Introduction:
Where
As three out of our four-man team had previously visited Central and Eastern Ecuador in the early and mid 1990s, the focus of this trip was Southern Ecuador and in particular the region’s Tumbesian endemics. With just two weeks at our disposal it was impossible to cover every southern site and our efforts were concentrated upon the key areas of Podocarpus National Park (Rio Bombuscaro and Cajunuma), the fantastic Jocotoco Foundation Reserves of Tapichalaca, Jorupe, Utuana and Bueneventura, plus a brief visit to the lower east slope close to Shaime (effectively a one-day Orange-throated Tanager twitch).
The timing of our internal flights also gave us the opportunity to make a brief excursion to the fantastic Tandayapa Valley, located two hours west of Quito, at the tail end of our trip.
When
Although birders visit Ecuador throughout the year, January and February are the peak months. April theoretically falls within the wettest period of the year and is often avoided, however anecdotal evidence (born out in the course of our trip) suggests that recent years have had less of a pronounced wet season making travel easier in this period.
How
We are deeply indebted to Gabriel Bucheli for the organisation of almost every aspect of our trip. On the recommendation of a friend we contacted Gabriel with a tentative itinerary which was then refined to allow the best use of our time within the bounds of the internal flight schedule. Gabriel made our reservations where required and once on the ground in Southern Ecuador he not only proved to be a very competent bird guide but also a great driver, translator and all-round organiser; we would not hesitate in recommending his services to any future visitors (Gabriel Bucheli email: gabucheli@gmail.com).
Daily Diary:
Saturday 2nd April
Birmingham to Schipol, Schipol to Panama City and Panama City to Quito isn’t too bad if you say it fast enough. Leaving our KLM/Copa flight in Ecuador’s 2800m capital city a bleary-eyed bunch, Martin Kennewell, Andy Deighton, Volkert van der Willigen and I, taxi the short distance to the excellent Fuente de Piedra I Hotel for an all-too-brief night’s sleep.
Sunday 3rd April
At 06.30 we board the Tame Airways flight to Catamayo and en route enjoy some great views of the high Ecuadorian Andes and of Cotopaxi in particular. Gabriel is awaiting us at Loja’s main provincial airport and soon we are in position in his very comfortable Nissan Pathfinder 4WD, though our first stop is just five minutes from the airport gates.
Exploring the scrubby surrounds of an old quarried hillside we soon find Chestnut-throated Seedeater, Scrub Blackbird, Pacific Parrotlet, Fasciated Wren and a very obliging pair of Pacific Pygmy-Owls. Although we are at 2700m it is surprisingly warm and humid for someone acclimatised to early spring in the UK and in bright sunshine we enjoy views across the cultivated valley floor to the hillsides beyond. Tumbes Sparrow and Drab Seedeater demand a little more searching but are eventually added to the list, after which we celebrate with breakfast from a bakery in Catamayo Town.
Driving west of Catamayo we arrive at drier Tumesian habitat, though here our birding is prematurely curtailed when, shortly after leaving the car, AD manages to inadvertently throw himself into a roadside ravine and onto a barbed wire fence! Extremely luckily the 20cm gash in AD’s arm isn’t quite demanding of stitches and we have Dr van der Willigen on hand to administer first aid; we set off for Podocarpus NP with Andy vowing to keep his eye on the road and not the bird for the next two weeks!
Our route takes us over the cloud-topped and largely deforested inter-Andean hills and through the sprawling city of Loja, before we climb into some good habitat as we approach the eastern slope of the Andes. A landslide on the Zamora Road enforces a stop at 2600m, where half an hour in the dwarf forest produces Glossy-black Flowerpiercer, Black-capped Tyrannulet, Rufous-naped Brush-Finch and a wonderful Golden-crowned Tanager.
Our destination is the superb Copalinga Lodge (http://www.copalinga.com/), situated on the edge of Podocarpus National Park at an altitude of 900m. Here we check into our fine chalet accommodation and then dine in the open restaurant whose bird-feeder activity constantly interrupts our meal. Although the food at Copalinga is truly outstanding the cutlery is dropped for a succession of birds including Greyish Saltator, Orange-billed Sparrow, White-throated Thrush and a host of hummingbirds. Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Brown Violetear, Violet-headed Hummingbird, Glittering-throated Emerald, Wire-crested Thorntail and the exquisite Spangled Coquette all frequent the sugar feeders and garden shrubs in a fantastic reintroduction to one of South America’s many avian highlights. A Green Hermit even visits a feeder located on the bar!
Although we make time for a late afternoon walk along the main trail at the Rio Bumbuscaro entrance to Podocarpus NP, the bird activity is at a distinct ebb and all we manage to see is Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper and Paradise Tanager. Returning to Copalinga and feeling a little dejected we stop at the roadside for a couple of obliging Blackish Nightjars which help to raise spirits, before consuming a stunning a dinner spread at the lodge which certainly does wonders for morale.
Our attempts to lure out Band-bellied Owl are met with no response and with few notes to write up we then hit the sack early, in eager anticipation of our first proper day of Southern Ecuadorian birding.
Monday 4th April
Having been awakened by a torrential thunderstorm at 02.00 it is very disappointing to find that it is still raining heavily at first light. Breakfast is consumed at a correspondingly slow pace, before brolleys are deployed for our morning session at Rio Bumbuscaro. The rain continues until around 10.00, making our early successes of Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, a trail-walking Ruddy Quail-Dove, displaying Blue-rumped Manakin, Foothill Elaenia, Bronze-green Euphonia and Green-fronted Lancebill something of a damp affair.
Fortunately the drizzle has abated by the time the stars of the morning appear, in the form of a stunning pair of Lanceolated Monklets. A much-wanted bird for many years, they live up to expectations and we watch the pair feed low down on cicadas, admiring the intricate plumage features with striking black-and-white face pattern and curving lanceolations along the flanks.
Another real highlight is an encounter with a group of three Tyras. Two of the band rapidly scoot off into the forest, but the third remains on a low mossy bough where we are able to gain fantastic prolonged views of this striking predator which resembles a cross between a Pine Marten and an arboreal Otter!
Next a Coppery-chested Jacamar performs at close range and a large feeding flock passes our way, whose members include Paradise, Golden-eared, Orange-eared, Spotted and Green-and-gold Tanagers, Black-and-white Becard and Yellow-breasted Antwren. A pair of very impressive Amazonian Umbrellabirds put on a great performance, as does a dazzling male Andean Cock-of-the Rock illuminating the path!
Final new birds of the morning are Highland Motmot and Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, though sadly Plain-backed Antpitta refuses to respond to our recording and a small, vocal flock of White-breasted Parakeets remain hidden as they skim the treetops. Another fine Copalinga meal is due to be followed by an afternoon of birding on the old Zamora to Loja Road, but yesterday’s landslide is causing traffic holdups and instead we follow the road past Zamora Dump into an area of remnant forest and agricultural land.
From the unpaved road Lafresnaye’s Piculet, Black-billed Thrush, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Ash-browed Spinetail and a very welcome pair of Yellow-cheeked Becards are all recorded. Good numbers of Scaly-naped Parrots head for their roosting sites and a large flock of swifts descend to head-height where we pick out calling Spot-fronted Swifts from their more numerous Chestnut-collared allies.
Back at Copalinga the dinner is predictably magnificent and the Band-bellied Owls are predictably elusive, in spite of our determined search.
Tuesday 5th April
We’re out owling again before first light but frustratingly not a Band-bellied hoot is heard. Katherine, the extremely helpful Copalinga manager, and also keen birder, assists us in tracking down Olivaceous Greenlet in the grounds, where Dark-breasted Spinetail, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Speckled Chachalaca, Yellow-cheeked Becard and Lafresnaye’s Piculet are also recorded.
Back at Rio Bombuscaro we retrace our route along the main trail where Ruddy Foliage-Gleaner, Coppery-chested Jacamar, a very obliging pair of Amazonian Umbrellabirds, Blue-naped Chlorophonia and Torrent Tyrannulet are noted. This time the White-breasted Parakeet fly-past over the Park HQ allows time for a look at the birds, albeit a very brief one. Green-fronted Lancebill, Flame-crested Tanager, Red-headed Barbet and Slaty Antwren wrap up the morning on the trail, then it’s a quick bag-pack and away.
En route to Zamora a fantastic Faciated Tiger Heron feeds in the open beside the river, and at the town we stock up on lunch from the bakery to see us through the long drive down to the eastern foothills. The majority of the drive is made on unpaved roads, first through farmland and then, as we approach the Nangaritza River in an area known as the Sierra del Condor, past spectacular banks of steep forested ridges which flank the wide, brown snaking watercourse.
We are pretty close to the literal end of the road when we reach Yankuam Lodge, as the settlement of Shaime, a few kilometres down the road, is as far as civilisation goes in these parts; although we are in the far east of Ecuador there really is a distinct ‘wild west’ feel about this frontier region.
Yankuam Lodge (http://www.lindoecuadortours.com/lodge.html) is a rather rustic establishment when viewed on the back of a stay at Copalinga. Rooms are constructed of rough-sawn timber with plenty of gaps to let in the local wildlife, with highlights during our stay including a 20cm Tailless Whip Scorpion and a cockroach the size of a flip-flop, which is discovered consuming AD’s soap!
Keen to get in some birding before dark, we jump into a large aluminium canoe and are rapidly ferried across the river by Jacinto, our local guide. Here we walk the lower reaches of Nuevo Paradiso Road, above the ferry crossing, but have little to show for our efforts other than Violaceous Jay, Grey-capped Flycatcher and a Band-bellied Owl which begins to call just before dark but refuses to show himself.
Returning to Yankuam we enjoy a superb meal and hatch our plans for the next day. The consensus is that we try Cacinto’s new site for Orange-throated Tanager, further up the Nuevo Paradiso Road. Although somewhat uncharted in birding terms, by plumping for this site rather than the more traditional Shaime area we will be able to beat a hasty retreat if we secure our tanager prize and possibly make if back to Loja by nightfall.
Before bed we fruitlessly try a couple of nearby Band-bellied Owl sites before rain stops play and we bunk down at Yankuam.
Wednesday 6th April
Heavy rain has poured for most of the night and continues over breakfast, during which a lone Grey-breasted Sabrewing visits the hummingbird feeder. The ferry man tells us that if the river continues to rise we may be stranded on the far bank, but we elect to take our chances.
The Nuevo Paradiso Ferry is a site to behold, consisting of four steel pontoons welded together with a timber platform strapped on top. Rickety ramps are lowered by chains to allow vehicles to bump on and off, direct from the muddy riverbank, an operation which is something of an art in itself. Once aboard, the ferry man adjusts the fraying steel hawsers so that the multiple hulls are aligned at an angle to the current and water power simply whisks us across the fast-flowing brown water. It really is simple but ingenious technology, though we are glad when we reach the safety of solid ground on the far bank.
It takes just fifteen minutes to reach the favoured patch of forest and within a minute of getting out of the car two stunning Orange-throated Tanagers are seen in the canopy right above us! Gorgeous beasts, with flame-orange throats set off by jet black upperparts, warm buff bellies and vivid blue wing coverts, their bulky structure and vivid colouration gives them a feel of lowland, canopy-dwelling mountain-tanagers.
It has also stopped raining and our stroll along the track soon adds Red Pileated Finch, White Hawk, both Black and Peruvian Warbling Antbirds, Cobalt-winged Parakeet, Buff-rumped warbler, Opal-rumped, Guira, Fawn-breasted and Masked Tanagers, Lesser Seedfinch, Coraya and Thrush-like Wrens.
The patch of good roadside forest actually lasts for just a kilometre and a short drive fails to locate any other decent habitat nearby. Returning to the original site we add Amazonian White-tailed Trogon, Spangled Cotinga, Little Woodpecker, Lemon-throated Barbet and another pair of Orange-throated Tanagers, before the rain sets in heavily and we decide to cut our losses. In conclusion it would seem that the Nuevo Paradiso Road site is great for a quick hit on Orange-throated Tanager, but prime habitat is in short supply and consequently many of the good birds available at Shaime would appear to be absent from this area.
Back at the ferry crossing we have a few anxious minutes after the ferry man tells us that the river is now too high to cross, but Gabriel wins him round and after a rather precarious entry and exit from the muddy river bank we are soon heading uphill on our way back to civilisation.
By the time we reach Zamora the clouds have lifted and we make straight for the old Zamora-Loja Road in the last rays of sunshine. Fortune brings us a large feeding flock which remains on our contour and we pick out Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, Guira, Spotted and Yellow-bellied Tanagers, Red-headed Barbet and a real prize in the form of a male Golden-collared Honeyeater.
From the old road it’s a fairly short hop to Loja, where we check into the very pleasant Hostal Aguilera to dine and plan how to make best use of the valuable day we have now pulled back into the itinerary, by means of our early departure from Yankuam.
Thursday 7th April
After an early Loja bakery raid we head for the hills, where the Cajanuma entrance to Podocarpus National Park is just half an hour’s drive away. The park staff are not as eager to catch the early bird and it takes twenty minutes of door knocking before they rise from their slumber to collect our fee and drop the chain to allow access.
The narrow track winds upwards, first through farmland and then across stunning forest hillsides with fantastic scenic vistas in all directions. Cajanuma is certainly one of the most visually impressive sites we visit in Southern Ecuador, and it has birds to match the scenic splendour. Chusquea Tapaculo is lured out of the dense undergrowth just seconds after vacating the car, and then we hit a feeding flock which contains Hooded and Lacrimose Mountain-Tanagers, Masked Flowerpiecer, Superciliared Hemispingus, Grass Green Tanager, White-banded Tyrannulet and Rufous-naped Brushfinch.
A White-bellied Woodstar perches beside the track and with a little encouragement a Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan perches on a prominent bough, albeit rather distantly. Crimson-mantled Woodpecker and Bearded Guan come next and then a Unicoloured Tapaculo is coaxed to a recording, in just as civil a manner as his Chusquea cousin. Plain-tailed Wren takes a little more tempting but with persistence performs admirably, as does a flower-feeding Flame-throated Sunangel.
Reaching the end of the road we take the short HQ Trail, which provides Red-crested Cotinga, Mountain Wren, White-sided Flowerpiercer and absolutely incredible views of the very attractive Rufous Antpitta, which sits calling in the open at just a couple of metres range.
The return journey, still in glorious weather, gives us several Turquoise Jays and a stunning Red-hooded Tanager, and we depart very satisfied with our morning’s work. It takes us a couple of hours to drive to the next site, via a roadside Yellow-tailed Oriole plus lunch from a local store, and as we travel the road switches from relatively smooth tarmac to bumpy gravel construction.
Eventually we leave the main highway and enter a very narrow and often extremely uneven track which takes us steeply upward through arable fields and then into dwarf forest. Our ascent continues until we hit the 3000m mark, above the tree line and in a land of misty paramo at Cerro Toledo. As cloud drifts in and out of the valley we pick out a fantastic selection of birds amongst the grasses and sparse shrubs, including Scarlet-breasted Mountain-Tanager, Glowing Puffleg, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill and the highly localised Neblina Metaltail.
Mouse-coloured Thistletail creeps through the low foliage but a Paramo Tapaculo refuses to give himself up. During our slow descent we encounter a fantastic feeding flock which contains Black-capped Hemispingus, Glossy-black Flowerpiecer, Blue-backed Conebill, Pale-naped Brushfinch and Plushcap, while White-bellied Woodstar, Buff-winged Starfrontlet and Great Sapphirewing complete a superb hummingbird list.
It’s still an hour-and-a-half’s drive to Tapichalaca, most of which is made in darkness, on bad roads and in intense rainfall, making our arrival at the welcoming lodge a great relief all round. And what a lodge it is! At Tapichalaca the Jocotoco Foundation have created what must be one of the most thoughtfully designed and well constructed forest lodges we have ever used. The food we are presented with by the friendly and helpful staff lives up to the standard of the accommodation and there is even an open fire where wet boots can be dried! (http://fjocotoco.org/tapichala.htm).
The Jocotoco Foundation really cannot be praised highly enough for their efforts in setting up a superb set of Ecuadorian nature reserves which protect some tremendously important habitat and species. The lodges which they have built at these sites not only give visitors a fantastic base from which to enjoy the respective areas, but also engage the local community in ecotourism and species protection which will help perpetuate the project; the Foundation certainly helped significantly in making our Ecuadorian experience a highly rewarding one.
Friday 8th April
A pre-dawn nightbirding session in the car park produces a flyover Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, which is followed by a magnificent Tapichalaca breakfast. The hummingbird feeders are alive with a host of new species which, during the course of our stay, amount to Fawn-breasted Brilliant, White-throated Woodstar, Fire-throated Sunangel, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Collared Inca, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Long-tailed Sylph and Speckled Hummingbird. It is hard to drag one’s self away, but this morning we have one huge target bird in our sights.
After a five minute drive we arrive at the entrance to the Quebrada Honda Trail, at an altitude of around 2500m, and the birds rapidly begin to appear. Black-throated Tody-Tyrant, White-flanked Flowerpiercer, Grey-hooded Bush-Tanager, Golden-crowned Tanager, Streaked Tuftedcheek and Rufous Wren are seen in a frantic few minutes, before we hit the Jocotoco Trail and take deep breaths to calm the nerves of anticipation.
The name Jocotoco Antpitta and Southern Ecuador are now synonymous. In 1997 the ornithological world was shaken by the discovery of a huge and strikingly-plumaged new antpitta in the Rio Chinchipe catchment close to Ecuador’s south eastern border with Peru. In 1998 the Jocotoco Foundation was founded, primarily by conservationists from the USA and UK, with the aim of purchasing the upper subtropical forest where the species had been discovered.
And now we are walking down the trail to where habituated Jocotoco Antpittas are famously fed on worms each morning! We know that this is going to be one of the highlights of our visit, but really are unprepared as to how big, how attractive and how approachable these birds prove to be. Amazingly they are already beside the small shelter when we arrive, waiting for Ricardo, one of the Foundation staff, to produce his small tub of juicy pre-washed worms.
Soon up to four Jocotoco Antpittas, one of the rarest birds on the planet, are hopping within a few centimetres of us. With black crown and moustachial stripe accentuating a pure white cheek patch and throat, deep red eye, huge hook-tipped bill, subtle grey breast, warm rufous upperparts and over-long powder-blue legs, they instantly gain a ranking amongst the most impressive birds in existence. Photographic opportunities are unparalleled in the antpitta world, and after the Jocotocos have had their fill of worms we are also treated to an equally tame Chestnut-naped Antpitta which joins us for a few minutes on the trail.
Finding a suitable follow-up for such a performance would seem to be a big ask, but Gabriel grasps the challenge when a calling Ocellated Tapaculo responds to playback and promptly places itself in the open on an eye-level mossy bough. Normally a forest-floor skulker, this stunning creature is bright chestnut front and rear, with an amazing white polka-dotted midriff, which it shows to brilliant effect while calling with thrown-back head.
Still in something of a state of shock we retrace our steps, past Plain-tailed Wren and Rufous Spinetail, to a White-throated Quail-Dove which is watched at close range from a hide adjacent to its preferred feeding station. Orange-banded Flycatcher and Slaty Finch then provide an entree to the gorgeous Golden-plumed Parakeets which are now massing around the nest boxes placed on palm trunks in the valley bottom.
The showery morning is concluded with a walk further down the Quebrada Honda Trail, where Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Turquoise Jay and a superb Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucan wrap up what has to be one of the finest morning’s birding we have ever experienced.
Our run of success clearly cannot continue at the same pace and the post-lunch walk down the main road, in constantly changing weather, is a much quieter affair. Another pair of Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucans, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Glossy-black Thrush and a pair of Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrants are the highlights, before we take afternoon tea with the hummingbirds.
The early evening is earmarked for a determined nightbird push, and en route to our Jocotoco Trail starting point we encounter Citrine Warbler, Black-headed Hemispingus and Northern Mountain Cacique, though a Slate-crowned Antpitta is lost to the failing light before we can pick him out. A half-hour torch-lit walk through the forest brings us to Gabriel’s stakeout, on an incredibly atmospheric hilltop ridge, where wisps of mist drift past moss-draped tree limbs in the half-light.
We have only been in position for a few minutes when Gabriel beckons us to a suitable viewpoint and we find ourselves at eye level with an amazing Andean Potoo which is perched on an exposed upper bough. This surprisingly large and extremely rare nightbird has eluded us on several previous South American trips and is a massive bonus to an already incredible day. Just seconds after it departs AD picks up a gorgeous Rufous-banded Owl, which sits photogenically in the spotlight and later begins to call.
The walk back through the forest is done with a spring in the step and in no time we are back on the Quebrada Honda Trail. We have almost reached the car when our final stroke of birding fortune kicks in and a small nightjar is disturbed on the track. It soon returns, to be dazzled in the spotlight and ultimately viewed from just centimetres away, where its identity is confirmed as a female Swallow-tailed Nightjar, no less!
It has been a unique day which will be recounted fondly for many years to come, and even provides an eleventh-hour surprise as a White-eared Opossum appears to raid the Lodge hummingbird feeders just before our bedtime.
Saturday 9th April
Compared with the previous day’s successes our early walk along the Las Tangaras Trail, in misty and very dull conditions, is rather hard work. Highlights include Russet-crowned Warbler, Barred Becard, Yellow-billed Cacique, Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant and Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucan. A pair of ‘wild’ Jocotoco Antpittas are seen close to the trail and with a great deal of persistence we manage to tape in a Barred Antthrush, for the briefest of appearances.
We are packed and away by 11.00, with an early stop being made at the Cordierra de Sabanillas where a Paramo Tapaculo is coaxed into the open in spite of the very strong wind and steady rain. Our packed lunch stop close to Loja is made in much more clement weather, where appropriately enough our first Loja Hummingbird appears.
Our earlier route is retraced as far as Catamayo, where we take a turn into the drier Tumbesian lands which stretch down to the Peruvian border. A stop in the Catamayo Hills gives us the first of many spectacular Collared Antshrikes, then it’s a long haul all the way to Jorupe, through a variety of landscapes which begin with cloud-topped inter-Andean peaks and end in drier deciduous hills, now washed green with a flush of wet season growth.
We arrive at Jorupe Lodge at the height of an intense rain storm, but the helpful staff are on hand with large brollies to guide us in. This is another model Jocotoco Foundation lodge, where a superb meal awaits us and both facilities and staff are faultless (http://www.fjocotoco.org/jorupe__.htm); we feel very much at home already.
Sunday 10th April
It sounds like it has rained all night, but miraculously the downpour ceases at first light and after a quick breakfast we are instantly chasing around the lodge grounds, ticking wildly. One-coloured and Black-and-white Becards, White-tailed Jay, Red-billed Scythebill, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Baird’s Flycatcher, White-edged Oriole, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Yellow-olive Flatbill, Ecuadorian Ground-Dove, Plumbeous-backed and Ecuadorian Thrushes and are all recorded within metres of the lodge restaurant.
In the company of Alex, one of the local guides, we continue uphill along the main track, beyond the lodge entrance, the flurry of new birds continues unabated. Blue-crowned Motmot, Plain Ant-Vireo, Pacific Elaenia, Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant, Blackish-headed Spinetail, Gray-and-Gold Warbler and Ecuadorian Piculet are all members of a loose feeding flock which also includes such Tumbesian stars as Henna-hooded Foliage-Gleaner and Black-capped Sparrow.
Tumbes Swift, Rufous-necked Foliage-Gleaner, a male Slaty Becard and some great views of Watkins’s Antpitta conclude a highly memorable morning in the lush wet-season growth of the superb Jorupe Reserve. Long-billed Starthroat and King Vulture accompany our excellent lunch, with the remainder of the day spent in slow descent of the access road.
The afternoon is warm and humid, with bird activity being predictably reduced as we walk the forest track. The best birds are Baird’s Flycatcher, Ecuadorian Trogon, Black-billed Cuckoo, Bat Falcon, Sooty-crowned Flycatcher and Red-masked Parakeet. Numerous Pale-browed Tinamous call, but they refuse to move out of the thick ground cover and remain unseen.
Miraculously the rain holds off, making this the only day with totally dry daylight hours in our whole trip! After dinner we make a determined effort in search of the local Megascops, and at 21.45 our persistence is rewarded with some superb views of Tumbes Screech-Owl between the lodge cabins, in a fitting end to another great day.
Monday 11th April
Today we have planned to head uphill, but the prevailing weather looks a little ominous. After an early breakfast we make the one hour drive to Utuana, via Sozoranga, stopping at the 2000m mark to search for a handful of specialities. Unfortunately the weather has other ideas and low, dense cloud makes viewing extremely difficult. We pull Rufous-chested Tanager, Line-cheeked Spinetail and White-winged Brushfinch out of the mist but a couple of singing Black-cowled Saltators refuse to materialise from the gloom.
Ascending another 300m we finally enter a valley clear of cloud and almost instantly a handsome Black-cowled Saltator and a Rainbow Starfrontlet appear. By the time we reach the 2400m gate to Utuana Reserve the sun has broken through the cloud and a wonderful male Silver-backed Tanager shines from the low, moss-covered bushes which cloak the steeply-sloping hillsides. A stunning Black-crested Tit-Tyrant is seen beside the track and nearby a couple of rather skulking Jelski’s Chat-Tyrants feed.
We are just getting used to the improved weather and some good birds when the cloud rolls in again and generally remains with us for the rest of our stay. The conditions make birding extremely frustrating at what is clearly a fantastic site, but between gaps in the cloud we enjoy Chapman’s Antshrike, Rufous-necked Foliage-Gleaner, Spotted Woodcreeper, Grey-chinned Hermit, Red-crested Cotinga and White-sided Flowerpiercer. The hummingbird feeders are a frenzy of activity as Rainbow Starfrontlets, Purple-throated Sunangels and Mountain Velvetbreasts vie for pole position in a sheltered spot amongst the low bushes.
When the weather takes a turn for the worse we return to the car for our pack-up lunch and to sit out the rain. The precipitation never ceases so we make another brolley-toting attempt at finding our small list of missing species, but soon it becomes clear that our efforts are futile in the cold gloom and we head down slope.
As Gabriel gets a puncture fixed in Sozoranga town we enjoy the nesting colonies of Chestnut-collared Swallows around the main square, before we descend to see out the last hour of daylight in farmland close to Jorupe Reserve. Here we get close to a singing Elegant Crescentchest, but this much-desired bird fails to appear from the dense shrubbery, aptly summing up the frustrations of the day.
Tuesday 12th April
With a few spare hours around Jorupe Reserve we now have quite a refined list of target birds for our final morning’s assault. With the help of Leo, one of the other reserve guides, we track down the highly localised Grey-breasted Flycatcher, then a Speckle-breasted Wren, before a real stroke of fortune as superb Pale-browed Tinamou is finally taped in from our position on the veranda of the restaurant.
In another section of the reserve we find Rufous-winged Tyrannulet and finally get some very good views of the impressive Henna-hooded Foliage-Gleaner, before moving back to the previous evening’s farmland borders for another try at Elegant Crescentchest. Great Antshrike, Crested Caracara and a superb pair of Bat Falcons, feeding at close range from epiphyte-hung power lines, are good to see but the Crescentchests continue to frustrate us with their reluctance to emerge from dense cover. The birds have gone quiet, the sun is getting very warm and all looks lost when the pair of stunning little tapaculos finally give up the game of hide-and-seek and put on a fine show in track-side bushes. With accentor-striped heads and gorgeously-banded breasts they are real quality birds, and highly restricted within their Tumbesian range.
We depart Jorupe, one of our favourite spots in Southern Ecuador, at 11.30 and by 12.30 we are amidst the dry Tumbesian forest of El Empalme, where a Tumbesian Hummingbird joins us on a flowering treetop as we consume our fine packed lunch. We have clearly picked a prime dining spot, as over the next few minutes Ochre-bellied Dove, Elegant Crescentchest and Supercilliared Wren appear in rapid succession.
A little higher up the road our recording entices a pair of impressive White-headed Brush-Finches to the edge of the sparse woodland, before we set off on the long drive to Buenaventura. Road construction works cause us lengthy delays and it is in the last rays of sunlight that a pair of Pacific Pygmy-Owls greet us on the Buenaventura access road. The final Jocotoco Foundation reserve of our travels, Buenaventura is similarly equipped to its congeners and situated in a fantastic forested location (http://www.fjocotoco.org/buenaven.htm). Yet again we have the entire establishment to ourselves, to enjoy a superb evening meal and plan the Buenaventura birding strategy over a very welcome cold beer.
Wednesday 13th April
Southern Ecuador holds a set of amazing range-restricted species which must rank amongst the most impressive in South America, and this morning we will be searching for another one of these star birds. After the customary early breakfast we drive a short distance to the entrance to the Umbrellabird Trail and set off down the steeply descending pathway.
Long-wattled Umbrellabird has a known lekking site on the lower reaches of the trail and very soon we are enjoying a fantastic performance from one of these bizarre creatures; it is quite a shock to find that the huge wattle is actually extended by a substantial length prior to the bird calling! Two males and a female put on a magnificent display, with a supporting cast of Chequer-throated Antwren, White-whiskered Hermit and Club-winged Manakin.
For the remainder of the morning we slowly walk the road, through superb forest, and amass an impressive list of birds. Chestnut-backed Antbird, Olive-striped Flycatcher, Lesser Greenlet, Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher, Rufous Motmot, White-shouldered Tanger, Ash-throated Bush-Tanger and an obliging pair of Song Wrens start us off. We enjoy a stirring chorus from some obliging Mantled Howler Monkeys who sit close to the road, while more new birds include Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, White-bearded Manakin, Grey-and-Gold Warbler, Collared Trogon, Western Slaty Antshrike, Olivaceous Piculet, Scaly-throated Foliage Gleaner, Purple-crowned Fairy, Green-crowned Brilliant, Ochre-breasted Tanager and Scarlet-rumped Cacique.
As the morning warms up the raptors begin to soar, with numerous Plumbeous Kites being followed by a superb Gray-backed Hawk. Red-rumped Woodpecker and a gaudy Choco Toucan finish off a fantastic morning on the old road, and a hearty lunch awaits us at the lodge. The hummingbird feeders spread around the restaurant area provide the usual dining distractions, this time in the form of Green-crowned Brilliant, Brown Violetear, Andean Emerald, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Violet-bellied Hummingbird, Green Thorntail, White-necked Jacobin and Emerald-bellied Woodnymph.
We are also privileged to receive some mammalian dining companions, as a Black Agouti is seen scampering through the forest edge and a particularly bold Western Mountain Coati sits on a bird feeder and consumes a lunch of bananas. After a little post-lunch hummingbird photography it is time to head uphill, in search of some of the specialities of the reserve’s higher reaches.
Following the old road we make a few forest stops to pick up Immaculate Antbird, a very nice perched Gray-backed Hawk and a flock of forty Red-masked Parakeets, before emerging from the forest cover and into an area of more open grazing land with isolated tree patches; here, at around 1200m, is the home of the El Oro Parakeet. Buenaventura actually holds the largest known population of this extremely rare species, which was only discovered to science in 1980. It is being intensively studied, with reforestation and a nest box programme helping numbers to increase, but finding this small parrot can be very tricky.
We are therefore delighted when, just a few minutes into our walk, a flock of eight El Oro Parakeets skims overhead calling loudly. This is the start of quite a run of good fortune, as Three-banded Warbler and Pacific Tuftedcheek proceed to pop up in rapid succession. Even better, when we return to the car we find that a pair of El Oro Parakeets are now frequenting a nestbox and we obtain some good perched views and even photographs of a bird which is most often seen hurtling over the canopy. Dusky-capped Flycatcher is next to be added to the list before our high altitude finale appears in a large mixed feeding flock, in the form of a spanking Rufous-throated Tanager.
Descending to 1000m we try a trail for El Oro Tapaculo, where Bay Wren and Golden-winged Manakin are seen, but we fail to get even a sniff of the extremely elusive Tapaculo. As the sun sinks towards the western horizon we enjoy breathtaking views of the orange sky, over banks of hills, from the Summit Shrine. It is scarcely dark when the first of three magnificent Black-and-white Owls appear, and Gabriel learns a new word as we direct him to the bird which has chosen to perch ‘above the shitter’! The Owls really could not be more obliging and perfectly wrap up another truly classic day of fantastic Southern Ecuadorian birding.
White-eared Opossum and Pauraque conclude the nocturnal viewing, then its fine food and beers all round at the Lodge.
Thursday 14th April
On our pre-dawn walk up to the dining room, the local Rufous-headed Chachalacas begin to call and Gabriel manages to find their canopy roosting site in the spotlight, which is a good start to the day. After breakfast the views are infinitely better, however, as a group of eight Chachalacas descend upon the feeders to devour the ripe bananas on offer. Bronze-winged Parrot and Black-winged Saltator appear close to the lodge, but although our recording brings a group of vocal Rufous-fronted Wood-Quail very close, they refuse to show themselves in the dense understorey.
Following our great successes at high altitude the previous day, it makes sense to head down slope in search of our few outstanding targets. Starting our walk at around 500m, the first birds seen include Yellow-tufted Dacnis, both Loja and Yellow Tyrranulets, Pale-mandibled Aracaris and Stripe-headed Woodcreeper. We persist in an area where Pacific Royal Flycatcher has recently been seen, but to no avail, though in this river valley we find Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Pallid Dove, Black-lored Yellowthroat and even a tick for Gabriel! The latter is a fine pair of highly localised Large-billed Seedfinches, the male of which sings right beside the main track.
After an enjoyable final morning in Southern Ecuador it’s time to pack, and bid our farewell’s to the Jocotoco Foundation, though even as we are drinking our last coffee a surprise tick pops up, when a Baron’s Hermit briefly visits the Lodge humming bird feeders.
From Bueneventura it’s just an hour’s drive to the small town of Santa Rosa, where we visit an ATM before arrival at the brand new airport. This is an amazing facility, sparkling clean yet virtually deserted, and is a great venue to settle our account and say our fond farewells over a cold beer. We now leave Gabriel to the long drive back to Quito, and as we check in to our Saereas flight we thank him very warmly for all his help over the last two weeks and vow to return to see some more of this fantastic country with our new-found friend.
A one-hour turboprop flight delivers us safely to Quito, where Gabriel has arranged for his friend’s Father-in-law to collect us from the airport. Although Jorge only speaks a couple of words of English, and we know a similar amount of Spanish, we are confident that he must be taking us to the Tandayapa Valley as arranged and sit back to enjoy the ride. After two hours we are delivered to the superb Alambi Lodge (http://www.alambicloudforest.com/), where Fabien Luna greets us and his wife Tania presents us with one of the finest supper meals we have consumed in the whole of Ecuador!
Friday 15th April
The Paz de las Aves has become something of an Ecuadorian birding phenomenon in recent years (http://www.refugiopazdelasaves.com/). Created by a local farmer who discovered that he could attract antpittas to worms, the small reserve is now included on every Ecuadorian itinerary and today it is our turn to sample the Angel Paz show.
At 05.00 we are picked up by Jairo, Fabien’s brother-in-Law, who speaks excellent English and is also a freelance guide. In less than an hour we are at Paz de las Aves and immediately begin our descent of a trail which leads steeply down the forested hillside to where Angel and another couple of visitors are already looking for owls. With great fortune we arrive just as a Columbian Screech Owl appears on a bare branch in response to Angel’s whistled impression of its call. So far so good!
Next we make our way to a rickety blind at the lower limit of the trail and soon the first of several glowing orange balls appear in the gathering light, accompanied by the squawks and grunts of an Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek. A couple of great bonus birds appear in the area of the lek, as both Olivaceous Piha and Crested Quetzal are added to our lists.
Although we have already seen some good birds the Angel Paz experience is already taking on something of a shambolic air, as the man himself has disappeared, one of the other groups guide is using playback which is supposedly banned in the reserve and we later hear that a third group has helped themselves to bananas at the lower bird feeder and thus ruined the chances of everyone seeing some sought-after fruit feeders including Sickle-winged Guan.
Eventually Angel reappears to announce that he has failed to find his Giant Antpitta, which is no surprise as it is apparently three months since the last sighting. A huge bonus, however, is the appearance of a group of three adult and four fluffy young Dark-backed Wood-Quails which are attracted to within a couple of metres of the trail by morsels of food thrown by Angel; they really are great little birds and we know that until this group were habituated this species was nigh-on impossible to see.
As we progress uphill we note our first Violet-tailed Sylphs and Empress Brilliants, plus Three-striped Warbler, Flavescent Flycatcher, Scaly-throated Foliage-Gleaner and Rusty-winged Barbtail. Dazzling Toucan Barbets visit the bananas on the feeders, but the undoubted highlight of the morning is the appearance of Susan and her youngster, Angel’s habituated Moustached Antpittas. The amazing Antpitta comes to worms and hops within a few metres of our feet she collects mouthfuls of juicy morsels to feed her hungry fledgling close by on the forest floor.
Ascending to the top of the slope we spend a few minutes at the hummingbird feeders which are attracting a stunning variety of species. Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Violet-purple Coronet, Brown Inca, Empress Brilliant, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Booted Racket-tail, Buff-tailed Coronet, Purple-throated Woodstar, Andean Emerald, Violet-tailed Sylph and Green Violetear descend to the sugary water in a short space of time, before we descend to the breakfast table for a truly mouth-watering feast of local delicacies, washed down with superbly strong coffee.
Angel seems very laid-back about showing us Yellow-breasted Antpitta, and has even told us to dine beforehand, then we follow him by car to an adjoining property where he knows of a territory. A short walk brings us into the midst of a feeding flock, whose members include Flame-faced Tanager, Red-faced Spinetail, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager and both Yellow-vented and Crimson-mantled Woodpeckers.
After half an hours calling and whistling, the Yellow-breasted Antpitta is another no-show; perhaps Angel’s antpitta magic is starting to wear thin? There are certainly some great birds to be seen at Paz de las Aves, but the circus environment in which they perform is not everyone’s cup of tea and this definitely won’t go down as one of my favourite sites in Ecuador.
As we leave Angel’s farm the first few drops of rain begin to fall and by the time we have climbed to 2400m at Bellavista, the heavens have opened in a sustained downpour. We decide that the best option is to sit it out in the shelter of Bellavista Lodge where, after paying a nominal entrance fee, we are allowed to eat our own packed lunch next to the excellent hummingbird feeders. The fare here includes Collared Inca, Gorgetted Sunangel, Purple-throated Woodstar, Andean Emerald, Speckled Hummingbird, Booted Racket-tail, Buff-tailed Coronet, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Green Violetear, Fawn-breasted Brilliant and Violet-tailed Sylph, with Slaty-backed Nightingale Thrush and White-throated Quail-Dove also seen wandering the car park.
When the rain finally abates we head a little further up slope to bird from the road and are immediately confronted by Russet-crowned Warbler, Torquoise Jay, Montane Woodcreeper and a very showy pair of stunning Plate-billed Mountain Toucans. We are quite surprised to find that all the Tandayapa guides seem to know the exact whereabouts of the local Tanager Finches, an incredibly localised Andean speciality, and are even more surprised when one starts to sing in response to our recording. After twenty minutes of coaxing we have the bird sitting out right at the roadside, showing its boldly-striped black head and orange-rufous body to everyone’s delight and amazement!
For the remainder of the afternoon we take a steady walk down-slope, from 2400m to 1600m. Avian highlights include Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Grass-green, Black-capped, Metallic-green and Lemon-rumped Tanagers, Choco and Chestnut-capped Brush-Finches, Golden-headed Quetzal and a grand finale of two Sickle-winged Guans, which perch at eye level beside the road.
For what was essentially a bonus day tagged onto our Southern Ecuadorian tour we have seen a superb selection of species, including a handful of the most sought-after birds in the Country. Back at Alambi, the lovely Tania has rustled up another culinary delight, over which we raise a toast to an incredibly successful trip.
Saturday 16th April
All is not quite over, as we have a couple of spare hours before we need to set off to the airport. Electing to miss out a return visit to the Angel Paz Bird Circus, we make for the head of the Tandayapa Valley for a final bout of real Andean birding. This morning the jovial Jorge is again our chauffeur, and clearly brings us luck as a Chestnut-crowned Antpitta bounds over the road en route to our 2300m destination.
We soon drop onto a large feeding flock, whose numbers include Streaked Tuftedcheek, Rufous and Azara’s Spinetails, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Rufous-naped Brush-Finch, Sepia-brown Wren, Plushcap and our target Flammulated Treehunter. Descending to 2000m our walk down the gravel road notches up Golden-headed Quetzal, Golden-crowned Flycatcher and Andean Solitaire, though a calling Yellow-breasted Antpitta remains unseen. And then the breakfast table beckons.
Back at Alambi, Tania serves up a fantastic final breakfast, which we consume in the sunshine beside some of the best hummingbird feeders in Ecuador. Fifteen species are noted here, as follows: Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Brown Violetear, White-whiskered Hermit, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Purple-throated Woodstar, Booted Racket-tail, Collared Inca, both Andean and Western Emeralds, Green-crowned Brilliant, Green-crowned Woodnymph, Green Violetear, Gorgeted Sunangel and White-necked Jacobin.
With thank-yous and farewells complete, Jorge whisks us back to Quito and our flight back to Europe and our Ecuadorian travels are at an end. They have been extremely enjoyable and highly successful, and we are particularly indebted to Gabriel Bucheli for his hand in making them so. Special mention must also go to the Jocotoco Foundation, for their tremendous work in this very special country, one that we are certain we will revisit before too long.
Ian Merrill May 2011