ECUADOR
INTRODUCTION TO THE BIRDS OF NORTHERN ECUADOR
Oct 1-15, 2010
This tour will include visits to cloud forest, mid-elevation and lowland sites on both slopes of the Andes, plus high elevation (paramo) and Amazon basin locations as well. On our Feb 2009 scouting trip for this itinerary, we recorded over 500 species in a 10 day period. Although there has been extensive deforestation in Ecuador, we will tour preserves that remain largely undisturbed. Proficient local guides will be with us daily. Cost for the tour is $3,900 per person based on double occupancy. ($400 single supplement). Airfare is additional.
Day 1: Arrive via international flights to Quito and transfer to Hotel Sebastian.
Day 2: We depart for the west side of the Andes with morning birding at Fundacion Jocotoco’s Yanacocha Preserve. Located over 11,000’ on the northwest slope of Volcan Pichincha, this cloud forest remnant features various mountain tanagers, chat tyrants and hummingbirds-especially the hummers. Great Sapphirewing, Shining Sunbeam, and up to 3 species of pufflegs (including a chance to see the ultra local Black-breasted) will jump start our tour. Following lunch, we descend the old Nono-Mindo road to the Tandayapa area with productive roadside birding along the way. A late afternoon stop at the Nunnery’s house will add to our hummingbird wonderment with Sparkling Violetear and Andean Emerald being the highlights. Night will be at Sachatamia Lodge in Mindo, the base of operations for our west slope birding.
Day 3: This morning we are off early to nearby Paz de Aves, a working farm that has shifted it’s emphasis to ecotourism. First we will be entertained at a Cock-of-the-Rock lek where the males gather entice females with their bizarre vocalizations and posturing. The adjacent fruit feeders then offer us a chance for close up looks at Toucan Barbet (one of the most memorable birds in Ecuador), Sickle-winged Guan, Crimson-rumped Toucanet and a possible glimpse of Dark-backed Wood-Quail. Next we watch as Angel Paz and his brother call in up to 3 species of antpittas at various spots on their preserve. Seeing a Giant Antpitta hop out of the dense understory is a sight not soon forgotten. Following lunch back at Sachatamia, we will explore the lodge trails and perhaps visit the hummingbird feeders at nearby Septimo Paraiso Lodge. By the end of the day our hummingbird list could be well over 30 species for the trip. Night Sachatamia.
Day 4: We head for lower elevation today, beginning with the road to Mindo Cloud Forest Foundation’s Rio Silanche Preserve. West slope birds we may encounter include Purple-chested Hummingbird, Bronze-winged Parrot, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Yelow-tufted Dacnis, and Orange-fronted Barbet. Retracing our steps, we head for our lunch stop in San Miguel de los Bancos. This rather unattractive town harbors a jewel-right on main street-Mirador de Los Bancos. This restaurant with the unassuming front looks out on a majestic canyon in the back and maintains some of the most famous feeders in Ecuador. Food is great and, while having lunch, our sightings may include numerous tanagers such as Silver-throated, Golden, and Guira as well as ground dwellers such as Orange-billed Sparrow and Red-faced Spinetail. After lunch, we head a bit further back toward Mindo and visit the MCF Milpe Reserve. New hummers await such as western slope specialties such as White-whiskered Hermit, Green Thorntail, and Green-crowned Woodnymph. Venturing into the forest area of the preserve we find Choco Toucan and Club-winged Manakin, a bird that produces an odd, metallic sound with its wings. Night back at Sachatamia.
Day 5: Today we make the transition to the southeast outskirts of Quito. Our morning takes us through great cloud forest habitat where we’ll search for the likes of Grass-green Tanager, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, and the “cover bird” for The Birds of Ecuador, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan. Following lunch in the field, we will drive back through Quito to the other side of the valley and our night accommodations at Hostel Sommergarten.
Day 6: Today we make our highest altitude foray of the trip, visiting Antisana National Park (this is what those warm clothes are for). As we approach treeline, we pass through the last hummingbird zone and our best opportunity to see Giant Hummingbird, Black-tailed Trainbearer, and Ecuadorian Hillstar, the highest ranging hummer in the Andes. Once out on the paramo (aka tundra), our focus shifts to larger birds such as Andean Gull, Variable Hawk, Carunculated Caracara, and Black-faced Ibis. Of course, the biggest prize is the biggest bird of all, Andean Condor. Although there are no guarantees (weather being the major limiting factor), Antisana is one of the more reliable places to view this ultimate icon of the Andes. Lunch will be in transit as we retrace our steps and then cross Papallacta Pass. Then we begin our descent down the eastside. If time permits, we will look for mountain tanagers above Termas Papallacta and then make a roadside stop at the Guango Lodge hummingbird feeders. Among a throng of hardy, high altitude hummers, we will get to see up close the preposterous Sword-billed Hummingbird with a bill way too long to allow it to perch while using the lodge feeders. The balance of the afternoon will find us completing our drive to Cabanas San Isidro. Hopefully we will see Torrent Duck (completely at home on and in the many thundering rivers) and White-capped Dipper at one of the river crossings. The day will be completed with a dusk viewing of the superb Lyre-tailed Nightjar a short distance from the lodge. Night at Cabanas San Isidro.
Day 7: After breakfast we will be birding outside the lodge with quite an array of species to enjoy. Highland Motmot, Black-billed Peppershrike, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Barred Becard, and Golden-crowned Flycatcher are just a few of the birds we expect to see. We will continue to bird the road above the lodge with highlights possibly including Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Southern Lapwing and, if the birding gods co-operate, Black-and-chestnut Eagle. We will have the whole day to bird the area, taking breaks as necessitated by any rain. In the afternoon we will venture onto some of the lodges steeper forest trails with both quetzals, Crested and Golden-headed, distinct possibilities. Night Cabanas San Isidro.
Day 8: This morning we will explore the nearby Guacamayos Ridge area. After morning trail birding where we have a chance to see Green-and-black Fruiteater, Slate-crowned Antpitta, and Green-fronted Lancebill, we will continue lower making roadside stops in hopes of seeing Yellow-throated Tanager, Vermilion Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager, and Bronze-green Euphonia. At dusk we will visit known spots for Swallow-tailed Nightjar and White-throated Screech Owl before returning to the lodge.
Day 9: Today we head into the lower foothills and the Loreto Road. The roadside birding can be very productive with Lined Antshrike, Orange-eared Tanager, Paradise Tanager, and Purple Honeycreeper among the birds we will be watching for. Stake-outs along the road include Cliff Flycatcher and the increasingly rare Orange-breasted Falcon. Lunch will be at Wild Sumaco Lodge. Afternoon birding along the superb lodge trails may produce Golden-winged and White-crowned Manakin, Thrush-like Wren, and Golden-collared Toucanet. At night we will have the chance to hear and, perhaps, see Band-bellied Owl. Night Wild Sumaco.
Day 10: Today we get to survey all that the Wild Sumaco Preserve has to offer. Chestnut-crowned Gnateater, Long-tailed Tyrant, Gray-tailed Piha, Scaled Pigeon, White-eyed Parakeet, Gilded Barbet, Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater, and Black-mandibled Toucan are among many we will be on the lookout for. In the late afternoon we will relax in front of the lodge’s feeders. Hummers we will have a chance to see only here include Golden-tailed Sapphire, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Green Hermit, and Black-throated Brilliant. Night Wild Sumaco.
Day 11: Today we are off to the Amazon. We will bird the east end of the Loretto Road as we journey to the oil town of Coca where we catch the boat heading east. We have a 2 hour high speed ride down the Rio Napo followed by an easy hike to our canoe ride into Sacha Lodge. The last leg canoe ride offers us the chance to see guans, chachalacas, nunbirds, jacamars as well as some of the monkeys that inhabit this part of the Amazon. As we come into the lake where the lodge is located, the very ancient Hoatzin will utter it’s very guttural welcome.
Day 12: We are out early for our first ascent to Sacha’s famed canopy walkway. Suspended between three towers, this 300 meter long walkway gives us an astounding view of the bird action in the forest canopy. Tanagers, cotingas, aracaris, toucans, and lowland raptors are all possible to see from this vantage point. Fly by macaws of several species can also happen at any time. Raptors such as Slender-billed Kite, Slate-colored Hawk, and Red-throated Caracara may be loafing in the treetops. A host of canopy-loving birds may come by including Spangled Cotinga, White-browed Purpletuft, Opal-crowned Tanager, and Black-faced Dacnis. Back on the forest floor, we will search for various antbirds, puffbirds and woodcreepers that prefer the dark world below the canopy. Following lunch at the lodge, we will set off for one of the Rio Napo river islands where we find a different set of birds. This may include Oriole Blackbird, Yellow-headed Caracara, Dark-breasted Spinetail, and Castelnau’s Antshrike. Back at the lodge in the late afternoon we can watch the antics of the local Russet Oropendolas and Yellow-rumped Caciques. Night Sacha Lodge.
Day 13: We are off early this morning into somewhat flooded varzea forest. Although this is flat walking, it is wet to muddy in places. We will be keen to find some of the interior forest species such as Blue-crowned Manakin, Screaming Piha, Silvered Antbird, and Buff-throated Woodcreeper. After lunch back at the lodge, we will bird the immediate area for species such as Silver-beaked Tanager, Masked-crimson Tanager and Blue-crowned Trogon. Late afternoon will find us back on the observation walkway with a chance to see missed species such at Crested and Green Oropendolas, Scarlet Macaw, Flame-crested Tanager, and Yellow-bellied Dacnis. At dusk as we canoe back across the lake to the lodge we will pass numerous caiman out on the lake but, don’t worry, they aren’t interested in us for dinner. Following our dinner, we will have an optional outing for Tropical Screech Owl by the lodge, no doubt serenaded by the local Pauraques. Night Sacha Lodge.
Day 14: Alas, our last full day in Ecuador. We are off early to reach the Rio Napo for our transfer to Coca. At the river we may pick up additional tropical species such as Scarlet-crowned Barbet and Orange-backed Troupial. We will allow enough time to visit the nearby parrot clay lick. Barring a heavy downpour, we can watch as hundreds of parrots and parakeets descend to eat clay which helps them digest a variety of fruit pits. Species we are likely to see include Cobalt-winged and Dusky-headed Parakeets, Black-headed Parrot, Yellow-headed and Mealy Amazons, and, possibly, Red-bellied Macaw. Then we are back on the high speed boat for our trip back up the Rio Napo still watching for the likes of Large-billed Tern, Cocoi Heron and Swallow-winged Puffbird teed up along the shore. In Coca, we will catch our jet back to Quito (a 35 minute flight) with a view of the snow-capped volcanos around the city a possibility. Back at the Hotel Sebastian by mid afternoon, there will be a shopping opportunity at an extensive local Mercado. Then it’s an early dinner at Hotel Sebastian so we can rest up for the early flight home..
Day 15: As we need to be at the airport by 4:30 am to catch our flights home, this will be the earliest departure of the trip and one more chance to see the ring of volcanos on our way north.
