Photos with this report (click to enlarge) | |||
 Giant Antpitta |
 Club-winged Manakin |
 Amazilia Hummingbird |
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 Andean Cock-of-the-Rock |
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Itinerary
4 June - started driving from Quito to Mindo at 8:00pm. Arrived Mindo 10pm, overnighted at Hostal Gypsy.
5 June - Paz de las Aves Preserve, birded from 6:30am to 10am. Drove to Tandayapa Valley and visited the Nunnery's house. Birded around Bellavista Lodge, as well.
Overnighted in Mindo, Hostal Gypsy.
6 June - Milpe Reserve and Mirador de Los Bancos. Birded Milpe Preserve and road from 6:30am to 10am, again in the afternoon from 3 to 5:30pm. Overnighted in Bancos
Mirador de Los Bancos.
7 June - Birded in the morning at Rio Silanche Preserve and Road from 6:45am to 12pm. Headed back to Quito.
This trip was done on short notice with a buddy of mine, down from the U.S., with very little time. We tried to hit my favorite spots in the area, though three days is definitely not nough to do it justice. We were very happy with the results and had a great time doing. We birded hard in the mornings, took a little down time in the early afternoons, and then went back out for leisurely birding in the afternoons. The flocks were great at Milpe and Rio Silanche, as is par for the course. Angel Paz's place (Paz de los Aves) was an amazing experience, as always. Where else can you see Antpittas three feet away, in the open, acting like dogs? Really something to see. I'm a bit lax to go into too much detail, as I've another trip report to write before getting back into the field tomorrow. I didn't gauge numbers this time, and it would've been a real chore, given the numbers of birds we saw and the intensity of three of the flocks. To give the reader an idea, we recorded 32 species of Humingbirds, 8 species of Woodpecker, 8 species of Woocreeper, 19 Furnariids, and 43 species of Tanagers and Euphonias. The skies were overcast, so the only rel thing we missed out on waas raptors. In few words, a great two and a half days.
Since I've not written in numbers, I should at least highlight the specialty species, with commentary if worthy. We saw two hummingbirds, in particular, that had never been recorded as high as the altitudes we recorded them, one of which I've photographed.
Great Tinamou H
Little Tinamou H
Cattle Egret
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Swallow-tailed Kite
Double-toothed Kite
Plumbeous Kite
Plain-breasted Hawk
Semicollared Hawk
Roadside Hawk
American Kestrel
Sickle-winged Guan
Crested Guan
Rufous-fronted Wood-Quail H
Dark-backed Wood-Quail H
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Ruddy Pigeon
Plumbeous Pigeon
Dusky Pigeon
Eared Dove
White-tipped Dove
Pallid Dove
White-throated Quail-Dove
Barred Parakeet
Pacific Parrotlet
Rose-faced Parrot H
Blue-headed Parrot
Bronze-winged Parrot
Red-lored Amazon
Scaly-naped Amazon
Mealy Amazon
Squirrel Cuckoo
Little Cuckoo
Cloud Forest Pygmy-Owl H
Pauraque
Band-winged Nightjar
White-collared Swift
Chestnut-collared Swift
Band-rumped Swift
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift
White-whiskered Hermit
Tawny-bellied Hermit
Stripe-throated Hermit
Green-fronted Lancebill
White-necked Jacobin
Brown Violetear
Green Violetear
Sparkling Violetear
Green Thorntail
Western Emerald
Green-crowned Woodnymph
Violet-bellied Hummingbird, one seen at Tony and Barbara Nunnery's feeders, a first for Tandayapa valley and a full 1000m (3300ft) above normal elevational range
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Amazilia Hummingbird, one seen defending a feeder at Mirador del Los Bancos Hotel, Los Bancos. These are only known to reach this elevation in El Oro and Loja
Andean Emerald
Purple-chested Hummingbird
Speckled Hummingbird
Purple-bibbed Whitetip
Empress Brilliant
Green-crowned Brilliant
Fawn-breasted Brilliant
White-tailed Hillstar
Brown Inca
Collared Inca
Buff-tailed Coronet
Velvet-purple Coronet
Gorgeted Sunangel
Booted Racket-tail
Violet-tailed Sylph
Purple-crowned Fairy
Purple-throated Woodstar
White-bellied Woodstar
Golden-headed Quetzal
Choco Trogon
Western White-tailed Trogon
Collared Trogon
Masked Trogon
Rufous Motmot
Blue-crowned Motmot H
Pied Puffbird H
Barred Puffbird
White-whiskered Puffbird
Orange-fronted Barbet
Red-headed Barbet
Toucan Barbet
Crimson-rumped Toucanet
Pale-mandibled Aracari
Stripe-billed Aracari
Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan
Choco Toucan
Olivaceous Piculet
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker
Golden-olive Woodpecker
Cinnamon Woodpecker
Black-cheeked Woodpecker
Smoky-brown Woodpecker
Red-rumped Woodpecker
Scarlet-backed Woodpecker
Guayaquil Woodpecker
Pacific Hornero
Azara's Spinetail
Slaty Spinetail
Red-faced Spinetail
Double-banded Graytail
Pacific Tuftedcheek
Pearled Treerunner
Star-chested Treerunner
Spotted Barbtail
Rusty-winged Barbtail
Lineated Foliage-Gleaner
Scaly-throated Foliage-Gleaner
Western Woodhaunter
Buff-fronted Foliage-Gleaner
Buff-throated Foliage-Gleaner
Streak-capped Treehunter
Uniform Treehunter
Plain Xenops
Tawny-throated Leaftosser H
Plain-brown Woodcreeper
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Olivaceous Woodcreeper
Northern Barred Woodcreeper
Black-striped Woodcreeper
Spotted Woodcreeper
Streak-headed Woodcreeper
Montane Woodcreeper
Fasciated Antshrike H
Unifrom Antshrike
Western Slaty-Antshrike
Russet Antshrike
Griscom's Antwren
Pacific Antwren
Checker-throated Antwren
White-flanked Antwren
Slaty Antwren
Dot-winged Antwren
Long-tailed Antbird
Immaculate Antbird
Chestnut-backed Antbird
Esmeraldas Antbird
Black-headed Antthrush
Rufous-breasted Antthrush H
Giant Antpitta
Moustached Antpitta
Yellow-breasted Antpitta
Narino Tapaculo
Choco Tapaculo H
Spillman's Tapaculo H
Ocellated Tapaculo
Sooty-headed Tyrannulet
Ashy-headed Tyrannulet
Golden-faced Tyrannulet
Brown-capped Tyrannulet
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet
White-banded Tyrannulet
White-tailed Tyrannulet
Rufous-winged Tyrannulet
Torrent Tyrannulet
Streak-necked Flycatcher
Olive-striped Flycatcher
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
Slaty-capped Flycatcher
Marble-faced Bristl-Tyrant
Bronze-olive Pygmy-Tyrant
Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant H
Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant
Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Fulvous-breastd Flatbill
Yellow-margined Flatbill
Ornate Flycatcher
Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher
Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher
Flavescent Flycatcher
Orange-crested Flycatcher
Cinnamon Flycatcher
Smoke-colored Pewee
Black Phoebe
Masked Water-Tyrant
Rufous Mourner
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Social Flycatcher
Rusty-margined Flycatcher
Gray-capped Flycatcher
White-ringed Flycatcher
Streaked Flycatcher
Golden-crowned Flycatcher
Piratic Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Snowy-throated Kingbird
Barred Becard
Cinnamon Becard
White-winged Becard
One-colored Becard
Masked Tityra
Green-and-Black Fruiteater H
Orange-breasted Fruiteater
Scaled Fruiteater
Olivaceous Piha
Purple-throated Fruitcrow
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
Red-capped Manakin
Golden-winged Manakin
White-bearded Manakin
Club-winged Manakin
Turquoise Jay
Black-billed Peppershrike
Red-eyed Vireo
Brown-capped Vireo
Choco Vireo
Lesser Greenlet
Anden Solitaire H
Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush H
Great Thrush
Glossy-black Thrush
Pale-vented Thrush
Ecuadorian Thrush
Gray-breasted Martin
Blue-and-White Swallow
White-thighed Swallow
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Band-backed Wren
Gray-mantled Wren
Bay Wren
Plain-tailed Wren
Whiskered Wren H
Stripe-throated Wren
House Wren
Mountain Wren
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
White-breasted Wood-Wren
Southern Nightingale-Wren H
Tropical Gnatcatcher
Slate-throated Gnatcatcher
Tropical Parula
Olive-crowned Yellowthroat
Slate-throated Whitestart
Spectacled Whitestart
Choco Warbler
Three-striped Warbler
Russet-crowned Warbler
Buff-rumped Warbler
Bananaquit
Purple Honeycreeper
Green Honeycreeper
Blue Dacnis
Scarlet-thighted Dacnis
Scarlet-breasted Dacnis
Masked Flowerpiercer
White-sided Flowerpiercer
Guira Tanager
Fawn-breasted Tanager
Thick-billed Euphonia
Golden-rumped Euphonia
Orange-bellied Euphonia
White-vented Euphonia
Fulvous-vented Euphonia
Orange-crowned Euphonia
Fulvous-vented Euphonia
Glistening-green Tanager
Rufous-throated Tanager
Gray-and-Gold Tanager
Golden Tanager
Emerald Tanager
Silver-throated Tanager
Flame-faced Tanager
Golden-naped Tanager
Metallic-green Tanager
Beryl-spangled Tanager
Blue-and-Black Tanager
Black-capped Tanager
Blue-necked Tanager
Golden-hooded Tanager
Bay-headed Tanager
Rufous-winged Tanager
Blue-winged Mountain-Tananger
Moss-backed Tanager
Grass-green Tanager
Swallow Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
Blue-capped Tanager
Lemon-rumped Tanager
White-winged Tanager
Ochre-breasted Tanager
Dusky-faced Tanager
White-lined Tanager
White-shouldered Tanager
Tawny-crested Tanager
Scarlet-browed Tanager
Dusky Bush-Tanager
Yellow-green Bush-Tanager
Yellow-thoated Bush-Tanager
Buff-throated Saltator
Black-winged Saltator
Blue-black Grosbeak
Blue-black Grassquit
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Variable Seedeater
Yellow-bellied Seedeater
Ruddy-breasted Seedeater
Tricolored Brush-Finch
White-winged Brush-Finch
Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch
Olive Finch
Tanager Finch
Orange-billed Sparrow
Black-striped Sparrow
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Scarlet-rumped Cacique
Chestnut-headed Oropendola
Shiny Cowbird
Yellow-bellied Siskin
Species Seen - 278 sp.
Species Heard only - 28 sp.
Total Species Recorded - 306 sp.
Total Hours Birding in Field ~ 20 hours