A Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain

Ecuador Birding – Where Every Feather Tells a Story

From October 26, 2025 through November 8, 2025 I joined 5 other adventurers and an outstanding photographer and birding guide (Liron Gertsman) with Eagle-Eye Tours to Ecuador. This blog series highlights the animals (mostly birds), people and locations we encountered over the 14 full days in this beautiful land.

DAY 1 – Late Morning

• My Ecuador Species Count including Zuro Loma jumps up to: 38 (30 lifers)
• Primary eBird Hotspot: Reserva Zuro Loma

After the excitement settled down at Zuro Loma after the appearance of the Black-breasted Puffleg, our guide suggested we try for the third antpitta species regularly seen in the area: the Chestnut‑crowned Antpitta. We hiked about two hundred yards down the trail, the forest closing in around us in a cool, moss‑draped hush, until he heard one calling. He placed worms and played the call, and almost immediately two birds answered. Their voices rose from the undergrowth—soft, rhythmic whistles moving closer, then pausing, then edging forward again. We could hear them creeping through the leaf litter, their heavy, deliberate footfalls betraying their presence, but they never quite stepped into the open. The Chestnut‑crowned is a handsome bird—warm rufous crown, bold white throat streaked with black, and a plump, round body built for life on the forest floor—and knowing they were just feet away but invisible made the wait feel even longer. After fifteen minutes, my impatience finally won out. I still had another top target in mind: the Scarlet‑bellied Mountain‑Tanager.

On my way back up the trail, a flash of movement caught my eye—a RUSSET-CROWNED WARBLER, bright yellow below with a rich chestnut cap and expressive dark eye‑line, flitting through the understory like a spark. I managed a quick shot before it vanished.

Moments later, a Yellow‑bellied Brushfinch popped into view, its olive‑green back and lemon‑yellow belly glowing against the shadows, but it refused to sit still long enough for a clean photograph. Not long after, we ran into Liron Gertsman, our photographer and guide for the full trip, who had come hoping to see the puffleg as well. It was nice to finally meet him in person after so many emails and shared anticipation.

I was grateful I returned to the feeders when I did, because almost immediately a SWORD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD swept in—this time not a fleeting apparition but a calm, deliberate visitor. It fed with surprising ease despite its extraordinary bill, longer than its entire body, then perched on the mossy branches as if posing for a portrait session. I took what must have been a couple hundred shots, savoring every second of this encounter with one of the Andes’ most improbable creations.

A RUFOUS-COLLARED SPARROW appeared next, its crisp gray face and bold rufous collar giving it a distinguished, almost scholarly look as it hopped along the ground. Then came a RUFOUS-BREASTED CHAT-TYRANT, a fiery little flycatcher with a warm orange breast and a bold, upright posture that made it seem far larger than it really was.

From the feeding station I slowly climbed my way back up to the top entrance station where I finally caught fleeting glimpses of a SCARLET-BELLIED MOUNTAIN TANAGER—a bird as dramatic as its name suggests. Its deep midnight‑blue body and blazing crimson belly glowed like embers against the misty backdrop. I managed two decent photos—enough to count, but not nearly enough to satisfy the longing I’d carried for this species.

As I reached for my backpack, I realized with dismay that I had left it all the way down at the lower feeding stations and so I headed back down. Catching my breath after the lung‑burning descent back to the viewing station to retrieve my backpack, the mountain rewarded me for my effort. There, hovering among the blossoms, a TYRIAN METALTAIL—a tiny jewel of a hummingbird, had made a return appearance with its iridescent greens and purples flashing like polished metal each time it pivoted in the light. It fed with quick, precise movements, dipping into the flowers with a confidence that belied its size, giving me yet another unforgettable moment in this high‑Andean sanctuary. The return trip back up felt twice as long at 12,000 feet, and by the time I climbed back up, I was thoroughly winded, lungs burning in the thin mountain air.

After nearly two and a half hours at this high‑mountain reserve—hours filled with rare birds, fleeting glimpses, and unforgettable encounters—we began our descent toward the cloud forests near Mindo. My mind buzzed with everything the morning had given us: antpittas whispering from the shadows, hummingbirds flashing like living jewels, and the quiet thrill of knowing the day’s adventure had yet more in store for us.

NEXT UP: EB#9 “Down the Alambi Valley for Lunch at the Mirador y Restaurante Guaycapi“

Additional Photographs and Video

Previous Ecuador Birding Blog Posts:

• 
  EB20 – Yasuni’s Colorful Chaos at the Parrot Licks
  In October 2025, Jim Gain joined a birding tour in Ecuador, exploring its rich biodiversity and stunning landscapes over 14 days. The blog series chronicles his experiences with birds and nature.
• 
  EB19 – Day Three Opens with a Riverbound Trip to El Retiro
  In October 2025, Jim Gain joined a birding tour in Ecuador, exploring its rich biodiversity and stunning landscapes over 14 days. The blog series chronicles his experiences with birds and nature.
• 
  EB18 – First Encounters in the Amazon: A Bird‑Filled Afternoon
  In October 2025, Jim Gain joined a birding tour in Ecuador, exploring its rich biodiversity and stunning landscapes over 14 days. The blog series chronicles his experiences with birds and nature.
• 
  EB17 – Feathers from the Past: The Remarkable Hoatzin of Ecuador
  In October 2025, Jim Gain joined a birding tour in Ecuador, exploring its rich biodiversity and stunning landscapes over 14 days. This post focuses on his encounter with the Hoatzin.
• 
  EB16 – The Mama Lucy and Canoe Transit to Sani Birding Lodge
  In his blog series, Jim Gain shares his Ecuador birding adventure from October 26 to November 8, 2025, with guide Liron Gertsman and fellow enthusiasts. During their journey, Gain’s species count reached 76, including 52 lifers. Captivated by the Amazon’s beauty, they encountered striking birds like Pied Plovers and Red-capped Cardinals, capturing the essence and vibrant colors of this incredible ecosystem. Their experience at the Sani Lodge connected them deeply with nature.
• 
  EB15 – Puembo Garden Surprises Before Taking Off for Coca
  In October 2025, Jim Gain joined a birding tour in Ecuador, exploring its rich biodiversity and stunning landscapes over 14 days. The blog series chronicles his experiences with birds and nature. This post focuses on yet another new set of species at Puembo Birding Gardens, a trip to the Mariscal Sucre International Airport and a flight down to Coca in the Ecuadorian Amazon lowlands.

>>Ecuador Birding Blog Home Page Link https://reflectionsofthenaturalworld.com/ecuador-birding/

*This Ecuador Birding blog post was shaped and polished with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot, helping bring clarity and a consistent flow to my field notes and dictated memories.
**Unless otherwise indicated in the image caption, all photographs (>99%) were taken by me.