ecuador photo tour - tropical birding€¦ · scarlet-bellied mountain tanager, masked and glossy...
TRANSCRIPT
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Ecuador Photo Tour 28 July – 6 August 2019
Guide: Pablo Cervantes D. (PC)
www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110
Antisana National Park (PC)
Our first site was Antisana, one of the most visited National Parks in Ecuador. One of its icons is the eponymous volcano that rises to 18700 ft. (5700 m.). It is not very common to have a blue sky at these elevations, however this time the weather favored us and so we could take many photos of landscapes where the even taller Cotopaxi Volcano showed its conical tip. This area is the habitat of birds like Carunculated Caracara, Andean Ibis, Slate-colored Coot, Andean Gull, Andean Lapwing, the majestic Andean Condor, Giant Hummingbird, and Black-tailed Trainbearer among others.
Antisana National Park (PC)
Blak-chested Buzzard-Eagle (PC)
Giant Hummingbird (MN)
Andean Fox (MN)
Ecuadorian Hillstar (PC)
We had two nights at Guango Lodge. The next morning began with some photography around the lodge, for some Green Jays, Turquoise Jays, and Mountain Caciques. We then headed to the top of Papallacta Pass to photograph some great landscapes and birds such as Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Tawny Antpitta, Andean Tit-Spinetail, White-chinned Thistlitail, and others. The majestic views and unusually great weather allowed us to capture amazing contrast between blue, green, brown, yellow and black hues. In the afternoon we returned to Guango to photograph hummingbirds. We shot more than 7 different species, including Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Long-tailed Sylph, and Buff-winged Starfrontlet.
Tawny Antpitta (PC)
Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan (PC)
Papallacta Pass
The weather next morning was not so nice with rain and fog making it hard to photograph, but we tried for species such as Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Cinereous Conebill, Shining Sunbean, Great Sappherwinge, and Mountain Cacique. We decided to return to Lodge to spend more time on the hummingbirds. Later on, a short walk allowed us to see species such as Grass-green Tanager, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Spectacled Whitestart, White-banded Tyrannulet, Cinamon Flycatcher, and Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant.
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager (PC)
White-bellied Woodstar (MN)
Sword-billed Hummingbird (MN) Masked Flowerpiercer (PC)
After a night back in Quito, we had our first day on the western side of the Andes in the Yanacocha Reserve. Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Masked and Glossy Flowerpiercers, Yellow-breasted Brushfinch, Great Sapphirewing, Shining Sunbeam, Andean Guan were some of the species at the feeders, allowing us to photograph them easily. Later on, we headed to Tandayapa Bird Lodge and spent the afternoon doing multiflash photography. Hummingbirds like Booted Racket-tail, Purple-throated Woodstar, Sparkling Violetear, Fawn-breasted Brillant, and Buff-tailed Coronet performed in front of us.
Andean Guan (PC)
Shining Sunbeam (PC)
Gray-browed Brushfinch (PC)
Yellow-breasted Brushfinch (PC) Nono Valley (MN)
Today was amazing and full of tanagers and hummingbirds, but first we visited the blind at Tandayapa Bird Lodge in order to photograph Zeledon’s Antbird, Streak-capped Treehunter, and White-throated Quail-Dove. After breakfast, we first went to some feeders at San Tadeo, one of the best spots for photography in the region. Flame-faced, Beryl-spangled, Golden, Black-capped, Blue-gray, Palm, White-lined, and Flame-rumped Tanagers all came to the feeders frequently, giving us ample opportunity to photograph them. Joining them were Thick-billed and Orange-belied Euphonias as well as unforgettable Red-headed Barbets and Crimson-rumped Toucanets. One other unusual visitor that showed up was a Western Mountain Coati.
Beryl-spangled Tanager (MN)
Western Mountain Coati (PC)
Palm Tanager (PC) Golden-naped Tanager (PC)
Collared Aracari (MN) Sparkling Violetear (MN)
In the afternoon we continued with multiflash photography, with good results. The most common species was Booted Racket-tail, followed by Buff-tailed Coronet, Andean Emerald, Brown Violetear, Sparkling Violetear, Lesser Violetear, and Rufous-tailed Hummingbird.
Booted Racket-tail (BW) Purple-throated Woodstar (MN)
Next day after breakfast we shot the birds coming in to eat moths near the blacklight: Chestnut-capped Brushfinch, Streak-capped Treehunter, Russet-crowned Warbler, Ornate Flycatcher, and Three-striped Warbler. After breakfast, we headed out to a new place simply called the “Birdwatcher’s House”. Here we photographed our main target, the Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, one of the most colorful of all toucans. Blue-capped, Flame-faced, Golden-naped, and Black-capped Tanagers also accompanied them at the fruit feeders. Nectar feeders also had hummingbirds like Gorgeted Sunangel, Violet-tailed Sylph, Brown Inca, and Speckled Hummingbird.
Plate-billed Mountain Toucan (PC)
Gorgered Sunangel (PC)
In the afternoon we headed back to San Tadeo for another chance to shoot the amazing birds at this superb location, which included Collared (Pale-mandible) Aracari, Black-chinned Mountain Tanager, Buff-throated Saltator, Golden Tanager, Empress Brillant, Velvet-purple Coronet, Violet-tailed Sylph. White-tailed Hillstar, Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, and Buff-throated Saltator. A Swallow-tailed Kite circled overhead as we watched the feeders.
Swallow-tailed Kite (PC) Purple-throated Woodstar (PC)
Blue-capped Tanager (MN)
Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch (MN) Velvet-purple Coronet (MN)
Mashpi-Amaguza Reserve is another of the fantastic places we visited on the Ecuador Photo Tour. It also has feeders with a different set of birds including Glistening-green, Moss-backed, and Rufous-throated Tanagers, Toucan Barbet, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, and Green Thorntail. After lunch, the next stop was Chontal, where we photographed the enigmatic Oilbird, which is an odd, nocturnal fruit-eating bird.
Glistening-green Tanager (PC) Moss-backed Tanager (PC)
Rufous-throated Tanager (PC)
Oilbird (MN) Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager (MN)
On the last day full day of the main tour, we visited the private reserve of Paz de las Aves. The owners, Angel and Rodrigo, showed us the beautiful and normally shy birds that the reserve is famous for. First we photographed Andean Cock-of-the-rock and Dark-backed Wood-Quail, then spent more time on tanagers. Finally we went to the site for the fabulous antpittas, getting Chestnut-crowned, Yellow-breasted, Ochre-breasted, and Moustached Antpittas. We returned to Tandayapa for lunch, then in the afternoon headed back to Quito for a final night.
Yellow-breasted Antpitta (MN) Andean Cock-of-the-rock (MN)
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta (PC) Dark-backed Wood-Quail (PC)
Many thanks to our friends for sharing their photos for this report. MN: Mike and Georganne Neubauer BW: Barbara White and Brannigan John The following pages have a list of birds photographed on this tour.
DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS HUMMINGBIRDS
Andean Teal White-necked Jacobin
CRACIDS White-whiskered Hermit
Andean Guan Tawny-bellied Hermit
NEW WORLD QUAIL Brown Violetear
Dark-backed Wood-Quail Green Violetear
HERONS, EGRETS, BITTERNS Sparkling Violetear
Cattle Egret Gorgeted Sunangel
IBIS AND SPOONBILLS Tourmaline Sunangel
Black-faced (Andean) Ibis Green Thorntail
NEW WORLD VULTURES Speckled Hummingbird
Black Vulture Long-tailed Sylph
Turkey Vulture Violet-tailed Sylph
Andean Condor Ecuadorian Hillstar
HAWKS, EAGLES, KITES Black-tailed Trainbearer
Hook-billed Kite Tyrian Metaltail
Swallow-tailed Kite Hoary Puffleg
Roadside Hawk Crowned (Green-crowned) Woodnymph
Variable Hawk Andean Emerald
Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
RAILS, GALLINULES, COOTS TROGONS
Slate-colored (Andean) Coot Golden-headed Quetzal
PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS Masked Trogon
Andean Lapwing MOTMOTS
GULLS Rufous Motmot
Andean Gull NEW WORLD BARBETS
PIGEONS AND DOVES Red-headed Barbet
Rock Pigeon TOUCAN-BARBETS
Black-winged Ground-Dove Toucan Barbet
White-tipped Dove TOUCANS
White-throated Quail-Dove Emerald Toucanet
CUCKOOS Chestnut-tipped Toucanet
Smooth-billed Ani Crimson-rumped Toucanet
NIGHTJARS Collared (Pale-mandibled) Aracari
Lyre-tailed Nightjar
WOODPECKERS CROWS JAYS AND MAGPIES
Yellow-vented Woodpecker Turquoise Jay
Lineated Woodpecker Green (Inca) Jay
FALCONS AND CARACARAS SWALLOWS
Carunculated Caracara Blue-and-white Swallow
PARROTS Brown-bellied Swallow
Red-billed Parrot WRENS
TYPICAL ANTBIRDS Mountain Wren
Zeledon's (Immaculate) Antbird Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
ANTPITTAS THRUSHES AND ALLIES
Moustached Antpitta Ecuadorian Thrush
Ochre-striped Antpitta Great Thrush
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta Glossy-black Thrush
Yellow-breasted Antpitta NEW WORLD WARBLERS
Tawny Antpitta Three-striped Warbler
OVENBIRDS & WOODCREEPERS Russet-crowned Warbler
Strong-billed Woodcreeper Slate-throated Redstart (Whitestart)
Montane Woodcreeper Spectacled Redstart (Whitestart)
Chestnut-winged (Bar-winged) Cinclodes TANAGERS AND ALLIES
Stout-billed Cinclodes Gray-hooded Bush Tanager
Streak-capped Treehunter White-lined Tanager
Pearled Treerunner Flame-rumped (Lemon-rumped) Tanager
Andean Tit-Spinetail Moss-backed Tanager
White-chinned Thistletail Hooded Mountain-Tanager
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS Grass-green Tanager
Ornate Flycatcher Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager
Cinnamon Flycatcher Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager
Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager
Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant Glistening-green Tanager
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant Blue-gray Tanager
Social Flycatcher Palm Tanager
Tropical Kingbird Blue-capped Tanager
COTINGAS Golden-naped Tanager
Orange-breasted Fruiteater Black-capped Tanager
Andean Cock-of-the-rock Rufous-throated Tanager
TANAGERS AND ALLIES
Beryl-spangled Tanager
Flame-faced Tanager
Golden Tanager
Golden-collared Honeycreeper
Glossy Flowerpiercer
Black Flowerpiercer
White-sided Flowerpiercer
Masked Flowerpiercer
Plumbeous Sierra-Finch
Variable Seedeater
Plain-colored Seedeater
Buff-throated Saltator
Black-winged Saltator
SPARROWS AND ALLIES
Common Chlorospingus (Bush-Tanager)
Black-striped Sparrow
Gray-browed (Stripe-headed) Brushfinch
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Yellow-breasted (Rufous-naped) Brushfinch
TROUPIALS AND ALLIES
Scrub Blackbird
(Northern) Mountain Cacique
SISKINS AND ALLIES
Thick-billed Euphonia
Orange-bellied Euphonia