Yarina Lodge

Time Investment/Weather: At Yuturi, they offered me a 1-night extension at Yarina Lodge for $30 (an exceptional offer they might not be willing to repeat), so I gained an additional dry afternoon and morning of birding time.

General: Yarina Lodge is the Yuturi Company's second lodge, only half an hour downstream from Coca, and mainly visited by richer Ecuadorians and language students (they held Spanish courses in the lodge), less so by the hordes of Germans and Americans you are likely to hit upon at Yuturi. Yarina is noticeably different in character: The terrain is markedly hilly, and you can probably see the first foothill species around here. On the other hand, don't come with too high expectations with respect to varzea birds, let alone river island specialists. Yarina does have an excellent canopy tower.

Birds: In the account of birds seen at Yarina, I will omit many noteworthy species that I additionally saw at other places. A late afternoon on the canopy tower was pretty successful, with a big mixed flock containing Chestnut-winged Foliage-gleaner, Dusky-capped Greenlet, White-vented, Rufous-bellied and Golden-bellied Euphonia, Masked, Yellow-backed, Flame-crested and Turquoise Tanager, Green Oropendola, Golden-faced Tyrannulet, Sulphury Flycatcher (on palms),Crowned Slaty-Flycatcher and a high-canopy Black-eared Fairy. Mealy Amazons alighted on trees in the distance, and mixed swift flocks included Short-tailed, Gray-rumped and even Pale-rumped Swifts.

A morning walk in the forest around Yarina and the hike to the tower in the afternoon were quiet, though I did spot Black-throated and Sooty Antbird (the former in a swamp), Fulvous-crested Tanager, Bright-rumped Attila, Red-rumped Cacique, Olivaceous Flatbill and Cinereous Antshrike (with Dusky-throated Antshrike calling in the same flock). A canoe ride on an oxbow lake near the lodge that morning produced Red-throated Caracara, Jacana and Black-crowned Tityra.

Yanacocha

Time Investment/Weather: I invested one full day and got there by the late morning. The weather was horrible, with cold pouring rain up in the elfin forest. Virtually all birds were seen in the first 30min, when the rain hadn't started yet.

Logictics: Yanacocha is a must for those in search of endemics, because it is the only reliable site for Black-breasted Puffleg, a very restricted bird that has only ever been found on two volcanoes near Quito. The site is easily reached from Quito if you have a car. If not, it's probably going to have to be a very expensive taxi ride from the city. I paid $30 one way, and I doubt that you can get it for less. The ride back is usually not a problem, and people from the little village can take you.

Directions are given in Hejnen et al., though somewhat confusing: Once you take a left at the Escuela Fiscal (a little less than 10km along the cobble road), you get to a fork after ca. 1km, where you have to bear right. From here, it is basically straight (always stay on the track that looks better if in doubt) until you reach the water company's buildings, from where you have to continue another 1-3km to a little village consisting of 4-5 houses. A few hundred meters before the village, a gated track splits off to the left: Walk this track, which will eventually get you into the best habitat. After 1-2hr you will get to a tunnel, which you can cross, as the path continues on the other side. Due to heavy rain, I didn't go much further from here.

General: The Black-breasted Puffleg's future looked pretty bleak at one point in the 90s, when the water company, the owner of the land, continued degrading much of the habitat. Finally, the Ecuadorian organization CECIA (or maybe other people prompted by CECIA) purchased the best habitat and declared it a private reserve. These days, CECIA is running restoration programs, and they use one of the buildings in the village as a greenhouse for their plant experiments. I had the pleasure of meeting one of their volunteer workers, a very nice young lady from Quito.

Birds: This is essentially a hummingbird site, and most people don't see much else of interest. The Black-breasted Puffleg is by no means guaranteed, and the presence of two other (partly more abundant) puffleg species made the whole thing more difficult for me, though nowadays ID should not pose too much of a problem with the new Ecuadorian ID book. I encountered many Sapphire-vented Pufflegs and was very lucky in that I saw (/strung) one female Black-breasted feeding at the same tree as two Sapphire-venteds right when the heavy rain started: It was noticeably smaller and shorter-tailed and had some light on its underparts, and after careful consideration, I am happy enough to count it, as Glowing and Turquoise-throated (the only other two such pufflegs) don't occur here.

Other hummers included Purple-backed Thornbill, Mountain Velvetbreast and Buff-winged Starfrontlet. Unicolored Tapaculo, Andean Guan and even Smoky Bush-Tyrant were very common, and mixed flocks produced Rufous-naped Brushfinch, Blue-backed Conebill, Black-chested and Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Rufous Wren, Glossy Flowerpiercer, Golden-crowned Tanager, White-throated Tyrannulet and Superciliaried Hemispingus.

Cerro Mondragón (=Cerro Mongus)

Time Investment/Weather: In early August, I came for one afternoon, a full day and the subsequent morning. I was short of time anyway, but the constant freezing drizzle up in the elfin/páramo made my departure a welcome event.

General: Locally known as Cerro Mondragón, but called Cerro Mongus by Hejnen et al., this site stretches from upper temperate forest to heavily grazed páramo. You won't find much forest left below the upper temperate zone (3200m according to Hejnen et al.), where all the land has been converted to potato fields. The locals have apparently been complaining about receding precipitation levels, so they all agreed to discontinue any further forest conversion. How much of this is true remains sketchy. While I was there, the páramo and forest was constantly shrouded in heavy mist and drizzle, but the clouds never reached the lower potato elevations around the village of Impuerán. Get prepared for a very cool time!

It remains to be mentioned that you will have two main targets at this site, both very localized and hard-to-get species: the recently discovered and elusive Chestnut-bellied Cotinga in the elfin-páramo intergrade and the rare and beautiful Crescent-faced Antpitta in the temperate forest.

Logistics: Without a car, this site can be very hard. Busses from Ibarra (2-3hr north of Quito) to Impuerán run about three to four times a week (for sure on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or Saturdays, mostly leaving at noon, sometimes in the morning). The trip takes 3-4hr. In the spread-out village of Impuerán, there is no hotel, and other birders have been known to spend the night in the church (crazy without warm clothing!) or camp at the forest edge (lethal without warm clothing!). I was invited by a nice guy to sleep in his house, and he also gave me a ride up to the forest edge in the mornings: He didn't explicitly charge for the accommodation and food he gave me (though I certainly paid him something), but he charged a rather expensive $4 for each ride he gave me up to the forest and each ride he picked me up, even though on 3 out of 4 occasions we only made it halfway on his motorbike. His name is Juan B. Mafla Cadena, and you are welcome to get into contact with him if you need a place to stay in Impuerán or if you need a ride to the forest edge. Call him at 649-116 (from Ibarra) or 06-649-116 (from outside of Carchi Province/Ibarra). Say hello from Frank.

If you can't find him, you would have to walk the 3-5km to the forest edge steep uphill every morning. From the lower edge, it is only ca. 1km through temperate forest before you reach a cattle gate where the forest abruptly gives way to grazed páramo (see Hejnen et al.). From there, walk into the páramo and uphill, bearing left where possible, staying close to the forest edge. Eventually the path re-enters elfin forest along a water canal. Walking along the canal, you will pass three big landslides before the trail once more leaves the forest and ascends the páramo. The three land-slides are the area that should be investigated for the Cotinga.

Birds: I am exceedingly happy that I saw the Chestnut-bellied Cotinga. I know that people have missed it during 5-day visits, so I was certainly lucky, but I guess I employed the right strategy as well. One morning, I walked straight up to the landslides and didn't let 5 hours of complete bird silence and coldest and windiest drizzle deter me from patrolling the three landslides, as long as it took to see the bird. Amazingly, the only other birds I saw during that time were a Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager and a Rufous Antpitta (which was common lower down the slope).

A mixed flock near the elfin edge the first afternoon provided some spectacular and rare birds that I was not to see again: Masked Mountain-Tanager (2-3), Black-backed Bush-Tanager (ca. 8) and Slaty Brushfinch (2) (besides Golden-crowned Tanager, Black-chested and Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Pale-naped Brushfinch, Glossy Flowerpiercer and Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant). Hummers in the upper elfin were represented by Golden-breasted Puffleg and Rainbow-bearded Thornbill. In the temperate forest, I searched for the Crescent-faced Antpitta in vain, but I did see White-chinned Thistletail instead. Mixed flocks comprised Streaked Tuftedcheeks, White-banded and White-throated Tyrannulets, Black Flowerpiercers, Black-capped and Black-headed Hemispingus, Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant and Plain-colored Seedeaters. Buff-winged Starfrontlets and Andean Guans were common, and I spotted Streak-throated and Smoky Bush-Tyrants. In the potato fields on the way down I spotted a Plain-colored Hawk.

One of two Undulated Antpitta sightings involved an obviously confused bird that was hopping down the trail in front of me out of the forest and into the potato zone over a distance of more than 400m, approachable up to 2m, until it finally disappeared into a hedgerow!

El Placer

Time Investment/Weather: El Placer is situated in a zone of eternal drizzle and rain with little seasonal variations in precipitation. I was lucky that my 2 ½ day stay in late July was not clouded by serious rainfall.

General: Ibarra in the highlands and San Lorenzo on the coast used to be only connected by a railway that gave access to a good elevational array of Chocó habitats. Nowadays, the road to San Lorenzo has been completed, and railway service was discontinued a few years ago. The road and the railway tracks are largely parallel all the way down via Lita (hotels) to the little village of Alto Tambo (no hotels), leading through mostly degraded habitat (with primary habitat seemingly inaccessible and persisting only farther off the tracks). At Alto Tambo, the two split, and the road pursues a more northerly route, while the old tracks descend to the coast via a few villages that have recently become cut-off from the outside world as a result of the discontinuation of train service, most notably El Placer (ca. 5km from Alto Tambo). Local people along the road are not farmers, but live off timber harvest, and ever since the abandonment of the railway, large numbers of people have moved off from the railway villages and newcomers have moved into the villages along the road. I strongly suspect that there is not much accessible forest left along the road below Alto Tambo, though I didn't proceed farther down. The best way to get into some good habitat is therefore a stay in El Placer along the cut-off parts of the railway tracks.

Logistics: El Placer is a largely abandoned village and the first spot where good forest (accessible on trails) comes really close to the tracks.. I stayed with one of the few new families that moved in from a village that's even farther down the tracks and thus more isolated. They were surprised at the number of birdwatchers they've hosted within few months, and they decided to build a new hut for future visitors. They gave me good food and their hut is excellently located near the head of a trail that leads into some lush primary forest for about 4km. The forest edge is only 200m from the tracks at their house. Theirs is the second house along the tracks in El Placer (Finca Santa Monica, KM 301, Familia Paredes). You can walk there from Alto Tambo, but many people along here own four-wheeled railway carts that can be a convenient way of downhill travel (though the carts will have to be pushed uphill). I hitched a ride down to El Placer on a little trustworthy cart loaded with sacks of rice and 7 people on top!

The Paredes Family owns the parcel of forest in the back of the house (all the way to the end of the trail). They live off agriculture, and they will have to clear-cut parts of the forest for new plantations and subsistence, but they will first wait and see how their ecotourism cabaña will do.

Go there, have some divine birding, don't be skimpy with the tip and that will be a valuable contribution to Chocó rainforest conservation.

The Lita Woodpecker Story: Right near the forest edge not far from the finca, I saw a pair of woodpecker that pretty much looked like the eastern lowland Yellow-throated Woodpecker on the second day. I observed the birds for a while, but didn't quite know how to name them, since 'Birds of Colombia' doesn't depict such a bird for the western lowlands. Finally, I remembered that some new taxon called Lita Woodpecker was recorded from this site, so I just assumed them to belong to that species.

Later, at home, I was surprised to find out that Lita Woodpecker is actually a split from White-throated Woodpecker, which does not really look like the birds I saw at El Placer in 'Birds of Colombia', since the yellow on their head was much more extensive. Ridgely and Greenfield's 'Birds of Ecuador', however, does depict a somewhat yellow-headed bird. I also found out that there is an as yet undescribed taxon, possibly a subspecies of Yellow-throated Woodpecker, that's only been recorded from adjacent Colombia so far. The birds I saw actually match the description of the latter new taxon in 'Woodpeckers: A Guide to the Woodpeckers, Piculets and Wrynecks of the World' by Hans Winkler and David Christie, a book that renders the Lita Woodpecker as a bird devoid of yellow on its head.

Obviously, Lita Woodpecker is currently not identifiable if one is to give equal credence to the books in question. The problem arises of whether one should believe Winkler and Christie or Ridgely and Greenfield in their depiction of Lita Woodpecker. I am eagerly awaiting 'The Handbook of the Birds of the World' (HBW)'s 7^th volume (to be published in spring 2002) to settle the matter for me, but in view of the fact that other people have been convinced they've seen Lita Woodpecker at El Placer in the past, I will accept this identification pending the publication of HBW.

Other birds: Some of the best birds at this site were all seen at an ant-swarm that was attended by a huge flock containing Bicolored, Immaculate and Ocellated Antbird as well as a Rufous-crowned Antpitta. A female Long-wattled Umbrellabird was seen among Chocó Toucans and Stripe-billed Aracaris. A productive flock near the forest edge produced Emerald Tanager. Common birds at this site included Moss-backed, Ochre-breasted and Golden-hooded Tanager,  Golden-bellied Warbler, Orange-billed Sparrow, Plain-brown and Spotted Woodcreeper, Band-tailed Barbthroat, Crowned Woodnymph and White-whiskered and Stripe-throated Hermit. Birds only encountered once along the trails comprised Chocó Woodpecker, Eye-ringed Flatbill, Dusky-faced Tanager, Golden-headed Quetzal, Brown-billed Scythebill, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Esmeraldas Antbird, Chocó Tapaculo and Tooth-billed Hummingbird.

Other notable species in the forest were Western Woodhaunter (2-3 times), Slat-colored Grosbeak, Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner, Pale-vented Thrush, Nightingale Wren, Russet Antshrike, Green-fronted Lancebill, Rufous-throated Tanager, Checker-throated Antwren, Spot-crowned Antvireo, and Broad-billed Motmot.

The secondary habitat along the tracks, around the finca and near Alto Tambo harbored Variable and Yellow-bellied Seedeaters, Cinnamon Becard (common), Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, Tricolored Brushfinch, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Black-winged Saltator, Slaty Spinetail, Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Purple-crowned Fairy and Band-rumped Swift.

Tandayapa Valley

Time Investment/Weather: I spent three full days in early August at the highly recommended Tandayapa Bird Lodge. The weather was excellent: sunny mornings, overcast afternoons.

General: Tandayapa is one of the most wonderful examples of what ecotourism can accomplish in a country like Ecuador: As little as a decade ago the destruction of the upper subtropical and temperate forests in Tandayapa Valley proceeded apace, now this is one of the best accessible and most widely popular birding spots in South America with an outstanding birding infrastructure and habitat restoration efforts underway.

Note that the birding situation has changed substantially in the last few years, and Hejnen et al.'s account is therefore highly out-dated.

Logistics: Tandayapa Valley is bisected by the Old Nono-Mindo-Road, and most birding is either done from here or on the trail system of one of the two lodges in the Valley.

Hardcore budget birders will have a hard time here, since cheap hostal-type accommodation is only available in Nanegalito, but public transportation to the Old Nono-Mindo Road is non-existent and unreliable rides would have to be hitched. I do encourage even those on a minimal budget to treat themselves to Tandayapa Bird Lodge (TBL), doubtless one of the most fantastic places in South America to watch birds. (Contact Iain Campbell, Office: Mariscal Foch 714 y J.L. Mera, Quito, Phone: (593-2)543-045 or 735-536, iainc@tandayapa.com ). The beautiful lodge is located in the lower valley, near Tandayapa Village, in a zone where the road is lined by pastures and where all  birding has to be done on trails. TBL sports an extensive trail system that explores the upper subtropical forest on the adjacent slope and has (within its short time of existence) attained world fame for the spectacular gathering of up to 20 hummingbird species at any one time at its hummingbird feeders.

At the upper end of the valley near the pass, Bellavista Lodge (ca. 6km uphill from TBL) towers above the serpentines that climb up the valley. Birding in this region is possible along the road (and apparently even better than along Bellavista's extensive trail system), though most of the habitat there is secondary. The birds here are markedly different from the lower valley, and you have to make sure enough time is spent in both parts.

Those who plan on staying here for a longer time may also consider a third option: Ca. 2km below Bellavista and well hidden from the road, an American-German couple (Tony Nunnery and Barbara Bolz, bbolz@hotmail.com ) have built their own house and a couple of cabins for long-term visitors. You would have to bring your own food. The hummingbird feeders in their yard have been good for surprises in the past, and they also have a small trail system.

Birds: The first thing that will catch your eye in TBL is the hummingbird feeders in the back yard. The composition of species changes greatly over the months and years, with new species showing up and old ones disappearing. While I was there, I was able to see Andean and Western Emerald, Purple-throated and White-bellied Woodstar, Brown, Green and Sparkling Violetear, Green-fronted Lancebill, Tawny-bellied Hermit, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, White-necked Jacobin (rare!), Wedge-billed Hummer, Brown Inca, Buff-tailed Coronet and Purple-throated Whitetip amongst other more common ones. The TBL trail system is probably one of the most reliable places on earth to see White-faced Nunbird, though it is rare even here and I missed it. The trail system does go up all the way to a ridge where some of the more high-elevation species can be seen, but most of those are easier along the road at Bellavista. On the other hand, the TBL trails host a few quite rare subtropical species: I saw Olivaceous Piha (on average one sighting per day!), Dark-backed Wood-Quail (1 occ.), Nariño Tapaculo (easy with knowledge of call), Sickle-winged Guan, Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant, Flavescent Flycatcher (surprisingly common, 5 sightings in 2 days!), Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner, Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Golden-winged Manakin, Black-and-white Becard, White-tailed Tyrannulet, Golden-naped and Metallic-green Tanager, Slaty Antwren, Uniform Antshrike, Long-tailed and Immaculate Antbird, Rufous-breasted Antthrush (heard only) and Ochre-breasted Antpitta (heard only). Ask the TBL guides about the night roost of the Powerful Woodpecker: This is where I saw a pair of woodpecker competing for the tree cavity with a Strong-billed Woodcreeper. The latter was eventually chased off by a very aggressive pair of Streak-capped Treehunter.

From the two canopy platforms, which oversee a side-valley, I saw Golden-headed Quetzal, Red-billed Parrot, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock (the more beautiful western ssp.), and Golden-crowned Flycatcher. The orchards along the road near TBL are good for Black-and-white Seedeater and Tricolored and White-winged Brushfinch (Black-capped Tanager seems to favor this habitat, too). The walk up the road to Bellavista takes about 3-4 leisurely hours, with bad habitat along the first 2-3km, but this is where you have to pay attention to swift flocks overhead, with the rare White-tipped Swift being one of the most common species (besides Chestnut-collared and White-collared Swifts). I missed the even scarcer White-fronted Swift that has been reported from here.

At mid-range between both lodges, the hummingbird feeders at Tony and Barbara's place host one or two species usually found at neither lodge (Empress Brilliant, Green-tailed Trainbearer), otherwise supporting species that can either be found at TBL or Bellavista. You won't find their place without someone's directions. Please consider that they ask people to show up after 11.00am (better for hummers anyway) and to pay a $5 contribution.

The farther up this road you get, the more likely are sightings of Toucan Barbet (go by call!) and Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan (very common at top, the only guaranteeable mountain-toucan in Ecuador). The area around Bellavista is of noticeably temperate character, and flocks include Dusky-bellied Bush-Tanager, Plushcap, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Capped Conebill, Sepia-brown and Plain-tailed Wren, Black-capped Tyrannulet (1 occ.), Fawn-breasted, Rufous-chested and Grass-green Tanager, and Green-and-black Fruiteater. This area can be exceptional for furnariids, and is where I finally saw my first Rusty-winged Barbtails (common) after many years of waiting (also 4 Striped Treehunter sightings and a Lineated Foliage-gleaner). Spillman's Tapaculos were seen on several occasions, Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush, Crowned Chat-Tyrant and White-throated Hawk on one.

The hummingbird feeders at Bellavista ($5 if you're not a guest) only hold 5-8 species (because of higher altitude). Of these, Gorgeted Sunangel and Collared Inca cannot usually be found at TBL, but the former is very common along the road at Bellavista.

The best two birds I saw around Bellavista are Tanager Finch and Western Hemispingus. The former is exceedingly difficult to see here and even more so anywhere else on earth, so do make an extra effort. The most reliable spot for years has been the sharp hairpin bend 200-300m down the road towards Nanegalito from the Bellavista intersection (this road also leads to a Biological Station which is signposted). If the guides at the lodges can't tell you of a better site, just stay around the secondary roadside bank vegetation at this hairpin bend for as long as it takes to see the bird (2hr on one afternoon in my case). This hairpin bend usually has a good flock circulating around, which also contains Western Hemispingus, a bird that looks more like a very strange tanager than anything else.

Milpe-Pachical Trail (near Los Bancos)

Time Investment/Weather: one full day with overcast but mostly dry weather.

General: By early August, time had been getting really short, and I knew I would have to skip a few sites if I was to cover all the regions I had envisaged. It was just remarkable that I ended up skipping one of the sites I had been looking forward to most, namely Mindo, on advice from the people at Tandayapa Bird Lodge (TBL), because Mindo's elevation is precisely between TBL and Los Bancos, so there would have been a huge species overlap if I had done them all. In retrospect, I think it was a good move, even though I would under no circumstances skip Mindo if I had the time, because in the end I am certain I missed a few species that would have been easy at Mindo. I will have to come back some day.

The Milpe track is a popular destination for guided visits from Tandayapa to look for Moss-backed Tanager and a few other lower subtropical species that don't quite make it up to Tandayapa.

Logistics: If visiting this place on your own, stay in Los Bancos ( = San Miguel de Los Bancos). Milpe is a small, spread-out  roadside village along the new road to Quito, about 2-4km from Los Bancos. Either walk here in the morning or hitch a ride (busses to Quito might not want to give you such a short ride). At Milpe, an inconspicuous track splits off to the north (left when going to Quito, and just 100m or so from a KM sign). The track goes all the way to a small river (ca. 2-3km), leading through increasingly good habitat (the last few hundred meters are entirely forested). At the river (White-capped Dipper), a suspension bridge for pedestrians enables access to the other side, where a good log trail continues up an excellent forested slope (ca. 1km) until it reaches pastures. From here, the trail continues to the village of Pachical (another 2-4hr) through cleared land.

Birds: Strangely, Moss-backed Tanager is mostly sighted in the more degraded forest patches along the first KM. I concentrated more on better habitat, and I didn't mind missing the tanager since I'd seen many at El Placer. However, I did see Reddish-faced and Slaty Spinetail, Ecuadorian Thrush, Tricolored Brushfinch, Bran-colored Flycatcher and Purple-crowned Fairy along the more degraded parts.

The log trail beyond the bridge has a "forest interior character", and I saw Rufous-breasted Antthrush (after use of playback). Flocks in here and especially around the bridge contained a few pretty spectacular species: Rufous-throated, Vermilion, Silver-throated, Glistening-green and lots of Dusky-faced Tanagers, Ashy-headed Tyrannulet (common), Black-tailed Flycatcher (2 occ.), Pacific Flatbill, Chestnut-crowned Brushfinch, Chocó Warbler, Golden-winged Manakin, Spotted Woodcreeper, Red-headed Barbet and Rufous-rumped Antwren (2 occ.). The area proved especially rewarding for furnariids, with Uniform Treehunter (2 occ.), Pacific Tuftedcheek (1 occ. near forest edge, supposedly very rare!), Streak-capped Treehunter (1 occ.), Lineated Foliage-gleaner (1 occ.), Spotted Barbtail (1 occ.) and Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner. Hummingbirds included Wedge-billed Hummer and White-whiskered Hermit.

Finca KM 106.5 (between Los Bancos and Pedro Vicente Maldonado)

Time Investment/Weather: one dry day in early August

General: In the largely deforested hilly terrain between Los Bancos and Pedro Vicente Maldonado, there is one piece of land (about half-way between both towns) that has been saved from clear-cutting. Its owner, Felipe Quiroz, is a serious conservationist who will not permit the destruction of this 0.5km-wide land parcel. The parcel stretches from the road ca. 3-4km south to some remnant forest that is about the same size as Felipe's land. Though very narrow indeed, you still get the impression of being deep in the interior of the jungle when walking the network of trails that explores most parts of the property.

Logistics: Stay either in Pedro Vicente or Los Bancos and take an early morning bus to Quito or Esmeraldas respectively. I showed up without prior notice and it didn't seem to create any problems. Felipe charged me $4 entry fee and $5 for guiding me around. He does not know too much about birds. He is an exceedingly nice fellow and very good company, too good at times so that talking with him can become a distraction from birding. If I'd had the time to stay for one additional day, I would have been glad to pay him the $9 again but to insist on birding on my own.

Felipe's property and house is signposted from the road ('KM 106.5'), but note that this KM reading (and that of most other places around here) refers to the old road that used to pass his property. The readings along the newly-built highway differ by 20 or 30km. Felipe lives there with his brother and his mother (very nice people), and they all plan on building a cabaña for eco-tourists in the future: a stay will include the delicious meals cooked by his mother. If you are interested and want to contact him, call his brother Jesús Quiroz in Quito (Phone: 581-433).

Birds: This site is only about 15km from the Milpe Trail as the parrot flies, but it is completely different in character and bird composition, with little overlap (Spotted Woodcreeper, Pacific Flatbill, Golden-winged Manakin) and many a lowland species replacing the montane species of Milpe: E.g. at dusk, I heard and saw Black-headed Antthrushes (as opposed to Rufous-breasted at Milpe), and mixed flocks contained Sulphur-rumped Flycatchers (2 sightings, opposed to Black-tailed Flycatcher at Milpe).

Rain during the previous night had it that the whole forest patch was full of ant swarms that readily crawled up my legs, stung different parts of my body and made me take my pants down on many an occasion. On the other hand I saw flocks of Immaculate, Bicolored and Chestnut-backed Antbird attending those ant swarms.

Other goodies that hung out with mixed flocks were Brown-billed Scythebill (1), Lita Manakin (1), Spot-crowned Antvireo, Checker-throated and White-flanked Antwren, Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner and Plain Xenops. I also saw a fair sprinkle of shy terrestrial birds, including Scaly-throated Leaftosser, Spotted Nightingale-Thrush and Nightingale Wren (Song Wren was only heard). A pair of Guayaquil Woodpeckers competed with a pair of Crimson-bellied Woodpeckers for the same cavities. Other notable birds at this site: Thrush-like Mourner, Esmeraldas Antbird (near stream), White-whiskered Puffbird, Red-masked Parakeet, Slaty Grosbeak, Black-winged Saltator, and Ochre-breasted Tanager.

La Celica (near Pedro Vicente Maldonado)

Time Investment/Weather: one heavily clouded day in early August.

General: From Pedro Vicente, situated in widely cleared land, a good track leads north-east to the little village of La Celica (½ hr ride), where the road splits into two tracks (the right one of which leads to distant villages near the frontier to the Cotacachi-Cayapas wilderness, the left one eventually turns back to the main road at Quinindé). Near La Celica, there is a semi-primary forest fragment of ca. 10-20ha that is apparently owned by some Consejo Municipal (municipal council) and can therefore not be logged. This is where some worthwhile birding time can be spent.

Logistics: Stay in one of Pedro Vicente's three or four basic hotels and take the first camión that leaves for La Celica from in front of the market (usually 6.00pm). At the intersection in La Celica, take a left to the end of town, near where a privately owned track splits off to the left. 100 or 200m from here along the main (right) track, a muddy dirt path goes off to the right (ask locals to show you the "path to the river"). This path leads down (500m) through partly cleared, partly secondary vegetation to a big stream (Green Kingfisher), on the opposite side of which you will find the municipal forest. The whole patch is intersected by a good network of trails, but it can be hard to find the trailheads. One of them is right across from where you get to the stream and a little towards the right.

Birds: The pastures along the track to La Celica held Blue Seedeaters, White-thighed Swallows and Black-striped Sparrows. The secondary scrub along the mud path down to the river was way better than expected, with a White-bearded Manakin lek and mixed flocks containing Lesser Greenlet, Olivaceous Piculet, Cinnamon Becard, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Black-faced Dacnis (yellow-tufted western ssp.), Pallid Dove, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Pacific Antwren, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet and Ecuadorian Thrush.

The forest itself has a pretty disturbed understorey with only few sightings of terrestrial birds (like Chestnut-backed Antbird), but its mid- and high-canopy flocks were quite good: I saw White-shouldered, Dusky-faced, Ochre-breasted, Tawny-crested and Silver-throated Tanager, Scarlet-rumped Cacique, Slate-throated Gnatcatcher, Brown-capped Tyrannulet, Dot-winged Antwren, Spotted Woodcreeper, Black-and-white Becard, Pacific Flatbill, Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher, Russet Antshrike, Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner, Plain Xenops and White-whiskered Puffbird. Notable hummers included Violet-crowned Fairy, Band-tailed Barbthroat and Green-crowned Brilliant.

Río Silanche (a.k.a. the Pedro Vicente forest patches)

Time Investment/Weather: one partly overcast day in mid-August

General: Since the late 1990s, birders have been reporting "exceptional birding" at a few fast-disappearing forest patches near Pedro Vicente Maldonado, with such outstanding sightings as Double-banded Graytail and Scarlet-thighed Dacnis. Finally, in late 2000, the first person announced on the internet that the last of these forest patches has disappeared and that there is no more hope for the birds.

Apart from species lists and anecdotal reports, information about and directions to those patches have always been scant, and apparently people have been talking about different areas, since a few sizeable patches still persisted in August 2001 when I traveled there.

Logistics: Most people visit this area on an organized tour or arrange to be taken here while staying at Tandayapa Bird Lodge (TBL), and I encourage everyone to take advantage of the excellent guiding service of Iain Campbell, the owner of TBL, or one of the other guides at TBL. If you are on a minimal budget, stay in Pedro Vicente, take a pre-dawn bus down towards Esmeraldas and get off at a little hamlet called Simón Bolívar (about halfway between Pedro Vicente and Puerto Quito). There, a track goes off to the right (north), giving access to little settlements in the hinterland. Most of the roadside habitat is fairly degraded, but there is one area of scattered secondary forest patches after 2-3km.

The best area, however, is found about 10km from the main road (follow the main track and bear left if in doubt), where the track crosses a stream called Río Silanche. Beyond this stream, the track ascends a forested slope with excellent views of the canopy. This is the area whence birders have reported "the Big Flock" in the past, a mixed feeding party containing rare species and circulating around the little forest patch throughout the morning hours. Try to get here first thing in the morning, though camiones from Simón Bolívar might not enter before 8.00am. I only got here in the afternoon and still saw a fair share of spectacular species.

Birds: I picked up the Big Flock around 4.00pm and was able to see a male Scarlet-and-white Tanager and a female Scarlet-breasted Dacnis. Iain Campbell, who had come here just days earlier with a group of birders, observed the flock throughout the morning, seeing such delights as Blue-whiskered Tanager and Griscom's Antwren.

Other mixed flock members include Yellow-tufted and Blue Dacnis, Golden-hooded, Dusky-faced, Ochre-breasted, White-shouldered, Tawny-crested, Guira, Scarlet-browed and Silver-throated Tanager, Lesser Greenlet, Gray Elaenia, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, Pacific and Dot-winged Antwren, Western Woodhaunter, Streaked Xenops, Orange-fronted and Red-headed Barbet, and Golden-olive, Red-rumped and Cinnamon Woodpecker. The more degraded habitat hosted Streak-headed Woodcreeper, White-bearded Manakin, Cinnamon Becard, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Black-winged Saltator, Variable Seedeater, Yellow-bellied Siskin and even a Blue Ground-Dove. Psittacids were plentiful, represented by Blue-headed and Bronze-winged Parrot and Maroon-tailed Parakeet. In the least degraded parts of the forest, I saw Crimson-mandibled Toucan, Chocó (White-eyed) Trogon, Double-toothed Kite and White-whiskered Puffbird. Other notable sightings included Western Slaty Antshrike, Scarlet-rumped Cacique, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Guayaquil and Lineated Woodpecker, Pale-mandibled Aracari and Crowned Woodnymph.

Aldea Salamandra (near Puerto Quito)

Time Investment/Weather: one full sunny day in mid-August.

General: The Aldea Salamandra is a so-called "eco-lodge" 1km from the Quito - Esmeraldas Road adjacent to a minute 1ha piece of supposedly primary rainforest. Most of the clientèle is Ecuadorians who come here on the weekend to take a swim in the river and enjoy the food. While I didn't see much in the way of birds in that fragment itself, I had some outstanding birding in secondary patches further afield (to my surprise). A stay in one of the lodge's basic cabañas including one meal on the subsequent day cost me $11.

Logistics: Coming from Pedro Vicente and just a few hundred meters before Puerto Quito, there is a big turn-off to the left. Follow this track 500-700m past a few abandoned hosterías to Aldea Salamandra. The trailhead of the round trail through the primary forest fragment is well hidden (though it does have a few arrow signs) and will have to be shown to you by the staff.

The bigger secondary forest patch that held some fantastic birdwatching for me is not too far but hard to find, so closely follow these directions: Get to the spot where the little stream that runs through Aldea Salamandra enters the property on its far side (excellent sighting of White-throated Crake at this spot). (To get here, you will have to cross a barbwire fence at some point, but that is only to get OUT of the Aldea property, not INTO some other property). From here, a conspicuous trail runs roughly parallel up the stream, lined by fenced-in pastures. A few hundred meters up this trail, fences force you (or at least forced you at that time) to take a slight right and enter a big pasture with scattered big trees. Follow the thinned-out trail straight across this pasture and walk towards the secondary forest, where the trail enters. From here, you can follow the trail for at least 2-3km through old overgrown forest-like orchards and secondary forest. The trail occasionally thins out and reappears, and eventually splits and re-merges at times.

Birds: Vegetation along the river below Aldea Salamandra supported Red-billed Scythebill and Great Antshrike. Hedgerows and thickets in the pastures held goodies like Pacific Parrotlet, White-necked Jacobin, Black-striped Sparrow, Yellow-tailed Oriole, Ecuadorian Ground-Dove, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Slaty Spinetail, Pacific Antwren, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Blue Seedeater, White-bearded Manakin, Ecuadorian Thrush, Olivaceous Piculet and Violet-bellied Hummer. Big snags and giant trees in clearings and pastures were good for Orange-fronted Barbet, Gray Hawk, Band-backed Wren and Black-cheeked Woodpecker.

The primary forest patch was visited only briefly in the afternoon and had Ruddy Quail-Dove. In the most high-grown parts of the secondary remnant described above I saw Lita Manakin, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, White-whiskered Puffbird and Dot-winged Antwren. Little Tinamou was calling from everywhere and was relatively easy to see in the open understorey of the more orchard-like parts. This is also where I flushed a Pauraque. The best feature about the secondary forest patch was an immense mixed flock observed during 60min around noon, containing such spectacular species as Scarlet-breasted (1 female) and Scarlet-thighed Dacnis (1 female) besides less rare ones like Sooty-headed and Brown-capped Tyrannulet, Guira, White-shouldered, Scarlet-browed and Golden-hooded Tanager, Gray Elaenia, Yellow-margined Flycatcher, Red-rumped and Yellow-olive Woodpecker, Red-headed Barbet, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Yellow-tufted and Blue Dacnis, Lesser Greenlet, Slate-throated Gnatcatcher and Streaked and Plain Xenops. Other noteworthy species found in the secondary forest patch were Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant, Little and White-whiskered Hermit.

Jatún Sacha Bilsa (or "Mud's Revenge")

Time Investment/Weather: Although I visited in the "dry season", my whole stay was characterized by drizzly and misty conditions with occasional rainfall. Apparently, Bilsa sees more sunshine in the rainy season, when heavy downpours closely follow sunny weather. I came for 4 days in mid-August, which gave me two full days of birding plus a morning and an afternoon.

General: Sadly, Ecuador has lost almost all its Chocó lowland forest, and compared to Colombia, where large tracts are said to survive, Ecuador now only hosts two big blocks of remnant forest: one is the Cotacachi-Cayapas region north-east of the Quito-Esmeraldas Road, that can now be visited at a new lodge called Playa de Oro, and a second (smaller) one between the road triangle of Santo Domingo " Esmeraldas" Chone. This latter tract of forest is now fragmented over wide parts, with its center piece(s) being gnawed at from all four directions.

I wanted to visit at least one area of pristine Chocó lowland forest on my trip, but for reasons of time and money I soon persuaded myself of skipping Playa de Oro and going to Jatún Sacha Bilsa instead.

Situated in one of the bigger remnants of forest that remain west of the road to Esmeraldas, Bilsa is a biological station owned by a non-profit organization and popular among European and North American twens who want to do some voluntary work in the ecological sector. It has a very extensive trail system that cannot fully be explored on a one-week visit. The track that leads past Bilsa has been deteriorated through local use of mules over the decades, so vehicles have not entered for years now. Consequently, Bilsa can only be reached after a long hike or mule-ride that can take up to 7hr if conditions are muddy. I was all the more surprised to arrive at a house full of youthful gringo boys and girls busily working at projects to improve the infrastructure of Bilsa or to restore habitat along the track.

Logistics: From pleasant Quinindé along the road to Esmeraldas, camiones leave for a village called 'La Y' (=la Ye; a common Ecuadorian name for villages situated at a crossroads) from a street block called "Cinco Esquinas". The ride takes almost 2hr. La Y has a frontier atmosphere, because it is where the motorized world meets the people with machetes and mules. Here, you will probably want to arrange for someone to carry your luggage to Bilsa by mule, unless you are a light traveler. You can also organize a second mule for yourself. The official price per mule to Bilsa is $6 for those who have arrangements. I didn't have Bilsa's contact address, so I came without prior notice (usually no problem) and managed to get a mule for $2. In the rainy season (roughly during the northern winter), it will definitely take you 4-7hr to reach Bilsa (13km), depending on mud conditions, physical shape, how much in a rush you are and how much birding you do along the way. I hardly birded on the way there, but I took my time on the way back and saw many good birds in the secondary groves and hedgerows, so keep in mind that some of the best birds may actually be seen along here.

Bilsa itself has a few wooden houses with basic but cozey accommodation and a swimming hole at a stream where you can take your nightly shower. The pleasant company of so many other young people makes it hard to go to bed early. Non-volunteers are charged $5-10 per diem for accommodation and three meals a day. Contact Cesar Aulestia from Ibarra via e-mail (cesaraulestia@yahoo.com) well in advance if you feel nervous about arriving without prior notification. He takes turns with his brother in supervising the gringo volunteers and may not check his e-mail account for weeks if he's out in the field.

The mud will not be over when you get there: Most trails at Bilsa that are used by more than 2 people per week are so muddy that walking becomes a conscious task, though not quite covered in knee-deep mud as the access track. All these adverse factors notwithstanding, Bilsa is well worth the effort: Activity can be low and birding tough, but the reward may be a few of the most enigmatic and endangered birds on earth.

Birds: Definitely take your time on the walk there and back. The secondary thickets and woodlots can be replete with good birds. I saw Blue-whiskered Tanager (!), Striped and Little Cuckoo, Violaceous Trogon, Northern Tufted Flycatcher, Guira Tanager, Yellow-tufted and Blue Dacnis, Lesser Greenlet, Yellow-tailed Oriole, Masked Water-Tyrant (in La Y), Yellow-margined Flycatcher, Orange-fronted Barbet, Brown-capped and Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Cinnamon Becard, Tropical Gnatcatcher, White-bearded Manakin, Pacific Antwren, Slaty and Red-faced Spinetail, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Black-cheeked and Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Variable and Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Blue-headed Parrot and Red-masked Parakeet.

I did poorly in hummingbirds (White-whiskered and Little Hermit, Crowned Woodnymph, Band-tailed Barbthroat, Purple-crowned Fairy), with many an unidentified species.

Bilsa's trails are arranged according to different color codes. Let them explain to you where each trail goes to. I mainly frequented two trails, the one going down to the canopy platform erected in 2000 and continuing to the confluence of two rivers, and the loop going past the "piscinas" (idyllic waterholes carved into rocks). The latter gives access to foothill elevations, while the former leads to lower elevations.

The confluence is where I got wonderful looks at a perched Plumbeous Hawk. The canopy platform is nothing for the faint-hearted and requires great physical strength to be accessed; it was largely quiet during my stay, with only one remarkable sighting of a White-necked Puffbird.

Army ant swarms can be found anywhere, but the species composition will be different according to elevation. I found one big swarm at the Piscinas Trail attended by a flock containing Bicolored, Chestnut-backed, Immaculate, Ocellated and Spotted Antbird. Finding one a little lower would have increased the chances of seeing the Ground-Cuckoo (prime target species at this site) and Northern Barred Woodcreeper (which I both missed).

The semi-secondary cecropia groves along the first 2km of Piscinas Trail were good for Long-wattled Umbrellabird (mixed with Chocó and Crimson-mandibled Toucans and Pale-mandibled Aracaris), but there are said to be even more reliable spots and you won’t have to leave without seeing this bird. That spot was where I also saw the restricted Dagua Thrush and Gray-and-gold Tanager.

Other noteworthy species seen in the forest interior include White-eyed and Black-throated Trogon, Crested Guan (once), Rufous Piha (common with mixed flocks), Black-striped Woodcreeper (only near platform), Red-capped Manakin (lek), White-ringed Flycatcher (with high canopy flock), Stripe-throated Wren and Ruddy Foliage-gleaner (both with same flock in forest interior), Slaty Grosbeak, Emerald, Ochre-breasted, Tawny-crested, White-shouldered, Dusky-faced, Silver-throated, and Golden-hooded Tanager, Golden-bellied Warbler, Scarlet-rumped Cacique, Spotted Nightingale-Thrush, Nightingale Wren and Song Wren (latter heard only), Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher, Thrush-like Mourner, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Blue-crowned and Lita Manakin, Black-headed Antthrush, Dot-winged, Slaty, White-flanked and Checker-throated Antwren, Spot-crowned Antvireo, Western Woodhaunter, White-whiskered Puffbird, Red-headed Barbet, Guayaquil, Crimson-bellied and Golden-olive Woodpeckers, Spotted Woodcreeper and Plain Xenops.

Río Palenque

Time Investment/Weather: one partly overcast day in mid-August

General: Río Palenque is a unique forest fragment of nearly 200ha situated between the Chocó and the Tumbesian Zoogeographical Region and inhabited by a strange mix of restricted-range species from the north and south, some of them highly threatened and hard to find anywhere else. As such, Río Palenque is probably the only comparable site remaining. The fragment can be explored on a good network of trails and merits more than one day on any extensive itinerary (so don't run out of time as I did).

Intensive day-time birding and night-time traveling in the previous three months had it that I arrived at Río Palenque in a pretty exhausted and semi-sick state. Birding suffered considerably, so I will definitely have to come back to do Río Palenque full justice.

Logistics: In August 2001, they were just working on the completion of a lodge-style house that is meant to accommodate birders in the future. Otherwise, you will have to stay in Santo Domingo (47km, 1hr by bus) or Patricia Pilar (2km, 20min on foot) and take one of many pre-dawn busses towards Guayaquil. Note that bus drivers usually don't know about Río Palenque, even though it's right beside the road and conspicuously signposted. If in doubt, tell them to drop you off just a little beyond Patricia Pilar. At the gate, pay $5 entrance fee (important: have the exact change, otherwise you will run into serious time-consuming problems like I did). From there, the primary forest patch is a 10min walk through garden plots for agricultural experiments (lots of Masked Water-Tyrants).

Birds: The forest is highly heterogeneous: some parts are noticeably secondary, others with giant trees but a disturbed understorey, yet others appear completely undisturbed. This makes for some great birding with shy terrestrial birds, high canopy flocks dominated by tanagers and undergrowth flocks dominated by suboscines.

Forest species included Ochraceous Attila, Slaty-winged and Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner, Western White-tailed Trogon, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, White-whiskered Puffbird, Red-billed Scythebill, Plain Antvireo, Checker-throated and Dot-winged Antwren, a Long-tailed Hermit lek, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Plain Xenops, Spotted Woodcreeper, Yellow-margined, Ochre-bellied and Black-tailed Flycatcher, Slaty Grosbeak, Whiskered Wren, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Red-headed Barbet, Scarlet-rumped Cacique, and Red-rumped and Golden-olive Woodpecker.

Edge species were represented by Dusky Antbird, Black-winged Saltator, Guira, White-shouldered and Dusky-faced Tanager, Yellow-tufted Dacnis, Lesser Greenlet, Band-backed Wren, Snowy-throated Kingbird, Cinnamon Becard, White-bearded Manakin, Western Slaty Antshrike, Slaty Spinetail, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Olivaceous Piculet, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Little and White-whiskered Hermit, Violet-crowned Fairy, Crowned Woodnymph, Little Cuckoo, Ecuadorian Ground-Dove and Orange-fronted Barbet.

Río Ayampe (Machalilla NP)

Time Investment/Weather: I could only stay for one sunny afternoon and one morning in mid-August, since the date of my return flight was getting nearer.

General: Some laid-back birding can be had at Machalilla NP along the coast, where good Tumbesian dry forest remains on coastal hills. Recently, it has become possible to visit the more interior parts of the NP, where some so-called evergreen fog forest can be found on the highest peaks of the coastal range. This forest hosts plant endemism, but birdlife is more similar to the foothills farther north, so I declined to participate in one of the expensive tours (arranged out of Puerto López).

In the past, most birding has been done along the Río Ayampe slightly south of the NP (and therefore not subject to the $25 entrance fee), and this is where I went as well. However, if I had known sooner, I would have probably opted for the good roadside forest that persists a few kilometers south of Ayampe along the coastal highway to Salinas.

Logistics: Ayampe (a small village) is about 20-30min south of Puerto López. Presently, there is no accommodation in Ayampe, but I talked to a nice fellow by the name of David Cardenas who has just started putting up hummingbird feeders to attract Esmeraldas Woodstar and who wants to start some birder's bed & breakfast. Contact him (in Spanish) at Tortuga@porta.net to ask if the hummer has shown up yet (the right season for the hummer would be the northern winter, not August).

Otherwise, stay at a hotel in Puerto López or at one of the pleasant roadside hosterías along the highway. I stayed at "La Barquita", an idyllic and economic place with cabañas situated about halfway between Ayampe and Puerto López at a wonderful beach and only a few hundred meters from the super-expensive eco-lodge Alandaluz. Contact the French owner Patrick Pécaut at Patpecs@yahoo.com to book in advance. From here, early-morning busses can get you to Ayampe by at least 6.30am.

At Ayampe, you can follow the river upstream. This has been recommended by birders in the past, but I found it disappointing for two reasons: 1.) You don't get the dry forest specialties, but only some of the more widespread Tumbesian species, because you don't enter any forest, and most of the vegetation is secondary. 2.) You can't really concentrate on birding since you have to take your shoes off every 200m for yet another river crossing.

The better deal is to walk the trail that splits off inland 300-500m south of the bridge and runs roughly parallel to the river. This trail, which frequently splits and gives access to private properties along the way, leads through some better secondary (and even primary?) forest until it re-merges with the river after 2-3km.

Also, check out the extensive patch of excellent roadside forest several kilometers along the road just a few minutes south of Ayampe (which I only saw driving by on a bus). This may be the best area to concentrate on.

Birds: The trail parallel to Río Ayampe had some nice species, mostly along the parts with the oldest persisting forest: Saffron Siskin, Gray-breasted Flycatcher (2 ind.), Anthony's Nightjar (seen perched in secondary thicket), Yellow-billed Cacique, Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner, Speckle-breasted Wren, Black-tailed Flycatcher, Red-rumped, Guayaquil and Golden-olive Woodpecker, White-backed Fire-eye, Slaty Antwren, Plain Antvireo and Tropical Pewee.

The secondary parts along this trail and the riverside itself were good for Red-masked Parakeet, Crimson Finch-Tanager, Variable Seedeater, Pacific Parrotlet, Black-capped and Black-striped Sparrow, Gray-and-gold Warbler, Ecuadorian and Plumbeous-backed Thrush, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Lesser Greenlet, Croaking Ground-Dove, Sooty-headed and Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant, Slaty Spinetail, Amazilia and Rufous-tailed Hummer, Gray Hawk, Collared Antshrike and Yellow-tailed Oriole.

The river itself was frequented by migrating shorebirds (Spotted, Solitary and Baird's Sandpipers, Wilson's Phalaropes), Collared Plovers, and Green and Ringed Kingfishers. I even saw a vagrant Glossy Ibis!

Isla de la Plata (Machalilla NP)

Time Investment/Weather: one day, no rain.

General: Going to Isla de la Plata took some serious consideration, since I had to take the time off the days I had scheduled for my return trip to Lima. Also, a boat ride here is not cheap by Ecuadorian standards ($25 entry to NP plus $25 for the boat ride and guide). Furthermore, all seabirds at Isla de la Plata can be seen on a trip to Galápagos, so there is no cogent reason to go. The reason I still went is the fact that Black-and-white Tyrannulet and Short-tailed Woodstar, two rare birds typical of the dry Tumbesian zone which I had missed elsewhere, are supposedly easy on the island, and it boasts some bird endemism in the form of a subspecies of the Long-tailed Mockingbird restricted to the island.

Logistics: Puerto López is full of tour organizers that offer one-day excursions to the island. You won't have any time to yourself, and there is a strict schedule: usually departure at 10.00am (even if they tell you it's 9.00), whale watching till 12.00, island excursion till 3.00pm, reef diving till 4.00pm, and ride back to Puerto López.

Spectacular sightings of jumping humpback whales are virtually guaranteed in the northern summer, but become rare as from September.

Birds: On the island, there are two loops: the left one leads past a Magnificent Frigatebird colony (sporting males with inflated pouches) and past some Red-footed Booby pairs. The right one gives access to a loose colony of Waved Albatrosses. Apparently, it is prohibited for day visitors to do both loops, even though there would be plenty of time for the physically apt.

Sometimes, the choice is up to you. In that case, do it as I did and take the right loop, because the Frigatebirds are easy to see anywhere around the island in flight, and the Red-masked Boobies apparently moved their nest site down the cliff after the last El Niño, so they are only seen very sporadically these days.

All the other breeding seabirds (Red-billed Tropicbird, Brown Pelican, Blue-footed Booby, Masked (=Nazca) Booby) are easy to see from both loops.

Short-tailed Woodstar should be looked out for especially along the first few hundred meters before both loops split. Gray-and-white Tyrannulet was only seen twice, the bushes around the headquarters at the point of disembarkation are probably most reliable. Collared Warbling-Finches eat bread crumbs at the headquarters.

Other notable species included Baird's Sandpiper and Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant.

Seabirding on the way to/from the island is hardly feasible on the speedboats used by most companies. I did see storm-petrels, but their identification remains tentative.

Peruvian coastal sites visited en route to/from Lima

Marcapomacocha (Lima Dptmt.)

Time Investment/Weather: I went up from Lima (sea-level) all the way to the boggy marsh at 4800m for an afternoon, a few hours before my return flight. The weather is very cold, windy and drizzly. High altitude impedes chasing after the birds.

General: I didn't want to leave South America from Lima without giving Marcapomacocha a try, a place I had never visited because it is exceedingly hard to reach without your own car. The track to Marcapomacocha splits off to the left from the Central Highway to Pucallpa about 45min above the roadside town of Chosica (better directions are given elsewhere). Gunnar Engblom, a Swede living in Lima, organizes birding tours to just about any destinations in Peru and can take you there. Contact him at kolibri@netaccessperu.net to inquire about prices. Hiring him to accompany you costs extra, but may be worth the money: I only went with one of his drivers, Lucho, a very nice fellow who doesn't know the bird names, but knows where to stop for them.

Birds: Perhaps a little disappointing was that I missed one of the specialties that are customarily guaranteed on a trip up here: Diademed Sandpiper-Plover usually resides on one of the high-altitude bogs (where White-fronted Ground-Tyrant and Olivaceous Thornbill were common), but extensive searching didn't produce the bird (according to Gunnar, I was apparently the first person to dip it). A Puna Snipe at the same bog at dusk was a good recompense. Further up yet from that bog, there is another boggy area beyond a pass where we expectedly spotted the endemic White-bellied Cinclodes - doubtless the rarest bird up here on a global view. That latter bog was also good for Crested Duck, Andean Lapwing and Andean Flicker, and the bleak mountain sides on the other side of the road from here should be scanned for Rufous-bellied Seedsnipes (I saw one).

Other than that, we just stopped along the road wherever we saw a bird. This strategy produced many Cinereous and Ochre-naped Ground-Tyrants, Peruvian and Bright-rumped Sierra-Finches, White-winged Diuca-Finches and Bar-winged Cinclodes, besides an occasional Andean Goose, Variable Hawk, one Black-fronted Ground-Tyrant, Dark-winged Miners, Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch, one Black-brested Hillstar, a Baird's Sandpiper and a Streak-throated Canastero. Unfortunately, we also missed a second target species, the endemic Junín Canastero.

San Damián (Ancash Dptmt.)

Time Investment/Weather: I had some pleasant, dry and sunny weather during the one full day I spent above San Damián. I also saw a few nice birds on my walk to San Damián the previous afternoon.

General: In Central Peru north of Lima, two main mountain chains are separated from each other by the valley of Huaraz, the capital of Ancash: One of these, to the east, is the snow-clad Cordillera Blanca, famous among alpinists for its highest peak "Huascarán" and among ornithologists for its polylepis fragments in the national park that bears the same name. To the west, the less well-known Cordillera Negra doesn't reach up into the snow zone and is considerably drier, with bare desert-like slopes. Above the little village of San Damián, there are remnants of some dry forest (most of this is secondary) as it must have covered the entire Cordillera Negra in old times, before man started cutting it for firewood and grazing it. Nowadays, the Bosque de San Damián is the only better known place where you can see Russet-bellied Spinetail, a rare Cordillera Negra endemic.

Logistics: Don't commit the mistake of accessing San Damián from Huaraz, as it will cost you a day: Busses take half a day to reach Coris, and from there public transportation down to the coast (via San Damián) is fairly sporadic, which may only leave you the option of doing the 4-5hr hike down the road. Good birds along this hike were a consolation, though.

Instead, travel here from Huarmey, along the coastal Panamericana, whence busses only take a few hours to San Damián.

In the village itself, you have to ask people to accommodate you. I stayed with a lovely family (the father is the retired teacher in town) that gave me a bed and food.

The hike up to the Bosque is steep and tough and takes 3-4hr. You may want to consider hiring a mule in town, which has been done before by birders.

Birds: Up in the "Bosque" (actually it looks more like shrubland), the Russet-bellied Spinetail is by no means guaranteed and chances to see it rise considerably if you have a tape-recording. I didn't, but I was so lucky as to glimpse one a few  minutes before I had to turn around and walk back down in the afternoon. In the higher parts of the forest, where vegetation is less disturbed, other nice birds included Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Bay-crowned Brushfinch, Rufous-chested Tanager and Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant.

Great Inca Finch was not so much seen in the "forest" area, but on the sparsely vegetated slopes on the way there and also on the hike from Coris to San Damián. A family of Piura Chat-Tyrant was seen in the more degraded, lower shrubby parts of the "Bosque", and so were Tropical Gnatcatcher, Peruvian Sheartail, Highland Hepatic Tanager, Collared Warbling-Finch, Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant, Hooded Siskin, Andean Tinamou and Southern Beardless Tyrannulet.

The agricultural, secondary and settled areas around San Damián were inhabited by Scrub Blackbird, Bare-faced Ground-Dove, Long-tailed Mockingbird, Tumbes Pewee, Band-tailed Sierra-Finch, Purple-collared Woodstar, Amazilia Hummingbird, Oasis Hummingbird, Andean Swift, Cinereous Conebill, Drab Seedeater, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Croaking Ground-Dove, Southern Yellow-Grosbeak, Aplomado Falcon, and Bronze-tailed Comet (!).

Good species seen near Huaraz where the bus made a stop on its way to Coris were White-browed Chat-Tyrant, Band-tailed Seedeater, Peruvian Sierra-Finch, Greenish Yellow-Finch, Giant Hummingbird and Streaked Tit-Spinetail. Chiguanco Thrush was common anywhere.

El Rafán (Lambayeque Dptmt.?)

Time Investment/Weather: In late May, when I visited, most days are very cloudy and windy, and bird activity is usually good. I stayed one rewarding day.

General: El Rafán, a tiny village near Chiclayo, is just 500m from the most famous and accessible site for Peruvian Plantcutter, though additional sites have been discovered recently. It is a tiny grove of old trees amidst the desert, but you can't really speak of an understorey. In the future, Rafán will perhaps gain importance as it now seems to be the only regular site for Rufous Flycatcher, a highly threatened Peruvian endemic. Other Tumbesian birds are present as well.

Logistics: Stay in Chiclayo and take an early morning carro or bus down (south) the Panamericana. Get off at Mocupe and wait till one of the carros to Rafán fills up with 4 passengers or pay a "carrera". The track goes right through the core of the old grove (ca. 500m before you get to El Rafán).

Birds: The Plantcutters are more or less easy to see in the core area of the grove, where the trees are oldest and thickest.

This is also the best area for a number of other restricted species, e.g. I saw Necklaced Spinetail, Tumbesian Tyrannulet, Fasciated and Superciliated Wren, Pacific Pygmy-owl, and Scarlet-backed Woodpecker.

Rufous Flycatcher has to be looked for, but can be found after some searching, especially in the more bushy area of lower vegetation towards the village, less so in the grove itself. These marginal areas were also better for Striped Cuckoo, Cinereous Finch, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Collared Antshrike, Pacific Parrotlet, Streaked Saltator and Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant.  

Other notable birds included Harris' Hawk, Coastal Miner (in the desert), the only positively identified Shiny Cowbird of the trip, Lesser Nighthawk, Peruvian Martin (esp. near settlements) and Northern Crested Caracara.

Batán Grande (Lambayeque Dptmt.)

Time Investment/Weather: same as El Rafán, one day in late May with cloudy weather

General: Another dry forest site in the vicinity of Chiclayo, more extensive and noticeably different in character from El Rafán, and recently found to host a good Peruvian Plantcutter population! Batán Grande is now rigidly protected from firewood collection, boasts a park headquarters and is easily accessible from Chiclayo, situated right along a road to a minor village, but better directions are given elsewhere or can be obtained from Gunnar Engblom at kolibri@netaccessperu.net. He has made a few interesting discoveries here in the past, but unfortunately I wasn't too lucky when I visited and thus missed most of my targets.

Birds: I saw many of the more widespread species occuring at El Rafán, including the not-so-widespread Peruvian Plantcutter. The only additional birds of note were Pacific Hornero, White-edged Oriole, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Saffron Finch and Short-tailed Hawk.

Olmos (Piura Dptmt.)

Time Investment/Weather: One mellow evening and the following morning were spent searching for ways to get into better habitat. Most of the better birds were seen in the immediate vicinity of Olmos.

General: Olmos is only a short ride from Chiclayo on public busses. This was an involuntary stop along my route. Actually I had wanted to visit one of the extensive dry forest sites north-east of town where White-winged Guan and Tumbes Tyrant still persist. These sites are not accessible on public transportation. A half an hour north of the town of Olmos along the old Panamerican Highway towards Piura, there is a White-winged Guan breeding station where people can be found that can take you into some good habitat a 2hr ride away. I had to give up, though, because a shortage of cash money prevented me from paying them the $40 they would have charged for the ride, and they wouldn't - of course - accept credit cards. Maybe it's best to come with prior arrangements anyway.

Birds: The only good birds I saw around Olmos were Snowy-throated Kingbird, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, Groove-billed Ani and Peruvian Meadowlark.

La Angustura (Tumbes Forest, Peru)

Time Investment/Weather: I went for 3 days (1 afternoon, one full day and one morning not counting transport), but the birding was very slow. The beginning of June is probably a very bad time of the year for this dry forest site, and - if coming again - I would certainly try and come in the rainy season.

General: The department of Tumbes boasts some of the best remaining dry forest in the whole Tumbesian Zone stretching over northern Peru and southern Ecuador, apparently far better than anything degraded Ecuador has to offer. However, access to this sensitive border zone is difficult (though possibly increasingly better as peace continues). If you have your own transportation, there are a few ways to get into the deeper zones of the forest along little tracks, but without it you have to stick to the settled areas and the vantage points from there. Enquiries in the streets of Tumbes indicated that the village of La Angustura (at the dead end of such a track) is possibly one of the better starting points. I hired one of the rickshaws in the streets of Tumbes for the ride to La Angustura since busses only go three quarters of the way, leaving the remaining 4-5km up to your feet. From La Angustura, different paths lead into degraded but also good forest. Note, however, that coming in the dry season doesn't really pay because birds are very secretive or gone altogether.

Accommodation here is basic to say the least (no hotels).

Birds: The only good birds that commonly called in the forest during my stay were Sooty-crowned Flycatcher, Yellow-olive Flatbill and Pacific Elaenia. Tumbes Swift was abundant overhead. Some of the more secretive birds seen in the forest were Ecuadorian Trogon, Pacific Pygmy-owl and Pale-browed Tinamou.

Other good birds were confined to the more brushy secondary habitat at the forest edge, e.g. Elegant Crescent-chest, Black-capped Sparrow, One-colored Becard, Crimson-breasted Finch, Ecuadorian Ground-Dove, Snowy-throated Kingbird, Collared Antshrike, Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant and Plumbeous-backed Thrush.

Some of the more common birds included Black-and-white Becard, Streaked Flycatcher, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Red-eyed Vireo, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Bran-colored Flycatcher, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Pacific Parrotlet and Harris’ Hawk.

I heard Common Potoo and Spectacled Owl from the chicken shed I slept in. The river near the village supported Collared Plover and Masked Water-Tyrant.

Manglares de Puerto Pizarro (Tumbes, Peru)

Time Investment/Weather: I visited the "Manglares" for an early morning and walked back to Tumbes during the late morning hours.

General: Situated right at the Ecuadorian border, the Manglares de Tumbes at Puerto Pizarro are a convenient spot to spend a spare afternoon or morning. Stay in Tumbes and take a bus or carro to Puerto Pizarro (10min), where the first thing you will see at the little harbor is the big sign with standard fees for boat tours into the mangroves. These tours are interesting not only for their wealth of widespread aquatic birds, but also for good chances of seeing the rare Rufous-necked Wood-Rail. To see the latter, you will probably have to opt for a more costly round tour around the Manglares rather than a simple tour to the "Bird Island", where nesting frigatebirds and herons can be observed.

Birds: Gray-breasted Martins and West Peruvian Doves are common in the village. Great-tailed Grackles are ubiquitous in the mangroves. Waterbirds in the mangroves include Magnificent Frigatebird, Black Skimmer, Tricolored and Little Blue Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Green Kingfisher, White Ibis and Neotropic Cormorant.

To see the Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, pay close attention to movements around the edge of mangroves with receding water levels and a little exposed sand. I ended up seeing at least 15 individuals on a 2hr boat ride.

The barrier islands towards the open ocean yield sandy shores supporting Whimbrel, American Oystercatcher, Gray Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling and Wilson's Plover. One of the more notable passerines in the mangrove forests is Mangrove Warbler.

The walk back to Tumbes along the highway was surprisingly low-key compared to when I visited this area a few years ago during the last El Niño, when the arid bushy vegetation was full of Tumbesian endmics such as Baird's Flycatcher and Snowy-throated Kingbird. This time, I only saw a few interesting waterbirds, such as Least Grebe, at the sewage ponds along the first stretch of road, and mixed seedeater flocks containing Chestnut-throated and Parrot-billed Seedeater.

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