Guango lodge / eastern Andean slope

Male Torrent Duck





 One of the objectives of our trip to Guango lodge was to see and photograph the Torrent Duck. Almost immediately upon arriving at the  river Steve caught sight of the male of this species. We were then able without any trouble to take many photos of these comical and courageous birds. As one can see from the accompanying photos, the male and female are remarkably disimilar in appearance.

Male and Female Torrent Duck

 

 After a good while of searching for anything with feathers

I spotted a Turquoise Jay.  With the determination of a hungry hound I began to stalk this bird. Fortunately Steve was there with his extra pair of eyes and we were able to photograph this female Masked Trogon. The light was difficult but at least the bird was
co-operative and we had lots of time.



Female Masked Trogon 



The rest of the morning was spent by the hummingbird feeders in the courtyard of Guango lodge.  Although the lighting was quite dark and I didn't have a flash, I was still reasonably pleased by the photographic opportunities and results.



Chestnut - breasted Coronet



These are but a few of the hummingbirds that I was able to see and photograph at Guango lodge. For a more comprehensive view of the  hummingbirds that I saw in Ecuador please follow this link: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/merlinarts













This is the Long - tailed Sylph , a bird  with a fabulous tail that is longer than the bird itself.  In trying to understand what the adaptive value of such a physical feature  is, scientists have speculated that the female of the species is attracted to the male with the longest tail , an impediment to flight that he is able to overcome due to his superior strength

White - necked Jacobin

This great hummingbird is the  White-necked Jacobin, whatever a Jacobin is.  ( I thought they were a now defunct  political  movement during the French revolution. )

Collared Inca





 The  Collared Inca looks like it belongs to some monastic order of hummingbirds.

Rufous - tailed Hummingbird

This little bird, a Rufous -tailed Hummingbird, is resting between periods of intense feeding and flying, trying to decide if all that energy output is worthwhile.