Reserva Las Tangaras

This week we celebrated Never’s birthday.  He turned 3 years old!A friend of Nev’s, Negue, lives in town and his birthday is the day before Nev’s.  So we joined celebrations and had a double birthday party.  There were several kids there and they all had a good time with face painting, piñata, food and cake.

In honor of Nev we thought we would post a blog about Nev’s experience living at the reserve.  It has been a really awesome experience for us to be here at the reserve with Nev.  He really enjoys this place too.  He has grown so much and learned a lot during our time here.

Here are some of his favorite things about the reserve:

playing at the river and throwing rocks into the water

chasing butterflies and finding cool new “buggies”

looking at all the beautiful flowers and crazy plants

working in the garden

helping with chores around the reserve like sweeping and laundry (i.e. water play time).

He is learning about the birds just as we are.  He always asks the names of the hummers that come to the feeders.  Although his favorite we just call the “bumblebee” because it sounds like a bumblebee (Purple-throated woodstar).

Nev also really loves when we have visitors at the reserve.  He has wrangled pretty much everyone who has come here into playing cars and trains with him or watching a movie.  His favorite movie right now is The Lorax.  All of the visitors have been great with him and he is always sad to see our “friends” leave.

He definitely really enjoys this place and what a cool place it is for a 3 year old to spend time exploring.  We think he will be just a sad as us when our time here is over and we have to leave this beautiful sanctuary.  But hopefully we can return here with him when he is older or when he is an adult and off on his own adventures.

     Well, we´ve come to the end of our term here at Las Tangaras and its a bittersweet feeling. We are sad to be leaving the little cabaña in the forest, but are also excited to begin our travels. Some days it feels as if the months have flown by, and other times we feel we´ve been here for years. Its impossible to put so much time and effort into such lovely surroundings without leaving a bit of yourself there, but we´ll also be taking a piece with us.

        Now we hand over our responsibilities to the new managers, Micah and Jaime, and hope they enjoy their time here as much as we have. Thank you to all who have shared our experiences through this blog, we strongly encourage you to visit Reserva Las Tangaras, its even more impressive in person. We leave you with a few recent pictures and some of our favorites from the last 3 months.

View from the new picnic area on the Bosque Trail.

So thats why the feeders are empty in the morning!

View from the other new picnic area on Rio Nambillo.

Choco Toucan taking a break in the forest.

Beautiful… This is one of our favorite views on the reserve.

Bye for now… Shyama and Amanda

     As our time at Las Tangaras draws to an end, we continue to enjoy the abundant wildlife that surrounds us. Our most frequent visitors are the variety of hummingbird species that drink from the cabin´s feeders everyday. In the last month we´ve witnessed an increase in both the number of species and the amount of daily activity. Food and the need to reproduce lead to combative fighting and colorful displays of territoriality.      

Hummingbird wars!

     Another fleet footed resident of the reserve is the basilisk. These lizards are so quick that we´d only caught brief glimpses of them scurrying out of sight, until a recent warm morning along the river, when we came across one sunning itself on a rock. As soon as it caught sight of us, we were rewarded with it´s trademark run over water as it headed for cover. It performed the feat twice more before coming to rest on a log, when we were finally able to snap a photo.

The Basilisk is in the center of the photo, above the heart shaped leaf.

     One day, while clearing Sendero Bonito and checking on the new steps we´d built, Shyama let out a yell when he nearly bisected a masked trogan that came flying out of a hollow tree stump and only avoided his machete´s momentum by a few inches. These birds are known to nest in cavities of dead trees, fairly low to the ground. Our suspicion that this bird was guarding or building a nest was confirmed later that week, when we returned for a closer look.

Masked Trogan guarding the nest.

     Our next sighting actually occurred in Mindo, but we feel that it was unique enough to warrant it´s inclusion here. Amanda spotted this anolis fraseri in the grass of Mindo´s central park, on our way to find some almuerzo. She tried to catch this colorful, foot long lizard, but it quickly escaped up a tree and out of reach. Luckily we were able to get some good pictures.

     Well, we´ve saved the best for last.Our most jaw dropping (and heart-rate elevating) sighting has surely been the fer de lance. We´ve known that these highly venomous snakes inhabit this area, yet, though they are diurnal, they are rarely seen. We returned to the cabin one afternoon, after a day of erosion control at the Gallo de la Peña lek, to find this one coiled beside the front steps. We´ve seen several snakes over the months, but this fer de lance, at 1 meter long and thick in it´s midsection, was definitely the largest. As lethal as these snakes are, this one was content to rest in it´s coils while Amanda enthusiastically snapped photos and Shyama stood well back pondering his mortality. After an hour or so, we watched it make it´s was slowly off into the forest, and were able to appreciate it´s full size and beauty. 

While the abundance of birdlife is the biggest draw for visitors to Las Tangaras, they are by no means the only wildlife roaming the hills of the reserve. Large mammal sightings tend to be rare, but several other creatures are commonly seen, and at least one mammal, the armadillo, turns up quite frequently.

Pablo

After much anticipation, and nearly 6 weeks of waiting, we finally had our first visit from the 9 banded armadillo with battle scars, dubbed ´Pablo´ by previous managers. We had read much about Pablo in the managers´ journal, and seen fresh evidence of armadillo activity nearly every day, but our first actual glimpse came as a pleasant surprise. He nosed around the garden for a few minutes, unmindful of us, before climbing nimbly over the fence that was built to keep him out.

Although squirrels are a common site in the states, we had quite an uncommon experience with a red tailed squirrel here at the reserve. We came into the care of a young squirrel after it was abandoned by its mother during the installation of a fruit tree grove. For the next 3 weeks we acted as foster parents for this squirrel; weaning it off milk, introducing solid food and encouraging it to climb and forage.

Squirrely climbing lesson

The last few nights it stayed with us, we kept its makeshift burrow outside, hoping it would leave on its own. Unfortunately it had grown accustomed to our high class cabin lifestyle, and wasn´t keen on venturing far from human care. We would solidly ignore it for hours on end, busying ourselves inside the cabin with doors shut to keep it out, only to find it snoozing contentedly in the sun atop one of our sweaty, drying work shirts.

Squirrely sleeping on Shyama´s dirty work shirt

Two days passed with the squirrel sleeping on the porch, even though we´d stopped feeding it. We tried releasing it into the fruit grove where it was found, roughly 130 meters from the cabin. A day and a half later it was back on the front porch. This happened twice. Finally Shyama marched it much further away from the cabin, and in the opposite direction. We haven´t seen it since, but hope that it’s found its way and is enjoying its squirrel life in the forest.

One day, while weeding the garden and hacking away the encroaching jungle, we came across a Western Lowlands Rain Frog. It was hopping to escape in the thick bushes when Amanda snatched it up for closer inspection and a few pictures. It was a treat to see one up close, as we hear a chorus of frogs every evening at dusk.

Western lowlands rainfrog

This Marine Toad was actually spotted in Mindo, but was a neat find nonetheless. It also relieved itself twice on Amanda´s hand, which was pretty funny, and yet she persists in handling amphibians for identification.

Marine toad

We´ve also had the pleasure of observing a number of Torrent Ducks who have taken up residence on this stretch of the Nambillo River. Their unmistakable swimming expertise, from which they get their name, is impressive to witness firsthand. And apparently they are thriving in these waters, as we have spotted a mother and her ducklings on several occasions.

Mama Torrent duck and ducklings

It is also worth noting the abundance of bats that live with us in the forest. Every night we catch glimpses of them sipping from the hummingbird feeders, or catching insects above our mosquito net. Some had the misfortune of flying into mist nets during the bird surveys, while others were awoken from a pleasant day´s sleep when we cleaned the cabin´s rafters.

bat, unsure of the species, that Mauricio safely untangled from the mistnet

One of the most intriguing animal behaviors we´ve witnessed here is that of the Oilbird. They are typically nocturnal birds, and we feel privileged to have seen one in the daylight hours and to be able to add it to the Las Tangaras bird list. Oilbirds are known to roost in caves by day, and for their distinctive posture when perched on a branch. It was midday when we flushed this one off the Amor Trail, but luckily it only flew a few meters off the path. It landed on a branch and promptly positioned it´s head vertically down, with tail feathers pointing to the sky. It hung there motionless as we watched; only moving when the wind would stir the trees, whereupon it would sway like a leaf in the breeze. It´s ability to camouflage itself in the relatively open forest was uncanny. We admired this bird for some time before moving on, and we hope that it found its way home.

Oilbird hanging from branch (tail feathers up)

Oilbird hanging like a leaf

These animals are only a small sample of the abundant wildlife that exists here at Reserva Las Tangaras. We feel lucky to have witnessed these creatures in their natural habitat, and look forward to all that remains to be seen.

     July 15th brought our first large group of visitors to the reserve with the arrival of Dr. Dusti Becker and the LifeNet volunteers for the Las Tangaras, Ecuador Cloud Forest Bird Surveys. For the next two weeks we assisted the LifeNet team with multiple bird surveys that consisted of mist netting in low cloud forest, edge netting in Yanez Pasture and second growth forest. Volunteers were trained in the construction of mist nets, safe removal of birds from the nets, and the proper techniques for data collection and entry.

     Our mornings were spent manning the nets, after which we were always rewarded with a hearty and delicious almuerzo (lunch) by our talented chefs Jessica and Alicia. Following lunch came siesta, always a favorite, where some chose to nap, swim or simply lay in the hammock and read a book. Afternoons varied with data entry, hiking the lovely trails of Las Tangaras and collecting data on the infamous Andean Cock of the Rock. In the evenings we were treated to another hot meal and occasionally surprised with a delicious homemade dessert. We were constantly amazed with the women´s ability to create such flavorful and diverse dishes in the rustic cabin, with no electricity or refrigeration.

     The other half of LifeNet´s Ecuadorian staff is comprised of Mauricio and Pascual. These men proved themselves invaluable to the team on a daily basis. Pascual assisted Dusti with the bird banding, and showed great patience while explaining fieldwork techniques to the volunteers.  We dubbed Mauricio ¨El Professional¨ due to his ability to safely remove even the most tangled of birds and bats from the nets. We extend our utmost gratitude to these couples for all of the insightful advice they shared that has helped us to live more comfortably on the reserve.

     Too much happened in those two weeks to record with words, but some of the more memorable moments were captured on camera…

Pascual making friends with an Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

Olivaceous Piha, a new bird for the las Tangaras list!

Mauricio after working his magic with a Rufous-throated Tanager.

LifeNet Volunteers, Genavieve, Margaret, and Larry

    We would like to thank Dusti, the LifeNet team and the volunteers for the opportunity to assist in the fieldwork. It was a great learning experience for the both of us, and we´re happy to have met and shared memories with so many wonderful people.

Lifenet, las Tangaras Team 2012

Shyama and Amanda, on a hike in their new back yard.

     Greetings from the new managers at Reserva Las Tangaras! Amanda and Shyama hail most recently from Southern California and are thrilled with the opportunity to join LifeNet´s team in the cloud forests of Mindo. We both have a lifelong passion for travel and environmental preservation that has been cultivatd over the years, and now continues to grow amidst the beautiful environs of Ecuador. 

Chopping away at the downed tree.

     First and foremost, our heartfelt thanks to the previous managers, Katie and Luke, for doing an excellent job of showing us the ropes and easing our transition into life on the reserve. We were lucky enough to arrive at Reserva Las Tangaras during the beginning of the dry season, and decided to take this opportunity to begin several trail maintenance projects that weren´t as feasible during the rainy months. We began by clearing all of the trails, then proceeded to work on a few rough patches of the Guillermo Trail. This is a scenic trail that meanders through the forest, following the Nambillo River, and gives access to a pair of enticing swimming holes. The first task was to reinforce an eroded section of trail that had grown narrow from heavy rain and small landslides. We went on to create a series of steps over a steeper part of the path, making the hike less strenuous for visitors. 

The final product of our labors on Sendero Fuente de Agua.

     Our next project was along the Fuente de Agua Trail, which follows the cabin´s water line high up a mountain stream to the source of our fresh drinking water. A downed tree had fallen against a standing one some months ago, pinching the water line and restricting the flow. We went to work with the handsaw, sweating away amidst one of the most beautiful settings we´ve had the privilege of residing in. We took turns going at the downed tree, alternating between handsaw and hatchet, with a Tawny Bellied Hermit constantly distracting Amanda by swooping down and drinking from a trickling spring beside us. It took most of the afternoon, but 4 hours later, with a growing mound of swatted mosquitos at our feet, we looked on proudly at the tree we´d sawn in half. Of course now we were faced with the prospect of moving this 8 foot long, water logged tree trunk off the trail. So with many a “heave ho!”, and lots of “don´t let it roll on your foot!”, we finally pushed that big lug off the trail. A small, exhausted celebration ensued and there were at least 2 high-fives that I recall. To say we were perhaps a bit overly proud of our accomplishment would be putting it mildly. We ate well that night, and slept even better.  

     And so our term at Las Tangaras has begun. It´s magical to witness, on the rare occasion, a sunrise over the cloud forest as the Andean Cocks of the Rock perform their daily raucous behavior. It continues to be a learning experience identifying the new hummingbird species that have begun frequenting the cabin´s feeders as the season changes. So for those intrepid travellers, avid bird watchers and nature enthusiasts who read this, we strongly encourage you to visit this cloud forest paradise. When you can see the cabin and catch the scent of fresh banana pancakes or homemade tortillas, you´ll know you´ve made it. 

Again, we have no photos of the mammals discussed. BUT, we do have this wonderful picture of a Neglected 88 butterfly. Diaethria neglecta.

A Double-Toothed Kite (Harpagus bidentatus) visits the yard to snack on an unidentified reptile.

Why did the Red Brocket Deer cross the yard?

On may 10 I was giving my jeans a well-needed washing while simultaneously keeping an eye on the forest and garden behind me. Marble-faced bristle-tyrants perched on the Heliconia and fed on unsuspecting insects. A parade of brilliantly colored tanagers moved methodically through the tree tops. All seemed to be as it always is here at Las Tangaras.

But as I washed the less than fashionable jeans I began hearing an unfamiliar noise. I sort of forced and desperate sounding whistle.  Having already spent well over a month on the reserve I was well accustomed to strange and new sounds but this one seemed to attract my ears in particular.  Turning off the tap so as to hear the forest over the slapping of water on the concrete, I tuned in my senses to the thick vegetation.

I heard the noise again, this time even closer and then, unexpectedly something sprung from the forest. Small brown and dappled with light buff-colored spots, it was a young red-brocket deer (Mazama americana), and it was running at full speed as though the devil him/herself was chasing the young ungulate.  I had been seeing the deers prints along Sendero de Amor (the trail of love) for several days and was hoping to see the actual beast itself.  My wishes were granted, and the streak of brown flashing across the grass was a rewarding sight.

However, the procession of new mammals at Las Tangaras was not over. As I had noticed the deer seemed rather in a hurry, and I certainly was not the cause of the rush. Once the small, shin-height, deer was half way across the “backyard,” I saw the cause of fear. In hot pursuit of the Red-Brocket Deer was a Tayra!

Tayras are large, dog-sized weasels, and apparently they hunt deer. The tayra (Eira barbara) is an animal I had previously encountered in the Andes of South America, but never in this context. Never did I expect to see one actively hunting and if I were lucky enough to see this natural act I certainly did not expect it to hunt a deer! While the tayra is large the deer appeared to be more or less a similar size. This was a brave weasel. Or perhaps desperate. Either way I knew Katie wanted to see both of these creatures. It was all happening so fast the only way I could think to get her out to the back of the house in time was to shout her name. I did so and upon shouting her name, not surprisingly, the tayra heard me. The dog weasel, as I call it, stopped cold in it´s tracks. This I had not expected. We commenced to stare at each other like slack-jawed yokels each caught off guard by the others presence.

The deer, however, did not stop to take stock of the new situation and take a leisurely look at the third and similarly dangerous mammal Homo sapiens. It kept it´s pace and was now clear of the yard and back into the thick and seemingly un-navigable forest. As me and the Mustelid remained transfixed by each other the deer was putting as many kilometers as it could between the staring carnivore and omnivore. The tayra snapped out of it and looked in the direction of the now long gone deer. It looked back at me, as though I had stolen its lunch. It again looked, futilely, in the direction of the deer, back at me, then sprinted back in the direction it had come.

I was now alone, gaping at the now empty yard and forest when Katie finally ran out to the back porch; “What is it!?” It was too late, the only mammal present was an awestruck primate.