N. ECUADOR 2009: Crested Owls.

So then, just back from a very wet month in Ecuador. The first two weeks were spent on the "Northern Circuit" (working for Ornitholidays) visiting the Paramo, west and east slopes near Quito with a four day stay in the Amazon at Sacha Lodge on the Rio Napo. It was yet another 500+ species tour and I even managed a couple of new birds. Despite the rain we managed to get out virtually the whole time and the birding was generally excellent.
Our start at Sacha Lodge however was a little slow compared to previous tours and probably the highlight was a fine male Pavonine Quetzal (rare at Sacha) and this group of roosting Crested Owls near the Metal Canopy Tower. Crested Owl is a species I rarely see away from Sacha and this year I could just about manage to manoeuvre into a position to get a couple of record shots.