The serene pacific coast, the mighty Andes and the virid Amazonian rainforest, all packed into one tiny South American nation of Ecuador. Where else would I rather spend a spring break with the plethora of wildlife, especially hummingbirds, photogenic landscapes and rich culture that Ecuador has to offer?
The sweltering sun in the Amazon was quite a contrast from hiking in 6-feet of snow in the Canadian Cascades only a week earlier. Add camping below freezing along the Andean paramos within 2 days to that. Descriptions of landscapes, culture, people, climates and the amazing geography of Ecuador can fill diaries of memories. All that along with fishing piranha, swimming in thermal springs in the Andean foothills, wading through waist-high Amazonian flooded rainforests, eating lemon ants and other crazy Ecuadorian adventures have been captured by Constantin in his entertaining blogpost http://thirld.com/blog/2015/06/04/road-trip-in-ecuador/.
Places visited:
Mindo
Cayambe-Coca Ecologocal Reserve (from Papallacta)
Yasuni National Park (from Coca)
Sangay National Park (from Banos)
Machalilla National Park including Isla de la Plata (from Puerto Lopez)
The raucous Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek, the mighty Andean Condor, the iconic White-Throated Toucan and the bizarre-looking Hoatzin were definitely the stand-out birds for the trip. Other fascinating species like the Purplish Jacamar, Slaty-Backed Forest-Falcon, White-Chinned Jacamar, Viridian Metaltail, Red-Billed Tropicbird and White-Necked Jacobin made unexpected appearances at various points of the trip, but were pleasant surprises to say the least.
Birds spotted during the trip:
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| Blue-Footed Booby |
1. Cinereous Tinamou - 1 in Yasuni National Park
2. Blue-Footed Booby - 20+ on Isla de la Plata
3. Nazca Booby - 6 on Isle de la Plata
4. Red-Footed Booby - 3 on Isla de la Plata
5. Anhinga - 2 in Yasuni National Park
6. Magnificent Frigatebird - Hundreds soaring over Puerto Lopez and huge roosting site on Isla de la Plata
7. Brown Pelican - 15 near Puerto Lopez
8. Striated Heron - 1 in Yasuni National Park
9. Roseate Spoonbill - 2 in Yasuni National Park along the Napo river
10. Snowy Egret - 8 in Yasuni National Park
11. Little Blue Heron - 2 in Yasuni National Park
12. Cattle Egret - several throughout grazing pastures in the eastern lowlands
13. Great Egret - 1 in Yasuni National Park
14. Andean Teal - 6 in Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve
15. Andean Condor - 1 in Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve
16. Turkey Vulture - 3 in Coca and 4 near Puerto Lopez
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| Nazca Booby |
17. Black Vulture - hundreds throughout lowlands
18. Osprey - 1 in Yasuni National Park
19. Swallow-Tailed Kite - 2 in Mindo
20. Common Black-Hawk - 2 in Yasuni National Park
21. Great Black-Hawk - 1 in Yasuni National Park
22. Roadside Hawk - 3 in Mindo
23. Broad-Winged Hawk - 1 in Mindo
24. Slaty-Backed Forest-Falcon - 1 in Yasuni National Park
25. Black Caracara - 2 calls in Yasuni National Park
26. Peregrine Falcon - 1 in Yasuni National Park
27. Bat Falcon - 2 in Yasuni National Park
28. Common Piping-Guan - 3 heard in Yasuni National Park
29. Sickle-Winged Guan - 1 in Mindo
30. Least Sandpiper - 1 in Puerto Lopez
31. Andean Gull - 2 in Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve
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| Magnificent Frigatebird |
32. Ruddy Pigeon - 1 in Mindo
33. Ruddy Quail-Dove - 2 in Yasuni National Park
34. Eared Dove - several in Agua Blanca in Machalilla National Park
35. Ecuadorian Ground-Dove - 12 in Machalilla National Park
36. White-Tipped Dove - 1 in Mindo
37. Blue-and-Yellow-Macaw - 2 in Yasuni National Park
38. Scarlet Macaw - 2 in Yasuni National Park
39. Red-and-Green Macaw - 3 in Yasuni National Park
40. Chestnut-Fronted Macaw - 2 in Yasuni National Park
41. Cobalt-Winged Parakeet - hundreds in Yasuni National Park
42. Scarlet-Shouldered Parrotlet - 2 in Yasuni National Park
43. Black-Headed Parrot - 2 calls heard in Yasuni National Park
44. Dusky-Headed Parakeet - 20+ in Yasuni National Park
45. White-Eyed Parakeet - 2 in Yasuni National Park
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| Roseate Spoonbill |
46. Blue-Headed Parrot - 1 in Yasuni National Park
47. Red-Billed Parrot - 8 in Mindo
48. Orange-Winged Amazon - 4 in Yasuni National Park
49. Yellow-Crowned Amazon - 20+ in Yasuni National Park
50. Mealy Amazon - 20+ in Yasuni National Park
51. Squirrel Cuckoo - 2 in Mindo
52. Greater Ani - several in Yasuni National Park
53. Smooth-Billed Ani - several in Machalilla National Park
54. Groove-Billed Ani - several in Machalilla National Park
55. Hoatzin - 5 in Yasuni National Park
56. Common Potoo - 1 in Mindo
57. White-Collared Swift - several in Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve
58. Rufous-Vented Whitetip - 2 in Yasuni National Park
59. White-Necked Jacobin - 1 in Mindo
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| Eared Dove |
60. Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird - 2 in Mindo
61. Green-Crowned Woodnymph - 1 in Mindo
62. Buff-Tailed Coronet - 1 in Mindo
63. Red-Necked Woodpecker - 1 in Yasuni National Park
64. Golden-Headed Quetzal - 3 in Mindo
65. Ringed Kingfisher - 2 in Yasuni National Park
66. Amazon Kingfisher - 1 in Yasuni National Park
67. Blue-Crowned Motmot - 3 in Machalilla National Park
68. White-Chinned Jacamar - 1 in Yasuni National Park
69. Purplish Jacamar - 1 in Yasuni National Park
70. Red-Headed Barbet - 1 in Mindo
71. Black-Fronted Nunbird - 5 in Yasuni National Park
72. White-Fronted Nunbird - 2 in Yasuni National Park
73. Pale-Mandibled Aracari - 3 in Mindo
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| Scarlet Macaw |
74. White-Throated Toucan - 1 in Yasuni National Park
75. Channel-Billed Toucan - 1 in Yasuni National Park
76. Golden-Olive Woodpecker - 1 in Coca
77. Smoky-Brown Woodpecker - 1 in Mindo
78. Chestnut Woodpecker - 1 in Yasuni National Park
79. Olivaceous Piculet - 1 in Mindo
80. Yellow-Tufted Woodpecker - 2 in Yasuni National Park
81. Plain-Brown Woodcreeper - 2 in Mindo and 1 in Yasuni National Park
82. Cinnamon-Throated Woodcreeper - 1 in Yasuni National Park
83. Ocellated Woodcreeper - 2 in Yasuni National Park
84. Spotted Woodcreeper - 2 in Mindo
85. Streak-Headed Woodcreeper - 1 in Mindo
86. Red-Faced Spinetail - 1 in Mindo
87. Lineated Foliage-Gleaner - 3 in Mindo
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| Cobalt-Winged Parakeet |
88. Scaly-Throated Foliage-Gleaner - 2 in Mindo
89. Buff-Fronted Foliage-Gleaner - 6 in Mindo
90. Pacific Hornero - 1 in Machalilla National Park
91. Tawny Antpitta - 4 in Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve
92. Golden-Faced Tyrannulet - 2 in Mindo
93. Yellow Tyrannulet - 1 in Mindo
94. Slaty-Capped Flycatcher - 4 in Mindo
95. White-Crested Elaenia - 2 in Mindo
96. Scale-Crested Pygmy-Tyrant - 1 in Mindo
97. Vermillion Flycatcher - 2 in Machalilla National Park
98. Black Phoebe - 1 in Mindo
99. Drab Water-Tyrant - 8 in Yasuni National Park
100. Cinnamon Attila - 1 in Yasuni National Park
101. Dusky-Capped Flycatcher - 4 in Yasuni National Park
102. Tropical Kingbird - several in Mindo and Yasuni National Park
103. Masked Tityra - 1 in Mindo
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| Dusky-Headed Parakeet |
104. Black-Crowned Tityra - 1 in Yasuni National Park
105. Black-and-White Becard - 1 in Machalilla National Park
106. Plum-Throated Cotinga - 1 in Yasuni National Park
107. Amazonian Umbrellabird - 1 in Yasuni National Park
108. Andean Cock-of-the-rock - 8 in a lek in Mindo
109. Green Manakin - 1 in Yasuni National Park
110. Brown-Chested Martin - 2 in Coca
111. Gray-Breasted Martin - 4 in Coca
112. Blue-and-White Swallow - 8 in Mindo
113. Gray-Breasted Wood-Wren - 2 in Mindo
114. Lesser Greenlet - 2 in Mindo
115. Swainson's Thrush - 1 in Mindo
116. Glossy-Black Thrush - 12 in Sangay National Park
117. Tropical Parula - 2 in Mindo
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| Red-Billed Parrot |
118. Blackburnian Warbler - 2 in Mindo
119. Slate-Throated Whitestart - 1 in Mindo
120. Three-Striped Warbler - 1 in Mindo
121. Bananaquit - 1 in Mindo
122. Golden-Rumped Euphonia - 12 in Mindo
123. Yellow-Bellied Euphonia - 3 in Mindo
124. Green-and-Gold Tanager - 1 in Yasuni National Park
125. Turquoise Tanager - 2 in Yasuni National Park
126. Bay-Headed Tanager - 1 in Mindo
127. Golden Tanager - 1 in Mindo
128. Blue-and-Black Tanager - 1 in Yasuni National Park
129. Scarlet-Bellied Mountain-Tanager - 1 in Papallacta
130. Blue-Gray Tanager - 5 in Mindo
131. Lemon-Rumped Tanager - 8 in Mindo
132. White-Shouldered Tanager - 1 in Mindo
133. Yellow-Throated Bush-Tanager - 7 in Mindo
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| Mealy Amazon |
134. Southern Yellow-Grosbeak - 2 in Machalilla National Park
135, Variable Seedeater - 1 in Mindo
136. Yellow-Bellied Seedeater - 1 in Mindo
137. Black-Striped Sparrow - 1 in Mindo
138. Pale-Naped Brush-Finch - 2 in Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve
139. Paramo Pipit - 2 in Cayambe-Coca National Park
140. Rufous-Collared Sparrow - 2 in Quito
141. Long-Tailed Mockingbird - several in Machalilla National Park
142. Yellow-Rumped Cacique - 1 in Machalilla National Park
143. Crested Oropendola - several in Yasuni National Park
144. Russet-Backed Oropendola - 8 in Yasuni National Park
145. Red-Breasted Blackbird - 3 in Machalilla National Park
146. Peruvian Blackbird - 1 in Machalilla National Park
147. Scrub Blackbird - many in Machalilla National Park
148. Stout-Billed Cinclodes - 8 in Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve
149. Viridian Metaltail - 1 in Sangay National Park
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| Hoatzin |
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| Common Potoo |
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| Viridian Metaltail |
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| Golden-Headed Quetzal |
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| Red-Headed Barbet |
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| White-Fronted Nunbird |
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| Plain Brown Woodcreeper |
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| Vermillion Flycatcher |
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| Black-and-White Becard |
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| Andean Cock-of-the-rock |
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| Brown-Chested Martin |
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| Variable Seedeater |
Most trips in Ecuador can be done without guides and tours, unlike popular belief, if it is given a little thought and planning. Of course, coming straight out of Canada I had put in no thought or effort into planning, but found out ways of doing everything alone.
Yasuni National Park - Get a ferry from Coca to Nuevo Rocafuerte. Either atNuevo Rocafuerte, or the town before it (name starts with a P), one can find lodging for about $10 a night with a local tribe. This is a much better experience than taking a tour! Luckily, I could find a local Kichwa man to take us to Yasuni by boat, but that may not always work out. Once at the village on the Napo river, it is easy to ask a local to take you to different places in Yasuni National Park by boat for sub-$50 price. Do not miss the clay licking of parrots, parakeets and macaws!
Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve - Get to Papallacta, a small village tucked away in the cushions of the Andes, and stay at a local's house. We got a little room with a nice thermal spring to swim in which was as pleasant a surprise as any other on a cold rainy evening. The entrance to the reserve is past the Thermas de Papallacta, past a guarded gate and 4km further on a road that could test any car's suspensions. Once into the reserve, you are immersed into a landscape like no other - paramos, interconnected lakes dotted with Andean teal, waterfalls resounding from all sides, beautiful hills and their glimmering reflections in the myriad of lakes and a zephyr wafting through the air.
Machalilla National Park - This is the easiest to enter, but with a little planning. We tried to get in through Julcuy which turned out to be a massive blooper, and we ended up pushing our car through 2 feet of wet mud swirling at our feet - it was bad enough for me to discard my shoes as soon as we made it out of the muddy mess. In short - approach through Puerto Lopez (via Jipijapa if entering from the east). There are clear gates for Agua Blanca which is the park entrance and Los Frailes, which is one of the most amazing beaches I've been to in recent times. From Agua Blanca, you need to be lucky that the little river flowing through has not inundated the village and blocked the entrance to San Sebastian completely. Unfortunately, this happens more often than not and you are only confined to the west of the river that holds a so-called museum with handwritten theories and a knee-deep sulphurous lagoon packed with Gringos like a sardine can. You definitely want the east side of the river with the Incan archaeological;site and the San Sebastian trail.
Isla de la Plata is also a part of this national park and has to be reached through an agency, unfortunately. It is an hour and a half boat ride from Puerto Lopez or Puerto Cayo, but is the only roosting site of the Nazca Booby in Ecuador. Definitely worth the visit, especially if it includes watching sea turtles and snorkeling with piranha.
Mindo - Mindo is just a town famous for its birds, and is very easy to get to. It is right off the mountainous highway from Quito to Santa Domingo (past a few traffic jams, slow-moving lorries and landslides that convert the highway into a stony one-and-a-half-lane camel-ride). We met Alex there who knew the location of an Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek and the (unusually conspicuous) roosting spot of an Andean Potoo. Since Mindo has become famous for its birds, especially aracaris, quetzals and pygmy-tyrants, most people in Mindo know about the birds and can give directions to interesting birding spots. Look for the Black-and-White Owl while in Mindo!
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