Southern Ecuador
Nov. 3-18, 2007 - Trip Report

Sat., Nov. 3 Guayaquil / Cerro Blanco
Before starting our journey, several members of the group had arrived early to explore Guayaquil. Ralph, Regina and John thoroughly enjoyed time spent on the Malacon, a waterfront development project completed in the year 2000, designed to revitalize the city. They described a beautiful botanical garden, interesting architecture, and lots of activity by locals and tourists alike. They also explored several museums, raving about the anthropological museum in particular. Today we offered a birding ‘add-on’ in which we ventured north of the city to Cerro Blanco, a small nature reserve on lands of an international cement company in the Chongon Hills. With Francisco (“Pancho”) Ortiz we walked several stretches of the entry road, and then a trail through beautiful tropical dry forest. On the west side of the Andes it was the still very much the dry season; actually a drought as the Humboldt Current had not yet turned, and they’d experienced little rain. Several trees were at the peak of bloom: Erythrina, Bombax and the bright yellow Polopolo (Cochlospermum vitifolium) to name a few. We were all enchanted with the Ceibo trees (Ceiba trichistandra), native to Ecuador and Peru), now leafless. Standing naked, they exposed the beauty of form, accented by a deep green color in the trunk which further emphasizes them to dominate the landscape like oddly inflated statues.

Right from the start we got into interesting birds; a Black-billed Peppershrike, Blue-crowned Motmot, Yellow-tailed Oriole, and the beautiful Scarlet-backed Woodpecker. Ralph spotted a Coatimundi crossing a gully below the trail, just after we admired a large seating area designed for school groups, rimmed by displays on local birds and mammals. As a raptor specialist, Linda had her eyes to the sky and today she found a prize, the endemic Gray-back Hawk was circling above a small pond in the streambed, carrying a snake in its talons. We got lovely views as it circled higher and higher, getting lost in the company of vultures. A mixed flock in the dense brush on the return segment of our loop trail brought us good views of Plain Antvireo, Long-billed Gnatwren and Tropical Gnatcatcher. At lunch we relaxed in the shade, though a good breeze and cloud cover made the day very pleasant throughout. Adian, a smiling young PhD candidate working here, exchanged notes with Pancho on birds; then offered to take us to a territory of Elegant Crescent-chest nearby. We waited for him in a small garden, happy to sit among flowers, admiring Thick-billed Euphonias in one of the small trees. To our surprise a rust-colored gem popped down from the sky, to sit and stare at us from a prominent horizontal branch – a Western Peruvian Pygmy Owl – wow! We had no luck with the Elegant Crescent-chest, but consolation was great views of Black-capped Sparrow and Ecuadoran Trogon. With 48 species seen, we were off to a great start! Dinner in the hotel’s 1825 Dining Room, commemorating the meeting of San Martin and Bolivar was delicious; a celebration of our trip commencing.

Sun., Nov. 4 Guayaquil / Manglares Churute / Buenaventura
We started the morning with an unplanned walk on the Malecon of Guayaquil, as Peg had not read the instructions before closing the safe door on her valuables, and we had to wait for the maintenance man to come to the rescue. As Regina noted, ‘we each have a chit now Peg!’ It was a fine morning, the Malecon as clean as could be after a busy Saturday night. Ecuador’s military elite training ship, a gorgeous elaborate schooner was in port for today for the following two weeks, and the crew was up early taking their orders. The ocean tide was out as we looked off to the colorful homes of Las Penas historic hillside district; in the mudflats we found Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. Leaving Guayaquil (happily with documents and money after success in opening the safe), we drove south through agricultural areas where bananas, cocoa, teak, sugar cane and other crops seemed to be prospering. Passing through Naranjal, we drove in and out of dozens of fancy horses with riders decked out for a rodeo and parade. We had a great time watching them and trying to snap some quick photos.

We spent our morning, ending with a picnic lunch at Manglares Churute Reserve, where we walked through tropical dry forest to a lake filled with aquatic vegetation. The birding was excellent all around, and we found several groups of Horned Screamers, quite a striking species. As we approached the lagoon they demonstrated their namesake sounds. The expansive lagoon also held dozens of Purple Gallinule, both Least and Pied-billed Grebe and a large group of Black-bellied Whistling Duck, always a treat to find. We saw distant Central American Howler Monkeys, and sorted through myriad smaller birds from colorful Vermilion Flycatchers to trees full of ‘little brown jobs’ of several varieties. A Western Peruvian Pygmy Owl was seen again today, and a real hit were the bright red-breasted Peruvian Meadowlarks.

The afternoon was travel time, about four hours to our turn off for Buenaventura. We had a wonderful driver in Jhofre, who expertly wove through traffic and navigated often challenging roads. We made it to the reserve just before dark, in time to find a Blue-crowned Motmot just out of the van, and to be amazed by intense activity of hummingbirds at the feeders. Dinner was delicious fresh fish, a garlic vegetable soup, small delicious potatoes and vegetables. After a full day, we filled in our fast-growing bird list and turned in to bed.

Mon., Nov. 5 Buenaventura Jocotoco Reserve
Our day spent at Buenaventura was quite extraordinary, beginning with a dawn march down to see the Long-wattled Umbrellabird. We met for coffee while it was still dark, then listened to all the dawn calls as light emerged. We went directly to a known lek site, but only our guide from the lodge was able to see one of these odd looking creatures as it called like a moaning cow from its high canopy perch before it flew off to feed. In consolation, we watched a mixed flock for some time, pulling out Plain Antvireo. Olive-striped Flycatcher and Tawny-crowned Pygmy Tyrant. Once our steep trail topped out on the main road back to the lodge, we walked through an almost constant flow of birds, finding Orange-banded Flycatcher, Slate-colored Grosbeak, Swallow Tanager, Club-winged Manakin, many Lemon-rumped Tanager and more. It was really hard to keep on track for breakfast, but hot coffee, hot breakfast and the comfort of chairs was most welcome by this time. A veritable bird parade continued through breakfast, as the feeders were full of fresh fruit, drawing in Pale-mandibled Aracari – as many as five of these colorful–billed toucan relatives on one feeding tray! There were day-glow Green Honeycreepers, and hummingbirds one brighter than the next – Violet-bellied Hummingbird, Green-crowned Woodnymph, White-necked Jacobin, Green Thorntail, and Green-crowned Brilliant to name a few. Peg had made a ‘cheat sheet’ of what to expect, and we slowly worked through it, making sure we saw them all. Mid-morning we headed out in the van for the upper entrance to the reserve, and an area of forest where the rare El Oro Parakeet had just completed its annual nesting cycle and we hoped to find them with fledglings. We were fortunate to see and hear a pair in fight, but were not successful finding them perched for better inspection. There were a number of parrot species using the rich forest; we scoped Bronze-winged and Rose-faced Parrots, both lovely in their own right. A flock of Red-masked Parakeet came over, but we had to be content with our fly-by El Oro Parakeets for today.

Several times during the day we found the endemic Gray-backed Hawk, which had a habit of perching atop prominent bromeliad clad trees or stumps, affording us splendid views. Ralph spotted one that flew into a near vertical cliff and perched, spreading its wings to mantle over what we figured was prey. A third individual was perched low, again on a large tank bromeliad; and it was a thrill to see this hawk so well. We also saw Roadside Hawk perched and flying, and listened to its shrill whistling call. Lunch was at a worker’s cabin where we had a good view of several patches of forest; the gentleman caring for young trees for the reserve’s reforestation project told us the El Oro Parakeets had been there at 8:00 AM that day. As we relaxed the almost constant calls of Golden-headed Quetzal kept us alert, but almost eluded us. We watched one, then the other of a pair across the road below us and up a small gully. Peg urged us on to actually find them, and we were rewarded by scope views of this incredibly beautiful species, as well as a bonus species, when several Crimson-rumped Toucanets came into view. John found a Common Bush Tanager, and Peg spotted a Pacific Tuftedcheek, which cooperated by flying into the scope view of our quetzal. Views of mountains in the background with misty ‘neblina’ clouds rolling in and out, created a stunning background to our bird watching. We also spotted a number of beautiful plants in bloom, several of them epiphytes. Vinicio and Peg had promised all a break, though driving home it was hard not to stop for Pacific Parrotlet, Saffron Finch, Orange-billed Sparrow and other species by the road. On such a lovely day, Peg was still keen to explore, and got out to stroll about two miles, or half the entrance road home, birding at leisure. Others enjoyed time for a hot shower, watching the feeders, and reading in our cozy cabins.

Dinner was served with gracious presentation quite amazing for such a remote location.
Vanesa, our cook and Narcisa her helper, along with Baldomira our local guide could not have been more helpful. We invited a newly arrived volunteer here to start research with Leo and Artemio, the biologists. He would sleep in a tent near a Golden-plumed Parakeet site for the better part of a month to take data on the nesting cycle. He joined us after dinner to venture out for night birds, and we were all richly rewarded with fine views of Spectacled Owl – what a treat!

Tues. Nov. 6 Buenaventura Jocotoco Reserve
We woke this morning a bit earlier to try again for the Long-wattled Umbrellabird, one of Earth’s most unlikely creatures with its exaggerated appearance. This time we drove up to the start of the trail, and went directly to where one of the guards had watched the male come in to sleep the night previous. In the dawn light we heard him calling his strange hollow sound, like someone blowing over the rim of a bottle. He must have been intent on feeding, or needing to fly a long way off, as Peg caught the silhouette of him flying away just as we got to the lek area. Song Wrens dueted us as we made our way back up the trail; patient John and Vinicio got a glimpse of it leaving, and also found us a Streak-headed Flycatcher. We decided to walk back to breakfast, Nancy pronouncing to all with much agreement that “downhill was good!” We had several mixed flocks to work through, and another good look at the range-restricted Orange-banded Flycatcher. The Toco Toucan was waiting for us back at the breakfast area, or rather for his bananas and melon, which he accepted with relish when the staff filled the feeder trays. What a joy to have breakfast with so many birds! The lodge has a comfortable outside dining area that is covered, and the hummingbirds never cease their activity, sometimes ten or more crowding onto a feeder. We spent the rest of the morning driving a loop road on our side of the canyon on which our cabins were perched, traveling up in elevation towards the area used by El Oro Parakeets. We got out exploring several locations, finding Tri-colored Brush Finch, Orange-banded Flycatcher, Ochraceous Attilla, White-bearded Manakin and other species. Views across the valley were splendid; time passed quickly before returning to the lodge for lunch.

Early afternoon there was time to relax, catch up on notes, and around 3:00 pm Vinicio did a small workshop on hummingbird identification, going over the fine points of the fifteen species we had been watching these last two days. Late afternoon we had a date with the Long-wattled Umbrellabird, this time successful! We hiked down the trail, got into positions to view just below the lek site, and Valdomiro, our local guide from the Buenaventura staff, went over to the other site just to make sure, knowing he could radio back if we spotted the birds. About ten minutes after five, this improbable, large woodpecker-sized black bird flew in; we gasped. Just above us on a horizontal branch, we could clearly see his pompadour hairdo, and long feathered wattle that hung well below the branch when he was upright. He looked around and started to preen, fluffing up the feathers of its wattle. The feathers took on the character of a boa scarf worn by a flirtatious woman. Rain broke our reverie of studying this amazing bird; we quickly headed for cover, looking back from another vantage point down the trail to see this male Long-wattled Umbrellabird vigorously taking a shower, fluffing up wing and tail feathers and shaking its outrageous wattle. Two of our party had elected not to try this third visit; so John’s rendition of the display at dinner, complete with vocalizations and umbrella imitation was priceless! Dinner tonight was by candlelight, as electricity in this part of the province was cut off – not to return before our next day departure. Luckily the lodge was prepared with a backup of propane so we still had hot water and the kitchen had power for cooking, so our only inconvenience was the lack of lighting. The staff here was very gracious and remained undaunted by such challenge.

Wed., Nov. 7 Buenaventura Jocotoco Reserve
John came up to the breakfast area early. With thick fog all around, the hummingbirds were anxious for the morning food, and let him stand almost touching them – incredible! We packed up our things, and headed out for a real adventure in mountain driving, taking a dirt road for at least 40 miles of our way to Loja and on to Vilcabamba. It was mainly a day of travel, with several adventures woven into the miles. We joked that we had a tour of Ecuadorian gas stations, as somehow our fueling and bathroom breaks were not well timed, and we hop scotched in and out of several in rapid succession. Still, these breaks gave us a chance to interact with locals, smell the wonderful street food, pet cute puppies, and to read bulletins about local horse shows, markets, concerts or other events. From one of our stations we spotted Gray-cheeked Parakeets and Peruvian Meadowlark.

We crossed a rugged pass through an arid landscape of serious vertical measure; more than once we marveled at Jhofre’s excellent driving skills. On the other side of the pass, we found ourselves down in a fertile river valley of the inter-Andean plateau where we relaxed over lunch at Catamayo. We chose a restaurant on the square where we discovered some wonderful local dishes, such as humitas. Ralph was a master at finding what anyone in the group needed; while on the square of this small town we checked out the Farmacias, found double A batteries, a bakery and the local ATM.

We had planned on birding at higher elevation paramo at the Cajanuma entrance of Podocarpus National Park this afternoon, but our van had other ideas. It shed a piece of the radiator hose and the overheated van stopped completely as we lumbered up a particularly steep section of the pass. With Jhofre and Vinicio’s skills at fixing things, it was soon patched up, and we poured all the water we had into the radiator to creep into Loja, where we could top off the water and get proper hose fixings. What to do to ease our angst? Snacks. This group could really get into snacks; we soon settled into favorites – plantain chips, cookies with dark chocolate, Ralph’s special Belgium chocolates… We enjoyed a bit of touring Loja, but decided it was too late for much birding, better to forge on and get to our lodgings in Vilcabamba, the legendary place of eternal youth; witnessed by a good portion of the population reaching well beyond 100. We had great hopes for Vilcabamba but found we’d got there likely a decade too late – its current population was quasi-international hippies, with hotels and restaurants catering to the budget hostel crowd. Our hotel was a bit of a refuge, with a nice garden area home to Loja Hummingbirds. Regina encouraged us to scout out the local coffee shop and internet, and as always people watching was fun. The manager of the hotel was entertaining and hospitable; we enjoyed dinner in the courtyard and diligently recorded our bird list.

Thurs., Nov. 8 Vilcabamba Podocarpus National Park Tapichalaca
What Vilcabamba lacked in authenticity was more than made up by our morning bird walk. After savoring some delicious coffee in the garden of our hotel, we ventured out for a few hours to walk up a small canyon, where the birding turned out to be exceptional. Saffron Finch and Yellow-tailed Orioles shone in the sun, as did impressive Izcay Zumi Peak, rising abruptly above this rugged valley. In the canyon we found a dozen or more Fasciated Wren making a fuss, several families with begging young and one pair building a nest for another round of breeding. Flycatchers were well represented; there were Loja Tyrannulets, Bran-colored Flycatcher and another lightning quick little species – the Tumbes Tyrannulet. Very close, climbing up dark colored andesitic (volcanic) soil on one bank of the canyon was a brightly colored bird showing off its rust and yellow plumage, with bold cheek marks – a tapaculo relative, the Elegant Crescent-chest! We were all delighted to see it so well, as this was the bird we had missed in Cerro Blanco..

After breakfast we packed up and drove through some very complex geography of the Andes, up and over first a low, and then a high pass, to the west side of the eastern Cordillera. Centuries of agriculture and pastoral clearing pursuits left few remaining trees until we got quite high, then moss-covered odd shaped trees of the elfin forest zone were numerous. We got out examining the flora as well as the birds, there were many flowers in bloom, one more lovely and some more odd than another. At the upper reach of distribution, many of the woody trees had small, leathery leaves; almost all had a bent and twisted form. Some were from families we immediately recognized, others were totally new. We drove on a ways, then stopped again by a lovely waterfall, to photograph and just take in the scenery of the boundary of Podocarpus National Park with the Tapichalaca Reserve. We had passed over the Cordillera Sabanilla in a driving rain, which made us hurry up to reach our lodgings in a simple but lovely wooden lodge, constructed on the reserve so people could see this spectacular habitat and its species in relative comfort. The staff of Casa Simpson welcomed us in style, scurrying around upon our early arrival to make us tea and coffee and get us settled into our rooms. The lodge was completely surrounded by forest – we could not wait to explore. Heavy rain kept us near the porch and feeders, where an almost completely different array of hummingbirds awaited us, thank heavens for Peg’s second ‘cheat sheet’. Luckily it quit by 3:30 pm so we could head out, umbrellas in hand in case it became fickle again.

We opted for a walk on the road, as the trails would likely be quite muddy. Several of the group found energies taxed by uphill at these elevations, so we stopped short at a bus stand, where we found Golden-crowned Tanager, a stunning species of day-glow colors. Brown-bellied Swallows appeared to go in and out of nests on the rugged rock slope above us; as we gazed we heard the call of parakeets. How lucky we were! Golden-plumed Parakeets have proved to be seasonal at this reserve, and this was their return day after four months absence! We saw 13 in a tight flock, very vocal, and for a time landing in a tree over the road. Sadly, we had the scope broken down to avoid a soaking, and just got it on them as they took off. They continued to screech and whirl around us on the ridge, but never posed for inspection. Returning to the lodge, we heard, then through playback got closer looks at, Chusquea Tapaculo, named after the local variety of bamboo. We also got the scope on Cinnamon Flycatcher, and got great looks at Azara’s Spinetail and Lacrimose Mountain Tanager.

Back at the lodge we gathered around a cozy fire where welcome drinks of a sugary-rich alcohol awaited us. Anita, the chef, a tremendously kind and capable woman, prepared us an excellent dinner, and after our bird tally we headed for deep slumber!

Fri., Nov. 9 Jocotoco Antpitta / Tapichalaca Reserve
The signature species of Tapichalaca is a charming, unassuming, nearly foot-high bird of queer dimension. Its discovery set in motion the remarkable story of the find of a rare species leading to establishment of a vital reserve, and then a chain of reserves in other areas of the country (see www.jocotocofoundation.org for details!). With first hand observation we found that this large antbird has stoplight white moustache marks, which stay dull gray in young birds. We saw both adult and young, with knowledge of successful reproduction a joy we as we experienced watching ‘Pancho’ and ‘Panchita’ who together proved to us that saving habitat can lead to saving populations. We even thought with the wad of worms Pancho kept heading off with he might be starting the subsequent generation.

To witness this globally endangered, recently rediscovered bird in Ecuador, we drove dirt roads of the Andes for hours and hours, then at dawn hiked a mile and a half out a rock lined trail, carefully constructed by a dedicated Tapichalaca Reserve staff. We pledged silence as we entered the scene where Franco, a reserve biologist, was carefully cleaning then cutting up worms. Franco does this everyday, rain or shine, to acclimate the birds to this ritual and to win their trust. This way birders can watch silently from the feeding site, where they can witness this remarkable species without damaging habitat, or affecting birds by tape playback or other methods needed when searching for it in the wild. Franco’s voice gives the birds confident direction and they respond. With ‘Venga, venga, venga Pancho…..’ He invites them repeatedly to come out onto a narrow forest trail, out of their preferred realm of dense vegetation. We spent over an hour with the birds and their diligent guardian. For a bonus a Chestnut-crowned Antpitta made a shy appearance as well. Today the weather in this often mist and rain shrouded forest was on our side – it was a great experience. Sadly it also pushed first Peg, then several hours later Nancy over the edge; they had picked up a virus or bacterial infection in the last day and had to simply head to bed. The others remained vibrant and enjoyed the hummingbird feeders, where another dozen or more species paraded their colors. Rain encouraged all to rest in the early afternoon. By late afternoon it cleared enough to venture out towards Valladolid, a small town at the bottom of a very long descent. From the van we spotted an immature Hook-billed Kite, a flock of tanagers, a passing group of White-capped Parrot, then just past town we found noisy feeding White-eyed Parakeets. Returning at dusk, those still healthy tried a tape to lure in resident Lyre-tailed Nightjar, but they were off on other pursuits. After a full and fulfilling day, they enjoyed dinner, the bird list tally by the fire, and headed off to pile on blankets in bed!

Sat., Nov. 10 Tapichalaca Trails / Podocarpus National Park - Cajanuma / Copalinga
It rained very hard for much of the night, so we were delighted to wake to a fine morning. Mist rose from the valley, embracing the mountains and rising to fill the expansive matrix of river tributaries etched like an outstretched hand deep between layer after layer of the Andes. Flame-throated and Amethyst Sunangels battled the far more common Chestnut-breasted Coronets for control of the feeders; occasionally a Long-tailed Sylph, Tyrian Metaltail or White-bellied Woodstar would make an attempt to come in. Peg was revived, but Nancy still needing rest, so we opted to hike a loop trail for our morning activity before driving a half day to our next lodge. Ralph won the prize on this hike, as lingering back he encountered a curious Rufous Antpitta that crossed the trail right in front of him! Birding was generally quiet, but we found some prizes such as Black-capped Hemispingus, Rufous Spinetail feeding a demanding youngster, and Mountain Wren. We headed out late morning with a box lunch, hoping for good weather as we crossed back over Sabanilla Pass.

The pass was misty from intermittent rain, so we opted not to get out but to drive on towards the Cajunuma entrance to Podocarpus National Park, where, entering the park, we marveled at higher elevation forests where trees were festooned with bromeliads and other epiphytes, including some orchids in bloom. We ate at comfortable covered picnic tables, listening for possible mountain toucans. We chatted with a nice group of students from Guayaquil, and then walked the road downhill, with our van following behind. Our efforts were thwarted by heavy rain which came quickly, but despite this we enjoyed seeing the habitat and plant life of the higher reaches of this park. In the van, we threaded our way down the mountain road to Zamora, a small town of Spanish legacy; the European influence readily observed in the features of its residents.

For a biologist Zamora is Eden, an area of unbroken forest for miles and miles, abutting Podocarpus National Park, a World Heritage Site. We stopped at the San Francisco entrance to Podocarpus National Park, and found a flock with Flame-faced and Beryl-spangled Tanagers – nice! A very cute Cinnamon Flycatcher perched on the cliff above the road was an immediate hit, as were White-banded Swallows circling above. Regina spotted a Scarlet Tanager, a winter migrant much at home in this forest. We had to pull ourselves away from the stunning scenery and burst of bird life to get to our lodge by dark. There Catherine and Boudewijn awaited us with a gracious welcome. We were delighted with our thoughtfully crafted, most comfortable forest cabins, a delectable dinner and knowledge that would we wake up in a naturalist’s paradise!

Sun., Nov. 11 Copalinga / Podocarpus National Park: Bombuscaro
We had a leisurely day without much driving, exploring from the lodge and then walking the trail leading into the Bombuscaro entrance of Podocarpus National Park. Waking up at Copalinga is a joy, the lyrical call of Gray Saltator blending with the more familiar House Wren and decidedly exotic Rufous-breasted Wood Quail. In the open area of the parking lot ahead of breakfast we watched a Mottle-backed Elaenia feed a large begging chick and found Chestnut-breasted and Yellow-bellied Seedeaters, Blue-black Grassquit and Yellow-browned Sparrow in the open area cleared for parking and a small citrus grove. The real activity was on the side of the building that held our eating area, in a lovely covered porch next to an orchid garden. From the veranda the forest stretches across a valley then up a steep slope, providing a vast expanse to check for avian wonders large and small. We found a Long-tailed Tyrant busy feeding along side the migratorial Eastern Wood Pewee, flocks of rainbow colored tanagers including Blue-headed, Masked, Scarlet-rumped, Blue-gray (on this side of the Andes sporting white wing bars) and a very tame Yellow-tufted Woodpecker that came into the banana feeder for close inspection. It was difficult to tear ourselves away, but the walk at nearby Bombuscaro was calling.

To our delight, with some searching Peg spotted a pair of Torrent Duck at a bend of the river some ways downstream from our car park. We trained the scope on them and Vinicio excitedly said “come look at the babies!” Three eager striped young scrambled over the rocks and into the fast moving stream. The family somehow navigated the maze of immense rock-polished boulders of this often flooded river, soon floating out of site. Sadly Ralph and Regina were resting soundly after their bout with the flu-like bug, and they had so wanted to see this bird! Though we returned twice to try, we did not see them again, the male with his dapper stripes on white, or the cinnamon colored female.

For the rest of the morning we walked up an intriguing forest trail, where trees towered above us – full of birds! To our delight we came on a group of thrushes which were harvesting fruit from a tall tree. There were many Swainson’s and within them a few darker, more boldly patterned, more locally distributed Maranon Thrush, of which we finally got a scope view. Further down the trail we found a very colorful mixed flock, with Orange-eared, Spotted and Golden Tanagers. Closer in we had a treat – a Yellow-vented Woodpecker at very close range, feeding in and out of bark and bromeliads that draped the many trunks and branches. There was so much going on we did not know where to look, when Vinicio called out to look through the scope. He had great light on every feather of a Plumbeous Kite; perched on a dramatic dead tree. John tried to capture this in a photo through the scope. Another highlight of the walk, further up the trail, was seeing myriad butterflies near the guard house, taking minerals from the mud. As we lingered taking photographs, a small flock came in and we got super looks (much lower) of Paradise Tanager.

Returning for lunch we were glad to see everyone returning to health, or at least to a healthy appetite. Katherine had made delicious smoked chicken curry and trays of meats and cheeses, and salad. After lunch for some it was nap time, while others lingered on the porch watching birds, and John found a Common Tody Flycatcher making a nest. Katherine showed us several new species of hummingbird (Wire-crested Thornbill and Spangled Coquette) feeding in the hedgerow of purple Vervain. In the late afternoon we made a run back to check for Torrent Duck for those that had not seen it, but the river was busy on a sunny Sunday afternoon when all the locals wanted to go swimming in the fresh clear stream.

Indeed it was a sunny gorgeous day, and we enjoyed views of palms on the ridge, puffy clouds, and everywhere the rushing river. We headed through town, busy after a market, and on to the far edge of town at an airstrip, which rivaled the center of town as a place to gather, prepare a meal, discuss a troublesome cow, go jogging or simply play as kids do so well! On the quieter end of the runway, we parked and got out to observe a Dark-breasted Spinetail and a flock of Violacceous Jays. Linda spied a Magpie Tanager, and we then got splendid views of perched Blue headed Parrots. In all we added nine or ten species and had fun exploring. Dinner was a lovely gingered chicken with vegetables and fresh fruit for dessert, though Nancy humorously chimed in she would not forgo a chocolate mousse if it were offered… As we circled round the table to do the bird list, we heard a Band backed Owl call, despite dense, intense pouring rain which continued on through the night.

Mon., Nov. 12 Copalinga / Bombuscaro / Podocarpus National Park: San Francisco / Loja
It again poured much of the night, vibrant rain that fell hard on rooftops with abandon. By morning it had quit, and those that wanted to met at 6:00 AM in the parking lot to see what was around. An adult Mottle-backed Elaenia displayed its wonderful crested ‘horns’ for us, and we got good looks at several seedeaters and Crested Oropendola. Katherine soon called us in for breakfast with a well-thought out spread of yogurt and cereals, lovely breads and marmalade, meats and cheeses. With a backdrop of divine scenery replete with birds, it’s a tough way to start the day! From the Torrent Duck spot, we decided to walk the road back towards the lodge, checking the river at regular intervals for this resident of clear mountain streams. As we did NOT find them, Ralph and Regina have another lovely clear mountain river with polished sculpted rock in their future, as this one did not produce for them. We gazed instead at tanagers, Lesser Seed Finch, Inca Jay and Short-crested Flycatcher. Hot sun and a desire for more time at the lodge drew us back to Copalinga where we spent our last hours watching for hummingbirds (great views of male Wire-crested Thorntail and Buff-tailed Sicklebill), feeder activity and activity in the lush forest behind. We spotted Magpie Tanager, Olive-chested Flycatcher and along the ridge, a soaring Greater Yellow-headed Vulture.

We thoroughly enjoyed Copalinga, and hated to go, but were drawn to explore a bit more of the Zamora area. We had our picnic lunch on the porch of the San Francisco entrance station to Podocarpus with a view of magnificent mountains and canyons. The hills are so steep they sport green ‘avalanche chutes’ reminiscent of high elevation ski areas – areas just too steep to hold vegetation. Peg, John and Vinicio walked the trail for an hour or so, finding Flame-faced, Saffron-crowned and Blue-capped Tanagers on an open hillside. In dense Polylepis forest they came upon a calling Plain-backed Wren that did not respond to their efforts too find it, and then grand views of a bromeliad thrashing Strong-billed Woodcreeper, a bold, athletic giant of this Neotropical family.

From here we continued up the mountain and down into the picturesque valley of Loja. Several of the group went out to explore the city, peeking in on services at two churches, one a magnificent Gothic wonder with enough gold leaf to ‘pay for all of Ecuador’ as Nancy described it.

Tues., Nov. 13 Loja Botanic Garden / Saraguro
We had thought to go search out the Tumbes Sparrow this morning, in more arid habitat towards the airport, but after our various bouts of sickness people wanted a leisurely morning, and instead a few of us ventured to the nearby botanical garden which turned out to be quite lovely. They had a section of Bonsai that was excellent, mainly native trees, then an orchid garden, palms, and lots of flowers. Birding highlights included a Rainbow Starfrontlet that perched for our inspection, a pair of Golden-olive Woodpeckers to Nancy’s delight, and lovely patterned Golden-rumped Euphonia. On this fieldtrip we enjoyed seeing a rural part of Loja adjacent to the gardens where scores of tree tomatoes growing.

After lunch, we drove a few hours north to Saraguro where we planned to stay at a new lodge built for ecotourism to be run by the community. We were greeted by Jose, Julio and Maria, each with striking features, long, shiny black hair, warm smiles and knowledge of their community. They cheerfully showed us several local artisan endeavors – weaving and ceramics, then prepared us an excellent meal of Ecuadorian food served in a dining room overlooking the city. A local band was practicing in an adjacent room, and to our good fortune they invited us to watch. This was indigenous music WIRED, amplified, electrified and fun! We could not refuse their invitations to dance; soon everyone of our group was out on the dance floor (save poor Linda, who was sleeping off her turn with the ‘bug’)… The songs were radiant with flute, pipes, drums, guitar and violin. Several of the group had excellent voices; from time to time they would change guitar players or go back to perfect a sequence of a particular song. Regina smiled and said it was the most exercise we’d had all week while Ralph captured some memorable images of us with the camera.

Wed., Nov. 14 Cloud forest Saraguro / On to Cuenca
This morning we visited private lands where the Sagaguro people had elected to preserve some of the most beautiful cloud forest we had seen on the journey. We crossed a large pasture to get to the forest edge, and heard the tempting calls of both Plate-billed and Gray-breasted Mountain Toucans. A Mountain Caracara circled above us carrying prey. Walking through a tunnel of bamboo, we entered a clearing where there was a lot of bird activity. Some of it Vinicio lured forward with his tape recorder; resulting in a secretive Ash-browed Spinetail put on quite a display. John found a new hummingbird – Mountain Velvetbreast (hummingbird species number 45 for the trip at this point). More vocal and needing no encouragement were the jays; Black-collared Jays new for many of the group. Alerted by Spectacled Whitestarts, we spied a mixed flock with Scarlet-breasted Mountain Tanager, Rufous-chested Tanager and Black-collared Jays. Ambling along, we then walked down through the pasture, past a lone large tree where a limb broken off in a storm had left several large bromeliads as orphans. Peg did a little ‘gardening’ to place them on substrates; we soon caught our van back to the hotel, where our Saraguro hosts were waiting with a special meal. On our behalf (asking first if we’d like to try it) they had prepared roast guinea pig, or Cuy. It was delightful to try, along with Motte, a corn dish, potatoes and other local foods.

Now thoroughly stuffed, we packed up our belongings and traveled north on the bumpy highway towards Cuenca and on up the Uzuphud Valley. Xavier, our host of Neblina Forest had surprised us with a night at a lovely, historic hacienda, concerned that our transition from nature to culture would be too quick! It was a wonderful idea, as we had plenty of time in subsequent days to explore Cuenca from our downtown hotel. This evening Peg and John walked around a bit to check out the birds and scenery, John leading the way when we had to cross the path of a sizable bull standing watch over a large herd of dairy cows. Peg and Nancy treated to a round of Pisco Sours, happy that we were all gathered for dinner. The lounge area was already decorated for Christmas; augmenting an already festive atmosphere created by artwork and a colorful collection of birds painted on the ceiling. Dinner was delicious and soon we were off to bed.

Thurs., Nov. 15 Morning walk at Uzhupud / Cuenca / Ralph’s Birthday
We woke to a sunny morning at our hacienda and several of the group were waiting in the courtyard ahead of Peg and Vinicio (worried that the aftermath of last night’s Pisco sours had detained them!). We all quickly got with it as a flurry of birds came through, including Tufted Tit Tyrant, Hooded and Andean Siskins, Black Phoebe, Rufous-collared Sparrow and Southern Yellow Grosbeak. We then walked through fields of fruit and flowers, looking off to greenhouses for growing roses, and a crop of rather expensive looking homes going in above the hacienda. We found Peruvian Meadowlarks, American Kestrel, Giant Hummingbird, Blue-and-yellow Tanager and a pond with a very vocal Bullfrog. Blue-and-white Swallows were on patrol, and John and Linda spied of flock of late-flying nightjars of unknown identity.

We wanted to visit the vibrant market of Cuenca, so cut the morning birding short and headed for town. What a visual feast! Everywhere there were pigs, chickens, ducks, cattle, and a few horses, all squealing, kicking and otherwise resisting a change of home and routine as dictated by market transfer. Across from the livestock venues were piles of vegetables and fruits of every variety imaginable, then tables of clothing, pots and pans, sisal ropes and CDs of music. Priceless images will stay in our minds: a woman disappointed leaving with a small goat that had not sold, a woman selling potatoes, her small son tucked between the rows, colorful baskets and bags full of passion fruit and tree tomatoes. Vinicio patiently steered us around the booths, where we lingered to take it all in. What an experience!

Close to noon we drove into the old city to claim our rooms at the El Dorado Hotel. There was time to explore the main square and adjacent shops nearby, then to relax over tea in the lobby. Then it was time to celebrate – Ralph’s birthday! We had fun over a meal at the hotel, trading tales of past adventures with gusto.

Fri. Nov. 16 Cajas National Park / Cuenca
Our group divided today, some wanting to explore the historic city, with its fine Central Bank Museum collection, historic churches, shops, restaurants and more. Others had the urge to explore the highlands of nearby Cajas National Park. The weather was a bit misty, eventually leading to heavy rain, but for the most part it did not impact our day. The drive out of Cuenca immediately placed us in a scenic valley, where locals were roasting whole pigs in anticipation of weekend traffic on the road, which eventually leads to Guayaquil after passing through the park. People sat calmly turning the roasting beasts on hand cranked spits; passing by in the van we saw their colorful clothing, men gathered at tables already feasting, and pig smiles going round and round.

We spent much of our day at Lago Llavuiucu, a lower elevation site just as we entered the park. We had great activity with a variety of hummingbirds just out of the van at the parking area – including the endemic Violet-throated Metaltail we had hoped to find. It was just a short ways to a breathtaking vista; a vantage point from which we could see the lake and an intriguing, glacial carved valley that went on for miles, mountains rising high all around. We took the trail around the lake, walking slowly to investigate Polylepis and other trees, a few blooming flowers, and lots of birds. Just as it began to rain, we entered a covered section of the trail. We waited to let a large group of school children pass, when Linda spotted a roosting Band-winged Nightjar, very close to the trail. We shared the sighting with the children, asking them to approach quietly in small groups – they loved the experience! As we waited for the lineup, we had time to scope the lake, finding Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean Ruddy Duck, and a real find – an Ecuadorian Rail that kept crossing a small water channel – perhaps foraging then returning to feed young. After the children went merrily along, we continued around the lake, catching flight views of a calling Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan, quite a stunning creature. At the end of the lake we enjoyed a herd of grazing Llama and Alpaca. Who could not photograph those cute faces against such a glorious backdrop of scenery.

Wanting to see the higher reaches of the park, and perhaps a few more species, we drove back to the main road, continuing west, and then stopped at the Virgin de Cajas Memorial, a sacred place well peppered with birds attracted to the small stream and peaceful garden. We found Plumbeous Sierra Finch, Tawny Antpitta, several flycatcher family members including a White-tailed Shrike Tyrant, a prize! Traveling on higher in elevation we entered a realm of brisk clouds, intermittent rain and pretty miserable conditions, the right cue to turn us for Cuenca, our lodgings, and time to compare notes with our city explorers over dinner at the hotel.

Sat. Nov. 17th Cajas National Park / Flight to Quito / Linda’s Birthday
Today our city explorers wanted to see all the beauty and wildlife we described at Cajas, and who were we to argue. We were delighted to return, to have a chance to marvel once again the fantastic scenery, a sense of wild tundra in this equatorial land. We traced our route of yesterday, showing off the lake, the long impressive valley, the herd of llamas and more. Sharp-eyed Linda picked up an Andean Gull flying around, and Peg smiled and said ‘we just need seven more…’ What a challenge, seven more species and we would tally 400 for our journey. In fact we topped that and went on to 400 plus, adding a number of paramo species. The first little flock we found scouring the site of a Polylepis grove. From here we spotted a small dirt road, and Vinicio said, if we can get there we’ll go. We had a great time walking, taking in the scenery, and best of all – Ralph spotted the Scarlet-breasted Mountain Tanager and a flock accompanying it held several of our ‘wanted list’ such as Andean Tit Spinetail and Many-striped Canestero. It was a great morning, we wanted to linger, but packing and the airport were calling. Reluctantly we retraced our steps. Everyone managed to pack all their treasures into suitcases; in the late afternoon we boarded a small plane bound for Quito.

Quite a few of the group were familiar with Quito, having traveled to northern reaches of Ecuador the year previous. We settled right in to the Sebastian and then were in for a treat – dinner and a birthday celebration for Linda at La Ronda, complete with musicians and festive hats. What fun! The evening capped off our great ending to our journey of Southern Ecuador.

Sun., Nov. 18 Departures
We waved goodbye to our hosts of Neblina Forest who, with Peg, so skillfully crafted our adventure. Until our next visit to Ecuador….

Photos: all photos by Peg Abbott.

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