Ecuador contacts

Whilst at Guango Lodge we met three very enthusiastic adventurous birders / naturalists who run PhotoWildlifeTours who not only had a wealth of knowledge of Ecuadors' birds and sites but were also expert in capturing some incredible images. See their website at www.photowildlifetours.com

We made all of our arrangements / bookings for our November / December trip to Ecuador at short notice in just over a week with much advice and help that we greatly appreciated from those listed below for each site:

Hosteria Pampallacta Termales: Pablo Gonzalez: reservas@pampallactatermales.com

Guango Lodge: Irene Bustamante: irene@birdecuador.com

Kopal Cabins & Pizzeria: Koos Quellhorst: kopalecuador@hotmail.com

San Isidro Lodge: Carmen Bustamante: carmen@cabanasanisidro.com

Wildsumaco: Fernanda Suarez: office@wildsumaco.com

Hosteria El Paraiso de las Orquideas: elparaisodelasorquideas@yahoo.com

Gareno Lodge: Sandro Aguinda: garenolodge.huao@yahoo.es

Pululahua Hostal: Renato Espinosa: info@pululahuahostal.com

Paz de Aves: Vinizio Paz: refugioavespaz@gmail.com

Umbrellabird Lodge 23 de Junio: Luis Ajila:umbrellabirds23dejunio@hotmail.com

Mashpi Chocolate Farm: Alejandro Solano: jhalezion@gmail.com

Bellavista: Jens Larsen: info@bellavistacloudforest.com

Peruvian Antpitta at Cabanas San Isidro

6th December 2017 Bellavista

We spent the early morning again birding around the lodge and nearby trails seeing both White-throated Quail-Dove and Spillmann's Tapaculo at the Bellavista compost heap. We then drove down to Tony Nunnery's garden where we enjoyed watching the Hummingbird feeders where a White-tailed Hillstar proved an unexpected bonus. A passing mixed-species flock contained a male Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia but unfortunately we again failed to see Beautiful Jay despite hearing one nearby. In the afternoon we descended lower in our search for the Jay concentrating on the quarry and nearby waterfalls again only succeeded in hearing the species. After an uneventful journey back to Quito airport Avis gave our car a close inspection but failed to find any problems and we enjoyed four seats between the two of us on our KLM flight back to Schipol. Once there, annoyingly, KLM had cancelled our connecting flight to Aberdeen that they said was due to poor weather although both Schipol and Aberdeen airports were open. Despite being an international carrier operating out of an international airport they wouldn't make an international call to Loganair to let them know that we would therefore miss our onward flight from Aberdeen to Shetland that needless to say departed on time. We finally made the call ourselves and thankfully Loganir were exemplary in re-booking our flights for the following day. We weren't the only disgruntled delayed passengers to find it no great surprise that the KLM late evening flight from Schipol to Aberdeen had enough room to accommodate all the passengers from both flights - no doubt, just coincidence!

Turkey Vulture 1
Barred Hawk 2
Broad-winged Hawk 2
Plumbeous Pigeon 2
White-tipped Dove 2
White-throated Quail-Dove 1
White-capped/Speckle-faced Parrot 40
White-collared Swift 4
White-necked Jacobin 1
Brown Violetear 2
Sparkling Violetear 1
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird 4
Andean Emerald 2
Speckled Hummingbird 2
Purple-bibbed Whitetip 4
Green-crowned Brilliant 1
WHITE-TAILED HILLSTAR 1
Brown Inca 1
Collared Inca 1
Buff-tailed Coronet 10
Gorgeted Sunangel 2 males
Booted Racket-tail 6
Violet-tailed Sylph 2
Toucan Barbet 2
Slaty Spinetail 2
Lineated Foliage-gleaner 1
Strong-billed Woodcreeper 2
Rufous-breasted Antthrush h
Spillmann's Tapaculo 1
White-tailed Tyrannulet 2
Cinnamon Flycatcher 1
Smoke-coloured Pewee 1
Golden-crowned Flycatcher 1
White-winged Becard 1
BEAUTIFUL JAY h
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush 1
Glossy-black Thrush 4
Grey-breasted Wood-Wren 4
Blackburnian Warbler 2
Slate-throated Whitestart 2
Russet-crowned Warbler 4
CHESTNUT-BREASTED CHLOROPHONIA 1 male
Orange-bellied Euphonia 1 male
Golden Tanager 2
Flame-faced Tanager 2
Golden-naped Tanager 2
Beryl-spangled Tanager 2
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager 2
White-winged Brush-Finch 6
Rufous-collared Sparrow 2

At last a beautiful morning to enjoy views of Tandayapa Valley

this Butterfly no doubt enjoying the better weather too

Golden-crowned Flycatcher at Bellavista

Strong-billed Woodcreeper at Bellavista

Male Glossy-black Thrush at Bellavista


White-throated Quail-Dove at Bellavista

Juvenile Grey-breasted Wood-Wren at Bellavista

Spillmann's Tapaculo at Bellavista


Barred Hawk over Tony Nunnery's garden

Plumbeous Pigeons at Tony Nunnery's garden

Male Orange-bellied Euphonia at Tony Nunnery's garden

Golden-naped Tanagers at Tony Nunnery's garden

Golden Tanager at Tony Nunnery's garden

White-tailed Hillstar at Tony Nunnery's garden

Male Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia at Tony Nunnery's garden

a terrible shot but of a beautiful species that proved to be our final new bird of the trip

Fallen fruit at Tandayapa

the approach to a frozen Sumburgh airport

5th December 2017 Bellavista

An overcast but dry morning that we spent birding around the lodge and nearby trails with the later producing a tape-responsive Spillmann's Tapaculo. We then drove down the hillside to Tony Nunnery's garden. We met Tony and he kindly showed us an active Brown Inca's nest. He had also seen Beautiful Jay in his garden during the morning so he suggested that we should return the next morning. Late in the day an unexpected tick was provided by a Striped Treehunter that had been found roosting in the dining hall by one of the catering team!

Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Band-tailed Pigeon 5
White-tipped Dove 1
White-throated Quail-Dove 2
Andean Emerald 1
Speckled Hummingbird 4
Green-crowned Brilliant 1
Brown Inca 1
Collared Inca 2
Buff-tailed Coronet 15
Booted Racket-tail 6
Violet-tailed Sylph 2
Purple-throated Woodstar 2
Masked Trogon 1
Red-headed Barbet 2
Toucan Barbet 6
Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan 1
STRIPED TREEHUNTER 1
Montane Woodcreeper 2
SPILLMANN'S TAPACULO 1
White-tailed Tyrannulet 4
Streak-necked Flycatcher 1
Smoke-coloured Peewee 1
Golden-crowned Flycatcher 1
Green-and-black Fruiteater 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush 1
Glossy-black Thrush 1
Blue-and-white Swallow 4
Grey-breasted Wood-Wren 4
Blackburnian Warbler 4
Slate-throated Whitestart 6
Three-striped Warbler 2
Russet-crowned Warbler 6
Masked Flowerpiercer 4
White-sided Flowerpiercer 4
Golden-rumped Euphonia 2
Golden Tanager 4
Flame-faced Tanager 2
Beryl-spangled Tanager 1
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager 6
Southern Yellow Grosbeak 2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
BLUE SEEDEATER 1 female
White-winged Brush-Finch 4
Rufous-collared Sparrow 6

Our 'budget' room at Bellavista

Tandayapa Valley from Bellavista

Toucan Barbet at Bellavista

Blackburnian Warbler at Bellavista
Oh to find one of these on Unst!

Russet-crowned Warblers at Bellavista

Slate-throated Whitestart at Bellavista

White-tailed Tyrannulet at Bellavista

Grey-breasted Wood-Wren at Bellavista

Male White-sided Flowerpiercers at Bellavista

Male Masked Flowerpiercers at Bellavista

Flame-faced Tanager at Bellavista

White-winged Brush-Finch at Bellavista

Andean Emerald at Bellavista

Male Booted Racket-tails at Bellavista

Male Violet-tailed Sylph at Bellavista

Montane Woodcreeper at Bellavista

Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush at Bellavista

Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan at Bellavista

Bronzy Inca nest at Tony Nunnery's garden