Ecuador August 18 - 27, 2006

A short trip to northern Ecuador, with Barry Reed and Phil Ball. We covered both Pacific and Atlantic slopes at various altitudes, all within a few hours drive from Quito. Despite the fact that only a week was spent birding (when several months or even years would be required to do it properly), a good number of species were seen.

The list below includes only those birds that I saw well enough to include. A large number of birds were either missed or only heard by myself, or not seen well enough to include. But then, that's the nature of forest birding!

Mornings were quite chilly, as were, as expected, the places of higher altitude.

Calacali Pass
A moutain pass about half an hour from Quito. Dry scrub that holds one of the few places in the world where Black-billed Shrike Tyrant may be seen.

Tandayapa
The gumph says: The only lodge in the world designed by birders, owned by birders, and run for birders by birders. The rest can be found here.

The Paz Reserve, Nanegalito
A small reserve in the foothills owned by Angel Paz and his two brothers (we were guided by Rodrigo). The history is: Angel occasionally encountered Giant Antpittas on his trails and became aware that these were special birds that birders were very keen to see. He started to leave them occasional worms and such along the trails, and gradually, over a period of many months, managed to habituate the birds to his presence. He and his brothers can call these birds in (they all have names which they respond to!), allowing for stunning views. In the case of Manuel, he is even fed by hand! All birds are completely wild however; absolutely incredible.

Milpe Bird Sanctuary
A foothill reserve in owned by the Mindo Cloud-forest Foundation, details of which can be found here.

Rio Silanche
Another reserve owned by by the Mindo Cloud-forest Foundation, this one in the lowlands.

Papallacta Pass
About 2 hours east of Quito, is the main route across the Andes Mountains to the eastern slope. In the higher elevations the habitat is high elevation scrub, grassland, Polylepis Forest, and paramo above the timberline. Down on the eastern eastern slope is the village of Papallacta, and the Guango Lodge. Around the lodge are a variety of habitats, including gardens with hummingbird feeders, cloud forest, chusquea bamboo, and a fast flowing river.

Loreto Road
The lower Loreto Road covers tropical areas between Coca and the Guacamoyos Ridge and is a bit over an hour from San Isidro. Many birds on this lower stretch are those typical of the Amazonian lowlands, while others are more subtropical in nature.

San Isidro
The gumph says: Surrounded by its own 1,300 forest reserve - has built a reputation for being the pioneer in private conservation and birding/nature tourism on the northeast slope of the Ecuadorian Andes. The rest can be found here.