The final stop of the day was at the edge of the small town of Jardin, where the river has cut a fairly deep path through the surrounding countryside. We walked down the road leading to a bridge across the river, before stopping at the gate to a small private reserve.
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
Andean Cock-of-the-rock: I spent a lot of time trying to catch the light coming through the crest
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
Andean Cock-of-the-rock: They make Trump's comb over look like that of an amateur & unlike Trump, this is all natural
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
As the light levels were falling under the trees, I headed into the garden where they had stashed bananas in a number of places to attract some of the local Tanagers.
Blue-necked Tanager: Another psychedelic Tanager
Bay-headed Tanager: This must be an immature as it hasn't developed a full chestnut head
As a rare treat, we only had a five minute drive to the hotel in the old quarter of the town.
One of the roads in the old quarter of Jardin
The trees of the Cock-of-the-rock reserve
The gate was locked, but eventually somebody appeared to let us in. This was the Jardin Cock-of-the-rock reserve. There were already a few other tourists enjoying the spectacle of the Andean Cock-of-the-rocks in their communal lek. They are part of the Cotinga family and are one of the most ostentatious in the family & their leks remind me of seeing Bird-of-Paradise leks in Irian Jaya (or West Papua as it is now called). I've seen a few Cock-of-the-rock leks, but this was the most impressive.
Sunset over the surrounding hills
There was time for a quick walk before we headed out for dinner. Close to the hotel was a small park in front of the main church, which has been upgraded to a basilica by a previous pope.
The park in front of the church
Finally, a couple of photos from the following morning after we returned from the morning's Birding.
The basilica
The park