EASTERN ECUADOR HIGH ANDES TO VAST AMAZON 1 - 15 MARCH 2009 TOUR REPORT Leader: José Illanes, assisted by Pablo Hualinga at Sacha Lodge Report and photos by José Illanes. All photos from the tour. Photo right: Rufous Potoo at Gareno ITINERARY : 1 March : Arrival, night in Quito. 2 March : Antisana Reserve, Papallacta, and Guango. Night Guango Lodge. 3 March : Papallacta Pass and Guango. Night Cabañas San Isidro. 4 March : San Isidro (Yanayacu Road and trails). Night San Isidro. 5 March : San Isidro, Guacamayos Ridge, and Gareno Road. Night Gareno Lodge. 6 March : Gareno (Huaorani Territory). Night Gareno Lodge. 7 March : Gareno Area, Tena Road, and Loreto Road. Night WildSumaco Lodge. 8 March : WildSumaco (FACE trail and Residence Area). Night WildSumaco Lodge. 9 March : WildSumaco (Piha Trail and Pacto Sumaco Road). Night WildSumaco. 10 March : WildSumaco, drive to Coca, boat to Sacha. Night Sacha Lodge. 11 March : Sacha Lodge (Boardwalk, Napo River, and Yasuni NP. Night Sacha Lodge. 12 March : Sacha Lodge (Orquideas creek, canopy tower, Lianas trail). Night Sacha Lodge 13 March : Sacha Lodge (canopy walkway, trails, boardwalk, river island. Night Sacha. 14 March : Sacha Lodge (boardwalk & “finca”), return to Coca, fly to Quito. Night in Quito. 15 March : Early morning departure. 02 March. We started with some introductions after our early breakfast in the hotel. We were all hoping to see wonderful birds on the trip and were not disappointed. The tour started as we headed up to Antisana Ecological Reserve, which is located above the tree line from about 3200 m. to 4000 m. elevation. At the first stop in some dry scrubby habitat we got a perched Giant Hummingbird, Black-tailed Trainbearer, and great views of the Cinereous Conebill, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet, and Brown-backed Chat-tyrant. As we drove much higher up we caught with the localized Streak-backed Canastero in dry páramo grassland. The sun finally came out as we got to the high, flat plains and we got a wonderful view of a surprisingly large flock of Black-faced Ibis, at least twelve of them. We also saw Andean Gull , the odd looking Caruculated Caracara, Paramo Ground-Tyrant, Black-winged Ground Dove, and Bar-winged and Stout-billed Cinclodes . Two of the majestic and much hoped-for Andean Condors were soaring in the distance, but because of their huge size they were easy to identify. Next we went to the old Hacienda, where they have some hummer feeders, with Ecuadorian Hillstar coming to visit about once every five minutes. After this we went down to the Laguna Mica, enjoying our boxed lunch while watching the waterfowl. We saw from there Silvery Grebe (photo left), Andean Ruddy-Duck, Andean Teal, Andean Coot, and Andean Lapwing . We had been quite lucky with the great weather here, so after lunch we drove up over Papallacta Pass and down to Guango Lodge, where we spent the night. Just after getting to the lodge, we found a big mixed feeding flock with Slaty and Pale- naped Brush-Finches, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, White- banded Tyrannulet, Superciliaried Hemispingus, and Pearled Treerunner. It was nice to pick up some these species before we even checked into the lodge! Of course we saw a few humming bird species at the feeders, especially unmistakable Sword-billed Hummingbird (photo left) . After a delicious dinner we went to bed hoping our good luck would continue the next day. 3 March. After our early breakfast, we planned to head up to Papallacta Pass to look for seedsnipes, but we were held up a bit to watch the Chestnut-crowned Antpitta which is been fed by one of the workers from the lodge. We finally got up to the radio towers and weren’t feeling too confident because of the thick fog, but we struck gold finding a single Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe feeding on the ground just as we all got out of the van. I was really happy to see it so easily without having to walk around for a long time in the awful weather. After that, we started finding birds that we hadn’t gotten yesterday in Antisana, like Tawny Antpitta, Paramo Tapaculo, Blue-mantled Thornbill, Many-striped Canastero, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Andean Tit-spinetail, White-chinned Thistletail, and the uncommon Red-rumped Bush-Tyarant . Later we worked our way down to a patch of Polylepis forest, finding some specialties like Giant Conebill, Black-backed Bush-Tanager, and White-throated Tyrannulet. We also birded the road behind the hot springs for Andean Pygmy-Owl, Viridian Metaltail , and Red-crested Cotinga. After lunch we spent some time at the Guango feeders, watching Long-tailed Sylph, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, White- bellied Woodstar, Speckled Hummingbird, Collared Inca, Tourmaline Sunangel , and Mountain Velvetbreast . Rain set in, making the trail birding a bit tough, but we decided to do it anyway. A small feeding flock gave us Cinnamon Flycatcher, Rufous-breasted Chat- Tyrant, Black-capped Hemispingus, and Hooded Mountain-Tanager, and there was a pair of White-capped Dippers by the bridge. The rain didn’t want to stop so we decided to head down to Cabañas San Isidro, and just passing the Police Station before Baeza town we spotted a Torrent Duck standing up nicely on the rock along the river. It was pretty late when we arrived to San Isidro, where we spent two nights. 4 March. Since we started birding right by the lodge, we didn’t need an early breakfast. The light near the parking lot attracts insects all night, and in the morning lots of birds come in to eat them. We saw Montane and Olive-backed Woodcreepers, Rufous-crowned Tody- Flycatcher, Pale-legged Flycatcher, Black-crested, Canada, Blackburnian, and Russet-crowned Warblers, Green Jay, Subtropical Cacique, Masked Trogon, Black-billed Peppershrike , and had especially great views of Streaked Tuftedcheeck and Barred Becard . After this great show, we went looking for White- bellied Antpitta , and thanks to help from one of the lodge workers, we were able to see one nice and close, just behind the dining room. A mid-morning walk along the road toward the Yanayacu Research Station gave us some wonderful tanagers like Saffron-crowned, Beryl-spangled, Black capped, Flame-faced, Golden- naped, and Blue winged Mountain, as well as a Yellow-vented Woodpecker. After lunch we stopped by the hummingbird feeders, where Bronzy Inca commonly visited. For the rest of the afternoon, we walked one of the trails, especially searching for Andean Cock-of-the-rock, which fortunately we did see, plus Golden-headed Quetzal and Emerald Toucanet . In the evening, just before dinner, we got wonderful views of a Rufous-bellied Nighthawk flying and catching moths above the light pole. After dinner we got the odd "San Isidro Mystery Owl" , that comes almost every night to hunt insects by the light; no one knows yet for sure what species it is. 5 March. After a little birding around the lodge, we headed up to the Guacamayos ridge. Unfortunately, we got really heavy rain which made it difficult birding. We still gave it a go, seeing Green-and-black Fruiteater, Grass-green Tanager, Dusky Piha, White-throated Quail-Dove, Turquoise Jay, Handsome Flycatcher, Sepia-brown Wren , and Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager . Later in the afternoon we drove down to Gareno Lodge with a few stops on the way. Just past Tena and the Napo River bridge, in some secondary forest, we got Orange- backed Troupial , and one of the Moriche palms had Sulphury Flycatcher, White- eared Jacamar, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, and Olive-faced Flatbill. The palmcreeper didn’t cooperate, but other stops got us Cream-colored and Lineated Woodpeckers , plus a Gilded Barbet feeding on Cecropia fruit. After a long drive on a dirt road, we got to Gareno Lodge where we stayed two nights. 6 March. We had a full day to bird at Gareno Lodge, which is hilly Amazonian rainforest. The territory is owned by the Huaorani indigenous tribe, and Gareno means piranha in their native language. We started birding on their best trail that goes up and down to where a pair of Harpy Eagles nested a few years ago. The harpies weren't there for us, but we still saw a lot of birds. We began with one of the most beautiful understory species, Yellow-browed Antbird not far from the cabins, soon followed by White Hawk, Broad-billed Motmot, and White-tailed Trogon . Farther down the trail we met up with Golden-headed and Blue- crowned Manakins , and a calling Black-throated Trogon that came in to my playback. Fortunately the morning was nice and cool, which made for easier birding. A handsome Rusty-belted Tapaculo came to check us out, and a Purplish Jacamar , usually a canopy bird, was feeding surprisingly low. Around noon we finally hit a great mixed feeding flock; birds were everywhere from the understory to the canopy and we saw Dusky-throated and Mouse-colored Antshrikes, White-flanked, Rufous- tailed, and Ornate Antwrens, Tawny- faced Gnatwren, Green-and-gold Tanager, Scaly-breasted Woodpecker, Sooty Antbird, and Olive-backed Foliage-gleaner . On the way back we got the uncommon and cute Ash- throated Gnateater as well as the secretive and not-so-cute Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin on a song perch. We were sure to stop and look at possibly the most famous bird of Gareno, a Rufous Potoo . The local Gareno guide knew exactly where it was roosting. 7 March. After packing our bags we did a half morning of birding along the road from the lodge towards the Huaorani community. The star was the fantastic Fiery Topaz, a bird that I had been hoping to see for a very long time.