Ecuador Adventure Part 2 - Antisana Volcano

Hello Friends -
First off- We had 3 new yard birds here in Verbena Norte yesterday!  White-crowned Manakin, Black-throated Green Warbler and Gray-cheeked Thrush were all added to our growing yard list.

Now to Ecuador - Antisana Volcano
On our 1st day with the Goddard Ecuador Group, we visited the highland grassland and small lakes of the Antisana Volcano.  The scenery was spectacular to say the least. Yet before our departure, we found several species at the El Jardin Guesthouse, Eared Dove, Sparkling Violetear (nesting), Western Emerald, Great Thrush, Saffron Finch, Vermilion Flycatcher and Rusty Flowerpiercer were all seen well.
About an hour later, at our first stop in the paramo we saw Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Carunculated Caracara, Tawny Antpitta, Giant Hummingbird, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Shining Sunbeam, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Cinereous Conebill, Blackburnian Warbler and Black Flowerpiercer.
A little further up the road, we found our most wanted bird of the day, the impressive Andean Condor!  At one point, we had a pair of adults and a juvenile in the air at the same time.  What an incredible bird!
Other birds seen before reaching Lake Mica at the top were - Variable Hawk, Andean Lapwing, Black-faced Ibis, Black-winged Ground-Dove, Streak-backed Canastero, Stout-billed Cinclodes Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, Paramo Ground-Tyrant, Paramo Pipit, Brown-bellied Swallow, Sedge Wren, Blue-and-yellow Tanager and the gorgeous Rufous-naped Brush-Finch.
At Lake Mica, we easily found Silvery Grebe, Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean Teal, Andean Ruddy-Duck and several Baird's Sandpipers.  In the nearby scrub, we found a Many-striped Canastero and several Bar-winged Cinclodes were hopping around in front of us.
Our last stop of the day produced a real stunner, the superb Ecuadorian Hillstar.  With the massive snow-capped peak of the Antisana Volcano behind us, we watched these amazing high-elevation hummingbirds feeding and defending their territories. This is certainly a very photogenic hummingbird!
While on our way back to the El Jardin Guesthouse, we located the large Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant along the roadside as well as several American Kestrels.
Next up will be the Yanacocha Trail and Bellavista!!! Stay tuned...
Good birding - Steven Easley

El Jardin Guesthouse by Magdalena Easley

Sparkling Violetear Nest by Magdalena Easley

Great Thrush (El Jardin Guesthouse)

On the way to the Antisana Volcano by Magdalena Easley

Antisana Volcano by Magdalena Easley

Andean Lapwing (Antisana Volcano)

Carunculated Caracara (Antisana Volcano)

Black-faced Ibis (Antisana Volcano)

Lake Mica (Antisana Volcano)

Yellow-billed Pintail (Antisana Volcano)

Bar-winged Cinclodes (Antisana Volcano)

Many-striped Canastero (Antisana Volcano)

Ecuadorian Hillstar (Antisana Volcano)

Ecuadorian Hillstar (Antisana Volcano)