Mangaloma: January 30, 2010

Mangaloma is a sizable reserve in the northwestern lowlands located only a thirty minute drive from San Miguel de los Bancos. At 200 hectares itself, plus another 500 hectares of non-protected humid forest, the site contains more than enough habitat to support a healthy population of birds, making it a clear winner over Rio Silanche in terms of its birding potential and longevity as a conservation project. While not often visited by birding tours, Mangaloma is famous for its occasional sightings of the Banded Ground-Cuckoo, which is one of the great mythical birds of the world, a magnificent Chocó endemic that is basically never seen except at antswarms and even then rarely. The site deserves more notoriety, though, for its other outstanding endemic foothill and lowland species, including the Rufous-Crowned Antpitta, which has almost reached mythical status itself due to habitat loss.

I arranged my visit by phone, following the instructions in Charles Hesse's excellent trip report from 2006 (making arrangements beforehand is mandatory, and non-guided visits cost $10). Scouting out the site on Friday evening, I found the reserve without trouble following Sam Woods' thrilling account of his twitch of the Banded Ground-Cuckoo of 2006, noting that the access roads have improved to the point where four-wheel drive is no longer necessary (high clearance still is, though). I saw a few good birds in the woodland approaching the entrance to the reserve including Silver-Throated Tanager and Scarlet-Backed Woodpecker, and heard a pair of White-Throated Crakes calling loudly from some pastureland. Returning to los Bancos for the night, I spoke with Patricio, the owner of the Restaurant Mirador los Bancos, who told me that Dusan Brinkhuizen and two clients had visited Mangaloma on Wednesday having seen both the Long-Wattled Umbrellabird and Rufous-Crowned Antpitta. The latter obviously shocked me, as the antpitta is rare and local even where the boldest birders fear to tread in the northwestern lowlands (it could be just uncommon and local in unexplored parts of Cotocachi-Cayapas National Park, though). Now knowing the full potential of my visit, I had trouble getting to sleep that night.

Starting early enough that morning to encounter several Pauraque on the access road, I rang for Alvaro, the park ranger, at the gate, and he led me down to the beginning of the Blue Trail, from which two loop trails, the Red and Yellow, branch off. It was raining lightly and the trail was wet, muddy, and very slippery as I made slow progress up the hill from the river. Stopping at a clearing full of vines, I found a pair of Dusky Antbirds that were joined by Chestnut-Backed Antbirds, all calling noisily from the undergrowth and difficult to get good looks at. Leaving my scope behind at a fallen tree, I entered mature forest finding an understory flock after a few minutes, filled with Ochre-Breasted Tanagers and several species of antwren. Between the two junctions where the Red and Yellow Trails rejoin the Blue, I suddenly walked into what seemed like an antpitta crossfire, as at least two Rufous-Crowned Antpittas were loudly calling away on either side of the trail. Having only heard but not seen this unique antpitta at Rio Canande several months ago, I steeled myself for a battle to get a glimpse of one. Strangely, it didn't take much effort, as they were already so close to the trail and stopped moving once they launched into their thirty second series of monotone whistles (check out Roger Ahlman's superb recording at Xeno Canto). Breathlessly, I watched just the head of a male as he called from deep within the undergrowth, his long, black eye stripe striking and crown richly colored. I caught up with him again down the trail and pushed into the undergrowth deeper this time, as he let me approach within a few meters as he continued to call for almost a minute. This time I had my camera ready and with my ISO value set to one million, or something, I fired away on my 300mm lens (this photograph hasn't been cropped). The bold facial pattern, the fine barring on the breast and belly, the delicately spotted wings, the richly streaked back -- this is perhaps my finest bird seen in Ecuador.

With something like pure joy in my heart, I made my way further up the Blue Trail, slipping and falling repeatedly in the mud, smiling like an idiot all the while until I eventually lacerated my forearm on some cut bamboo. Pushing ahead, I encountered some great forest birds including Golden-Winged Manakin, Black-Headed Antthrush, and Indigo-Crowned Quail-Dove. Groups of Tawny-Faced Gnatwren were everywhere, and I located a Plumbeous Kite perched in a bare tree way overhead. When I reached the top of the hill it finally stopped raining for a few hours, and the bird activity increased dramatically with large tanager flocks moving overhead and Choco and Chestnut-Mandibled Toucans calling from all sides. One great flock in particular held Gray-and-Gold Tanager and Rufous Mourner, which were both seen at eye level given the steep slope of the ridge. Frankly, I thought the mourner was a cotinga but it's classified as a tyrannid, despite looking just like the Rufous Piha and very similar to the laniocera mourners, all cotingas. Sometimes I'm glad that the construction of knowledge isn't my business.

With my arm bleeding through my shirt it was only fitting at this point as a reward to see a displaying Long-Wattled Umbrellabird out in the open, almost at eye level in a relatively bare tree thirty meters away. Jet black and back lit, the bird was a little tough to see at first despite its large size, but as my eyes adjusted I slowly parsed its outline, visually tracing its incredible features for the first time. First, one notices the heavy crow-like beak that is almost completely umbrella-ed by a dashing crest combed over into a ridiculous curl that would make any greaser proud. Almost by some force of gravity, the eyes are then dragged down the male's shocking, almost vulgar, wattle which at first looks like a branch or thing apart from the bird. Dramatically extending below a perched bird at rest, the wattle can then be elongated almost to twice that length, reaching 30 cm at its most dangled. The male I was watching seemed to be bouncing his wattle up and down as if it were a spring, making its booming foghorn call several times at widely spaced intervals. Eventually it flew higher into the canopy of a dense tree, but I heard several males calling during the next few hours before it started raining again, very low-pitched and far-carrying. Ready to leave by noon, then, I was soaked, bloody, and covered in mud, but deeply satisfied by my marvelous encounters with two jewels of the Chocó crown.

Update: Alejandro Solano, one of the owners of the reserve, wanted me to reiterate that the playback of calls of threatened and rare birds is strictly prohibited on the property, including that of the Rufous-Crowned Antpitta. Obviously, birders shouldn't be walking the lower trails trolling for the Banded Ground-Cuckoo, either.

Notable birds seen: Plumbeous Kite, Indigo-Crowned Quail-Dove, Pauraque, White-Whiskered Hermit, Green Kingfisher, Pale-Mandibled Aracari, Choco Toucan, Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan, Black-Cheeked Woodpecker, Scarlet-Backed Woodpecker, Spotted Woodcreeper, Streak-Headed Woodcreeper, Pacific Antwren, Checker-Throated Antwren, Dusky Antbird, Chestnut-Backed Antbird, Bicolored Antbird, Black-Headed Antthrush, Rufous-Crowned Antpitta, Sooty-Headed Tyrannulet, Sulphur-Rumped Tyrannulet, Rufous Mourner, Long-Wattled Umbrellabird, Golden-Winged Manakin, Swainson's Thrush, Ecuadorian Thrush, Bay Wren, Tawny-Faced Gnatwren, Choco Warbler, Buff-Rumped Warbler, Yellow-Tufted Dacnis, Gray-and-Gold Tanager, Silver-Throated Tanager, Bay-Headed Tanager, Ochre-Breasted Tanager, Dusky-Faced Tanager, White-Shouldered Tanager, Scarlet-Rumped Cacique.

Milpe Road: January 31, 2010

After a thrilling morning at Mangaloma, I returned to San Miguel de los Bancos to have lunch and weigh my options for the afternoon. Given that the weather was wet and visibility low, I decided to return to Quito to meet Aimee the following morning, who was finally returning from her six-week research trip in Brazil for Lonely Planet. On passing the Milpe road just outside of town, I noticed that the weather was starting to clear and decided instead to drive the road to see if any unusual birds were drying out on the treetops. This well-known road passes by at least three birding reserves, including Mindo Cloudforest Foundation's Milpe Bird Sanctuary, and is a good site for mixed flocks of subtropical and foothill species, parrots, toucans, and the occasional raptor. It used to be a reliable site for Moss-Backed Tanager as well, which seems to have disappeared for the last few years until very recently. Guide Jose Illanes reported seeing one just last week, as well as a Scaly-Throated Leaftosser feeding nestlings somewhere along the trails.

Driving slowly and stopping whenever I encountered bird activity, I spent the rest of the day observing through my scope Bronze-Winged Parrots and a variety of toucans, at point noting a group of fifteen Chestnut-Mandibled Toucans hanging out in the same tree. There wasn't much mixed flock activity except for some common tanagers and foliage-gleaners, but I did note several large Roadside Hawks and a solitary Plumbeous Kite perched in a treetop far in the distance. Stopping by the office at Milpe Bird Sanctuary to buy a tanager t-shirt, I met the founder Brian Krohnke and asked him about the new MCF property, which indeed runs along the Mindo Pipeline starting at the Tandayapa pass. Having birded this site myself earlier this month and seen some terrific temperate forest birds, I thanked him for opening up access to the area and then made the return trip to Quito in the dark.

Notable birds seen: Roadside Hawk, Plumbeous Kite, Bronze-Winged Parrot, Maroon-Tailed Parakeet, Choco Toucan, Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan, Pale-Mandibled Aracari, Buff-Throated Foliage-Gleaner, Blue-Necked Tanager.

Reserva Ecologica de Guapiacu, Brasil: December 20-23, 2009

As if living and working in Ecuador wasn't enough of a privilege for a birder, I have also been fortunate enough to travel during my vacations to other South American countries, such as Peru and Suriname, thanks to Aimee's position at Lonely Planet. When she told me that she was being considered as one of the writers to update the Brazil guidebook, my head started spinning with possibilities. Would her region include part of Amazonia or the Pantanal? Maybe it would contain some Atlantic rainforest instead? Given Brazil's incredible size and bird species diversity, it ultimately didn't matter. Regardless of where she was assigned to research, I could tag along and observe some amazing birds.

As with our travels last summer in endemic-rich northern Peru, Aimee and I were required to compromise on this trip between her profession and my passion. There's no way I can visit every site on a typical birding tour of the region because she has a job to do, albeit a job that takes her to many beautiful and interesting tourist sites. Although she was assigned the far southeastern states to cover, she generously me allowed a few day's of birding at one of the famous reserves a few hours outside Rio de Janiero; in turn, I agreed not to drag us to every state park and private reserve in the states of Parana, Santa Catarina, and Porto do Alegre while she was trying to research her territory.

Just seven percent of Brazil's original Atlantic rainforest remains, but there are still a wide variety of birding options in the region. I ultimately decided on the private Reserva Ecologica de Guapiacu, or REGUA, in part because it was one of the few bird lodges open during this time of year, strangely. A three-night stay yielded two full days of birding with an afternoon and early morning excursion after arrival and before departure, respectively. Like other lodges in the region, such as Serra dos Tucanos, a full and meaningful visit to REGUA necessitates at least a week, as many important day trips can be made to higher elevations and different habitats to pick up additional species such as the Three-Toed Jacamar, Gray-Winged and Swallow-Tailed Cotingas, Restinga Antwren, Hooded Berryeater, and White-Bearded Antshrike. Sadly, we didn't have the time to make any of these excursions, as again these trips of ours are about compromise, but the birding around the lodge was simply outstanding and a surprising number of endemics were seen.

Opened in 2004, the lodge itself is set on top of a small hill looking west out over an impressively restored wetlands system towards the spectacular Serra dos Orgaos, a lushly forested mountain range boasting spectacular granite peaks that humble those of Yosemite Valley. Having visited a wide variety of bird lodges on our travels in South America, and spent a hefty sum doing so, Aimee and I were shocked by the quality of the lodge itself and its posh rooms given the cost of our stay. It's a good thing our room was so comfortable too as Aimee fell ill on our first day, spending the rest of our visit in bed or watching the nectar and fruit feeders.

With private excursions outside the reserve being too expensive and time-consuming for a party of one, I decided to structure my visit around three bird habitats: Atlantic rainforest and woodland via the Waterfall Trail and the 4x4 Trail; wetlands via the various Wetland Trails; and scrub and open country via the grounds of the lodge and the access road to the Waterfall and 4x4 Trails. There was one other guest present during our stay, an affable English birder from Manchester, who was nearing the end of a ten-day stay, having birded all over the region in the company of one of the lodge's best local, Portuguese-speaking guides, Adilei Carvalho da Cunha. I accompanied the two of them on the start of the Waterfall Trail for an hour and for a half day on the 4x4 Trail, picking up a few additional species that I certainly wouldn't have seen on my own, including the spectacular Spot-Backed Antshrike. As always, getting a guide is a good idea even for experienced birders in the neotropics, especially considering the reasonable rates, $30 a day in this case.

After traveling from Rio to REGUA by bus and taxi, the first bird of significance that Aimee and I encountered was a female Red-Billed Currasow, a species that was originally extirpated and then reintroduced at the reserve. This individual bird spends most of its time hanging around the grounds of the lodge and also constitutes the reserve's logo, its delicately feathered crest prominent in profile. After dropping off our belongings, we checked out the fruit and hummingbird feeders, which were dead in terms of activity except for a sole Burnished-Buff Tanager picking at a massive bunch of bananas. Deciding that we had plenty of daylight left to make a full circuit around the wetlands we geared up and strode out into the blazing late afternoon sunshine.

For me the two principle target birds of the wetlands were the Giant Snipe and Masked Duck, but the list of birds commonly seen on the trail is quite extensive, including some forest border endemics such as the Crescent-Chested Puffbird, Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike, and Yellow-Lored Tody-Flycatcher. Slowly making our way along the trail with the marsh to our left and the woodland border to our right, we observed a number of fine birds, including Brazilian Tanager, White-Faced Whistling-Duck, Capped Heron, Chestnut-Capped Blackbird, Savanna Hawk, Purple Gallinule, Yellow-Chinned Spinetail, and Campo Flicker. Meanwhile, the sun was setting in spectacular fashion behind the Serra dos Orgaos, the granite peaks shaded a deep purple in comparison with the blazing orange sky.

On the following morning we tagged along with our fellow guest and his guide as they started up the Waterfall Trail in search of the glorious Shrike-Like Cotinga, or Elegant Mourner. One of the rarest and most enigmatic birds of South America, this small but delicately patterned cotinga has also been observed in the foothills of the eastern Andes of Ecuador, where it is known as the Andean Laniisoma. Most recently it was seen and heard at Wildsumaco Lodge last year, where Jonas Nilson documented it over a period of several weeks. REGUA is supposedly the most reliable site in the world to find this legendary cotinga, although it's not as vocal during this time of year and is typically found at higher elevations than the lower section of the Waterfall Trail. With all this in mind, I decided that Aimee and I would be better off birding on our own, sweeping up the more common birds of the trail and hopefully a few endemics as well, instead of setting off on a wild-goose chase for one particular bird.

We soon parted ways after the guide taped in a Southern Antpipit and White-Throated Spadebill, leaving Aimee and I at a nice stand of bamboo where there was a Blue Manakin lek. Odd but charismatic, these manakins provided us with a good hour of enjoyment as we marveled at the male's striking coloration and boisterous display. Right in this area, we also found a pair of sallying Rufous-Tailed Jacamars and a calling Saw-Billed Hermit, the latter species an Atlantic rainforest endemic. Although it was still relatively early in the morning, Aimee's energy was starting to wane, and it was clear that she wasn't just tired but growing sicker, seemingly by the minute.

Pushing on ahead up the trail, albeit very slowly, we came across an understory mixed flock with Buff-Fronted and White-Eyed Foliage-Gleaners, the latter bearing such a striking white throat that I figured at first glance it was the White-Bearded Antshrike (it's worth noting that I didn't have a field guide with me on the trip and was basically birding with just a list). Aimee took a seat on the trail while I tried to parse the antwrens moving with the flock, noting Unicolored and White-Flanked Antwrens as well as a gorgeous male Scaled Antbird, which I only saw briefly as I had neglected to download its call on my iPod and couldn't reel it back in. Moving a few hundred meters further up the trail, we encountered a spectacular Blond-Crested Woodpecker, with Aimee getting decidedly better looks than me, as I was teasing out a Black-Cheeked Gnateater from the undergrowth along the trail, another fine Atlantic rainforest endemic.

With midday fast approaching and Aimee growing increasingly weary, I decided that we should stop for lunch early, before heading up the steeper part of the trail that began to switchback up a hill. Eye-Ringed Tody-Tyrant and Ochre-Bellied Flycatcher called noisily in front of us as we ate our sandwiches and discussed our options for the afternoon. Unsure whether we were even on the right trail at this point, I judged that we should turn around and slowly make our way back to the car, where our fellow guest and Adilei had planned to meet us later in the afternoon. Ultimately Aimee headed all the way back to the car to rest, as I was intent on following up every call and combing every mixed flock for new birds.

During the following few hours while birding on my own, I had some considerable success, first tracking down the vocal but sedentary Gray-Hooded Attila. Amazingly, I approached it close enough to take some decent photographs, as the bird gazed slowly about with its beak spread wide open. Later on in a mixed flock, I found White-Barred Picculet, Greyish Mourner, Yellow-Throated Woodpecker, and Spot-Breasted Antvireo, struggling with the identification of the antvireo but taking thorough notes and cross checking them with the field guide at the lodge later that evening. The bird of the day, though, was the fantastic Crescent-Chested Puffbird, a pair of which I encountered at the same patch of bamboo where Aimee and I had observed the Blue Manakins that morning. This endemic puffbird is similar to the White-Whiskered Puffbird, which is commonly encountered in the western lowlands here in Ecuador, but it's more boldly streaked and graced with a bold white and black crescent shape on its chest.

Although Aimee had had a rough day and I hadn't made it very fall along the trail, I had seen some terrific birds and a host of endemic species, from hummingbirds to manakins to antbirds. The rest of our party had had no luck with the cotinga on their taxing hike to higher elevations, so I felt particularly proud as I reeled off to Adilei in my shaky Portuguese the list of birds I had seen and identified on my own. He generously corrected me on the confusingly-named White-Eyed Foliage-Gleaner, though, explaining that he had only seen the White-Bearded Antshrike once at this low of an elevation. On the drive back to the lodge, we stopped in several places for Whistling Heron, Burrowing Owl, Guira Cuckoo, and Yellow-Headed Caracara. The cuckoo in particular is real clown of a bird, perching on fence posts and generally looking ridiculous.

Aimee slept in the following morning while I accompanied our fellow guest and Adilei up the 4x4 Trail in search of the Eastern Striped Manakin. Having missed the Striped Manakin several times in Ecuador, my expectations for seeing this species were low; I simply wanted another chance to see more Atlantic rainforest endemics. Happily our guide helped us track down a number of excellent birds, including the outstanding Spot-Backed Antshrike, which might have been the bird of the trip. White-Necked Hawk, Rufous-Capped Motmot, Surucua Trogon, Yellow-Eared Woodpecker, Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike, Scaled Antbird, Plain-Winged and Lesser Woodcreepers, Black-Capped Foliage-Gleaner, Gray-Hooded Flycatcher, Eye-Ringed Tody-Tyrant, and Blue Manakin were the other Brazilian endemics seen. While we eventually missed the Eastern Striped Manakin, we did come across a magnificent Hook-Billed Kite perched next to the track, no doubt feeding on the many lizards scurrying about forest floor.

Later that afternoon back on the Wetlands Trail, I picked up some more good birds including Red-Cowled Cardinal, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, and White-Bearded Manakin. I also startled a group of Capybaras near the shore that plunged violently back into the marsh, scattering water birds in all directions. With a huge storm fast approaching, I hustled back to the lodge along the trail, flushing three female Masked Ducks as I quickly rounded a corner. Instead of swimming deep into cover, they sat in the open water long enough for me to fire away on my camera, capturing an acceptable record shot from a considerable distance. These striking but secretive ducks are widely distributed in the Americas but never easy to find, and I practically skipped with joy back up to the lodge as rain increased from a drizzle to a deluge.

Passing on a night walk with the guide, and therefore missing the opportunity to see the Giant Snipe, I decided to relax with Aimee and catch up with her about the day, which she spent reading a novel and watching Black Jacobins and Swallow-Tailed Hummingbirds from the veranda. Although we had to leave by 8:00 am on the following morning in order to catch our plane in Rio to Iguacu, I managed to spend a final few hours on the Wetlands Trail, picking up the Dark-Billed Cuckoo, Chestnut-Backed Antshrike, and Yellow-Lored Tody-Flycatcher, the last endemic seen of my brief stay. Clearly, it had been a productive and rewarding visit to REGUA, although I was a bit disappointed with the activity at the feeders, especially in comparison with those at Serra dos Tucanos, where the spectacular Spot-Billed and Saffron Toucanets are regularly seen. Still, with more time, and a bigger budget, this lodge would be the ideal base for birding the entire region, especially in the opposite season.

San Martin de el Para Reserve: January 23, 2010

San Martin de el Para is a privately owned 600 hectare reserve in the foothills of the eastern slope of the Andes. Located about 15 km east of the town of Archidona, the reserve is usually birded from a base at Hosteria Paraiso de Orquideas, which is situated along the road to Tena just 2km on the right before Archidona. Although this obscure reserve rarely graces birding trip itineraries, with an exception being those of Andean Birding, it is especially noteworthy for containing forested bamboo habitat, which is difficult to find in eastern Ecuador. Here you'll encounter scarce and local bird specialists such as the Large-Headed Flatbill, Striated Antbird, and Bamboo Foliage-Gleaner, among a general but impressive mixture of eastern lowlands and foothills birds.

Now that the highway is almost entirely paved from Quito to Tena, getting to the eastern foothills is relatively painless, and I made the approximately 200km drive on Friday afternoon after work. After arranging for a guide to accompany me to the reserve the following morning, I bedded down comfortably at the hosteria, which is something of an adventure in itself with a host of animals, both caged and free, inhabiting the premises, including a pair of Spix's Guans just oustide my cabin. While independent visits to the reserve aren't allowed, I was relaxed the following morning in my guide Umberto's company, who didn't know much about birds but was happy to carry my scope around and answer general questions I had about the area. My half-day visit cost $30, which seemed expensive just for access and a trail guide but well worth it considering the excellent birds I observed.

Umberto and I made the drive to the reserve before dawn, passing along a packed dirt and rock road through several Quichua communities and finally over a seriously dilapidated bridge spanning the Rio Hollin, a beautiful tributary of the Rio Napo. As the sun rose, I spent a few hours birding the cleared area at the entrance to the reserve which contained several large fruiting trees and plenty of dense ground cover. Canopy flocks bombarded the area, including Paradise, Green-and-Gold, and Yellow-Bellied Tanagers, the latter being a difficult distinction from the Spotted Tanager unless you see it feeding upside down. After coaxing a pair of White-Browed Antbirds from some dense shrubbery next to the car, I walked backed towards the road, finding a pair of excitable and stunning Golden-Winged Tody-Flycatchers in an overgrown drainage ditch. After combing through another flock for the Lemon-Throated Barbet, which I would miss today, and finding the unique Orange-Fronted Plushcrown instead, I decided it was time to enter the forest too see what I had come for, the bamboo specialists.

Although I had read some negative reports about the quality of the trail, I had no trouble taking the lead from Umberto and setting my own pace as we wound through good secondary and primary forest for the next few hours. Initially, the antbirds dominated the morning, as I first encountered Black-Faced, then Warbling, and finally Spot-Backed Antbirds, all singing from surreptitious positions and difficult to find. Later, I nearly walked right onto a Thrush-Like Antpitta, which was calling from just a few meters away but still nearly impossible to see. A few understory mixed flocks passed us by containing the usual antwrens, woodcreepers, and foliage-gleaners, and I didn't note anything out of the ordinary. After just glimpsing a magnificent pair of calling Scale-Breasted Woodpeckers, we finally reached a large patch of bamboo-dominated forest. Here, I successfully called in a pair of Large-Headed Flatbills with my iPod, and then scored great looks at a female White-Shouldered Antshrike in the undergrowth, all richly colored rufous with its tail pumping cautiously as it emitted a single-note call at uniquely long intervals. Aside from the flocks, I'm not sure whether Umberto saw a single bird that I did while we were on the trail, given that most of them were difficult skulkers. Usually, the guides are the ones seeing all the birds.

Emerging from the forest all of a sudden, having looped back around to the parking area, I realized that I hadn't tried for the Striated Antbird, which I figured I would hear calling at some point, like the similar-looking Long-Tailed Antbird usually does in subtropical forest. Walking back a few hundred meters along the trail, I tried calling it in several places. Within a few minutes I had a response and a delicately-patterned but angry-looking antbird in the bamboo several meters overhead. Rarely can you simply call birds in despite being in the right habitat, but there it was, answering right on call. Elated by my success, I spent the final hour of my visit on a cleared slope high above the parking area, watching mixed flocks pass through the area and periodically checking on a pair of Yellow-Billed Nunbirds that were hanging out in some cecropia trees nearby. A pair of Opal-Crowned Tanagers capped off a terrific and productive day of birding that almost ended badly on the return drive over the bridge, which had fallen into even further disrepair since that morning.

Notable birds seen: Speckled Chachalaca, White-Bearded Hermit, Amazonian White-Tailed Trogon, White-Fronted Nunbird, Yellow-Billed Nunbird, Gilded Barbet, Scale-Breasted Woodpecker, Little Woodpecker, Orange-Fronted Plushcrown, Rufous-Rumped Foliage-Gleaner, Buff-Throated Woodcreeper, White-Shouldered Antshrike, Plain-Winged Antshrike, Short-Billed Antwren, Striated Antbird, White-Browed Antbird, Black-Faced Antbird, Spot-Backed Antbird, Gray Elaenia, Olive-Sided Flycatcher, Golden-Winged Tody-Flycatcher, Large-Headed Flatbill, Chestnut-Crowned Becard, Gray-Capped Flycatcher, Olivaceous Greenlet, Red-Eyed Vireo, Black-Faced Dacnis, Paradise Tanager, Green-and-Gold Tanager, Opal-Crowned Tanager, Scarlet Tanager, Bay-Headed Tanager, Slate-Colored Grosbeak, Crested Oropendola.

La Bonita Road: January 17, 2010

The road running down the eastern slope of the Andes along the northern border with Colombia starts from the Panamerican Highway in the town of Julio Andrade, which is just south of Tulcan. This paved road first winds through an extensive agriculture zone, gradually descending to the town of El Carmelo, where it ends. Just before the town a packed dirt road branches off to the right, first towards the town of Santa Barbara and then La Bonita; eventually, this road reaches the eastern lowlands and access to the city of Lago Agrio is possible. Most of the temperate and subtropical forest along the road at higher altitudes has been cleared, but there are several deep forested ravines that harbor remarkably diverse mixed flocks, including some outstanding eastern slope specialties, such as the Red-Hooded and White-Capped Tangaers and Gray-Breasted Mountain-Toucan. Supposedly, the road is more forested the farther you descend, with the Colombian side to the north still being in a pristine state.

If you're looking for good eastern slope temperate and subtropical forest, then there are definitely better, and easier, birding sites closer to Quito, including the Papallacta region, Las Caucheras Road, and the Guacamayos. Birders visit the La Bonita Road in extreme northern Ecuador to experience something new and perhaps exotic as there is a decent possibility for rare eastern slope birds or Colombian endemics in this area, including the Chestnut-Crested Cotinga and Bicolored Antpitta. The avifauna at the site is also interesting for the birder based in Ecuador as some of the more common birds, such as the Spectacled Whitestart and Capped Conebill, bear unique variations not seen elsewhere in the country. As I was already in the region to visit Cerro Mongus, I decided to drive further north for a couple of hours to check out this little-birded road, following in the footsteps of the incomparable Roger Ahlman in his outstanding country report from 2003.

Despite its intimidating location along the border, the road feels quite safe as there is a sizable military presence in the towns and almost no car or bus traffic. Like other eastern slope sites, the weather is unpredictable and frequently poor, and this morning it was very wet with extremely low visibility, offering almost no chance for me to scan the forested ravines from above for mixed flocks. As I pulled up at 8:00am to the Bicolored Antpitta site, which is detailed in Roger's country report, I heard the bird calling in a dense stream bed just off the road, it's simple one-note whistle clearly identifiable. While it didn't respond to playback or call again that morning, a fine Slaty-Backed Chat-Tyrant appeared nearby. Due to poor weather I turned back a few hours, or five kilometers, later, having only picked up a few birds in roadside flocks with nothing unusual seen. Returning to the antpitta site, I walked the road for a while, coming around the bend and finding myself at eye level with a glorious Red-Hooded Tanager. A small group of them were moving rather lethargically with a huge mixed flock, which provided a solid hour's worth of birding. At one point the weather even cleared and the sun came out for a few minutes, offering the chance to take a few photographs. After the flock finally passed, a solitary Gray-Breasted Mountain-Toucan crossed the road just overhead, pausing to check me out before moving on.

Having seen my target bird, the Red-Hooded Tanager, near midday, I was anxious to start the long journey back to Quito in order to return to work on Monday. As I rounded a corner towards the last forested ravine, I spotted a massive raptor perched on a distant treetop. Hitting the breaks on my car and quickly lining the bird up in my binoculars, I recognized immediately that it was a Black-and-Chestnut Eagle, its pointed crest obvious even at a distance of over a kilometer. In spectacular fashion, the eagle took flight three times as it approached me from perch to perch passing just above the ravine. Finally, it soared high above a ridge and into the mist, leaving me floored by its incredible size and obvious dominion over the forest. Indeed, this rare temperate forest eagle had eluded me for years, making me speculate whether I hadn't actually seen it before confusing it for some other raptor as it soared high overhead. Trust me, then, when I say there's no mistaking the Black-and-Chestnut Eagle.

Update: This morning I received this warden message from the U.S. embassy in Quito:

The U.S. Embassy in Quito advises American citizens visiting or resident in Ecuador to exercise caution when traveling to the northern border region of Ecuador, to include areas in the provinces of Sucumbios, Orellana and Carchi, northern Esmeraldas, and southern Esmeraldas, south of Atacames. U.S. Government personnel are under strict limitations with respect to travel in these areas due to the spread of organized crime, drug trafficking, small arms trafficking, and incursions by various Colombian narco-terrorist organizations.

Local media reports indicate that on January 18, members of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces engaged in an exchange of gunfire with three individuals on the Opuno River in the Sucumbios Province of Ecuador, on the border with Colombia. The exchange of gunfire reportedly resulted in the deaths of the individuals. Local press also indicated that on the same day, an Ecuadorian Military detachment was fired upon by unknown individuals. It is suspected that the second incident was a reprisal for the earlier engagement.

Notable birds seen: Black-and-Chestnut Eagle, Andean Guan, Tourmaline Sunangel, Masked Trogon, Golden-Headed Quetzal, Grey-Breasted Mountain-Toucan, Pearled Treerunner, Streak-Necked Flycatcher, Black-Capped Tyrannulet, Slaty-Backed Chat-Tyrant, Barred Becard, Rufous-Breasted Chat-Tyrant, White-Crested Elaenia, Black Phoebe, Red-Crested Cotinga, Spectacled Whitestart, Citrine Warbler, Masked Flowerpiercer, White-Sided Flowerpiercer, Blue-and-Black Tanager, Grass-Green Tanager, Red-Hooded Tanager, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Slaty Brush-Finch, Rufous-Naped Brush-Finch, Northern Mountain-Cacique.

Cerro Mongus: January 16, 2010

Cerro Mongus is a punishing birding site located in far northern Ecuador: it's cold, wet, muddy, and very remote. Until recently, it was one of two places in the country where the exquisite Crescent-Faced Antpitta could be seen reliably, although the bird was recently discovered in the Papallacta region, which is just an hour's drive from Quito. The remaining attraction at Cerro Mongus, then, is the rare and local Chestnut-Bellied Cotinga, which has only been found at a few scattered sites at treeline along the eastern slope of the Andes. Beyond the allure of seeing a few scarce eastern slope specialties, such as the Masked Mountain-Tanager, there is little reason for birders to make their way out here, unless of course they're making their fourth birding trip to Ecuador or are looking to expand their country list.

More than a little temerity is required to access the site and a 4x4 is absolutely necessary if you want to minimize the amount of time you're hiking uphill and not birding. First, you make the four-hour drive north along the Panamerican Highway from Quito to Ambuqui in the Chota Valley, staying in one of the many water park hotels in town (I stayed at the Oasis Hotel, which was recommended by other birders and offered decent rooms and food). Leaving at 4am the following morning, you drive up to the distant village of Impueran on a cobblestone road, climbing way up to 3000m out of the arid interandean valley. There are various forks in the road and many other villages where you can potentially lose your way, so it's best to get directions in Ambuqui and scout out the drive on the previous afternoon before trying it for the first time in the dark. From Impueran, depending on the conditions of the dirt road, you can drive up to the forest edge, and from there it is another thirty minutes' strenuous climb to treeline. Again, Roger Ahlman covers the logistics to the site well in his country report from 2003, which I used without much trouble.

The paramo in this region of the highlands is dominated by the unique frailejone plant, which is a genus of hardy, and hairy, subshrubs that produce a massive daisy-like perennial flower. These frailejones can grow several meters tall and rise out of the paramo grass in an eery zombie-like way. The dense temperate and elfin forest at the site clings to the steep hillsides, and access to the interior is limited except for a level trail along a canal. In addition to the trail leading up to treeline, I birded along this canal for most of the day, scanning the forest below whenever the fog parted in search of the Chestnut-Bellied Cotinga. Much like the Red-Crested Cotinga, which seems quite common here, the Chestnut-Bellied Cotinga perches stolidly on the thick treetops sometimes sallying out but mostly remaining motionless. Given the low visibility throughout the day and the general rarity of the bird, it wasn't surprising that I missed it, nor have many other visitors seen it recently either. A few local farmers told me about some researchers coming up here to Mondragon, as they call it, with mist nets without capturing any of the cotingas.

As I had seen the Crescent-Faced Antpitta a few months ago at Papallacta, I didn't waste any time looking for it here, which might have been a mistake given that it's a pretty great consolation bird. I did enjoy several mixed flocks in which the impressive but shy Masked Mountain-Tanager was numerous with sometimes groups of three or four birds foraging with Scarlet-Bellied Mountain-Tanagers and Black-Backed Bush-Tanagers. The Black-Chested Mountain-Tanager also appeared in one flock during the early morning, perching out in the rain for several minutes much like the Red-Crested Cotinga. Along the canal trail there are three open clearings that Roger describes as landslides; these are good places for scanning for the cotinga, and they also attract the excellent Rainbow-Bearded Thornbill, which is a powerfully built-hummingbird that seems to prefer open shrubby areas in temperate and elfin forest. The male is quite aptly named!

The other sections of the canal trail pass through dense elfin forest and are good places to try for various antpittas, including the Crescent-Faced, Rufous, and Undulated Antpittas, the latter two which could be heard calling throughout the day. Lower down on the trail, which passes through some patches of temperate forest, there was some decent bird activity as well, including Barred Fruiteater, and the hummingbirds were especially active throughout the day. Most notably the Purple-Backed Thornbill and Black-Thighed Puffleg were seen well at the start of the trail, the latter being one of the northern specialties possible at the site. I've heard that this first forested patch is good for Flamulated Treehunter as well. Interestingly enough, given the inclement weather at the site, one of the best birds of the day was probably the Short-Eared Owl I drove past on the way up to Impueran.

Notable birds seen: Carunculated Caracara, Andean Guan, Short-Eared Owl, Band-Winged Nightjar, Sapphire-Vented Puffleg, Golden-Breasted Puffleg, Tyrian Metaltail, Purple-Backed Thornbill, Black-Thighed Puffleg, Great Sapphirewing, Barred Fruiteater, Red-Crested Cotinga, Rufous-Breasted Chat-Tyrant, White-Throated Tyrannulet, Grass Wren, Masked Flowerpiercer, Glossy Flowerpiercer, Blue-and-Black Tanager, Masked Mountain-Tanager, Black-Chested Mountain-Tanager, Scarlet-Bellied Mountain-Tanager, Black-Backed Bush-Tanager, Plain-Colored Seedeater.

Yaguarcocha: January 17, 2010

Yaguarcocha is a relatively large highlands lake located just north along the Panamerican Highway past the regional capital of Ibarra. Bordered in places by marsh habitat, it's a good site for ducks and grebes as well as shorebirds and rails. Supposedly, it was also once the site of a brutal massacre in which the Inca invaders slaughtered thousands of the indigenous Cara people, hence its name, which means "lake of blood" in Quichua. Now, it's simply a pleasant place for the people of Ibarra to get away from the city and enjoy nature, as well as the delicious platos tipicos which are served by the hundreds in the town on the far side of the lake (the yaguarlocro is particularly good).

I stopped by Yaguarcocha Sunday afternoon to stretch my legs while returning from my recent trip to northern Ecuador, which included a visit to Cerro Mongus and La Bonita Road along the Colombian border. Stopping at a few places along the shore as I drove around the lake, I noted a large number of Andean Coot and Pied-Billed Grebe as well as a few unusual records, including Laughing Gull and Black-Necked Stilt. The latter seems suprising enough that I'm posting a record shot below in which the distinctive orange achote flowers of the interandean valley can be seen in foreground. The lake is also a popular spot for Neotropic Cormorants, which were perched by the dozen in the pine trees that were being buffeted by the wind on the border of the lake, presumably to dry out.

The hills to the north of the lake are blanketed in very arid scrub habitat and might be good for interandean species such as the Scrub Tanager, Giant Hummingbird, and Southern Yellow Grosbeak. An early morning search through the marsh habitat should also yield Ecuadorian Rail and perhaps even Subtropical Doradito. I spotted the Tropical Mockingbird here and at other places in the Chota Valley further to the north, which seems to be spreading south through the highlands according to the information in the field guide. Recently it was even spotted in Quito at the Cumbaya Reservoir.

Notable birds seen: Pied-Billed Grebe, Andean Coot, Black-Necked Stilt, Andean Gull, Laughing Gull, Vermilion Flycatcher, Tropical Mockingbird.

Rio Palenque: January 9-10, 2010

Rio Palenque is perhaps the worst-case scenario for the future of conservation in northwestern Ecuador. Created in 1970 as a biological station in the western lowlands along the Santo Domingo-Quevedo corridor, the one-hundred acre reserve has gradually become an irrelevant island of forest in a thriving agricultural sea of African palm, banana, and pineapple. The once mammoth bird list, which included a substantial number of both Choco and Tumbesian endemics, is now diminished by dozens of species, and further decrease is inevitable as the reserve becomes even more isolated from the Andes and other patches of forest in the western lowlands. This is certainly the fate of Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary, and perhaps to a lesser extent the significantly larger Rio Canande Reserve, both located further north squarely in the Choco lowlands.

Given the limited options in the region, the reserve is still an amazing place to spend a weekend birding, offering a wide variety of habitat, including humid forest and woodland, as well as scrub, open ares, and riparian habitat. It's definitely possible to see one hundred and fifty species in a few days, if you're motivated and already familiar with the avifauna. I hadn't been to Rio Palenque for a few years, and on this visit it was remarkable how much better I had become at birding, or at least at identifying what was worth following up on as I walked the trails. I recall originally being baffled by the heat and mosquitos and impossible diversity of bird song, but this morning it felt like I was perusing the shelves of my library while strolling along Trail 3: "Let's see, Bright-Rumped Atilla, Western Slaty-Antshrike, White-Bearded Manakin, Ochre-Bellied Flycatcher, Collared Trogon, Spotted Woodcreeper, ... Wait, what's that? That sounds interesting."

Indeed, I had returned to the reserve this weekend with hopes of finding a few unseen birds on my country list, including Red-Billed Scythebill, Dusky Antbird, and Crimson-Breasted Finch, among others. With respect to logistics, there is decent and very reasonable accommodation available on site. The drive from Quito takes around four hours, depending on the traffic coming down the Andes from Aloag to Santo Domingo (the route is a tortuously winding, precipitous, mostly two-lane road that is in a state of perpetual construction and heavily used by the trucking industry). Birding tours hit this site frequently, although I've never encountered one there; usually they have their clients stay elsewhere in the area, such as Tinalandia or at a nicer hotel in the Santo Domingo area.

I left Quito on Saturday morning before most people went to bed, but it was worth it as I arrive before 8am with plenty of time to investigate the morning bird activity. Instead of plunging into the forest like I usually do, I spent a few hours birding the entrance road and the grounds of the hotel, which yielded trogon madness as many individuals of three species were calling in the trees all around, including Collared, Ecuadorian, and Western White-Tailed Trogons. Aimee can't stand trogons anymore due to their phlegmatic nature and dopey look, but I appreciate any bird that lets me get this close to admire them. Also conspicuous in the area was a pair of noisy Band-Backed Wrens, Gray-and-Warbler, Golden-Olive Woodpecker, Orange-Fronted Barbet, Purple-Crowned Fairy, and Boat-Billed Flycatcher.

I spent most of the day walking the trails near the hotel, which descend into a densely vegetated ravine and pass by some impressively large trees bejeweled in lianas and bromeliads. At the bottom of the ravine, I found a rather tolerant Rufous Motmot, a pair of Great Antshrikes, and a Little Tinamous just off the trail. Black-Headed Antthrush was calling from everywhere, but I didn't make much of an effort to see this common but difficult terrestrial bird. Circling around towards the hotel on a wide open track, I encountered a terrific tanager flock that included Bay-Headed, Blue-Necked, Guira, and Golden-Hooded Tanagers, as well as the target Crimson-Breasted Finch. I was shocked by the contrast between it's crimson breast and buff underparts, thinking for an instant that it was the similarly colored but larger Scarlet-Breasted Dacnis. Next, passing a large stand of heliconia flowers, I spotted Stripe-Throated, Tawny-Bellied, and Band-Tailed Hermits (I wouldn't find Baron's Hermit until the following day). Before climbing back up the ridge to the hotel, I stopped by the river and found a Little Cuckoo, as well as Pacific Antwren, Chesnut-Backed Antbird, and Ecuadorian Thrush.

The following morning, I drove to the other end of the reserve to bird Trails 6-9, which pass through forest on relatively flat ground, thinking the avifauna might be different there. Although the trogons continued to plague me from overhead, I focused on the understory birds, shortly finding a pair of amazing and very vocal Red-Billed Scythebills. Watching another one later with a mixed flock, I was shocked when it probed deep into a tree with its incredibly curved bill, finding a beetle deep in a hollow. Imagine the beetle's dismay when it saw the highly-adapted creature that extracted it from its hiding place! The morning's excursion yielded some other fine birds, including Olivaceous Piculet, Speckle-Breasted Wren, Ruddy Quail-Dove, Rufous-Tailed Jacamar, and, after much hard work, Bright-Rumped Attila. The latter bird, like all attillas, is very loud and vocal but extremely difficult to locate as it screams away thirty meters above in the canopy.

Before breaking for lunch and returning to Quito, I decided to venture down to the river again, this time at La Playa, which is located at the far end of the reserve. The property is certainly multi-use, as much of the land I drove by was dedicated to cultivation, although of a more forested nature, including stands of balsa, macadamia, and bamboo. These areas are probably alright for birding too, although I was interested in just checking the river for raptors and shorebirds. As soon as I pulled up at the beach I found a mixed flock, including Crimson-Breasted Finch and Sooty-Headed Tyrannulet, an unexciting, tiny flycatcher but a lifer for me nevertheless. Although there was nothing else around of note, I felt elated to finally pick up this tyrannulet, having targeted it before my trip, noting its habitat and behavior and studying its call. This is what getting to 1000 species seen in Ecuador is going to take.

Notable birds seen: Little Tinamous, Laughing Falcon, Ecuadorian Ground-Dove, White-Tipped Dove, Ruddy Quail-Dove, Pacific Parrotlet, Bronze-Winged Parrot, Little Cuckoo, Band-Tailed Barbthroat, Stripe-Throated Hermit, Tawny-Bellied Hermit, Baron's Hermit, Purple-Crowned Fairy, Ecuadorian Trogon, Rufous Motmot, White-Whiskered Puffbird, Orange-Fronted Barbet, Pale-Mandibled Aracari, Olivaceous Piculet, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Buff-Throated Foliage-Gleaner, Red-Billed Scythebill, Great Antshrike, Western Slaty Antshrike, Pacific Antwren, Chestnut-Backed Antbird, Sooty-Headed Tyrannulet, Black-Headed Tody-Flycatcher, Sulphur-Rumped Flycatcher, Bran-Colored Flycatcher, Bright-Rumped Atilla, Black-Crowned Tityra, Ecuadorian Thrush, Band-Backed Wren, Speckle-Breasted Wren, Bay Wren, Gray-and-Gold Warbler, Buff-Rumped Warbler, Yellow-Tufted Dacnis, Guira Tanager, Orange-Crowned Euphonia, Golden-Hooded Tanager, Crimson-Breasted Finch.

Mindo Pipeline: January 3, 2010

Having just returned to Ecuador from a two-week trip to Brasil, I was pleased to see that the prolonged stretch of good weather has continued through the new year. Instead of getting some much-needed rest before work resumed on Monday, I decided to hit the northwestern slope for a full day of subtropical and temperate forest birding in the Tandayapa Valley. Upon reaching the Tandayapa Pass just after sunrise, I noticed that the trail along the oil pipeline that runs through the glorious Mindo-Nambillo Reserve is now open to the public. Although I had heard that part of this area is actually the new Mindo Cloudforest Foundation reserve, I wasn't sure as there are no signs posted nor entrance fee collected. Given the huge quantity of Plate-Billed Mountain-Toucans present along the trail, though, this simply has to be it; indeed, all throughout the day noisy groups of mountain-toucans came by to check me out as I walked the ridgeline, rattling their bills and calling raucously when I passed by underneath.

Although the early morning was a little too sunny for my tastes, even blindingly bright at times, the birding for most of the day was outstanding. Highlights included seeing an Ocellated Tapaculo out in the open for a few seconds as it fell out of the undergrowth as I passed by; I tracked the bird for a minute as it recovered from the surprise in deep cover off the trail. A massive raptor also caught my attention as it soared over the primary forest several kilometers away; it passed just overhead several hours later, but as I couldn't see more than a silhouette, it's difficult to say whether it was actually a raptor, such as the Black-and-Chestnut Eagle, or just a Turkey Vulture. Another mystery was this bird I photographed as it accompanied a mixed understory flock. In my humble estimation, it looked, and acted, like a bush-tanager, but it has little in common with the Dusky Bush-Tanager and it's way too high in elevation to be the ultra-rare Yellow-Green Bush-Tanager. Isn't it amazing how you can be pretty familiar with the avifauna at a particular site (I've birded this area many times over the years), and then be stumped multiple times in just a few hours, even with a decent photograph of the bird?

Update: Mindo Bird Tours guide Dusan who runs the wesbite Aves Ecuador has informed me that this mystery bird is actually a juvenile Dusky Bush-Tanager; the bird's head and belly should turn gray shortly, and its iris is likely more reddish when seen in a different light, he says. Now, there's a guy who really knows the birds of the region.

Notable birds seen: Sickle-Winged Guan, White-Throated Quail-Dove, Scaly-Naped Amazon, Tawny-Bellied Hermit, Gorgeted Sunangel, Masked Trogon, Plate-Billed Mountain-Toucan, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Strong-Billed Woodcreeper, Chestnut-Crowned Antpitta, Spillmann's Tapaculo, Ocellated Tapaculo, Smoky Bush-Tyrant, Red-Crested Cotinga, Green-and-Black Fruiteater, Sepia-Brown Wren, Capped Conebill, Rufous-Chested Tanager, Blue-and-Black Tanager, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Dusky Bush-Tanager, Scarlet-Bellied Mountain-Tanager, Grass-Green Tanager.