Ecuador 2018 February Trip

Black-banded Owl at San Isidro Lodge in Ecuador on 2/22/18.

This fellow was hunting near one of the street lights at the lodge on the night we stayed there. Hope you all enjoy, God bless! Nikon d500, 200-500 lens, f5.6, 1/30s, handheld, flashlight used.

Black-faced Ibis (Theristicus melanopis) at the Antisana Ecological Preserve in Ecuador on 2/18/18.

It was surreal photographing this species on the vast plateau of prairie-like habitat with the snow-capped Antisana Volcano in partial view. The habitat reminded me of Arctic tundra during mid-summer on the North Slope of Alaska. This bird was at 13,287 feet (4050 meters)! God bless!

Aglaeactis cupripennis (Shining Sunbean) on 2/22/18.

We saw this hummingbird species at Tambo Condor, pretty much in between Quito and the Antisana Ecological Preserve at 3,550 meters (11,647 feet). I highly recommend stopping by Tambo Condor if you ever get the chance. The owner is super nice, makes great coffee and has lots of feeders to attract hummingbirds. About 20 minutes before we arrived, the owner had a Spectacled Bear come by...really hate that I missed getting a photo of such an awesome animal as that!

Aglaeactis cupripennis (Shining Sunbean) on 2/22/18.

We saw this hummingbird species at Tambo Condor, pretty much in between Quito and the Antisana Ecological Preserve at 3,550 meters (11,647 feet). I highly recommend stopping by Tambo Condor if you ever get the chance. The owner is super nice, makes great coffee and has lots of feeders to attract hummingbirds. About 20 minutes before we arrived, the owner had a Spectacled Bear come by...really hate that I missed getting a photo of such an awesome animal as that!

Aglaeactis cupripennis (Shining Sunbean) on 2/22/18.

We saw this hummingbird species at Tambo Condor, pretty much in between Quito and the Antisana Ecological Preserve at 3,550 meters (11,647 feet). I highly recommend stopping by Tambo Condor if you ever get the chance. The owner is super nice, makes great coffee and has lots of feeders to attract hummingbirds. About 20 minutes before we arrived, the owner had a Spectacled Bear come by...really hate that I missed getting a photo of such an awesome animal as that!

Andean Gull

Andean Lapwing (Vanellus resplendens) at the Antisana Ecological Preserve in Ecuador on 2/18/18.

This bird was at 13,287 feet (4050 meters)! Its behavior on the ground, size, stunning eyes and flight pattern reminds me much of the Killdeer we commonly get here in north Alabama.

Golden Tanager (eastern sub.) at Wild Sumaco, Ecuador on 2/20/18.

Golden Tanager (eastern sub.) at Wild Sumaco, Ecuador on 2/20/18.

Wire-crested Thorntail at Wild Sumaco on 2/19/18.

Amazonian Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus ornatus) in eastern Ecuador on 2/21/18.

This young male was on the east side of the Andes Mountains, pretty much in between Tena and Sumaco off of Via Naropa Lorato (E20). We never would have found it without Sandra My's sharp eyes and her usual "call" of a rare bird which goes something like "oooo-oooo-oooo!!" (-: You can see a GPS ping showing its exact location by clicking on its photo in the gallery below, then clicking the "I" at the bottom right of the photo. This will bring up a tab with a GPS map that you can enlarge and pan around in so that you can see the ping mark where the bird was. I hope some of you in Ecuador can get out and find it! Btw, this species of bird is apparently quite rare and I believe is the rarest bird we photographed on our trip. It's one of three subspecies of the Umbrellabird.

Amazonian Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus ornatus) in eastern Ecuador on 2/21/18.

This young male was on the east side of the Andes Mountains, pretty much in between Tena and Sumaco off of Via Naropa Lorato (E20). We never would have found it without Sandra My's sharp eyes and her usual "call" of a rare bird which goes something like "oooo-oooo-oooo!!" (-: You can see a GPS ping showing its exact location by clicking on its photo in the gallery below, then clicking the "I" at the bottom right of the photo. This will bring up a tab with a GPS map that you can enlarge and pan around in so that you can see the ping mark where the bird was. I hope some of you in Ecuador can get out and find it! Btw, this species of bird is apparently quite rare and I believe is the rarest bird we photographed on our trip. It's one of three subspecies of the Umbrellabird.

Amazonian Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus ornatus) in eastern Ecuador on 2/21/18.

This young male was on the east side of the Andes Mountains, pretty much in between Tena and Sumaco off of Via Naropa Lorato (E20). We never would have found it without Sandra My's sharp eyes and her usual "call" of a rare bird which goes something like "oooo-oooo-oooo!!" (-: You can see a GPS ping showing its exact location by clicking on its photo in the gallery below, then clicking the "I" at the bottom right of the photo. This will bring up a tab with a GPS map that you can enlarge and pan around in so that you can see the ping mark where the bird was. I hope some of you in Ecuador can get out and find it! Btw, this species of bird is apparently quite rare and I believe is the rarest bird we photographed on our trip. It's one of three subspecies of the Umbrellabird.

Female Black-throated Mango off of E20 in between Sumaco and Tena in eastern Ecuador. 2/21/18.

Inca Jays at San Isidro on 2/22/18.

Crimson-mantled Woodpecker (Piculus rivolii) at San Isidro, Ecuador, 2/22/18.

Female Silver-beaked Tanager

Cinnamon Flycatcher at San Isidro