November 28: Jon Feenstra reports from his recently completed Southern Ecuador tour.
After birding mostly the eastern slope (Amazon watershed) of southern Ecuador, we’re now in the dry forest of the lowland west. The changes in habitats have been incredible as we’ve gone from above treeline to the low rainforest foothills, back into the highlands, crossing rain shadow valleys and zigzagging the continental divide. The birds have been equally diverse and the highlights many. Some of the favorites have been: Pale-headed Brushfinch (one of the rarest birds in the world) eating bread, the ancient look of the Gray Tinamou, Fiery-throated Fruiteater, and, of course, the Jocotoco Antpitta. 
The gang watching a Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant from the roadside near Reserva Tapichalaca
The Gray Tinamou creeps out of the forest too close for long lenses.
Sometimes we need to share the road with llamas.
Pale-headed Brushfinch slums it with the bread-eating crowd.
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager in Podocarpus National Park
Posted: November 28, 2016