Oct 16 - Arrival to Marisca Sucre International Airport in Quito. Transfer to hotel 20 minutes away from airport.
Oct 17 - Today we start early in order to visit Zuro Loma Reserve, where Chestnut-naped, Equatorial and Chestnut-crowned antpittas can be viewed and photographed at very close range. Later on we will focus on watching and photographing hummingbirds. Species here include Sword-billed Hummingbird, Sapphire-vented Puffleg, Collared Inca, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Tyrian Metaltail and Mountain Velvetbreast. Banana feeders attract other birds such as Masked Flowerpiercers, Hooded Mountain Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager and more.
At around 11:00 we move to Yanacocha Reserve where we will take a walk to some feeders where an uncommon and local hummingbird can be found; the Golden-breasted Puffleg. Other hummers to watch out for include Great Sapphirewing and Shining Sunbeam. Along the way, we hope to see birds such as Crowned Chat-Tyrant, White-browed Thistetail, Andean Pygmy-Owl and Andean Guan, to name a few species. Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanagers and Black-chested Mountain Tanagers can also be found here, as well as Yellow-breasted and Gray-browed brushfinches. Night in the Tandayapa Valley at Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge.
Oct 18 - Today we spend a full day at Bellavista Lodge, searching for the uncommon and local Tanager Finch as well as Turquoise Jay, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, the rare White-faced Nunbird. Cinnamon Flycatcher, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Plushcap, White-throated Quail-Dove, Russet-crowned Warbler, Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant, Buff-tailed Coronet, Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Toucan Barbet, Black-and-chestnut Eagle, White-rumped Hawk and many other birds can also be encountered here. Trails and roads offer excellent access to the pristine cloud forest habitat. Hummingbird and banana feeders attract birds right to the grounds of the lodge.
At night we’ll search for Swallow-tailed Nightjar, Rufous-banded Owl and Mottled Owl. Night at Bellavista Lodge.
Oct 19 - After some morning birding at Bellavista Lodge, where we might watch birds coming in to feed on insects early this morning at the 'moth light'. Species to watch for here include Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush, Glossy-black Thrush, Blackburnian Warbler, Tricolored Brushfinch, and more. Once we leave the lodge, we'll explore the Tandayapa Valley, making some stops on the way searching for Beautiful Jay, Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, White-throated Quail-Dove, Russet-crowned Warbler, Zeledon’s Antbird, Streak-capped Treehunter, White-winged and Tricolored Brush-Finches, Scaled Fruiteater, Olivaceous Piha, Tyranine Woodcreeper, Ashy-headed Tyrannulet, Spot-fronted Swift, Rufous-gaped Hillstar, White-winged Tanager and Metallic-green Tanager.
After lunch we will carry on to Mindo, making a stop at Punto Ornitológico in Mindo for Sunbittern and White-throated Crake. Night in Mindo.
Oct 20 - We will leave Mindo early in order to reach the famous Refugio Paz de las Aves, where we will watch Andean Cock-of-the-Rock from a hide. After we've enjoyed the morning 'lekking' of the cock-of-the-rock, we'll spend much of the rest of the day trying to see rare and elusive antpittas that Angel and his brother Rodrigo feed worms to. Giant, Moustached, Yellow-breasted, Ochre-breasted, and Chestnut-crowned antpittas all made wonderful appearances on our 2023 tour, and we hope to have a repeat on our 2024 tour. Other birds in this area include Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl, Golden-headed Quetzal, Powerful Woodpecker, Dark-backed Wood-Quail and Rufous-breasted Antthrush.
After lunch we drive to the Valley of Río Blanco where we´ll be looking for Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, Masked Water-Tyrant, Choco Tyrannulet, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Guira Tanager, Streak-headed Woodcreeper and many other birds. Perhaps we will see the White-capped Dipper!
At night we could search for Black-and-white Owl and Rufescent Screech-Owl. Night in Mindo.
Oct 21 - We will visit the fantastic Amagusa Reserve this morning. An easy dirt road passes through verdant cloud forest loaded with some superb Chocó endemics not easily see elsewhere, including Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Moss-backed Tanager, Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager, Glistening-green Tanager, and Buffy Tuftedcheek. Other species we will be looking are Uniform Treehunter, Black Solitaire, Esmeralda's Antbird, Ochre-breasted and Rufous-throated tanagers, Red-faced Spinetail, Scaly-throated, Buff-fronted and Lineated foliage-gleaners, Choco Vireo, Slaty Antwren, Tawny-breasted Flycatcher, and Cinnamon Becard. Feeders at Amagusa attract a host of exciting birds like Rose-faced Parrots, Black-billed Peppershrike, Ornate Flycatcher, Golden-bellied Flycatcher, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, White-booted Racket-tail, Velvet-purple Coronets and much more. With any luck, we may find a Scaled Antpitta during our explorations.
After lunch at Amagusa Reserve, we will drive the Guayabillas road making some stops looking for Scarlet-and-white Tanager, Yellow-green Bush-Tanager, Pacific Flatbill, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo, Russet Antshrike, Striped Woodhaunter and Baudo Guan. Night in Mindo.
Oct 22 - We leave Mindo early, and make our way to the village of 23 de Junio, where there is a lek for the Long-wattled Umbrellabird. These rather rare, and bizarre birds, gather in the treetops and emit a long, low-pitched 'mooo' in hopes of attracting a mate. Also in this area we hope to see other great birds like Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Masked Water-Tyrant, Rose-face Parrot, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Choco Toucan, Bright-rumped Attila and more.
In the afternoon we drive to Milpe Bird Sanctuary to see Pale-mandibled Aracari, Ochre-breasted Tanager, Zeledon’s Antbird, Club-winged Manakin, Spotted Woodcreeper, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Ruddy Pigeon, Bronze-winged Parrot, Green Thorntail, Slate-colored Grosbeak, Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager, Plain Xenops and other birds from the foothill forest. Night in Mindo.
Oct 23 - Today we have much of the day birding in the lowlands at Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary, looking for birds like Blue-tailed and White-tailed trogons, Olivaceous Piculet, Red-rumped, Cinnamon and Black-cheeked woodpeckers, Tawny-crested, Rufous-winged and Blue-whiskered tanagers, Scarlet-thighed and Scarlet-breasted dacnis, Squirrel and Little cuckoos, Plumbeous Hawk, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Checker-throated Antwren, White-bearded Manakin, Masked Tityra, Slate-throated Gnatcatcher, Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Barred Puffbird and many other lowland species. The sanctuary has a fantastic tower that takes up near the canopy of the forest where many of these species can be observed.
Later on in the afternoon we will return to Quito and stay overnight at the Zaysant Ecolodge.
Oct 24 - Today we visit the highlands of the Antisana National Park where we´ll look for Andean Condors, Ecuador's national bird. There are only an estimated 150 of these giant condors left in the wild in Ecuador, and this is one of the best places to see them. Other raptors we'll keep an eye open for include Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Variable Hawk, Cinereous Harrier and Carunculated Caracara. Marshy areas on the paramo are home to Andean Gull, and Andean Ibis. A host of other paramo birds like Chestnut-winged and Stout-billed cinclodes, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant, Plain-capped Ground-Tyrant and Paramo Pipit can be found here. At Laguna la Mica we hope to see some waterbirds like Slate-colored Coot, Andean Duck and Yellow-billed Pintail, amongst others. Perhaps we'll spot an Andean Lapwing here. Feeders at Tambo Condor, where we will have lunch, attract Giant Hummingbird, Black Flowerpiercer, and Cinereous Conebill. Tawny Antpitta, one of the easier species of antpitta to see, can be found during our travels today, as can Many-striped Canastero, Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Black-winged Ground-Dove and many other species from the Paramo ecosystem. Night at Zaysant Ecolodge in Quito.
Oct 25 - After having breakfast, we drive to the Papallacta Pass area where we will search for high elevation birds like White-chinned Thistletail, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Purple-backed Thornbill, Red-crested Cotinga, Giant Conebill, Variable Hawk and others. We will reach an elevation close to 4,400 meters this morning!
In this area we will search for Spectacled Bear which is reliable because this ecosystem is above the tree line and much easier to spot them than in the dense cloud forest.
After lunch we continue birding and more spectacled bear hunting in the Papallacta area, we will search for Andean Pygmy-Owl, Crowned Chat-Tyrant, Crescent-faced Antpitta, Purple-backed Thornbill and Yellow-billed Pintails at the Papallacta Lake. Night at Guango Lodge.
Oct 26 - We will spend much of the day exploring the Guango Lodge area today. Feeders at the lodge are host to birds like Tourmaline Sunangel, White-breasted Woodstar, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, and Long-tailed Sylph. We will visit a hide where we hope to see and photograph Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucans. With any luck, we'll encounter the Mountain Avocetbill, another of Ecuador's many hummingbird species. Mixed species flocks moving through this area could hold such gems as Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Barred Fruiteater, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Capped Conebill, Flammulated Treehunter and the Turquoise and Green jays. We'll search a stretch of river where we hope to find Torrent Duck and White-capped Dipper.
After lunch, we'll drive to WildSumaco Lodge. In the evening, those who want to can come out and search for Band-bellied Owl, Foothill Screech-Owl, Tropical Screech-Owl and Rufescent Screech-Owl. Night WildSumaco Lodge.
Oct 27 & 28 - The forests at WildSumaco is loaded with species found in the eastern foothills of the andes, which are not easily seen elsewhere on our route. Hummingbirds to watch for include the White-tipped Sicklebill, Green Hermit, Blue-fronted Lancebill, Black-throated Mango, Wire-crested Thorntail, Peruvian Racket-tail, Rufous-vented Whitetip, Black-throated Brilliant, Gould's Jewelfront and Napo Sabrewing, to name a few of them. Other tantalizing birds we should find include the Military and Chestnut-fronted macaws, Chestnut-tipped and Golden-collared toucanets, Collared Trogon, Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Coraya Wren, Blue-rumped Manakin and more. Nights at WildSumaco Lodge.
Oct 29 - After some more morning birding at WildSumaco Lodge, we will have lunch and then head to Cabanas San Isidro. In the evening, we hope to find San Isidro Owl, as well as Rufous-banded Owl. If we're lucky we may see Night Monkey and Kinkajou. Night at Cabanas San Isidro.
Oct 30 - The Cabanas San Isidro protects a huge area of primary forest in the buffer zone of the Antisana Ecological Reserve. Here, we will be birding on trails and roadways, looking for the 'Inca' race of Green Jay, as well as White-bellied Antpitta, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Common Bush-Tanager, Scarlet-rumped Cacique, Masked Trogon, Cinnamon Flycatcher and many other species. We'll visit the La Brisa Hummingbird Garden, looking for Gorgeted Woodstar, Bronzy Inca, Green-backed Hillstar, Peruvian Racket-tail and Violet-fronted Brilliants. After La Brisas, we will make our way back to Quito, where the tour will conclude.
