West Slope

Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager

After spending a few days in Quito, the last time that I was able to update this, last Monday, a week ago today, we hired a driver to take us to Mindo via Yanacocha Reserve and a few other places. I dont know if my mom will ever forgive me for that drive.
The birding was great, starting off up around 12,000 fasl I believe, with lots of high altitude birds, with gaudy names such as Supercillaried Hemispingus and Undulated Antpitta. The prize for there though has to go to the absolutely stunning Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager (above), one of the birds of the trip for sure. From there we headed down the western slope of the Andes, on the worst road either of us had ever been on. Some parts of it were basically mud puddles up to 1.5 feet deep that enveloped the whole road, for up to 15 feet at a stretch. We were thankful that we had a great driver and a nice big 4x4. Other times the whole road was rutted out a few feet deep except for two raised areas where your tires would go, and if you deviated slightly, you'd be there for a while. But hey, the birds were good.
After a couple hours more on the "road" we got to our second stop, Tony Nunnery's house/feeders, which are unbelievable for hummingbirds. I got 13 life hummingbirds at this one stop. Booted Racket-tails, one of the cutest little hummers, were beyond abundant, with at least 30, and they were joined by Violet-tailed Sylphs, a hummingbird with a, get this, violet tail that can be up to a foot long, compared to their little 3 inch body. These were my first real superb hummer feeders, and they were a sight to remember. Highly recommended.
We proceeded on with a quick stop at Bellavista Lodge, where we found food and lodging to be too expensive for our tastes, and then after another hour or so on the bumpy road, we were onto blessed pavement. Joyous times. Our driver had arranged a snack for us at this lovely little place called Mindo Loma, a restaurant and hotel, and we feasted on cheese and fried plantains there while the feeders abounded with Velvet-purple Coronets, one of the most beautiful hummingbirds, in my opinion. Of course it had been raining by then for a few hours, but when we got to Mindo, our spirits were undampened.
Also, I would really like to recommend our driver and his company, Fausto Gómez of Tzanza Tours, for their great service and very reasonable pricing. He only charged $90 for what ended up being over 8 hours, and that included a four-wheel drive car, birding stops at which he let us take as long as we wanted, and even a little snack break at Mindo Loma.

Since then I've been birding as much as possible, big surprise there, and luckily on the first night we were introduced to some local birders by the owner of our hotel, Susan of Caskeffesu, and they've kindly driven me around pretty much every day since then. We've visited Rio Silanche, Mirador Rio Blanco in Los Bancos, Milpe Reserve, Bellavista, and many places in between in the last week. Thank you so much Gary and Karen Schiltz.
Highlights have been many, but Rio Silanche and Milpe Reserves, both owned by the Mindo Cloudforest Association have been the best birding so far. Our visit to Silanche was nothing short of spectacular, where from the canopy tower there we had a flock come through that had almost all the specialties of the area, and almost all of them beautiful birds as well. Blue-whiskered, Scarlet-browed, Emerald, Bay-headed, Blue-naped, Golden-hooded, and Gray-and-gold Tanagers, as well as Scarlet-breasted, Scarlet-thighed, Yellow-tufted, and Blue Dacnises. At times the colors were almost enough to make your eyes hurt. The best Ecuadorian bird though was a Bay-breasted Warbler that we had on the entrance road, not thinking of it much, but when we looked in the field guide, there are only three records listed for Ecuador! :O Quite a surprise, but I'm 100% sure thats what it was.
Our visit to Milpe was almost equally birdy, albeit without so many glamour birds, even though there were more then a few. Some of the better birds included the lekking Club-winged Manakins there, always hard to beat, Golden-winged Manakin as well, Brown-billed Scythebill, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Rufous-throated Tanager, and the always nice Ornate Flycatcher, even if it is common. The best part of Milpe was this absolutely huge flock that we hit, that we were able to bird for over two hours, while only having to move down the trail a slight ways. I'm sure we only began to tap into the diversity in that flock, especially without knowing many of the calls.
Another good time was when while driving up to Bellavista we ran into Kai and Phil, a couple of friends of mine who some of you may know, and we ended up picking them up and birding with them for the rest of the afternoon. Lots of fun.
One of the better places we've been while we've been in Mindo, and a place that my mom actually came with me to, was Angel Paz's antpitta show. Some of you may have heard of this, but if not, it is this reserve that a native, now former, rancher made, where Angel has three species of antpitta that he has taught to come in for food on a daily basis, and one of them to actually eat out of his hand. Couple that with a dawn trip to a Cock-of-the-Rock lek, and you have another memorable day. When we were there we were lucky to be able to see all three species of the antpittas that he has there: Giant, Yellow-breasted, and Moustached. To be more specific, we saw Maria, Cariño, Willie, and Susan. One of Angel's quirks is that he has named the antpittas, and so Maria and Cariño are Giant Antpittas, mother and son as a matter of fact, and Willie is a Yellow-breasted, while Susan is the shy and retiring Moustached Antpitta. You've got to see it to believe it.
For all you listers out there, my species total is just under 700, with 691 now, and if I can make it to the south of the country, with some luck I might be able to make it out of here with over 900 species. To put that in perspective, in two months of not-so-hardcore birding here, it is possible to see as many or more species then have ever been recorded in all of continental North America. It is truly amazing. It's getting hard to find species here around Mindo though anymore, I need truly hard stuff now like Yellow-collared Chlorophonia and Long-wattled Umbrellabird for the most part. Today I managed to scrape up a Double-toothed Kite and a couple Olive-crowned Yellowthroats however.

Christmas was kind of anticlimactic here, it's kind of hard to believe that its actually December 25th when you're up to your ears in tanagers and it's in the 70s. In any case, Feliz Navidad and a happy new year to all!

I'm still unsure what I'm going to be up to for the last couple weeks here, my mom and her friend Janet are going to be doing touristy stuff in Quito and Otovalo, which is famed for its native market, and that is not my cup of tea at all. Right now I'm hoping to be able to take a 15h+ bus to the southern part of the country and go to a couple Fundacíon Jocotoco reserves, on my own, but as of yet nothing is concrete, and we'll see how that goes. If I manage that, 900 is for sure attainable, if not, I'll be lucky to end with 750.

As usual, photos are up on my Picasa, the link is: http://picasaweb.google.com/goshawk227/EcuadorNovember152008January152009#

Good birding,
Ian Davies
Currently Mindo, Pichincha, Ecuador

Species from the west slope:

Sickle-winged Guan
Dark-backed Wood-Quail
Great Egret
Cattle Egret
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Hook-billed Kite
Swallow-tailed Kite
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Roadside Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Laughing Falcon
American Kestrel
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Ruddy Pigeon
Eared Dove
Pallid Dove
White-throated Quail-Dove
Maroon-tailed Parakeet
Pacific Parrotlet
Rose-faced Parrot
Red-billed Parrot
Bronze-winged Parrot
Little Cuckoo
Squirrel Cuckoo
Striped Cuckoo
Smooth-billed Ani
Cloudforest Pygmy-Owl
White-collared Swift
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift
White-whiskered Hermit
Tawny-bellied Hermit
Stripe-throated Hermit
White-necked Jacobin
Brown Violetear
Green Violetear
Sparkling Violetear
Green Thorntail
Western Emerald
Green-crowned Woodnymph
Violet-bellied Hummingbird
Andean Emerald
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Speckled Hummingbird
Fawn-breasted Brilliant
Green-crowned Brilliant
Empress Brilliant
Buff-tailed Coronet
Velvet-purple Coronet
Brown Inca
Collared Inca
Buff-winged Starfrontlet
Great Sapphirewing
Gorgeted Sunangel
Golden-breasted Puffleg
Purple-bibbed Whitetip
Booted Racket-tail
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Tyrian Metaltail
Violet-tailed Sylph
Wedge-billed Hummingbird
Purple-crowned Fairy
Purple-throated Woodstar
Little Woodstar
White-tailed Trogon
Collared Trogon
Masked Trogon
Blue-tailed Trogon
Golden-headed Quetzal
Crested Quetzal
Rufous Motmot
Ringed Kingfisher
Red-headed Barbet
Toucan Barbet
Crimson-rumped Toucanet
Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan
Collared Aracari
Choco Toucan
Olivaceous Piculet
Black-cheeked Woodpecker
Scarlet-backed Woodpecker
Smoky-brown Woodpecker
Choco Woodpecker
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker
Golden-olive Woodpecker
Powerful Woodpecker
Guayaquil Woodpecker
Pale-legged Hornero
Azara's Spinetail
Rufous Spinetail
Slaty Spinetail
White-browed Spinetail
Red-faced Spinetail
Spotted Barbtail
Pearled Treerunner
Streaked Tuftedcheek
Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner
Lineated Foliage-gleaner
Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner
Uniform Treehunter
Striped Treehunter
Streak-capped Treehunter
Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner
Plain Xenops
Streaked Xenops
Plain-brown Woodcreeper
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Strong-billed Woodcreeper
Black-striped Woodcreeper
Spotted Woodcreeper
Montane Woodcreeper
Brown-billed Scythebill
Uniform Antshrike
Russet Antshrike
Pacific Antwren
Slaty Antwren
Immaculate Antbird
Black-headed Antthrush
Rufous-breasted Antthrush
Undulated Antpitta
Giant Antpitta
Moustached Antpitta
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta
Yellow-breasted Antpitta
Rufous Antpitta
Tawny Antpitta
Blackish Tapaculo
Nariño Tapaculo
Spillmann's Tapaculo
Ocellated Tapaculo
Brown-capped Tyrannulet
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet
White-tailed Tyrannulet
White-throated Tyrannulet
Rufous-winged Tyrannulet
Tufted Tit-Tyrant
Yellow Tyrannulet
Gray Elaenia
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Streak-necked Flycatcher
Slaty-capped Flycatcher
Golden-faced Tyrannulet
Ornate Flycatcher
Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant
Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher
Tawny-breasted Flycatcher
Bran-colored Flycatcher
Smoke-colored Pewee
Western Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant
Masked Water-Tyrant
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Rusty-margined Flycatcher
Golden-crowned Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Cinnamon Becard
Black-and-white Becard
One-colored Becard
Masked Tityra
Green-and-black Fruiteater
Orange-breasted Fruiteater
Scaled Fruiteater
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
Olivaceous Piha
Golden-winged Manakin
White-bearded Manakin
Club-winged Manakin
Brown-capped Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Lesser Greenlet
Turquoise Jay
Beautiful Jay
Blue-and-white Swallow
White-thighed Swallow
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Band-backed Wren
Bay Wren
House Wren
Mountain Wren
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
Scaly-breasted Wren
Tropical Gnatcatcher
Andean Solitaire
Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Bare-eyed Thrush
Great Thrush
Glossy-black Thrush
Tropical Parula
Blackburnian Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Slate-throated Redstart
Spectacled Redstart
Golden-bellied Warbler
Russet-crowned Warbler
Three-striped Warbler
Bananaquit
Superciliaried Hemispingus
Cinereous Conebill
Plushcap
Dusky Bush-Tanager
Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager
Guira Tanager
Ochre-breasted Tanager
Scarlet-browed Tanager
White-shouldered Tanager
White-lined Tanager
Summer Tanager
Flame-rumped Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
Blue-capped Tanager
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager
Grass-green Tanager
Fawn-breasted Tanager
Black-capped Tanager
Gray-and-gold Tanager
Golden-hooded Tanager
Blue-necked Tanager
Rufous-throated Tanager
Blue-and-black Tanager
Beryl-spangled Tanager
Metallic-green Tanager
Bay-headed Tanager
Blue-whiskered Tanager
Golden Tanager
Emerald Tanager
Silver-throated Tanager
Black-faced Dacnis
Scarlet-thighed Dacnis
Blue Dacnis
Scarlet-breasted Dacnis
Green Honeycreeper
Purple Honeycreeper
Swallow Tanager
Blue-black Grassquit
Variable Seedeater
Yellow-bellied Seedeater
Plain-colored Seedeater
Rusty Flowerpiercer
Glossy Flowerpiercer
Black Flowerpiercer
White-sided Flowerpiercer
Masked Flowerpiercer
Tricolored Brush-Finch
White-winged Brush-Finch
Rufous-naped Brush-Finch
Orange-billed Sparrow
Stripe-headed Brush-Finch
Black-striped Sparrow
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Buff-throated Saltator
Black-winged Saltator
Golden-bellied Grosbeak
Scrub Blackbird
Yellow-tailed Oriole
Thick-billed Euphonia
White-vented Euphonia
Orange-bellied Euphonia
Yellow-bellied Siskin

La Selva

First off, I would just like to say that the Amazon, at least the Ecuadorian part of it, is absolutely amazing, one of the most special places I have been in my life. Once you get away from the oil fields and wanton exploitation of the forests, there is nothing but pristine jungle as far as the eye can see. More trees have been found in 25 hectares, about 55 acres, of forest here, then are found in ALL of North America north of Mexico. Birds are abundant, and other life is as well.

During our few days at La Selva we saw over 10 mammals, including 6 monkeys, over 10 reptiles/amphibians (herps), and last but not least, 253 species of birds.

The only downside of our visit, well, my visit, was the fact that I spent our first full day there lying in bed, after being sick from food poisoning all night, trying to keep the contents of my stomach in my stomach, and being unable to bird in the most biodiverse place I have ever been. Ah well.

The two and a half of days of birding that I did get to do were spectacular, without trying for big days we managed over 160 species each day, and some of the birds included over 25 various antthings, 10 woodpeckers, 6 manakins, 14 parrots, 4 jacamars, and countless other goodies. One of the days was spent birding the clay licks across the Rio Napo at Yasuní National Park, where the spectacle of hundreds of parrots and parakeets coming in to line their stomachs with clay, so that they are able to feed on toxic seeds throughout the coming day, is nothing short of incredible, much less deafening!

After that we walked trails behind the licks, heading off into the 'terra firme' forest, which is to say land that doesnt seasonally flood, with our wonderful guide Rodrigo, who knew all the birds as well as quirky things about the forest, and all the other life around as well.

The birding up in the small hills of the terra firme was quite nice, and one of the nice bird features of that area is the relative abundance of manakins, of which we saw Golden-headed, Dwarf Tyrant, White-crowned, Blue-crowned, and Stripes, all in just a morning. Such neat little birds. Another highlight was a Scarlet Macaw coming down to the parakeet clay lick, one of the two licks that we visited, where our guide had not seen a Macaw come down to drink for three years! Other memorable experiences included a Great Tinamou walking across the path not 10 feet away from us, being attacked by a Black-tailed Leaftosser, having a Fork-tailed Woodnymph study us from about 4 feet away, and just wacky birds like Cream-colored Woodpecker and White-eared Jacamar, that make you wonder why they exist.

The other day of birding was spent at the Napo river islands in the morning, and another lagoon, separate from the one that the lodge is located on, called Mandicocha.

The river islands are really great, cool birds, cool habitat, and wonderful photo ops. Some of the better birds seen there were Oriole Blackbird, Pied Lapwing, Spotted Tody-Flycatcher, and Capped Heron, for looks, and Castelnau's Antshrike, Parker's Spinetail, Olive-spotted Hummingbird, and Lesser Hornero, for rarity.

Mandicocha, where we spent the afternoon, was nothing less then spectacular. It is this wonderful lake that is edged with water hyacinth and reeds, and we were there at sunset, and I cannot imagine a prettier place then there. The edge of the cocha had such glamour birds as Orange-backed Troupial, Wattled Jacana, Azure Gallinule, and Red-capped Cardinal, while overhead flew Black Caracara, Bare-necked Fruitcrow, and the omnipresent Neotropical Palm-Swift. From there we paddled down a little stream, for longer then we planned, where a troupe of at least 60 Squirrel Monkeys played around overhead for a while, White-chinned Jacamar flycatched from the trees nearby, and a Common Potoo tried his best to look like a dead branch, while keeping a wary eye on the monkeys, before we had to get back to land and make a 15 minute mad dash back to the lodge before dark. 45 minutes there, and we made it back in 15 haha. Motivation is a powerful thing.

It really is impossible to capture our experience there in just a few paragraphs, and some of the things that I've missed out on so far are the location of the lodge, which is situated on this lovely oxbow lake, edged with mangroves, where piranhas swim and caiman lurk, and where we saw Zigzag Heron one morning at dawn, albeit not well, and on our two night paddles we were lucky enough to see Amazon Tree Boa, a wonderful snake that had extended its head more then 3 feet off of a branch, in the hopes of catching a moth or something of that ilk, Black-banded Owl, sadly heard only, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, and the wonderful raccoon-like Kinkajou!

In conclusion, my only regret is that we didn't have more time down there in the east, even though at times it was the hottest I have ever been, with 80 degree temps and 95%+ humidity, it was still awesome.

A link to all the pictures I've taken on this trip, including 54 newbies from La Selva, can be seen at: http://picasaweb.google.com/goshawk227/EcuadorNovember152008January152009#

Full species list from La Selva:

Mammals:

Pygmy Marmoset (smallest monkey in the world)

Black-mantled Tamarin

Common Squirrel Monkey

White-fronted Capuchin

Red Howler Monkey

Dusky Titi Monkey (Edit: This was the name I got from the guide, it seems that only White-tailed Titi is around in eastern Ecuador)

Amazonian Red-tailed Squirrel

Western Pygmy Squirrel

Black Agouti

Long-nosed Bat sp.

White-lined Bat sp.

Fishing Bat

Kinkajou

Reptiles/Amphibians (Herps):

Common Whipsnake

Amazon Tree Boa

Black Caiman

Northern Caiman Lizard

Golden Tegu Lizard

Yellow-spotted River Turtle

House Gecko

Collared Forest Gecko

Ruddy Poison Dart Frog (Edit: Neither of these dart-frog species seem to exist under the below names. All herp names are from my guide. The two toads are seemingly absent from the internet as well, except that Sharp-Nosed toad might be Bom Jardim Toad (Rhinella dapsilis)

Stripe-faced (?) Poison Dart Frog

Crested Toad

Sharp-nosed Toad

Misc.:

Silver-bellied Piranha

Leaf-cutter Ant

Bullet Ant

Army Ant

Black Tarantula

Red-rumped Tarantula

Pink-footed Tarantula

Birds:

Great Tinamou
Cinereous Tinamou
Little Tinamou
Undulated Tinamou
Bartlett's Tinamou
Speckled Chachalaca
Neotropic Cormorant
Anhinga
Zigzag Heron
Rufescent Tiger-Heron
Cocoi Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Striated Heron
Capped Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Boat-billed Heron
Roseate Spoonbill
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture
Osprey
Swallow-tailed Kite
Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Black Caracara
Yellow-headed Caracara
Bat Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
Gray-breasted Crake
Azure Gallinule
Pied Lapwing
Collared Plover
Wattled Jacana
Spotted Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Yellow-billed Tern
Large-billed Tern
Pale-vented Pigeon
Plumbeous Pigeon
Ruddy Pigeon
Ruddy Ground-Dove
White-tipped Dove
Gray-fronted Dove
Sapphire Quail-Dove
Ruddy Quail-Dove
Maroon-tailed Parakeet
Dusky-headed Parakeet
Chestnut-fronted Macaw
Scarlet Macaw
Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Red-bellied Macaw
Blue-winged Parrotlet
Cobalt-winged Parakeet
Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet
Black-headed Parrot
Orange-cheeked Parrot
Blue-headed Parrot
Orange-winged (Amazon)Parrot
Mealy (Amazon)Parrot
Yellow-crowned (Amazon) Parrot
Hoatzin
Squirrel Cuckoo
Greater Ani
Smooth-billed Ani
Tropical Screech-Owl
Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl
Spectacled Owl
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
Black-banded Owl
Sand-colored Nighthawk
Common Pauraque
Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Great Potoo
Common Potoo
Short-tailed Swift
Gray-rumped Swift
Fork-tailed (Neotropical) Palm-Swift
Pale-tailed Barbthroat
White-bearded Hermit
Straight-billed Hermit
Great-billed Hermit
Blue-chinned Sapphire
Blue-tailed Emerald
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Olive-spotted Hummingbird
Glittering-throated Emerald
(Amazonian) White-tailed Trogon
(Amazonian) Violaceous Trogon
Black-throated Trogon
Black-tailed Trogon
Blue-crowned Motmot
Broad-billed Motmot
Ringed Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
Green-and-rufous Kingfisher
Black-fronted Nunbird
White-fronted Nunbird
Yellow-billed Nunbird
Swallow-winged Puffbird
White-eared Jacamar
Brown Jacamar
Yellow-billed Jacamar
White-chinned Jacamar
Scarlet-crowned Barbet
Gilded Barbet
Lemon-throated Barbet
Chestnut-eared Aracari
Many-banded Aracari
Golden-collared Toucanet
White-throated Toucan
Channel-billed Toucan
Lafresnaye's Piculet
Rufous-breasted Piculet
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker
Little Woodpecker
White-throated Woodpecker
Spot-breasted Woodpecker
Scale-breasted Woodpecker
Chestnut Woodpecker
Cream-colored Woodpecker
Ringed Woodpecker
Lineated Woodpecker
Crimson-crested Woodpecker
Black-tailed Leaftosser
Lesser Hornero
White-bellied Spinetail
Plain-crowned Spinetail
Parker's Spinetail
Orange-fronted Plushcrown
Point-tailed Palmcreeper
Chestnut-winged Hookbill
Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner
Olive-backed Foliage-gleaner
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Long-billed Woodcreeper
Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper
Amazonian Barred-Woodcreeper
Black-banded Woodcreeper
Straight-billed Woodcreeper
Striped Woodcreeper
Buff-throated Woodcreeper
Fasciated Antshrike
Great Antshrike
Barred Antshrike
Plain-winged Antshrike
Mouse-colored Antshrike
Castelnau's Antshrike
Dusky-throated Antshrike
Plain-throated Antwren
White-flanked Antwren
Gray Antwren
Dugand's Antwren
Gray Antbird
Black-faced Antbird
Peruvian Warbling-Antbird (Warbling Antbird)
Yellow-browed Antbird
Black-and-white Antbird
Silvered Antbird
White-shouldered Antbird
Plumbeous Antbird
Sooty Antbird
Bicolored Antbird
Spot-backed Antbird
Dot-backed Antbird
Black-spotted Bare-eye
Black-faced Antthrush
Striated Antthrush
Thrush-like Antpitta
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet
Mottle-backed Elaenia
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
Spotted Tody-Flycatcher
Orange-eyed Flycatcher (Olive-faced Flatbill)
Gray-crowned (Flatbill) Flycatcher
Golden-crowned Spadebill
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Drab Water-Tyrant
Cinnamon Attila
Citron-bellied Attila
Bright-rumped Attila
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Short-crested Flycatcher
Lesser Kiskadee
Great Kiskadee
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Social Flycatcher
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Piratic Flycatcher
Sulphury Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird
Screaming Piha
White-winged Becard
Black-tailed Tityra
Bare-necked Fruitcrow
Purple-throated Fruitcrow
Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin
Striped Manakin
White-crowned Manakin
Blue-crowned Manakin
Wire-tailed Manakin
Golden-headed Manakin
Red-eyed Vireo
Dusky-capped Greenlet
Violaceous Jay
White-winged Swallow
White-banded Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Donacobius
Thrush-like Wren
Coraya Wren
House Wren
White-breasted Wood-Wren
Scaly-breasted (Southern Nightingale) Wren
Long-billed Gnatwren
Hauxwell's Thrush
Lawrence's Thrush
Black-billed Thrush
White-necked Thrush
Yellow Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Magpie Tanager
Orange-headed Tanager
Fulvous Shrike-Tanager
Silver-beaked Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Turquoise Tanager
Opal-rumped Tanager
Green-and-gold Tanager
Black-faced Dacnis
Yellow-bellied Dacnis
Purple Honeycreeper
Swallow Tanager
Lesson's Seedeater
Chestnut-bellied Seedeater
Red-capped Cardinal
Yellow-browed Sparrow
Grayish Saltator
Buff-throated Saltator
Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak
Blue-black Grosbeak
Red-breasted Blackbird
Oriole Blackbird
Giant Cowbird
Epaulet (Moriche) Oriole
Orange-backed Troupial
Yellow-rumped Cacique
Russet-backed Oropendola
Crested Oropendola
Casqued Oropendola
Golden-bellied (White-lored) Euphonia

253 species, 177 lifers

Heading out

After a week of being stuck in Quito, relatively birdless, tomorrow I finally get to head back out to real birding, at La Selva Jungle Lodge. The original plan was for us to go to Sani Lodge, and to have gone there today, but we found that we could get a better deal, and guide, at La Selva, so we're heading there tomorrow instead. I guess Rufous Potoo, the specialty bird of Sani, will have to wait for another time. 

The only birding highlight of the week, which is to say seeing something besides Rufous-collared Sparrows, Great Thrushes, and Eared Doves, was our trip yesterday up the Teleferiqo, a cable car system that extends for 3.5km and takes you up to 14,500fasl, about 5,000 feet higher then Quito!

When you're that high, trees are unable to grow for the most part, and so its almost entirely paramo up there, with a few Polylepis trees scattered around the streams, typical of the Andean highlands around here. Of course, when you get that high, the birds change! Still very low species diversity, but some nice birds. Tawny Antpittas are common, calling everywhere, running unseen through the grass, until they, strangely for antpittas, burst out of the grass and run around in the open like they're in deep cover for a little while, before realizing their mistake and evaporating again.

I managed three new birds up there, after a week-long lifer drought, with Curve-billed Tinamou, Paramo Pipit, and a Blue-and-yellow Tanager, the latter seen from the cable car on the way up!

Full species list:

Location: Quito Teleferiqo
Observation date: 12/14/08
Number of species: 12

Curve-billed Tinamou 1
Sparkling Violetear 5 
Black-tailed Trainbearer 4
Tawny Antpitta 6
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant 2
Brown-bellied Swallow 26
Great Thrush 6
Paramo Pipit 1
Blue-and-yellow Tanager 1
Plumbeous Sierra-Finch 9
Plain-colored Seedeater 1
Hooded Siskin 1

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Our plane leaves from the National terminal at Mariscal Sucre Airport from Quito tomorrow at a little after 9am, and after a 50 minute ride in an old military aircraft, the standard form of transportation in Ecuador, we should land in Coca, a town built on the oil that comes out of the Amazon, and after another 2-3 hour motorized canoe ride, hopefully we will end up at La Selva! With a bird list of over 550 species, of which ~400 would be new for me, it can only end in happiness. The lake that the lodge sits on is one of the best places for Zigzag Heron in Ecuador, a very cool little heron that is extremely reclusive and hard to find. We're there until Saturday, when we repeat the travel process in reverse, and end up back in Quito for a night or two.

After that, the current plan is to head out to Mindo for two weeks, until January 2nd, when we return to Quito to meet my moms friend, and then head off for the last two weeks to parts yet unknown, perhaps Ayampe, out on the coast.

I've updated my Picasa with a few more pictures, most recently one of a Plumbeous Sierra-Finch taken at the top of the Teleferiqo. There are just far too many to post to this blog!

Sorry for the inconvenience, the link is: http://picasaweb.google.com/goshawk227/EcuadorNovember152008January152009#

And with that, I will sign off for 5 days, and I hope to be able to update this again next Saturday or Sunday!

Good birding to all,

Ian

Back in Quito

As of this past weekend my mom and I decided that we had been at San Isidro for long enough, over two weeks, and that it was time to move on elsewhere.  So now we're in Quito again, with blessed internet service, after having spent a night at Guango Lodge on the way up, a really wonderful place.

I would highly recommend both San Isidro and Guango Lodges to anyone who likes nature, and of course, birds. The feeders at Guango usually have 1-2 Sword-billed Hummingbirds at them, along with around 10 other species that can be seen in a matter of 15 minutes or so. 

San Isidro has great trails, great bird diversity, beautiful scenery, and also is centrally located to a lot of good birding places.

Today we made plans to head out to Sani Lodge in the Amazon on Monday, which involves a 45 minute plane ride from Quito to Coca, and then a 3 hour canoe ride down the Napo River, a tributary of the Amazon. Basically what that means is from Monday until Friday, when we return, there will be possibilities of up to 500 species, of almost anything you can imagine. The specialties of Sani are Rufous Potoo and Cocha Antshrike, the former incredibly local and hard to pin down, yet they have a reliable day roost for it, and the latter being endemic to Ecuador, and also very rare and local.

In addition to that, they have the standard canopy tower and Hoatzins loafing around the cabins all day, or so I have heard. I cant wait!

Anyways, all this internet has enabled me to put up pictures, which there are far too many for this blog, but the better ones can be seen at: http://picasaweb.google.com/goshawk227/EcuadorNovember152008January152009#.

Also, below I have compiled a list in taxonomic order, thanks to eBird, that lists all the species seen so far on this trip, all 335 of them. Of those, 278 are lifers, so I'm pretty happy.

On a side note, I'm up to 35 species of hummingbird and 33 different tanagers now.

After Sani we're still unsure what we're doing until January 3rd, when my moms friend comes down and joins us for the final two weeks in Mindo. We shall see!

I'm pushing for the southern part of the country, such as Loja, for reasons of bird diversity, but my mom doesnt seem too keen on that. One of the more recent possibilities is a little coastal town of Ayampe, which has good birding, warm weather, and hopefully quaintness, to keep us all happy. It's located near the coastal mountain range, a good river for birding, and an island not far off shore that is sort of a "mini-Galapagos", a place where Waved Albatross breeds, and stuff like that.

In any case, wherever we go and whatever we do, it's a great country to be in. The people are incredibly friendly, the food is cheap, lodges abound, and the birds are wonderful.

Ian

Highland Tinamou
Torrent Duck
Speckled (Andean) Teal
(Andean) Ruddy Duck
Andean Guan
Wattled Guan
Sickle-winged Guan
Silvery Grebe
Neotropic Cormorant
Fasciated Tiger-Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture
Andean Condor
Osprey
Hook-billed Kite
Swallow-tailed Kite
Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle
Semicollared Hawk
Sharp-shinned (Plain-breasted) Hawk
Barred Hawk
Roadside Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-backed (Puna) Hawk
Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle
Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Collared Forest-Falcon
Buckley's Forest-Falcon
Carunculated Caracara
American Kestrel
Orange-breasted Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
Slate-colored (Andean) Coot
Spotted Sandpiper
South American Snipe
Noble Snipe
Andean Gull
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Plumbeous Pigeon
Ruddy Pigeon
Eared Dove
White-throated Quail-Dove
White-eyed Parakeet
Chestnut-fronted Macaw
Military Macaw
Barred Parakeet
Red-billed Parrot
Speckle-faced (White-capped) Parrot
Scaly-naped Parrot
Squirrel Cuckoo
Smooth-billed Ani
White-throated Screech-Owl
Mottled Owl
Rufous-banded Owl
Rufous-bellied Nighthawk
Swallow-tailed Nightjar
Lyre-tailed Nightjar
Andean Potoo
White-chested Swift
Spot-fronted Swift
Chestnut-collared Swift
White-collared Swift
Short-tailed Swift
Gray-rumped Swift
Tawny-bellied Hermit
Gray-chinned Hermit
White-tipped Sicklebill
Green-fronted Lancebill
Napo Sabrewing
Green Violetear
Sparkling Violetear
Violet-headed Hummingbird
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Golden-tailed Sapphire
Glittering-throated Emerald
Speckled Hummingbird
Ecuadorian Piedtail
Fawn-breasted Brilliant
Violet-fronted Brilliant
White-tailed Hillstar
Buff-tailed Coronet
Chestnut-breasted Coronet
Shining Sunbeam
Ecuadorian Hillstar
Mountain Velvetbreast
Bronzy Inca
Collared Inca
Buff-winged Starfrontlet
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Tourmaline Sunangel
Greenish Puffleg
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Tyrian Metaltail
Viridian Metaltail
Blue-mantled Thornbill
Mountain Avocetbill
Long-tailed Sylph
Wedge-billed Hummingbird
White-bellied Woodstar
Gorgeted Woodstar
Masked Trogon
Golden-headed Quetzal
Crested Quetzal
Blue-crowned (Highland) Motmot
Coppery-chested Jacamar
Red-headed Barbet
Emerald ( Andean) Toucanet
Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan
Black-billed Mountain-Toucan
Golden-collared Toucanet
White-throated Toucan
Lafresnaye's Piculet
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker
Yellow-vented Woodpecker
Bar-bellied Woodpecker
Smoky-brown Woodpecker
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker
Powerful Woodpecker
Stout-billed Cinclodes
Bar-winged Cinclodes
White-chinned Thistletail
Azara's Spinetail
Dark-breasted Spinetail
Rufous Spinetail
Ash-browed Spinetail
Many-striped Canastero
Spotted Barbtail
Pearled Treerunner
Streaked Tuftedcheek
Montane Foliage-gleaner
Lineated Foliage-gleaner
Black-billed Treehunter
Striped Treehunter
Flammulated Treehunter
Streaked Xenops
Tyrannine Woodcreeper
Strong-billed Woodcreeper
Olive-backed Woodcreeper
Montane Woodcreeper
Lined Antshrike
Bicolored Antvireo
Blackish Antbird
White-backed Fire-eye
Long-tailed Antbird
Plain-backed Antpitta
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta
Chestnut-naped Antpitta
White-bellied Antpitta
Tawny Antpitta
Slate-crowned Antpitta
Ash-colored Tapaculo
Blackish Tapaculo
Long-tailed Tapaculo
Spillmann's Tapaculo
Paramo Tapaculo
Ocellated Tapaculo
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet
White-tailed Tyrannulet
White-banded Tyrannulet
Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet
Tufted Tit-Tyrant
White-crested Elaenia
Torrent Tyrannulet
Streak-necked Flycatcher
Slaty-capped Flycatcher
Rufous-breasted Flycatcher
Variegated Bristle-Tyrant
Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant
Ecuadorian Tyrannulet
Sooty-headed Tyrannulet
Ashy-headed Tyrannulet
Golden-faced Tyrannulet
Ornate Flycatcher
Bronze-olive Pygmy-Tyrant
Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant
Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher
Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Fulvous-breasted Flatbill
Yellow-olive Flycatcher
Cinnamon Flycatcher
Cliff Flycatcher
Flavescent Flycatcher
Handsome Flycatcher
Olive-chested Flycatcher
Smoke-colored Pewee
Western Wood-Pewee
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Black Phoebe
Vermilion Flycatcher
Smoky Bush-Tyrant
Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant
Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant
Long-tailed Tyrant
Pale-edged Flycatcher
Social Flycatcher
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Lemon-browed Flycatcher
Golden-crowned Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Dusky Piha
Barred Becard
Masked Tityra
Red-crested Cotinga
Green-and-black Fruiteater
Black-chested Fruiteater
Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater
Andean Cock-of-the-rock
Plum-throated Cotinga
Olivaceous Piha
Green Manakin
Brown-capped Vireo
Olivaceous Greenlet
Black-billed Peppershrike
Green (Inca) Jay
Violaceous Jay
Turquoise Jay
Blue-and-white Swallow
Brown-bellied Swallow
White-thighed Swallow
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Black-capped Donacobius
Thrush-like Wren
Rufous Wren
Sharpe's (Sepia-brown) Wren
Plain-tailed Wren
Coraya Wren
House Wren
Mountain Wren
Sedge (Grass) Wren
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
Wing-banded Wren
Chestnut-breasted Wren
White-capped Dipper
Andean Solitaire
Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Pale-eyed Thrush
Black-billed Thrush
Chestnut-bellied Thrush
Great Thrush
Glossy-black Thrush
Tropical Mockingbird
Tropical Parula
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Canada Warbler
Slate-throated Redstart
Spectacled Redstart
Black-crested Warbler
Russet-crowned Warbler
Three-striped Warbler
Bananaquit
Magpie Tanager
Rufous-crested Tanager
Black-capped Hemispingus
Oleaginous Hemispingus
Black-eared Hemispingus
Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager
Cinereous Conebill
Blue-backed Conebill
Capped Conebill
Giant Conebill
Plushcap
Black-backed Bush-Tanager
Common Bush-Tanager
Short-billed (Yellow-whiskered) Bush-Tanager
Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager
White-lined Tanager
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Silver-beaked Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
Hooded Mountain-Tanager
Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager
Grass-green Tanager
Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager
Yellow-throated Tanager
Orange-eared Tanager
Golden-naped Tanager
Black-capped Tanager
Blue-necked Tanager
Spotted Tanager
Blue-and-black Tanager
Beryl-spangled Tanager
Blue-browed Tanager
Paradise Tanager
Bay-headed Tanager
Golden-eared Tanager
Saffron-crowned Tanager
Flame-faced Tanager
Golden Tanager
Black-faced Dacnis
Golden-collared Honeycreeper
Swallow Tanager
Plumbeous Sierra-Finch
Caqueta Seedeater
Black-and-white Seedeater
Chestnut-bellied Seedeater
Chestnut-bellied (Lesser) Seed-Finch
Band-tailed Seedeater
Plain-colored Seedeater
Glossy Flowerpiercer
Black Flowerpiercer
White-sided Flowerpiercer
Deep-blue (Golden-eyed) Flowerpiercer
Bluish Flowerpiercer
Masked Flowerpiercer
Pale-naped Brush-Finch
Slaty Brush-Finch
Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch
Stripe-headed Brush-Finch
Yellow-browed Sparrow
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Grayish Saltator
Golden-bellied (Southern Yellow) Grosbeak
(Northern) Mountain Cacique
Scarlet-rumped (Subtropical) Cacique
Russet-backed Oropendola
Crested Oropendola
Thick-billed Euphonia
Golden-rumped Euphonia
Golden-bellied Euphonia
Bronze-green Euphonia
Orange-bellied Euphonia
Blue-naped Chlorophonia
Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia
Hooded Siskin
Olivaceous Siskin

335 species as of yet

East Slope

Hi all,

Sorry for the delay in posting, I have been without communication to the world for some time now. And by no communication I mean it. No mail, no phone, no internet, everything is at least 30 minutes away. It's nice, in a different sort of way.

Anyways, the past two weeks or so have been spent at San Isidro, not at Yanayacu Biological Station as was planned.

On our travel day to Yanayacu, we arrived at Cosanga, the local town, as planned, only to find that the person who was going to pick us up had already been there, and had been told we had already been picked up and taken to the station! Well, the gas station owner there assured us that he would be back within an hour or so, for sure. We should have known better.

After 2.5 hours of waiting, we decided screw it, that I was going to walk the uphill 8km to the station and see if I could find anyone. It didn't take that long, only 80 minutes or so, but when I got there, of course it was deserted. My mom showed up about 20 minutes later, in a car, with the guy and all our luggage, so we did make it there.

However, the accommodations were not exactly what we had expected. I guess we should not have been surprised for $15/night, but for that we got two small beds, a bare bulb, and enough space to put our bags. Thats about it. Plywood ceilings contrasted strangely with the fact that we had electricity in our room, and wireless satellite internet!

The next morning when we woke up it was pouring. It poured all morning, and at about 2pm we decided we were going to walk to San Isidro, about 3km away down the dirt road. 

Well when we got there I found the birders to talk birds, and my mom went to find the proprietress, Carmen, to talk lodging.

Then was when the craziness started.

I had been sitting at the hummingbird feeders chatting with a British guy, who also happened to be called Ian, when my mom came back and informed me that Carmen had hired her to be "Carmen" and translate from the Spanish of the staff to the English of the guests. What that meant for us was indefinite free lodging at San Isidro!

So for almost two weeks now we've been living at San Isidro, with the great food, birds, and guests.

The best part of this all for me was being able to bird with Mitch Lysinger, Carmens husband, and also an absolutely top-notch birder, one of the greats of Ecuador and for that matter, South America. 

He happened to be leading a Field Guides tour for a week, based out of San Isidro, and he was kind enough to let me come with them every day birding, which was just fantastic. There were 8 participants, Mitch, and myself.

I think while I was with them we managed about 300 species in a week, which included: 23 Military Macaws in one morning, most of the population of Ecuador, Orange-breasted Falcon, about 35 species of hummingbird, including Sword-billed and Mountain Avocetbill, many tanagers: Paradise, Bay-headed, Orange-eared, Bicolored Antvireo, 6 species of swift in a morning, including the rare Spot-fronted and White-chested, Lyre and Swallow-tailed Nightjars, Buckley's Forest-Falcon, two Chlorophonias, Chesnut-crowned, White-bellied, Tawny, and Slate-crowned Antpittas, Giant Conebill, Silvery Grebe, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Ocellated Tapaculo (seen well!), and many more that I'm sure I've forgotten. 

San Isidro itself is great as well, you wake up every morning to the calls of Inca Jays, Highland Motmots, Black-billed Peppershrikes, and the everpresent Subtropical Caciques making a racket. On the trails themselves there is great birding, with the most common tanagers being Saffron-crowned, by far, Flame-faced, Blue-gray, and Black-capped. Other oddities creep in at times, a Golden-collared Honeycreeper here, a Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia there. 

Probably the best bird I've had on the property here was seen this morning, when I led a Dutch couple down towards the Cock-of-the Rock lek (they werent there this morning), and on the way back we had a Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, only the second confirmed record for San Isidro! It's normally a bird of the lowlands, and very rare at the ~2000masl we had it at. 

I wish I could post photos, but this satellite internet I'm on is far too slow for that. 

I'm at Yanayacu now, and I will try to make it over here more often to update this blog.

Some other good birds had, not on Mitch's trip, were Andean Potoo, Plum-throated Cotinga, Flammulated Treehunter, and a vagrant Sunangel at Guango Lodge yesterday, either Amethyst-throated or Gorgeted, I'm waiting on Mitch's opinion on the picture I got. 

In conclusion, Ecuador is an awesome country and I recommend it to anyone who would ask. 

And come to San Isidro :p

Until later, 

Ian

P.S. I hear a Golden-headed Quetzal right now.