Trip
Information
Tour Dates: October
17 - 21, 2010 & March 27 – 31, 2011 (5 days)
Galapagos
Voyage - October 21 - Nov. 1, 2010;
March 31 - April 11, 2011
Tour Cost: US$995, Single supplement $95.
Leader: Tatiana Santander
Highlights
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Marvelous birding in scenic and diverse habitats, from Pacific slope
forests to Polylepis woodlands and paramo at Papallacta Pass.
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Hummingbird feeders with tremendous diversity and activity!
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Antpittas!
Featured Birds
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Andean Condor
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Sword-billed Hummingbird
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Booted Racket-tail
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Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
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Golden-hooded Quetzal
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Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan
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Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager
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Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager
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Giant Antpitta
Trip Summary
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Diverse birding habitats
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Some steep muddy trails
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Warm to fairly cool, especially at high elevations
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Good accommodation
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Bus or van with driver
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4 to 12 participants
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All meals included from dinner on day 1 to lunch on day 5
Tour starts and ends in Quito, Ecuador
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 Come
experience the diverse habitats and birds of the Andes. Our tour includes
the lush subtropical forests of the western slope of the Andes in
the Tandayapa Valley and the legendary Nono – Mindo area, the
temperate forests at Yanacocha, the 4000 meter high paramo in the
Papallacta Pass, in the shadow of the immense, snow-capped peak of
the volcanic Antisana and its glacier, and the eastern slope of the
Andes at Guango. We encounter a wealth of fascinating species – lots
of hummingbirds with evocative names such as Gorgeted Sunangel and
Sword-billed Hummingbird, trogons and quetzals, barbets and mountain-toucans,
gaudily-plumaged tanagers, and maybe the superb Andean Cock-of-the-Rock.
Soaring over Papallacta Pass may be the very impressive Andean Condor.
The unique “polylepis” forest groves at these high altitudes
have their own special wildlife, and the clear mountain rivers support
the “torrent trio” of Torrent Duck, Torrent Tyrannulet
and the superb White-capped Dipper. We also have a chance of seeing
three species of the notoriously secretive antpittas at a special
feeding station! A sampling of the amazingly diverse South American
birdlife amidst superb scenery!
See detailed itinerary
below
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Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival in Quito
The tour begins with an evening orientation at our hotel. Night in Quito.
Day 2 – Yanacocha, Tandayapa and Mindo
This morning we leave Quito after an early breakfast and head to the
reserve at Yanacocha. This high altitude cloud forest site on Pichíncha
volcano is a superb birding area that supports species such as Andean
Guan and Imperial Snipe. Yanacocha is also a hummingbirder’s delight,
with more than 10 species likely, including Tyrian Metaltail, Rainbow-bearded
Thornbill and with luck Sword-billed Hummingbird. The Black-breasted
Puffleg, a critically threatened endemic known only in this area, has
been found here recently and we will keep our eyes open. We then visit
Tandayapa for lunch, marveling at the amazing diversity of hummingbirds
here, including Booted Racket-tail, Empress Brilliant and the wonderful
Velvet-purple Coronet. We then drive on to the humid forests of the
west slope of the Andes where we base ourselves for the next two days.
After settling in to the lodge we bird the road to the town of Mindo
or a local trail. Night near Mindo.
Day 3 – Nono-Mindo and Milpe
We depart before dawn for a local farm that has become famous for the
presence of three species of antpittas, Giant, Yellow-breasted and Mustached.
We have an excellent chance of seeing these very elusive species as
they come to eat earthworms provided by our host. We also have a very
good chance of seeing the stunning Andean Cock-of-the-Rock as the bright
orange males display on their lek. There are a number of special birds
to be found in these forests, and we devote most of the morning to sampling
the tremendous wealth and atmosphere of this farm. Some of the special
birds that we hope to see include Gorgeted Sunangel, Golden-headed and
Crested Quetzals, Toucan Barbet, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan and Grass-green
Tanager. If we are lucky, we could encounter the rare Beautiful Jay,
Tanager-Finch or Orange-breasted Fruiteater. In the afternoon we continue
along the road and visit a lower elevation area near Milpe searching
for foothill species including specialties such asClub-winged Manakin
and Moss-backed Tanager. Night near Mindo.
Day 4 – Yanacocha and Papallacta Pass
We take a pre-breakfast walk on the lodge’s trails to look for
species such as Scaled Antpitta and Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch. After
breakfast, we leave the western slopes and drive through the central
valley of the Andes, passing the Equatorial monument en route to dry
paramo at a pass in the western Andes where we look for birds such as
the threatened White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant and Purple-collared Woodstar.
We then climb over Papallacta Pass of the eastern Andes and the continental
watershed. The 4000 meter high páramo holds a fascinating group
of high-altitude species. We hope to see Variable Hawk, Many-striped
Canastero, Tawny Antpitta and, perhaps, an Andean Condor or two. We
search nearby “polylepis” groves for specialties such as
Giant Conebill and Black-backed Bush-Tanager. Lower down near the town
of Papallacta, we watch for the spectacular Sword-billed Hummingbird
as well as a host of other great birds like Shining Sunbeam, Great Sapphirewing
and the colorful Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager. We also scan the
Río Papallacta for the “torrent trio” of Torrent
Duck, Torrent Tyrannulet and the superb White-capped Dipper. We then
drop down to Guango Lodge for the night, looking for both Band-winged
and Swallow-tailed Nightjars. Night at Guango Lodge.
Day 5 – Guango Lodge and return to Quito
We spend the morning birding the grounds of Guango Lodge. This is a
particularly rich area, and we should encounter a wealth of exciting
species – Andean Guan, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Turquoise
Jay, several mountain-tanagers – Lacrimose, Buff-breasted and
Hooded, several hemispinguses – Black-headed, Black-capped and
Black-eared, and Slaty Brush-Finch. Hummingbirds include Mountain Velvetbreast,
Tourmaline Sunangel, Golden-breasted and Glowing Pufflegs, Mountain
Avocetbill, and White-bellied and Gorgeted Woodstars.
We return to Quito in the late afternoon to connect with the Galapagos
tour for the Welcome Dinner.
What to expect
On a typical day, we begin birding before breakfast, followed by a
slow-paced walk in the forest. After lunch we have some time for a siesta
or enjoy watching hummingbirds at feeders placed at the lodges. In the
late afternoon we venture again to the forest. We may go spotlighting
in the forest at night. Trails may be muddy, therefore good walking
footwear is always recommended. Our tour also takes in the Pacific slope
forests at mid-elevation, which are renowned for their diversity. At
higher elevation, we will be birding the roadside a short distance from
the vehicle. Altitude sickness is not a trivial matter. Our trip is
designed to allow considerable acclimatization time. Those with heart
or respiratory conditions should consult their physician.
Weather varies greatly with elevation, and we should be prepared for
a range of temperatures from chilliest forties to hottest eighties.
Layers and a windbreaker would be the solution in the mountains. In
all altitudes, we should remember to have adequate protection from the
sun. We enjoy most of our excellent meals provided by the various lodges’ dining
facility. Some lunches will be a lunch box in a nice setting or dine
in local eateries. After dinner we will go over our lists and review
the next day’s activities.
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