Photo Gallery
Photos by Gary Rosenberg unless otherwise noted
We begin our tour in Yanacocha, a stunning forest reserve in the shadow of the volcano Pinchincha.
Two of the most amazing hummingbirds are found here, the Great Sapphirewing, the world’s second largest hummingbird…
…and the remarkable Sword-billed Hummingbird.
Our delightful lodge, Séptimo Paraíso, is situated in a lovely forested valley allowing easy access to some of western Ecuador’s best birding locations.
Stunning hummingbirds are the norm on this tour, such as this Velvet-purple Coronet found at feeders right at our lodge.
One of the highlights of the tour is seeing Toucan Barbet, one of the fanciest birds in western Ecuador.
Other regional endemics found within walking distance of the lodge are this Choco Toucan…
…and this Pale-mandibled Aracari.
The birding around Mindo can be very exciting.
The incredible Red-headed Barbet nests locally…
…as does this very rare Strong-billed Woodcreeper.
Along the trails at Séptimo Paraíso, one can see forest species such as Ornate Flycatcher…
…and at lower elevation, only a short drive from our lodge, species such as this Black-cheeked Woodpecker are common…
…as is the ubiquitous Roadside Hawk.
Perhaps the highlight of the trip is a visit to Tony Nunnery’s house, where we have seen as many as 22 species of hummingbirds in one hour!
At times, hummingbirds feed only inches away; in this case a Purple-throated Woodstar taken with a hand-held digital camera!
Photo: Rich Hoyer
Booted Racket-tail, one of the fanciest of the hummingbirds, is very common here…
…as is the Purple-bibbed Whitetip…
…but, perhaps everyone’s favorite is the stunning Violet-tailed Sylph.