With San Isidro Lodge as our base we went out for the next three mornings in search of new Ecuadorian birds. It’s interesting to note that while on the Eastern Slope of the Andes Mountains we spent more time searching for birds on trails and rivers (as opposed to reserves with feeders on the Western Slope) and the weather was somewhat better.
One morning we were up and out early to get to Guango Reserve.
We walked up a hillside trail and sat for at least an hour in a small blind waiting for some special toucan to come in. Instead of bananas a bunch of grapes was hung on a pole not far from the blind as an enticement (yes, I was that bored just sitting there that I was taking pictures of grapes).
As you might of gathered by now that “special” toucan never showed up, but we did have a mixed flock of birds come through the trees, including this spectacular Spectacled Redstart.
After abandoning the blind we made a bee-line back down to the lodge for a comfort break.
A fast-moving river ran through the Guango Reserve so we walked down to look for a Torrent Duck. No luck there, either!
What we did see along the river was a brave little bird walking along the rocky bank above the raging waters – a White-capped Dipper.
Instead of backtracking down the river to the lodge we took a dirt road through the Ecuadorian forest. Blue sky!
Guango did have a hummingbird feeder area where we had some great views of a Tourmaline Sunangel and a White-bellied Woodstar, both showing off their purple gorget.
One of the iconic Ecuadorian birds is the Torrent Duck and although we did not see one at Guango Lodge that day, we took a drive through the countryside and ended up in the little town of Cosanga. We walked to the middle of a bridge over the Cosanga River and spotted our elusive duck upstream. The Torrent Duck enjoys foraging along, and diving in, the white-water of fast moving rivers. This Torrent duck was an immature male and its colors were muted, but still a pretty neat bird.
Another day we went to Sarayacu Tanager Lookout where there was no blue sky. In fact it rained pretty hard some of time we were there. As a matter of fact, some of the pictures I took at Sarayacu inspired the “Birds In The Rain” photo contest that concluded last week. A Tropical Kingbird just hunkered down and waited for the rain to die down.
A Yellow-browed Sparrow did the same while perched on an old tree stump.
Eventually the rain did subside down to a drizzle and birds like this Deep-blue Flowerpiercer came out to feed on some berries.
A Silver-Beaked Tanager also emerged to feed on a banana laid out on a limb.
Believe it or not, we are coming to the end of our Ecuadorian birding trip. Next week, our last day in Ecuador at Antisana National Park.
Links to previous posts of our Ecuador Birding Trip:
How to prepare for and get the most from your bird tour
https://ebird.org/tripreport/325895
Our Ecuador Birding Trip – Preliminary Data
Our Bird Tour In Ecuador – Overview
Birding a City Park in Downtown Quito, Ecuador
Out of Quito to Reserva Yanacocha
Into Mindo Valley – Sachatamia Lodge
Mindo Valley – Reserva Amagusa
Reserva Amagusa – Hummingbirds and Toucanete
Ecuador Day 4 – Sendero Fruitti Tour
Refugio Paz de la Aves in Mindo Valley
Birds Out Back Of Our Cabana At San Isidro
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