire a pick up to take you up. From the centre of Quito, first go to the area of Cotocollao. Find the plaza (or parque central) and look for pick-ups (camionetas) to take you up. The drivers know the site. The ride up there took about 50 minutes along a bad road (which may be improved in the future) and I managed to haggle the driver down to $12. A camioneta leaves about 5:30 in the morning to the community of Yanacocha near the entrance to the reserve. It may be possible to get a ride up this. Alternatively (if you're a glutton for punishment), you could get on a bus towards Nono and get off at the (signed) turning up towards the reserve, a further 10km uphill. Entrance to the reserve costs $5. There are many hummingbird feeders along the main trail of the reserve where you can see many good species well. I failed to see the critically endangered endemic Black-breasted Puffleg which appears to be present only from December to mid-July. May and June being the best months. At the end of the trail is an area opf forest where I saw Stout-billed Cinclodes and some flowerpiercers. Before this is a fork, the left to a large pipe-tunnel under a hill. Apparently on the far side is some nice paramo habitat. To get back down to Quito, you can take the community truck at about 4pm, but beware, it doesn't go on Tuesdays and Fridays. Alternatively you could walk down to the junction with the Nono road from where you have a better chance to get a bus or hitch. On the walk down, I saw Short-eared Owl. I saw 26 species including 4 lifers Species seen by Charles Hesse (Yanacocha 14th July, 2006) American Kestrel Falco sparverius Andean Guan Penelope montagnii Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus Sparkling Violet-ear Colibri coruscans Shining Sunbeam Aglaeactis cupripennis Mountain Velvetbreast Lafresnaya lafresnayi Buff-winged Starfrontlet Coeligena lutetiae Photographed Great Sapphirewing Pterophanes cyanopterus Photographed Sapphire-vented Puffleg Eriocnemis luciani Photographed Golden-breasted Puffleg Eriocnemis mosquera Photographed Black-tailed Trainbearer Lesbia victoriae Tyrian Metaltail Metallura tyrianthina Photographed Stout-billed Cinclodes Cinclodes excelsior Photographed Azara's Spinetail Synallaxis azarae Heard only Streaked Tuftedcheek Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii Barred Fruiteater Pipreola arcuata Photographed White-throated Tyrannulet Mecocerculus leucophrys Brown-bellied Swallow Notiochelidon murina Great Thrush Turdus fuscater Black-chested Mountain-Tanager Buthraupis eximia Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus igniventris Plain-colored Seedeater Catamenia inornata Glossy Flowerpiercer Diglossa lafresnayii Masked Flowerpiercer Diglossopis cyanea Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch Atlapetes latinuchus Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis Nono-Mindo road, now an ecotourist route (Tandayapa Ecoroute and Mirador Ecoroute) which offers official protection, this famous road has many of the best birding places along it including BELLAVISTA, MINDO, PACHA QUIND, SACHATAMIA, SEPTIMO PARAISMO HOTEL, TANDAYAPA LODGE and VERDECOCHA, with sites such as YANACOCHA and others accessed via it (see rest of this account). It used to link Nono to Mindo but as Quito has expanded (so that Nono will soon be a suburb) links Quito to Mindo. A small section of the old road, just before the Mindo turn-off has been incorporated into the new highway, so the old road appears to stop at the new highway before reaching Mindo. The last section of the old road from the new highway to Mindo is now paved. Access from the Quito end is either via Avinida Occidental n end (on outskirts) where there is a turning (left heading out, requiring turning back on the in-bound highway to access) onto Machala Road (there is a sign across the highway saying Preservemos la Naturaleza). Follow Machala Road up, and this becomes the Nono-Mindo road (or for Yanacocha take the right hand turn above Nono through the gate, following the signs). An easier alternative is to leave Quito, passing the second (and last) pay toll, only a short way past this is a left turn onto a unsurfaced road which is signed Nono-Mindo Ecotourist Route, follow the Ecotourist Route signs. Birding is good anywhere along this road, though the best forest is in the mid-section between the turn-off for Yanacocha and Bellavista. Under the new designation reforestation along the route is taking place in some parts, and theoretically at least no more forest should be felled. The terrain is mountainous (between 1500m (Tandayapa) and 2750m (Nono area) with the road following one side of a steep and impressively forested valley from Quito, before crossing the Alambi river at Tandayapa village and climbing the opposite hillside towards Bellavista. The road continues to the junction of Miraflores road (Bellavista Research Centre road which descends to the main Quito highway). Carrying straight on past this junction leads eventually to a few scattered houses of Santa Rosa, the road then quickly descends to the Quito highway in a couple of km and emerges very close to the Mindo turn-off (KM76?). FULL SPECIES LIST Tinamidae Tawny-breasted Tinamou Nothocercus Julius Curve-billed Tinamou Nothoprocta curvirostris Anatidae Torrent Duck Merganetta armata Ardeidae Fasciated Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma fasciatum Cathartidae Andean Condor Vultur gryphus Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Accipitridae Hook-billed Kite Chondrohierax uncinatus Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus Double-toothed Kite Harpagus bidentatus Plain-breasted Hawk Accipiter ventralis Semicollared Hawk Accipiter collaris Bicolored Hawk Accipiter bicolor Barred Hawk Leucopternis princes White-rumped Hawk Buteo leucorrhous Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus White-throated Hawk Buteo albigula Variable Hawk Buteo polyosoma Black Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus tyrannus Black-and-chestnut Eagle Oroaetus isidori Falconidae Carunculated Caracara Phalcoboenus carunculatus Barred Forest-Falcon Micrastur ruficollis American Kestrel Falco sparverius Aplomado Falcon Falco femoralis Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Cracidae Andean Guan Penelope montagnii Sickle-winged Guan Chamaepetes goudotii Odontophoridae Dark-backed Wood-Quail Odontophorus melanonotus Rallidae Sora Porzana Carolina Ecuadorian Rail Rallus aequatorialis Scolopacidae Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicuada Andean Snipe Gallinago jamesoni Imperial Snipe Gallinago imperialis Columbidae Band-tailed Pigeon Columba fasciata Plumbeous Pigeon Columba plumbea Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi White-throated Quail-Dove Geotrygon frenata Psittacidae Barred Parakeet Bolborhynchus lineola Red-billed Parrot Pionus sordidus White-capped Parrot Pionus seniloides Scaly-naped Amazon Amazona mercenaria Cuculidae Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani Strigidae Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Andean Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium jardinii Rufous-banded Owl Strix albitarsis Stygian Owl Asio stygius Caprimulgidae Rufous-bellied Nighthawk Lurocalis rufiventris Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis Band-winged Nightjar Caprimulgus longirostris Swallow-tailed Nightjar Uropsalis segmentata Apodidae White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris Chestnut-collared Swift Streptoprocne rutilus Trochilidae Tawny-bellied Hermit Phaethornis syrmatophorus Green Violetear Colibri thalassinus Sparkling Violetear Colibri coruscans Western Emerald Chlorostilbon melanorhynchus Green-crowned Woodnymph Thalurania fannyi Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia tzacatl Andean Emerald Amazilia franciae Speckled Hummingbird Adelomyia melanogenys Green-crowned Brilliant Heliodoxa jacula Fawn-breasted Briliant Heliodoxa rubinoides Giant Hummingbird Patagona gigas Shining Sunbeam Aglaeactis cupripennis Mountain Velvetbreast Lafresnaya lafresnayi Great Sapphirewing Pterophanes cyanoperus Brown Inca Coeligena wilsoni Collared Inca Coeligena torquata Buff-winged Starfrontlet Coeligena lutetiae Sword-billed Hummingbird Ensifera ensifera Buff-tailed Coronet Boissonneaua flavescens Velvet-purple Coronet Boissonneaua jardini Gorgeted Sunangel Heliangelus strophianus Black-breasted Puffleg Eriocnemis nigrivestis Glowing Puffleg Eriocnemis vestitus Sapphire-vented Puffleg Eriocnemis luciani Golden-breasted Puffleg Eriocnemis mosquera Hoary Puffleg Haplophaedia lugens Booted Racket-tail Ocreatus underwoodii Black-tailed Trainbearer Lesbia victoriae Green-tailed Trainbearer Lesbia nuna Purple-backed Thornbill Ramphomicron microrhynchum Tyrian Metaltail Metallura tyrianthina Rainbow-bearded Thornbill Chalcostigma herrani Mountain Avocetbill Opisthoprora euryptera Long-tailed Sylph Aglaiocercus kingi Violet-tailed Sylph Aglaiocercus coelestis Wedge-billed Hummingbird Schistes geoffroyi Purple-throated Woodstar Philodice mitchellii White-bellied Woodstar Acestrura mulsant Little Woodstar Acestrura bombus Trogonidae Crested Quetzal Pharomachrus antisianus Golden-headed Quetzal Pharomachrus auriceps Masked Trogon Trogon personatus Momotidae Rufous Motmot Baryphthengus martii Bucconidae White-faced Nunbird Hapaloptila castanea Capitonidae Toucan Barbet Semnornis ramphastinus Ramphastidae Crimson-rumped Toucanet Aulacorhynchus haematopygus Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan Andigena laminirostris Picidae Crimson-mantled Woodpecker Piculus rivolii Smoky-brown Woodpecker Veniliornis fumigatus Bar-bellied Woodpecker Veniliornis nigriceps Powerful Woodpecker Campephilus pollens Furnariidae Bar-winged Cinclodes Cinclodes fuscus Azara’s Spinetail Synallaxis azarae Slaty Spinetail Synallaxis brachyura Rufous Spinetail Synallaxis unirufa White-browed Spinetail Hellmayrea gularis Red-faced Spinetail Cranioleuca erythrops White-chinned Thistletail Schizoeaca fuliginosa Many-striped Canastero Asthenes flammulata Streaked Tuftedcheek Pseudocolaptes boissonneautii Pearled Treerunner Margarornis squamiger Spotted Barbtail Premnoplex brunnescens Lineated Foliage-gleaner Syndactyla subalaris Flammulated Treehunter Thripadectes flammulatus Striped Treehunter Thripadectes holostictus Streak-capped Treehunter Thripadectes virgaticeps Dendrocolaptidae Tyrannine Woodcreeper Dendrocincla tyrannina Strong-billed Woodcreeper Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus Montane Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger Greater Scythebill Campylorhamphus pucherani Thamnophilidae Uniform Antshrike Thamnophilus unicolor Long-tailed Antbird Drymophila caudate Immaculate Antbird Myrmeciza immaculate Formicariidae Rufous-breasted Antthrush Formicarius rufipectus Giant Antpitta Grallaria gigantean Undulated Antpitta Grallaria squamigera Scaled Antpitta Grallaria guatimalensis Chestnut-crowned Antpitta Grallaria ruficapilla Chestnut-naped Antpitta Grallaria nuchalis Yellow-breasted Antpitta Grallaria flavotincta Rufous Antpitta Grallaria rufula Tawny Antpitta Grallaria quitensis Rhinocrytidae Ash-colored Tapaculo Myornis senilis Unicolored Tapaculo Scytalopus latrans Narino Tapaculo Scytalopus vicinior Spillman’s Tapaculo Scytalopus spillmanni Ocellated Tapaculo Acropternis orthonyx Tyrannidae Ashy-headed Tyrannulet Phyllomyias cinereiceps Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet Phyllomyias uropygialis White-crested Elaenia Elaenia albiceps Sierran Elaenia Elaenia pallatangae White-throated Tyrannulet Mecocerculus leucophrys White-banded Tyrannulet Mecocerculus stictopterus White-tailed Tyrannulet Mecocerculus poecilocercus Tufted Tit-Tyrant Anairetes parulus Streak-necked Flycatcher Mionectes striaticollis Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant Pseudotriccus ruficeps Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher Poecilotriccus ruficeps Flavescent Flycatcher Myiophobus flavicans Handsome Flycatcher Myiophobus pulcher Cinnamon Flycatcher Pyrrhomyias cinnamomea Smoke-colored Pewee Contopus fumigatus Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca fumicolor Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca rufipectoralis Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca cinnamomeiventris Crowned Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca frontalis Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca diadema Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant Myiotheretes striaticollis Smoky Bush-Tyrant Myiotheretes fumigatus Paramo Ground-Tyrant Muscisaxicola alpine Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant Muscisaxicola maculirostris Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer Golden-crowned Flycatcher Myiodynastes chroysocephalus Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Barred Becard Pachyramphus versicolor White-winged Becard Pachyramphus polychopterus Cotingidae Red-crested Cotinga Ampelion rubrocristatusa Barred Fruiteater Pipreola arcuata Green-and-black Fruiteater Pipreola riefferii Andean Cock-of-the-Rock Rupicola peruviana Corvidae Turquoise Jay Cyanolyca turcosa Beautiful Jay Cyanolyca pulchra Vireonidae Brown-capped Vireo Vireo leucophrys Turdidae Andean Solitaire Myadestes ralloides Black Solitaire Entomodestes coracinus Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush Cathars fuscater Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus Great Thrush Turdus fuscater Glossy-black Thrush Turdus serranus Hirundinidae Brown-bellied Swallow Notiochelidon murina Blue-and-white Swallow Notiochelidon cyanoleuca Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Troglodytidae Rufous Wren Cinnycerthia unirufa Sepia-brown Wren Cinnycerthia olivascens Grass Wren Cistothorus platensis Bay Wren Thryothorus nigricapillus Plain-tailed Wren Thyothorus euophrys Whiskered Wren Thryothorus mystacalis Mountain Wren Troglodytes solstitialis Gray-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys Motacillidae Paramo Pipit Anthus bogotensis Parulidae Tropical Parula Parula pitayumi Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia Olive-crowned Yellowthroat Geothlypis semiflava Slate-throated Whitestart Myioborus miniatus Spectacled Whitestart Myioborus melanovephalus Black-crested Warbler Basileuterus nigrocristatus Three-striped Warbler Basileuterus tristriatus Russet-crowned Warbler Basileuterus coronatus Thraupidae Cinereous Conebill Conirostrum cinereum Blue-backed Conebill Conirostrum sitticolor Capped Conebill Conirostrum albifrons Giant Conebill Oreomanes fraseri Bluish Flowerpiercer Diglossa caerulescens Masked Flowerpiercer Diflossa cyanea Indigo Flowerpiercer Diglossa indigotica Glossy Flowerpiercer Diglossa lafresnayii Black Flowerpiercer Diglossa humeralis White-sided Flowerpiercer Diglossa albilatera Rusty Flowerpiercer Diglossa sittoides Rufous-chested Tanager Thlypopsis ornata Fawn-breasted Tanager Pipraeidea melanonota Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia Chlorophonia pyrrhophrys Thick-billed Euphonia Euphonia laniirostris Golden-rumped Euphonia Euphonia cyanocephala Orange-bellied Euphonia Euphonia xanthogaster Glistening-green Tanager Chlorochrysa phoenicotis Golden Tanager Tangara arthus Silver-throated Tanager Tangara icterocephala Flame-faced Tanager Tangara parzudakii Golden-naped Tanager Tangara ruficervix Metallic-green Tanager Tangara labradorides Beryl-spangled Tanager Tangara nigroviridis Blue-and-black Tanager Tangara vassorii Black-capped Tanager Tangara heinei Golden-crowned Tanager Iridosornis rufivertex Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus igniventris Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus lacrymosus Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus somptuosus Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager Anisognathus notabilis Hooded Mountain-Tanager Buthraupis Montana Black-chested Mountain-Tanager Buthraupis eximia Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager Dubusia taeniata Grass-green Tanager Chlorornis riefferii Blue-capped Tanager Thraupis cyanocephala Blue-and-yellow Tanager Thraupis bonariensis Lemon-rumped Tanager Ramphocelus icteronotus Summer Tanager Piranga rubra Dusky Bush-Tanager Chlorospingus semifuscus Black-capped Hemispingus Hemispingus atropileus Superciliaried Hemispingus Hemispingus superciliaris Oleaginous Hemispingus Hemispingus frontalis Western Hemispingus Hemispingus ochraceus Plushcap Catamblyhynchus diadema Cardinalidae Black-winged Saltator Saltator atripennis Southern Yellow-Grosbeak Pheucticus chrysogaster Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus Emberizidae Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivacea Yellow-bellied Seedeater Sporophila nigricollis Blue Seedeater Amaurospiza concolor Plain-colored Seedeater Catamenia inornata Paramo Seedeater Catamenia homochroa Plumbeous Sierra-Finch Phrygilus unicolor Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch Phrygilus plebejus Grassland Yellow-Finch Sicalis luteola Slaty Finch Haplospiza rustica Rufous-naped Brush-Finch Atlapetes latinuchus White-winged Brush-Finch Atlapetes leucopterus Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch Buarremon brunneinucha Stripe-headed Brush-Finch Buarremon torquatus Tanager Finch Oreothraupis arremonops Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis Icteridae Russet-backed Oropendola Psarocolius angustifrons Giant Cowbird Molothrus oryzivorus Fringillidae Hooded Siskin Carduelis magellanica Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Author Jane Lyons, BSG www.birdingsiteguide.com
Last Updated ( May 12, 2007 at 05:05 PM )

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