Ecuador Birding: Amazon & Cloudforest

Quito arrival: Our driver will meet you in airport arrivals and transport you to City Art Hotel in the comfortable and modern new town district of Quito. Free time to relax after your long journey and acclimatize to your new surroundings.

Arrival at Coca around midday. A look at the river near the office might be worth a look for wintering Warblers, Yellowcrowned Tyrannulet, Black-billed Thrush, White-winged Swallow, Graybreasted Martin, and other city/open country birds. The boat will head downriver about 30 minutes later, for the 2-2 ½ hours boat ride. The boat ride to Sacha can sometimes be a good one, and you must be on the lookout for Terns on the way down, checking the banks of the islands for Pied Plover and wintering Shorebirds, Oriole Blackbird, Swallows and Martins, Herons, and so on. Usually, you can pick up about 5-10 species of interest. Upon arriving at Sacha, it's always a good idea to go to the second story of the “Bodega” building for a minute or two, to check for White-eared Jacamar, Red-capped Cardinal, Grayish Saltator, Olivefaced Flatbill, and some common second-growth birds. There will be a little time to bird at the boardwalk Varzea swam. Go ahead and listen for White-shouldered Antbird, Spot-backed Antbird, White-bearded Manakin, and always look out in this area for monkeys in the afternoon. There are two territories for Collared Puffbird, and other interesting things on this boardwalk. Once at the lodge and after check in, you will get settled,. Birding around the cabins itself can be okay, and it's always good to take birders to the “Balsa” by the edge of the lake, to see the Hoatzin coming in to roost, and look for Silver-beaked, Palm, and Blue-grey Tanagers, Gray-capped, Boat-billed, and Social Flycatchers, Great and Lesser Kiskadees, and the Striated Heron who always seems to be waiting for arriving guests on the lower deck.

This morning will, like all others, be an early one. wake-up call for 4:45am, breakfast at 5:15, and 5:30 out the door for the Metal towers. It's about a 20-minute walk, if one does it without stops. Listen for Straight- billed Hermit, White-breasted Wood-Wren and Thrush-like Wrens along the way. All can be seen fairly easily in this area. There is one Sooty Antbird territory, two Black-faced Antbird territories, and one of the more cooperative Chestnutbelted Gnateaters hangs out in the viney tangles about halfway along. Then you will go to the Canopy Walkway. Some highlights at this spot include 8-10 species of Tanager, 4 Euphonia, 3 Dacnis, 3 Honeycreepers, Purplish and Great Jacamars (listen for them calling to find them), White-lored and Slender-footed Tyrannulets, Grey Elaenia, Zimmer’s Flatbill, Spangled, Plumthroated, and Purple-throated Cotingas, White-browed Purpletuft, Wingbarred Piprites, Many-banded, Ivory-billed, and Lettered Aracari, Scalebreasted, Cream- colored, Red-stained, and Crimson-crested Woodpeckers, Swallow-winged, White-necked, and Pied Puffbird, White-fronted Nunbird, Black-tailed, Violaceous, and Blue-crowned Trogons, Gilded and Lemonthroated Barbets, Cinnamon-throated, Buff-throated, and Strong-billed Woodcreepers, Slate- colored Hawk, White Hawk, Slender-billed, Plumbeous, and Swallow-tailed Kites, and, if you get a good mixed-flock, Dugand’s and Gray Antwrens, Plain- winged and Spot-winged Antshrikes, Chestnut-winged Hookbill, Grayish Mourner, and others. Some of the rarer birds to look for are Ornate and Black Hawk-Eagle, Crested Eagle, Black-faced Hawk, Barred and Lined Forest-Falcons, Orange-breasted Falcon, Yellow- throated, Whitethroated, Golden-green, and Ringed Woodpeckers, Spix’s, Striped, and Ocellated Woodcreepers, White-bellied Dacnis, among others. Once back on Terra Firme, there is a Golden-headed Manakin lek close by and one will have the chance to search out the Screaming Pihas, that have undoubtedly been ringing out all morning. Along Chontapala and Liana Grande, you’ll have the chance to try to catch some of the lower story mixed flocks, the most commonly encountered birds being Cinereous and Dusky-throated Antshrikes, Long-winged and White-flanked Antwrens, and, if lucky, a few Antbirds including Scale-backed and Bicolored. Furnariids may be present, with Olive-backed and Cinnamon-rumped Foliage-Gleaners being two of the more commonly encountered, and perhaps Plain Xenops. The afternoon should most likely be spent looking for some specific species along the Liana Grande trail at the lodge. Collared and White-chested Puffbird, Southern Nightingale Wren, Chestnut-belted Gnateater, Blackthroated Trogon, White-throated Thrush, Black-faced Antthrush, Goldencollared Toucanet, and lower-story based Flycatchers could be sought out. Staying past dusk is advised, looking and listening for Great, Little, and, if lucky, Variegated or White-throated Tinamous, Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl, and Crested Owl.

This morning, you will take a boat ride to the Parrot Lick, at Yasuni Park, first thing, then quickly moving on to bird the island, in the river, just in front of the Lick. Parrots to be expected include Dusky-headed Parakeet, Blue-headed Parrot, and Yellow-crowned and Mealy Amazons. From time to time, White-eyed Parakeets drop in to pay a visit. The island can either be very exciting, or very slow, depending on the weather. Given the lack of shade, the birds retire early, for the morning, so it’s best to bird there before 8:30/9am. Gray-breasted Crake, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Olive-spotted Hummingbird, Lesser Hornero, Parker’s, Dark- breasted, and Plain-crowned Spinetails, Castlenau’s Antshrike, Black-andWhite Antbird, Spotted TodyFlycatcher, Fuscous Flycatcher, Orange-headed Tanager, Caqueta, Lesson’s, and Chestnut-bellied Seedeaters, Solitary Cacique, and Oriole Blackbird may all be present. One should not expect to encounter all of these island specialists, but, with luck, all can be seen. After birding the island, heading back upriver to the Añangu Parakeet Lick, is highly recommended. The hike in is a short, muddy mess, and always worth the while. Flocks here can be very dense and exciting, and this is the best area to see Rufous-tailed and Ornate Antwrens during the trip. The Parakeet lick is very dramatic, and one of the highlights for most all guests who get the opportunity to visit. Cobalt-winged Parakeets stream in by the hundreds, if not thousands, and often flush, flying right through the blind where you’ll be standing! Orange- cheeked Parrots and Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlets are in evidence and, with patience, Scarlet Macaws are often in the area, and may come down to the lick. Behind the lick, a trail leads up the hill, into great forest, where you may spot White-chested Puffbird, Yellow-billed and Purplish Jacamars, Greatbilled Hermit, Black-throated Hermit, Gray-breasted Sabrewing, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Gould’s Jewelfront, Pavonine Quetzal, Black-tailed Trogon, Yellow-throated Woodpecker, Wedge-billed, Cinnamon-throated, Amazonian Barred, and Ocellated Woodcreepers, Red-billed Scythebill, Chestnut-winged Hookbill, Chestnut-winged, Rufous-tailed, and Olive-backed Foliage-Gleaners, Rufous-tailed Xenops, Undulated, White-shouldered, and Mouse-colored Antshrikes, Plain-throated, Yasuni, Rufous-tailed, Long-winged, and Dotwinged Antwrens, Gray, Black-faced, Warbling, Yellow-browed, Spot-backed, Scale-backed, Spot-winged, White-plumed, and Hairy-crested Antbird, Blackfaced Antthrush, Thrusk-like Antpitta, Blue-crowned, Golden-crowned, and Striped Manakin. On your way out you may spot a Forest Elaenia, Eastern Woodhaunter or a Reddish-winged Bare-Eye.

Return to Quito: The final morning begins at 06:30 am for breakfast, then packing out to meet the boat, riverside, at 8am. From the dock, it’s back upriver to Coca, then on to Quito. Once you arrive you will be transferred to Quito City Art Hotel for the night.

Early wakeup call at 5:30am, and pickup from your hotel in Quito. Birding at Yanacocha, a temperate zone, at the upper part of Puluahua, and the upper part of the old Nono–Mindo road, here you can observe species like: Tawny-breasted Tinamou, Curve-billed Tinamou, Andean Guan, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, White-throated Hawk (between May and September), Eared Dove, imperial snipes, Great Horned Owl, Short-eared Owl, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Great Sapphirewing, Giant Hummingbird, Tyrian Metaltail, Sapphire-vented Puffleg, Golden-breasted Puffleg, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Undulated Antpitta, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Crowned Chat-Tyrant, and Rufous Wren. You will have a packed lunch at the early afternoon and continue with the birdwatching activities. You will arrive at the lodge for dinner and rest in Tandayapa,

Most of the day will be spent birding in the Milpe Bird Sanctuary with a packed lunch. Here you may spot species like: Bicolored Hawk, Grayheaded Kite, Plumbeous Forest-Falcon, Band-tailed Pigeon, Rose-faced Parrot, Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl, Band-rumped Swift, White-whiskered Hermit, Green Thorntail, Green-crowned Woodnymph, Green-crowned Brilliant, Barred Puffbird, Blue-tailed (Chocó) Trogon, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Brown-billed Scythebill, Esmeraldas Antbird, Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Tawny-breasted Flycatcher, Orange-crested Flycatcher, Golden-winged Manakin, Club-winged Manakin, Pale-vented Thrush, Golden-bellied (Chocó) Warble, Glistening-green Tanager and Yellow-collared Chlorophonia.

Optional visit to the Mirador Rio Blanco tanager feeders ($3 extra per person).

Morning birding in the Tandayapa Valley. You can have lunch at the lodge or take a packed lunch. During this birdwatching activity you may spot species like: Speckle-faced (White-capped) Parrot, Sickle-winged guan, Whiterumped Hawk, White-throated Hawk, White-tipped Dove, Speckle-faced (Whitecapped) Parrot, Swallow-tailed Nightjar, Spot-fronted Swift, Chestnut-collared Swift, White-tipped Swift, Green Violetear, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Gorgeted Sunangel, Golden-headed Quetzal, Crested Quetzal, Plate-billed MountainToucan, Striped Treehunter, Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Montane Woodcreeper, Moustached Antpitta, Spillmann's Tapaculo, Ocellated Tapaculo, Bronze-olive Pygmy-Tyrant, Yellow-bellied ChatTyrant, Green-and-black Fruiteater, Red-crested Cotinga, Olivaceous Piha, Beautiful Jay, Glossy-black Thrush, Black-eared (Western) Hemispingus, Dusky Bush-Tanager and Tanager Finch. Among others. After this activity, in the afternoon you will return to Quito, arriving around 6pm at your hotel.

Tour end: After breakfast our driver will transfer you to Quito airport for 9 your flight home.