After a spectacular introduction to this beautiful country on the first day, we visited more special locations. I wrote down 53 new birds on that first day. We visited Refugio Paz de las Aves the next day. This special place is the hard work of a family keeping their land for conservation and for the birds. We arrived before sunrise, walked over the recent landslide, and were treated to views of usually hard-to-find birds. Birders with big cameras had some great photos. We saw Andean Cock-of-the-Rock (a bright orange red Cotinga), 5 species of Antpittas, Tanagers, Hummingbirds, and more. I took this photo of a Chestnut crowned Antpitta that came when called for its morning treat of mealworms. To read more about Refugio Paz, look at their website www.refugiopazdelasaves.com
Cave of the Oilbird was next. I find it amazing that this bird has survived through the years and did not become extinct. The early settlers would take its young and burn them in oil lamps, hence the name Oilbird. Oilbirds are in the order Caprimulgiformes, ancestors to the Nightjars. They are nocturnal fruit eaters who navigate using echo-location, much as bats do.We ended the day driving along Mashpi Rd to Amagusa Preserve. Tanagers in colors I have not ever seen before (bright green, yellow, or vivid blue) , and hummingbirds called Whitetips, Thorntails, and Hermits. During the day we saw Swallow-tailed Kites, Swallow Tanagers, and Blue-and-White Swallows. Photo to the left shows Blue winged Mountain Tanagers enjoying bananas at a feeder.
Typical forest in the Mindo area with Cecropia trees and other canopy species. When birds come by in a flock they can be difficult to see high in the canopy hidden by large leaves.
More Cecropia trees and Bromeliads.
Bromeliad growing high on a trunk is flowering with a red flower.
Finding the Umbrellabird was another adventure. We stayed overnight in a cabin belonging to the guide Luis. In the pre-dawn darkness we drove up a steep dirt road, forded 2 rivers and stopped at the top of a rise. The 3rd river was forded on foot. We walked up another steep muddy road still under construction to become a road. Luis guided us to the top of another hill and we waited. Dense fog came and went, and enveloped us again. Finally the Long-wattled Umbrellabird flew in to the tree and perched. The photographer had his photos and we walked down the mountain all happy birders.
During the dense fog we heard other birds.
Swainson's Thrushes, Blackburnian Warblers, Olive-sided Flycatchers, and other familiar neotropical migrants spend the winter in Ecuador. A nice winter vacation for them.
