Picture of Benjamin Isaac Jacobs-Schwartz

Benjamin Isaac Jacobs-Schwartz

Trip Report: NW Ecuador - March 2024

Check out the eBird Trip Report

Day 1

 

Andrew and Benny enjoying some birding at Zaysant grounds!
Golden Grosbeak, one of the stunning garden birds we enjoyed before the official tour start!
Official tour opening!

Day 2


Jacqui taking in the views in the high Andes!
Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager
Equatorial Antpitta popped out to say hi on the trail too!
One of our biggest targets, Sword-billed Hummingbird
Buff-winged Starfrontlet!
Sapphire-vented Puffleg at the Yanacocha feeders!
Black-chested Mountain Tanager
Bar-bellied Woodpecker peaking through the vegetation on the trail!
Walls of green!
Jacqui loving the massive leaves along the Yanacocha road!
Our first highland Andes vistas!
Any guesses what we're looking at!

Day 3

 

One of about 4 male Andean Cock-of-the-Rocks!
Toucan Barbet coming in close!
Flame-faced Tanager!
Violet-tailed Sylph!!
Yellow-breasted Antpitta, the first Antpitta at the show!
The man, the myth, the legend, Angel Paz!
Ochre-breasted Antpitta hiding in the shadows!
Rufous-breasted Antthrush, one of the illusive birds we photographed!
Strong-billed Woodcreeper giving excellent looks!
The stunning Velvet-purple Coronet!
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, one of 3 species we got to observe at Angel's
Incredible looks at the Golden-headed Quetzal!!
Beautiful pink Orchid on the trail!
Angel calling in the antpitta
Jacqui having a blast with the hummers!
Crowned Woodnymph
Awesome mixed flock at the Silanche Entrance!
White-whiskered Hermit
Checking out the Club-winged Manakin!

Day 4

 

 

The famous Reserva Amagusa!
Their feeders setup is incredible here!
Zeledon's Antbird snacking on bugs at the light trap
Barred Becard (m)
Rose-faced Parrot!!
Golden-naped Tanager
Orange-bellied Euphonia
Golden Tanager
Yellow-collared Chlorophonia
Rufous-brown Solitaire!!
Choco Vireo singing and giving excellent looks!
The stunning Toucan Barbet!
Moss-backed Tanager
Glistening-green Tanager, one of the stars of the show!
Flame-faced Tanager
Golden-collared Honeycreeper was the last tanager to arrive at the feeders!
Thick fog morning in Amagusa
Black Solitaire!!
Flame-rumped Tanager male
Distant look at Black-tipped Cotinga
Laughing Falcon hunting along the road!
The river at the end of our exploration of Guayabilis Road

Day 5

 

Our most adventurous trail, we had a small river crossing!
This is the Umbrellabird camp!
The main reason for our visit, the Umbrellabird!
Long-wattled Umbrellabird, a brief but great look captured by Dan O'Brien!
Stunning male, Green Thorntail was a welcome sight at Rio Silanche
Birds arrive, we look at them. It's that simple!
Good vibes from the observation tower!
Purple-chested Hummingbird from the Rio Silanche entrance area
Bullet Ant spotted on the trail at Rio Silanche
Nelson pointing out a couple birds from the observation tower at Rio Silanche

Day 6

 

Waiting for the mountain-toucans!
We saw about 8 Plate-billed Mountain-Toucans today!
The face a happy birder!
Nelson spotted this Giant Earthworm!!
Looking for tanager finches along the road to Bellavista
Birding the epic cloud forest trails at Bellavista Lodge
Moss mimicking stick insect!
Epic looks at Plate-billed Mountain Toucans!!!

Day 7


One of about 15 Andean Condors we observed at Antisana!
Andrew celebrating the Andean Condor as his 1000th life bird!
LIFER Spectacled Bear!!
Another look at the Spectacled Bear from Andrew
So windy by the pass!
Ecuadorian Hillstar
We spotted an Andean Fox eating on a rabbit!
Andean Gull!
Andean Ibis
Andrew photographing Andean Ibis with Antisana Volcano in the background
Digiscoped image of the glaciers on Antisana Volcano
Pushing through to the very end, we ended up getting on a female Blue-mantled Thornbill!
One of our main targets up here, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill

Day 8

 

 

Green Jay crew rolled in after the Turquoise Jays!
Turquoise Jay coming in close to the lodge feeders
Don Nelson always on the lookout!
Stunning cloud forest across the valley
Jacqui enjoying the cloud forest birding at Guango Lodge
Lush green trails!
Mixed flock moving through just outside the lodge trails
Found a Mountain Tapir track on the trail
Looking for new birds!
Mixed flock fun continues!
Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan checking us out!
Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan down by the feeders!
Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan heading to its perch
What is that?
White-rumped Hawk!
Everybody excited about the new, tiny, hummingbird species!
Dan, snapping a few more shots of the Avocetbill
Another look at the epic Mountain Avocetbill
Dan checking out another mixed flock
Checking the bridge for Torrent Duck
Checking another spot for the ducks
One of the many Cliff Flycatchers we spotted along the road to WildSumaco
Views from the WildSumaco porch
We finally arrived at WildSumaco, and Andrew is already enjoying the Coffee and photography here!
Golden-tailed Sapphire posing in the WildSumaco garden!

Day 9


Checking out the light trap just outside the lodge
Black-faced Antbird attending to bug at light trap!
Wire-crested Thorntail from the garden
Violet-headed Hummingbird posing in the garden
Yellow-throated Toucan
Magpie Tanager
Fiery-throated Fruiteater
Ornate Flycatcher
Peruvian Racket-tail posing in the garden
Stunning male Gould's Jewelfront
Birding the East Andean Foothills
Awesome weevil on the trail!
Forest birding
Looking through mixed flocks!
Delicious dinner at WildSumaco!

Day 10


Wire-crested Thorntail
Peruvian Racket-trail
Black-streaked Puffbird munching on a large moth!
Plain Antvireo coming to the light trap in the early hours of the morning
Wire-crested Thorntail
Brown Violetear
Plain-backed Antpitta at the feeding station!
Gould's Jewelfront
Black-mantled Tamarin monkey!
We finally got on the gorgeous Coppery-chested Jacamar
Dan soaking up looks of a gorgeous parrot!
Military Macaw couple posing nicely!
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker
Birding on Sumaco Road
Orange-eared Tanager!!
Green-and-Gold Tanager
Military Macaw flyby!
Yellow-browed Sparrow
Lemon-browed Flycatcher
Gorgeous Cerulean Warbler male!
Blue-crowned Trogon female showed up along Sumaco Road!
Blue-crowned Trogon couple!
Our final stop was birding the Quito Airport pond!
Check out the entire Trip Report!

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