2004 Tour Narrative
The hurtling wing-rush of a Black-billed Mountain-Toucan dropping like a torpedo down a forested slope to perch for prolonged scope views; the mind-blowing turquoise-blue of a male Plum-throated Cotinga feeding overhead as we watched from the quiet of our canoe; great hospitality and food throughout; the immense size of a Giant Hummingbird contrasted with the dazzling array of countless other hummingbirds, from Sword-billed and Long-tailed Sylph side-by-side, from the saturated richness of Chestnut-breasted Coronets to the delicate beauty of male Booted Racket-tails; from the intensity of pulsating, twittering flocks of jewel-like tanagers to the tranquility of canoe paddling through flooded Amazonian forest as river dolphins slid softly by. And then there were the antbirds…
These are a few of countless memories from this trip, which featured generally good weather, fabulous birds, and a great group with whom to share a two-week introduction to the birding wonders of Ecuador. The advantages of a small group on narrow trails and in canoes are many, perhaps the most important being that most people have a good chance to see everything, and with birds in the scope there is usually time for second looks and study. This is not a list-oriented tour but an introduction to birding amid the richest avifauna on Earth, sampling a few habitats and getting a feel for their birds. Still, well over 400 species in two weeks was plenty, and gave us a good cross-section of Amazonian and Andean birds—ranging from 47 species of hummingbirds to more than 60 species of tanagers and over 30 antbirds, from Torrent Duck to Torrent Tyrannulet, Long-tailed Potoo to Long-tailed Antbird, Black-necked Red Cotinga to Black-eared Hemispingus. Non-avian stars included Grey River Dolphins and Red Howler Monkeys, plus simply an incredible cross section of geography and geomorphology from the Andes to the Amazon basin.
The first full day was an “extra” built in for the start of the trip in case of travel and/or luggage delays. We visited the Western Andes, around Tandayapa, with a stop en route in temperate dry Andean scrub near Calacalí—where a Giant Hummingbird (spotted right away by Keith) was the first of many hummingbird species for the day! Also nice were an adult and juvenile Golden-rumped Euphonia, a juvenile Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, and male Black-tailed Trainbearers. There were no dippers at the Tandayapa bridge but stunning views of an adult Black-and-chestnut Eagle more than compensated, and then we worked our way up the valley (via White-tipped Swifts and Golden Tanagers) to hummingbird overload at a battery of feeders: 16 species included flashy Collared Incas, stunning Violet-tailed Sylphs, insect-like Purple-throated Woodstars, intense male Western Emeralds, subdued Brown Incas, breath-taking Booted Racket-tails (with nice boots!), and golden-faced Buff-tailed Coronets. All too soon it was time to return (via some elusive Cock-of-the-Rocks) to the bustling, other world of Quito in preparation for our trip to Amazonia.
Our morning flight to Coca left more-or-less on time and allowed a relatively leisurely travel day along the Rio Napo “freeway” from Coca to the “side-road” Yuturi River. We arrived at Yuturi under hot, sunny skies in time for a little birding around the cabins where we enjoyed great views of Black-headed Parrots, Hoatzins, and Thrushlike Wrens. Four full days at Yuturi then gave us a chance to sample most of the microhabitats there, including great várzea forest, terra firme and river-edge forest, river islands, second-growth thickets, and agricultural plots.
Our first morning at Yuturi we left by canoe to the Río Napo trails, and it took four hours to make the 45-minute ride—due to so many birds! These ranged from the quiet of a roosting Common Potoo at eye level, to the frantic activity of a tanager-flycatcher-woodcreeper-everything flock mobbing a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, to brief views of a huge Crested Eagle in the canopy. The forest seemed quiet in comparison but new birds kept appearing, including the first of many antbirds and a beautiful roosting Long-tailed Potoo (found by Jaime, our sharp-eyed local guide). After a cracking lunch break by the Río Napo we took shelter in the empty schoolhouse during a torrential downpour—and most of us even managed a short siesta before the rain passed. Refreshed, we birded back to the lodge by late afternoon via Chestnut-eared Aracaris, a pair of Reddish-winged Bare-eyes, and four species of singing oropendolas.
Our second day we visited the Limón trail, and terra firme forest interior, prefaced by another wonderful canoe commute including five kingfisher species, a singing Várzea Schiffornis, Silvered and Plumbeous antbirds, and an incredible male Plum-throated Cotinga. Forest birding was good—with a silent White-chested Puffbird and a Screaming Piha watched screaming—but antbirds can be frustrating to see well in the shadowy understory: No colors—black, All colors—white Mixed by people lacking light Creates oppressive antbird grey A tone for which we have to pay
Rain set in during the afternoon and we canoed back to the lodge for relaxation and birding from the bar. The rain continued overnight but let up in early morning, and by late morning it was hot and sunny. This day we canoed through várzea forest to the Sandy trail, starting off with two Grey River Dolphins swimming right by the canoe as we left the dock! Obviously this was going to be a good day—and birds on the “commute” included White-eared Jacamars and roosting Ladder-tailed Nightjar and Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl. Under the shady forest canopy the diversity of birds ranged from Ringed Antpipit to a stunning male Black-necked Red Cotinga, superbly tracked down by Jaime; some birds were starting to fall into place, both by sound and sight; and Andy spotted a handsome male Black-faced Antbird that we were able to watch tossing leaves as it fed on the forest floor. Birds on the return commute included excellent views of roosting Pauraque and a nice White-chinned Swift overhead against blue skies.
Our last full day at Yuturi we simply paddled slowly (or, rather, Jaime did) under mostly cloudy and lightly rainy skies along the Rio Yuturi, stopping to watch birds as they appeared—and disappeared. The leisurely canoe ride allowed us to see a wide range of birds, from macaws to tanagers, from Long-billed Woodcreeper to Dot-backed Antbird, from King Vultures overhead to an unconcerned, close-range Amazonian Streaked Antwren well spotted by Nigel. Monkeys along the forested banks included a family of Red Howlers and a group of Squirrel Monkeys. After lunch and a stretch along the bank, a motor canoe came to take us out to a river island in the Río Napo. The fairly open, simple-structured saw-grass and shrub vegetation on sandy soils seemed like another planet compared to the rain forest—and the birds were also quite different. Highlights included Black-and-white Antbirds, Oriole Blackbirds, and Lesser Hornero, before we stationed ourselves to watch roost flights out to another river island, hoping for Amazonian Umbrellabird—we saw one, but distant. However, Casqued Oropendola and a black-morph Collared Forest-Falcon flying across the river were very nice bonuses.
Today was a travel day back upriver to Yarina Lodge, a short distance from Coca so that we could catch our return flights to Quito with no danger of delays. There were still plenty of birds, and we visited the river islands again in the morning, adding several new species—including Little Woodpecker, Collared Plover, and Barred Antshrike. On the canoe ride, Swallow-tailed and Plumbeous Kites soared over the forested banks; and our lunch break produced Slender-billed Kite and Black Hawk-Eagle. We arrived at Yarina with time to bird around the cabins, where it was hot and sunny, but as always with more new species, including a family group of Magpie Tanagers, plus good views of Purple-throated Fruitcrows.
A 5:00 a.m. start enabled us to be at the tower for an atmospheric dawn looking over the canopy as motmots, forest-falcons, and antthrushes started the dawn chorus. Then it became sunny quickly, and after a variety of canopy birds, from aracaris to barbets, from a stunning male Spangled Cotinga to equally stunning male Black-faced Dacnises, we noted quite a few raptors rising from the forest: including Grey-headed, Plumbeous, Double-toothed, and Swallow-tailed Kites, a White Hawk, and King Vultures. Due to a mid afternoon flight we had time to walk a forest trail back to the lodge, and the ups and downs and mud were rewarded by a large mixed-species flock of both new and “familiar” species that kept us busy for an hour! Emerging from the forest, Andy noticed a handsome Black-capped Donacobius—new species right up to the last minute, so typical of the incredible avian wealth that is Amazonia. With reluctance we dragged ourselves away for the canoe ride to Coca and flight back to Quito, where we arrived with time to dehumidify, rest, and reorganize ourselves.
The second part of the tour found us driving across the Eastern Andes, from dry interior slopes to tundra-like páramo, and down through humid temperate and subtropical forests to Cabañas San Isidro—our base for four nights. The slopes below Papallacta Pass were atypically calm, and great for birding—with Tawny Antpitta in the road, perched views of Red-crested Cotinga, and Nigel’s 3000th species—a Shining Sunbeam. The Papallacta towers themselves were less hospitable, with cold wind and fog, so we dropped down to Guango Lodge for lunch and amazing hummingbirds: Sword-billed Hummingbirds up close alongside Long-tailed Sylphs, Tourmaline Sunangels, and a male Glowing Puffleg. After a non-hummingbird flock in the yard, with good views of Hooded Mountain-Tanager, we dropped downslope and on to San Isidro, where we arrived in the rain. The rain continued through the night, but, despite this, on our walk back to the cabins after dinner we found the undescribed species of “Andean Black-and-white Owl” and enjoyed good views of this enigmatic and striking bird.
Our first morning at San Isidro was dampened by persistent rain, but there were still birds to see—and a mid-morning nap didn’t feel bad! After lunch things cleared and we walked the road, where birds included perched Barred Parakeets (well spotted by Keith who wondered if he had a bird or a leaf!), a variety of flycatchers and tanagers, and a superb Orange-breasted Falcon, perched and eating at leisure a bird that was probably an oropendola. On our way to the dining room tonight we walked up to a beautiful Rufous-banded Owl, and Rufous-bellied Nighthawks flew overhead in the lights. The rain was over…
The next day we visited the nearby Guacamayos Ridge where the day started with the spectacle of swifts commuting through the pass, and continued with endearing Spectacled Whitestarts, handsome Lacrimose Mountain-Tanagers, a calling Andean Pygmy-Owl, White-capped Dippers, and then great views of Black-billed Mountain-Toucans. After a picnic lunch with Mountain Caciques we headed back to San Isidro via good views of a pair of Torrent Ducks. After a siesta break we birded along the road, adding new birds and enjoying better views of some “old faces” like Cinnamon Flycatcher and Saffron-crowned Tanager.
Our last full day at San Isidro we simply started at the cabins and walked up the road, where we “finally” ran into a real flock—an overwhelming intensity of birds that lasted almost two hours! Woodcreepers, flycatchers, flowerpiercers, tanagers, treerunners, vireos, warblers, jays, caciques, oropendolas, thrushes—and even a handsome Plushcap. We walked away, a little dazed, and into a quiet spell that allowed us to recover—and enjoy a male Powerful Woodpecker, well located by Nigel. After lunch and siesta we headed farther up the road and were rewarded by scope views of a singing Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, a singing Dusky Piha with remarkable timing, and then a fine flock that featured Grass-green, Red-hooded, Saffron-crowned, and Blue-and-black tanagers, and Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia.
With reluctance we left the great birds, hospitality, and cuisine of San Isidro and made our way back over the Andes to Quito, with a morning birding a side road at slightly lower elevation than San Isidro—which emphasized the remarkable diversity and specialization of Andean birds. Here we saw numerous species not found, or rarer, at San Isidro—including Golden-olive Woodpecker, Golden-faced Tyrannulet, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, and Golden-naped Tanager. “Non-golden” birds included Barred Becard, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, the memorable Olive-chested Flycatcher, and a good variety of tanagers. A pleasant picnic lunch at Guango featured 13 species of hummingbirds, including Mountain Avocetbill, and then it was up to Papallacta Pass and the drive to Quito, with birds ranging from Andean Gull to the rarely seen Andean Snipe, from Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant to Turkey Vulture. All too soon we were back in the bustling “real world” of Quito, and our two weeks in the Ecuadorian rain forests and cloud forests were over, although with memories to last a lifetime.
Steve Howell