David and myself decided to visit Ecuador for 3 weeks in 1994, which is an area we had yet to cover. After searching the inter-net for various trip reports and obtaining details and tapes from birders who had recently visited Ecuador and making the necessary bookings, we were ready to go. Again we decided not to use a tour company as we prefer to make out own arrangements.
This is not a full trip report but just covers a selection of species seen and photographed, and all of the following pictures were taken by ourselves using our Nikon film cameras. I will commence with our itinerary.
8th February 1994 We flew into Quito, and birded around Quito
View looking over Quito
9th February We flew to Loja, Spending the afternoon birding along the Cajanuma Cabin trail.
Overlooking the Podacarpus National Park.
The entrance bridge into the Podacarpus Nat. Pk.
High up on the Cajanuma Cabin trail in the Podacarpus National Park.
10th February: All day along the Cajanuma Cabin trails.
The Cajanuma Cabin trail
View looking from the Cajanuma Cabin trail
11th February: Caught bus to Zamora spending the afternoon along the Rio Bombuscara Trail.
Rio Bombuscara Trail
12th & 13th February: Both days along the Rio Bombuscara Trail.
Views from the Rio Bombuscara Trail.
View of the rainforest in the Podacarpus National Park.
14th February: Caught bus to Loja spending the afternoon along the Cajanuma Cabin trails.
15th February: All day along the Cajanuma Cabin trails.
16th February: Flew to Quito driving to Pasochoa – La Cienaga.
Views taken at Paschoa
17th February: All day Cotopaxi.
Cotopaxi Volcano and surrounding areas.
18th February: Drove the Old Santo Domingo road.
19th February: All day Tinalandia.
Tinalandia Area.
Butterfly at Tinalandia
20th February: All day Rio Palenque.
21st February: All day Papallacta Pass.
Four views taken on the Papallacta Pass.
David birding on the Papallacta Pass.
22nd February: Drove the Nono Mindo road to Mindo.
Views taken as we drove along the Nono-Mindo road towards Mindo.
23rd February: All day Mindo.
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Some views of the impressive forest around Mindo
Plants taken at Mindo.
24th February: Drove from Mindo to Nono.
25th February: Drove from Nono to Tandayapa.
26th February: Visited Pasochoa and then Pappalacta Pass.
27th February: Visited Cotopaxi and then Papallacta Pass.
28th February: Papallacta Pass then drove to Quito.
1st March: Flew to London.
Adult drake Torrent Duck Merganetta armata As we were driving along the Old Santo Domingo road we picked out this single drake standing on the rocks in the rapid river. We carefully parked the car and slowly approached it, to obtain several photographic images. We also had a pair on the Rio Bombuscara at the start of the trail. It is uncommon to locally common on both slopes of the Andes. Population fairly stable, and it ranges from Andes from W. Venezuela ti Tierra del Fuego.
Yellow-billed Pintail - Anas georgica spinicauda. On the Laguna de Limpiopungo we recorded ten on our first visit to Cotopaxi. Locally uncommon to fairly common on lakes and ponds. Numbers are in decline dut to drainage and excessive disturbance, and it ranges from 2200 to 4000m.
Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus We recorded a single bird at Tinalandia on the 18th followed by thirty the next day, with singles seen along the road to the Obelisk above Mindo on the 23rd and 24th. In Ecuador, its uncommon to locally common in montane forests and woodland. Recorded mostly below 1500 to 2000m. Two races occur in Ecuador.
Barred Hawk Leucopternis princeps sat over the road near Tandayapa, and was our only sighting. It then flew off calling as it circled above us along the road. Unfortunately, it was raining at the time, which prevented any more photographs. Considered rare to locally uncommon, in montane forests and forests boarders in the foothills and subtropical zone on both slopes of the Andes, and recorded mostly from 700 to 2200 m.
Roadside Hawk Buteo magnirostris Up to four on a day on seven dates between the 19th and 26th. Present on both slopes of the Andes and is locally common in clearings and agricultural areas with scattered trees. Ranges mostly below 1600m,, but on the East slope exceptionally as high as 3,000 m.
Broad-winged Hawk - Buteo platypterus platypterus Up to three per day were seen on seven dates between the 16th to 26th. An uncommon boreal winter visitor in the boarders of montane forests and woodland in the foothills and subtropical zones on both slopes of the Andes. Found mostly between 800 and 2400 m.
Variable Hawk - Buteo polyosoma poecilochrous At Cotopaxi singles were seen over the high ridges at the back of Laguna de Limpiopungo on the 17th and 27th and at Papallacta Pass 4 were seen in the vicinity of the lake holding the Silvery Grebes on both the 21st and 26th and perched close to the road on the 28th. Uncommon to locally fairly common in open and semi-open arable habitats and occurs at 2000 to 4400 m.
Adult Carunculated Caracaras at Cotopaxi.
Juvenile Carunculated Caracara at Cotopaxi.
Carunculated Caracara - Phalcoboenus carunculatus A pair of adults were seen in the vicinity of the first campsite at Cotopaxi on both the 17th and 27th with another pair of adults seen around the Laguna de Limpiopungo on the 17th and 4 immatures seen there on both the 17th and 27th. A single immature was seen at the Silvery Grebe lake at Papallacta Pass on the 28th. Rare to locally fairly common in paramo, agricultural fields and cliffs in N. and cen. Ecuador. Mainly recorded from 3000 to 4200 m.
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius We saw one in Quito on the 8th and up to five on seven dates again in the north of the country between the 16th and 27th. Two races are found in Ecuador, and recorded mostly from 1500 to 3000 m.
Bat Falcon - Falco rufigularis petoensis A single individual was watched hunting from a large tree at the edge of the Tinalandia Golf Course on the 19th. Uncommon at the borders of humid forests, but is less numerous in arid regions. Recorded at 1000 to 1500 m.
Wattled Guan - Aburria aburri A single individual was watched for some time as it fed on the road to the obelisk above Mindo on the 23rd. Totally unexpected and a highlight of the trip. Rare to uncommon and rather local in montane forests and forest borders in the subtropical zone on the east slope of the Andes.although it is considered to be Vulnerable.
Slate-coloured Coot - Fulica ardesiaca on the Laguna de Limpiopungo at Cotopaxi. Up to 20 were seen on both visits to Laguna de Limpiopungo at Cotopaxi on the 17th and 27th. Uncommon to locally fairly common on reed-fringed lakes in the highlands and paramo zone of N. and Cen. Ecuador.
We will carry on with further records on the No.2 Blog
