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| Golden-collared Honeycreeper - Photo: Roger Ahlman |
Day 1:
Leave Quito at 6 am for about an hour transport to the Antisana Reserve. We start at a cliff where Andean Condors have their night roost to see them fly out. We may also see Black-tailed Trainbearer and our first Black-winged Ground-Doves here. Moving on higher up into the paramo making selected stops to look for Ecuadorian Hillstar, Streak-backed Canastero, White-capped Dipper, Paramo Pipit and Grassland Yellow-Finch. Once up at the more level paramo we will see lots of Carunculated Caracaras walking on the ground, Black-faced Ibises have their only home in Ecuador here, Stout-billed- and Bar-winged Cinclodes, Plumbeous Sierra-Finches and Paramo Pipits- and Ground-Tyrants will be the ground passerines. Eventually we reach laguna Mica where we look at Silvery Grebe, Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean Teal- and Coot and Ruddy Ducks. We will also enjoy our packed lunch here. Aplomado Falcon and Cinereous Harrier are possible anywhere along the way. On return we visit the Antisana Hacienda which has got feeders to get better views of the Ecuadorian Hillstar. Afternoon travel over the Papllacta pass to Guango lodge (2600m/8500ft) where we spend the night.
Day 2:
Today we back-track up to the Papallacta pass (4000-4250m/13100-14000ft) and look for some high altitude species we didn't see yesterday like Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, White-chinned Thistletail, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Blue-mantled Thornbill and Tawny Antpitta. In a polylepis grove we look for the specialized Giant Conebill. Later we drive up a sidevalley where we shall find flocks of Black-backed Bush-Tanagers and they have followers like Masked-, Scarlet-bellied- and Black-chested Mountain-Tanagers. Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager is here too as well as Paramo Seedeater, Agile Tit-Tyrant and White-throated Tyrannulet. Hummingbirds are represented by Viridian Metaltail, Shining Sunbeam, Great Sapphirewing, Buff-winged Starfrontlet and Rainbow-bearded Thornbill. Packed lunch in the field. In the late afternoon we enjoy the hummingbirds at Guango lodge. Here we will see the spectacular Sword-billed Hummingbird. Tourmaline Sunangels, Chestnut-breasted Coronets and Tyrian Metaltails will be common with Collared Incas and Buff-tailed Coronets mixed in. Glowing Puffleg is usually present and sometimes also Gorgeted Woodstar and Mountain Avcetbill. Night at Guango lodge.
Day 3:
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| Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan - Roger Ahlman |
Gorgeted Woodstar - Roger Ahlman |
All morning birding the trails at Guango lodge. Here we hope to find flocks with Slaty Brush-Finch, Blue-and-black Tanager, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Lacrimose- and Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Plushcap, Black-eared- and Black-capped Hemispinguses. Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucans are often around here and from a bridge we hope to spot White-capped Dipper and Torrent Duck. Inside the forest near a beautiful waterfall we shall look for Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, Barred Fruiteater, Dusky Piha, Andean Guan, Stripe-headed- and Pale-naped Brush-Finches. Lunch at the Guango lodge. After lunch we head down a very scenic road to Baeza where we look for Red-breasted Blackbirds that live unusually high here. We may also see Southern Lapwings and Chestnut-bellied Seedeater. In some forest patches we hope to come across flocks that may have Blue-browed-, Golden-, Saffron-crowned- and Flame-faced Tanagers among others. In the late afternoon we arrive at San Isidro lodge in time to check out the hummingbird feeders which will have two new species for the trip - Bronzy Inca and Fawn-breasted Brilliant. As with Guango, Gorgeted Woodstar is sometimes present here. The food served at San Isidro is gourmet style and very enjoyable! After dinner we look for the famous 'San Isidro Owl' that has been called an undescribed species but is more likely a Black-banded Owl or maybe a subspecies of that. They usually wait for big moths around the lights near the cabins.
Day 4:
We start the day just outside the cabins and diningroom to see what comes in to feed on the moths. Noisy flocks of Inca Jays, Subtropical Caciques and Russet-backed Oropendolas are usually among the first guests, followed by Black-billed Pepper-Shrike, Pale-edged- and Rufous-breasted Flycatchers, Montane- and Olive-backed Woodcreepers and others. During the boreal winter several Blackburnian- and Canada Warblers are around. A very confiding pair of Masked Trogons are around here too and can be approched to a couple of meters. 7.30 is the feeding time for two species of Antpittas – White-bellied and Chestnut-crowned that can be enjoyed in the open while being fed on earthworms. Rest of the morning is spent along the road looking for flocks with several species of Tanagers and Flycatchers and with some luck also Yellow-vented Woodpecker, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Crested- and Golden-headed Quetzals and noisy flocks of White-capped- and Red-billed Parrots. White-capped Tanager is always possible but they move around over large areas and can be difficult to find. After lunch we try another side valley where we may score Semi-collared Hawk and Black-and-chestnut Eagle. At dusk we look for the spectacular Lyre-tailed Nightjar at a nearby stake-out. Dinner and night at San Isidro lodge.
Day 5:
A short drive will take us to the Guacamayos ridge where a nice trails goes down the primary forest. We hope for flocks that may have Green-and-black Fruiteater, Grass-green- and Beryl-spangled Tanagers, Handsome Flycatcher and with some luck also the rare Greater Scythebill. We may also come across Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Dusky Piha, Powerful Woodpecker, Ocellated Tapaculo and Barred Antthrush. Lower down the trail we may find Bicoloured- and White-streaked Antvireos and Chestnut-breasted Wren. After lunch at the lodge we bird the road beyond the Guacamayos ridge and look for White-tailed Hillstar at a stake-out. At dusk we try for Swallow-tailed Nightjar, Andean Potoo and White-throated Screech-Owl. Night at San Isidro.
Day 6:
We leave San Isidro and head for the Loreto road. Here we make several stops to look for Cliff Flycatcher, Orange-breasted Falcon, Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Olive-chested Flycatcher and flocks that may have many of the foothill species. Somewhere along the road we have our packed lunch and we shall arrive at Wildsumaco lodge in the afternoon to install ourselves and watch the hummingbird feeders that will have birds like Napo Sabrewing, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Gould's Jewelfront, Ecuadorian Piedtail and Black-throated Brilliant. More common hummingbirds at feeders include Golden-tailed Sapphire, Fork-tailed Woodnymph and Booted Raquettail. The nearby flowers attract smaller species like Wire-crested Thorntail and Gorgeted Woodstar. At night we try for Band-bellied Owl, Foothill- and Rufescent Screech-Owls depending on the whether. Night at Wildsumaco.
Day 7/8:
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| Fiery-throated Fruiteater - Photo: Roger Ahlman |
All days on the trails and road around Wildsumaco lodge. The trails here are the best in Ecuador with steps and gravel so no mud or need for rubber boots. With a lodge list of 450 species the possibilities are many but some of the good birds we will look for includes Gray-tailed Piha, Yellow-throated Spadebill, Chestnut-crowned Gnateater, Fiery-throated- and Scarlet-breasted Fruiteaters, Plain-winged Antwren, White-crowned- and Blue-rumped Manakins, Rufous-breasted Piculet, Flycatchers like Ecuadorian-, White-fronted- and Red-billed Tyrannulets. Tanagers we haven't seen before are Orange-eared-, Golden-eared- and Blue-browed and during the boreal winter there will be many migrants including the scarse Cerulean Warbler. Around the lodge we may see Buckley's Forest-Falcon and from the huge deck we scan for Black-Hawk-Eagle and Military Macaw. There will of course be many more common species and shy species that we may only hear like Rufous-breasted Wood-Quail, Plain-backed Antpitta and Short-tailed Antthrush.
Day 9:
Morning around Wildsumaco lodge then birding our way back to Quito with packed lunch to look for things we may have missed. Afternoon in the outskirts of Quito to look for some interandean valley species that are typically missed on regular trips. Those include Scrub Tanager, Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant, Black Flowerpiercer, Black-tailed Trainbearer and Vermilion Flycatcher. Night at hotel Akros in Quito and end of trip.
Guide: Roger Ahlman
Price:
- 1 pax $ 5282
- 2 pax $ 3298
- 3+ pax $ 2782
Price include:
- All accomodation
- All meals
- Transport and airport transfers
- Guide
- Drinking water and snacks
- Entrance fees
Price does not include:
- Meals in Quito first and last night
- Tips
- Alcohol
- Personal expenses like laundry and souvenirs
Telephone: +51-84-241428 
