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The Guardian - UK

Environment

Stephen Moss

Birdwatch: Climbing to 4,400 metres to spot a rare rufous-bellied seedsnipe

Juan Carlos Andes Ecuador

Two rufous-bellied seedsnipe perched on the ground in the Andes mountains in Ecuador. — An adult and juvenile rufous-bellied seedsnipe. Their intricate, cryptic plumage resembles fine lace or chainmail. Photograph: Glenn Bartley/imageBroker/Shutterstock

I’m out of breath – and not just because I’m desperate to see one of Ecuador’s most elusive birds, the rufous-bellied seedsnipe. To have any chance of success, I’ve come to Cayambe Coca national park in the eastern Andes. At 4,400 metres (14,400 feet), this is the highest altitude I have ever experienced.

Fortunately the skies are clear, the sun is shining, and my guide, Juan Carlos, is optimistic. I don’t tell him I have a track record of missing nailed-on certainties.

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