SOUTH ECUADOR BIRD PHOTO TOUR

January 9th – Transfer from the Quito Airport, transfer to Zaysant Ecolodge, a bit of afternoon bird photography in the garden if time allows it.  Lodge: Zaysant Ecolodge 

January 10^th – Morning flight from Quito to Cuenca, Ecuador, then transfer to Casa Simpson, Tapichalaca Lodge.  If we have time a bit of late afternoon photography at the feeders.

January 11th– We have a full day in the beautiful, remote cloud forest of Tapichalaca Reserve.  This is the home of the Jocotoco Antpitta, which was just discovered about 20 years ago.  The Jocotoco and Chestnut-naped Antpittas provide excellent photo opportunities.  The lodge here is also very good for multi-flash photography with Little and Amethyst-throated Sunangels as well as Chestnut-breasted Coronets and Collared Incas.  Seed feeders provide photos of Bearded Guan, Chestnut-capped Brush Finch and other species.  Tapichalaca Lodge. 

January 12th – Morning photography at Tapichalaca followed by check out and transfer to Copalinga Lodge.  This afternoon we will have photograph at the lodges feeders.  Copalinga Lodge.

January 13th – We will spend the day photographing at Copalinga Lodge.  They have a blind which attracts the rarely photographed Grey and Little Tinamous.  Fruit feeders attract Green and Gold, Golden-eared and other spectacular tanagers.  The hummingbird feeders attract Black-throated and Violet-fronted Brilliants among others.  Copalinga Lodge. 

January 14th – Morning photography at Copalinga including multi-flash, then we have a transfer to Urraca Lodge, afternoon photography at the feeders there.  Urraca Lodge 

January 15^th – Today we visit Utuana Reserve which is about an hour away to photograph the amazing Rainbow Starfrontlet and several other hummingbirds including Purple-thoated Sunangel.  We return to Urraca in the late afternoon and can try for Peruvian Screech Owl in the evening.  Urraca Lodge

January 16^th – Morning photography at the feeders which attract some range restricted birds such as White-tailed Jay, Whooping Motmot, Pale-browed Tinamou and Blue Ground Dove.   After lunch we will check out and transfer to Umbrellabird Lodge.  If we have time a bit of afternoon photography at the feeders there. Umbrellabird Lodge

January 17th – We will a full day of photography at Umbrellabird Lodge.  This location is excellent for multi-flash photography.  Hummingbird species include Violet-bellied Hummingbird, Velvet-purple Coronet, Crowned Woodnymph and others.  Fruit feeders attract Collared Aracari, Green and Purple Honeycreepers and many other birds.  This is the nesting period for El Oro Parakeets and we will visit nest cavities to photograph this rare bird.  Umbrellabirds are occasionally photographed around the lodge.  Umbrellabird Lodge.

January 18^th – Today we will visit a highland paramo reserve about two hours away where the highly endangered Blue-throated Hillstar was recently discovered.  At our location here are hummingbird feeders which attract Great Sapphirewing, Shining Sunbeam, Black-tailed Trainbearer and others.  In the reserve we will hope to also photograph Andean Condors, Caracaras and other raptors and mammals such as Andean Fox are possible.  If there is anyone who is averse to high elevation they can stay and photograph the many birds at Umbrellabird Lodge.  Umbrellabird Lodge

January 19^th – Morning photography at Umbrellabird Lodge including both multi-flash photography and photographing birds at the fruit feeders followed by check out and transfer to Cuenca.  A nice hotel in historic Cuenca. 

January 20^th – After breakfast we will transfer to Buglas Lodge.  The biggest attraction here is there are usually a couple of male Spangled Coquette hummingbirds in the verbena gardens in addition to bizarre Wire-crested Thorntails.  Lodge: Buglas 

January 21st – We will spend the early morning in the blind where they have a moth trap that attracts a lot of insect-eating birds such as Collared Trogon, White-chested Puffbird and Ornate Flycatcher.  Then we will photograph the Coquettes and Thorntails in the Verbena.  The hummingbird feeders here attract the difficult Blue-fronted Lancebill and Black-throated Brilliant.  Lodge: Buglas 

January 22nd – This morning, we will photograph at the Cock-of-the-Rock lek as well as visit leks of both White-crowned and White-bearded Manakins.  After lunch we will check out and return to Cuenca.  A nice hotel in historic Cuenca.  

January 23rd – This morning, we will visit another highland location, Las Cajas National Park.  Here some of our target species include Ecuadorian Hillstar, Blue-mantled Thornbill, Tawny Antpitta, Giant Conebill and others.  Again, raptors and mammals are likely.  Then we return to Cuenca in the afternoon and fly back to Quito, transferring to Zaysant Ecolodge for the evening.   

January 24th – Transfer to the airport for your return trip home or start your Amazon extension.