Andes Introtour

28 December 2005 – 03 January 2006

Leader: Mark Gurney

All the photos in the report were taken on the tour.

© Mark Gurney 2005, 2006.

29 December

We began our birding in the temperate forest at Yanacocha on the slopes of Pichincha Volcano above Quito.  The first bird we saw on arrival was a beautiful Golden-crowned Tanager, one of the more elusive of the resident birds here, and a very good start.  A Barred Fruiteater awaited us in the forest, and walking down the Spectacled Bear Trail we were treated to amazing views of two Undulated Antpittas sitting on a log by the side of the path.  Mixed flocks along the way contained Grass-green Tanager, Black-chested Mountain-Tanager, Streaked Tuftedcheek, and Superciliaried Hemispingus, and by the time we reached the end feeders we had all enjoyed some of the best Andean birds.  The hummingbirds at the feeders were not disappointing, and we sat for a while as blues and greens whirred around us, with some extra colour provided by a male Rainbow-bearded Thornbill.

Driving down the old road to Mindo after lunch, we stopped for Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant and a pair of Masked Trogons before arriving at the Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek in time for the late afternoon show.  At least four males were present, bobbing and flapping on branches whilst squawking noisily.

Even the dazzling display of hummers in the morning had not prepared everyone for the feeders at Tandayapa Bird Lodge, where the balcony was buzzing.  After the initial amazement we began to sort out the species and ended the day with a total of twenty-five hummingbirds.

30 December

Sitting in the hide at dawn we watched a Strong-billed Woodcreeper feeding on grubs in the compost heap, then returned to the Lodge for breakfast with Grey-breasted Wood-Wren, Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant, and Streak-capped Treehunter.  The highlights of our walk along the trails were a Golden-headed Quetzal, two Crimson-mantled Woodpeckers, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, and Olivaceous Piha.  Heading up the road towards the upper valley in the afternoon, we admired a male Swallow-tailed Nightjar on its roost, and got superb views of two male Green-and-black Fruiteaters.

31 December

A grey morning greeted us at Milpe, but some at least some colour was provided a Toucan Barbet near the start of the trails.  A roadrunner-like Striped Cuckoo tried to entertain us with its crest-raising routine, but for amusement nothing could beat the antics of the lekking Club-winged Manakins.  As the fog became thicker we went for an early lunch at the restaurant in Los Bancos.  Everyone was sceptical when I said that this could provide some of the most memorable birding on the trip, but as the first of sixteen tanager species began to arrive to feed on the bananas just outside the windows, they began to see that I might be right.  We watched a stunning parade of birds coming and going in front of us, including Silver-throated, Blue-necked, Emerald, Rufous-throated, Golden, and Flame-faced Tanagers, Green Honeycreepers, and an Orange-billed Sparrow.  The main course was interrupted by a Pallid Dove walking by, offering us a good opportunity to see this normally shy species.  The hummingbird feeders were another source of colour, with the brilliant Green-crowned Woodnymph and the ever so cute Green Thorntail.

Satiated with birds and excellent food, we drove back down the Milpe road, where our stop at a new eco-tourism place coincided with a mixed flock passing through.  The star was the Moss-backed Tanager, but Rufous-rumped Antwren and White-bearded Manakin were excellent birds, and the views were amazing as they passed through the compound - it is not often I am able to give directions to Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaners as being 'above the bin, next to the blue pants on the washing line.'  A few Ornate Flycatchers tried to win the best tyrant flycatcher award, but they were beaten by a couple of Rufous-winged Tyrannulets.  Further along the road we found four Chocó Toucans and a few Pale-mandibled Araçaris in the trees, and a Snowy-throated Kingbird sitting obligingly on a post.

01 January

One of the first birds of the New Year was a Rufous Motmot that flew across in front of us and landed by a stream in the lower Tandayapa Valley as we were on our way to San Tadeo.  Arriving at our destination, we began looking for our main target, Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager, and soon found two in the roadside trees.  A Mountain Wren, Masked Water-Tyrant, Pacific Hornero, and four Scrub Blackbirds were here too.  As there was still a lot of fog clouding the higher ground, we decided to check out the light at the police hut by the Mindo turn-off to see if it had attracted any moths and the birds that feed on them.  There were plenty of insects, including the giant Ascalapha odorata and the attractive hawk-moth Agrius cingulata.  Taking advantage of this potential feast were several Sepia-brown Wrens, Streaked Flycatcher, Masked Trogon, Lineated Foliage-gleaner, Toucan Barbet, and a confusingly patterned immature male One-coloured Becard.  We also had the opportunity to compare Squirrel and Little Cuckoos as they appeared side-by-side.

The fog was still lingering, but we had to head up the hill if we were to stand any chance of finding some different mixed flocks and the spectacular birds of the upper elevations.  Our first flock appeared in a break in the clouds so were able to appreciate properly Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Long-tailed Antbird, Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant, Western Hemispingus, and another Toucan Barbet, but none of these was greeted with as much excitement as the Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan that flew in above us and showed off its full range of colours.

After lunch back at the Lodge we had another hour or so to get to grips with the hummingbirds at the feeders, then we drove slowly up the Nono road.  We were particularly hoping to find White-capped Dipper, and had only reached Tandayapa village when we achieved our goal as two were on the rocks by the bridge.  The next stop was for a young Crested Quetzal, followed by another Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, and Woody found a very obliging Sickle-winged Guan in a cecropia tree further up the road.  Rufous-bellied Nighthawks at dusk finished the day off nicely.

02 January

It is hard to summarise what was one of the best days I have ever had at Río Silanche: we saw 126 species between us.  It started well with a male Scarlet-breasted Dacnis, Orange-crowned Euphonia, and Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, but by the time we arrived at the reserve and had climbed up the tower it was rather sunny and activity seemed to have died down.  At least we were able to see some raptors, with a set of very elegant kites - Swallow-tailed, Plumbeous, Double-toothed, and Grey-headed - and a pair of Bat Falcons.  Seeking the shade of the forest trails, things soon picked up.  A roosting Common Potoo was much appreciated, as was a Broad-billed Motmot.  A small understory flock gave us Checker-throated and White-flanked Antwrens and a White-whiskered Puffbird, a Band-tailed Barbthroat co-operated by sitting on some low branches for us, and a Purple-chested Hummingbird sang from vines.  We eventually encountered a large mixed flock, which kept us busy for a large part of the rest of the day.  Tawny-crested and Dusky-faced Tanagers shared the lower levels with Dot-winged Antwren, Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher, Western Woodhaunter, Stripe-throated Wren, and Western Slaty-Antshrike, whilst up in the canopy Red-headed Barbet, Scarlet-browed Tanager, Yellow-tufted Dacnis, Double-banded Greytail, and Slate-throated Gnatcatcher were amongst the birds moving from tree to tree.  The most heart-stopping moment for me was when a pair of Veniliornis woodpeckers appeared and refused to have the expected red rumps, making them Chocó Woodpeckers.  After the flock had moved on we still had more birds to enjoy, with Chocó Toucans, Pale-mandibled Araçaris, Western White-tailed Trogon, and Chocó Trogon.  As it was now getting into the late afternoon I suggested that we have ten more minutes up the tower before heading back to the Lodge.  It was a good plan, but soon scuppered as the big mixed flock appeared again, this time passing by the trees next to the tower, and allowing us unparalleled views of some of the canopy birds we had seen from below, as well as many new ones.  For about twenty minutes it was hard to know where to look as so many species came through, but the highlights were a gorgeous male Scarlet-breasted Dacnis at eye level, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Rufous-winged and Grey-and-gold Tanagers, Grey-mantled Wren, a pair of Orange-fronted Barbets, Double-banded Greytail so close I could almost touch it, and just seeing even the common birds from a new angle.  The birds passed and we tried to leave, but were stopped several times on the way out, first by Pacific Parrotlets, then by a Barred Puffbird, and finally a Ringed Kingfisher perched on wires above a stream.  Sipping some celebratory beer on the way home, Andy said it was one the best days he could remember, and nobody would argue with that.

03 January

We would never be able to match our day in the lowlands for quantity, but today provided an equally memorable finish to the holiday.  We arrived early morning at Paz de Aves, a new private reserve where the normally secretive antpittas have become used to being fed worms by Ángel Paz, the owner.  Even without any bait we saw a Rufous-breasted Antthrush walking along the trail in font of us, and a female Scaled Fruiteater in a tree.  We waited as Ángel dug for some worms, then followed him to a small stream where he called to our first Giant Antpitta, who arrived on the trail about fifteen metres ahead of us.  After throwing a few worms for this bird, he took us back up the trail to where another was present.  This one was much less afraid then the last, and took the worms from a large leaf placed on the ground less than five metres from us.  Up near the entrance it was the turn of Moustached Antpitta, a smaller and shier bird then the Giants, which was happy to eat in an opening in the vegetation by the side of the trail.  This was then joined by what was traditionally considered the hardest to see of all the ground antbirds in the area - a Yellow-breasted Antpitta in full view on the limit of our close-focussing.  After our amazing close encounters, we climbed back up to the farmhouse after watching a Velvet-purple Coronet at the feeders and Black-and-white Seedeaters and Yellow-faced Grassquits in the planted areas.  Mrs Paz's delicious cheese bolones were much appreciated before we set off back to Tandayapa Bird Lodge for lunch.

After lunch, we spent our last moments at Tandayapa with the hummingbirds at the feeders and the birds that were coming to the fruiting bushes on the balcony.  These included Metallic-green, Black-capped, and Beryl-spangled Tanagers, Ecuadorian Thrush, and a gorgeous male Southern Yellow-Grosbeak.  A Crimson-mantled Woodpecker appeared just as we were leaving, and we reluctantly made our way back to Quito, where flights were waiting next morning to take people home.

Species List

We saw a total of 291 species (not including birds seen only by the leader), and heard another 26.  The birds seen include 22 Restricted Range Species (in bold, 19 of them Chocó endemics), 35 hummingbirds, and 59 tanagers.

Regional endemics, as listed in Birds of Ecuador: Status, Distribution and Taxonomy, by Robert S Ridgley and Paul J Greenfield, are marked:TL = Tumbesian Lowlands endemic, WL = Western Lowlands endemic, WS = West Slope of Andes endemic, IA = Interandean Valley endemic, ES = East Slope of Andes endemic. Globally threatened species are in red.