Synopsis: At dawn beneath the moth lights at Tandayapa Lodge, we shifted from the previous night’s flash‑photography lessons into a challenging but magical low‑light session that revealed a Three‑striped Warbler and a quartet of Funariidae woodcreepers and treehunters.
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.
A Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
**Due to the high resolution and quality of the images in this blog series it is highly recommended
that readers view posts in Landscape Mode on a desktop PC from the actual blogsite at Ecuador Birding**
DAY 12 – Morning
Tandayapa Lodge: Dawn at the Moth Lights
The morning after our flash‑photography class arrived quickly, the cloudforest still wrapped in darkness as we made our way down to the moth lights. These glowing sheets, hung like luminous veils against the trees, serve a dual purpose at Tandayapa: they draw in a surprising array of insects for the birds to feed on at first light, and they give photographers a rare chance to capture species that would otherwise remain hidden in the dim understory. But shooting here is never easy. The light is low, the birds move fast, and every frame becomes a small gamble—holding the camera steady at slow shutter speeds while pushing the ISO high enough to capture anything at all, knowing each shot balances timing, focus, and luck on a razor’s edge. Still, the challenge is part of the magic.
At the start of the moth light shooting session I was hand-holding my Canon R5 with the 100-500 mm IS lens PLUS the 1.4x adaptor and my settings were: APERTURE f/7.1; EXPOSURE TIME 1/125; ISO 40000
Three‑striped Warbler
Before the forest fully woke, a small flicker of motion slipped into the glow…
The first bird to slip into the glow was a Three‑striped Warbler, its presence almost ghostlike in the half‑light. Its warm olive back and rich yellow underparts glowed softly against the pale moth sheet, while the bold black stripes on its face and crown gave it a sharp, alert expression. The bird moved with quick, purposeful hops, pausing only long enough to snatch a moth from the fabric before darting to the next perch. Its tail flicked constantly, a nervous metronome keeping time with its foraging rhythm. In the dim morning haze, the warbler felt like a small spark of energy—restless, efficient, and perfectly at home in the shadows.
The Woodcreeper Quintet Arrives
No sooner had the warbler vanished into the undergrowth than the forest delivered a heavier, more deliberate presence: the first of five trunk‑foraging specialists, each one drawn to the easy pickings at the moth lights.
Strong‑billed Woodcreeper
Then a heavier silhouette emerged, steady and deliberate against the glowing veil…
The Strong‑billed Woodcreeper appeared like a russet‑brown pillar against the glowing sheet, its long, decurved bill casting a delicate shadow across the fabric. Its plumage was rich and earthy, patterned subtly with fine streaks that blended seamlessly with the bark‑like tones of its body. The bird climbed with slow, powerful movements, bracing itself with stiff tail feathers as it probed for insects. Its eyes were dark and steady, giving it a focused, almost contemplative demeanor. Up close, it felt like a creature carved from the forest itself—solid, ancient, and purposeful.
Montane Woodcreeper
Where the Strong‑billed brought weight, this one brought finesse, slipping into the glow with practiced ease…
The next arrival was the Montane Woodcreeper, slimmer and more lightly built than the Strong‑billed, with a warm brown body etched in fine, delicate streaks. Its bill was moderately curved—less imposing than its larger cousin’s, but perfectly suited for gleaning insects from bark and moss. It moved with a smooth, almost fluid climbing rhythm, pausing frequently to probe crevices with quick, precise jabs. In the soft glow of the moth lights, its subtle patterning took on a gentle radiance, revealing details that would be nearly invisible in the dim forest. The Montane carried an understated elegance, a quiet presence that rewarded close attention.
Spotted Woodcreeper
The next arrival shimmered subtly, each pale spot flickering as it shifted along the trunk…
The Spotted Woodcreeper followed, slimmer still and more intricately patterned than either of the previous two. Its chest and belly were adorned with delicate pale spots, each one outlined in warm brown, creating a mosaic of texture that shimmered in the low light. It moved with more agility than the Strong‑billed, weaving up the trunk with quick, fluid motions. Its bill, though still curved, was finer and more precise, perfect for plucking insects from crevices. The bird’s presence felt lively and alert, a contrast to the heavier, more deliberate energy of the Strong‑billed.
Streak‑capped Treehunter
With a burst of energy, a tousle‑crowned explorer hopped into the glow…
Then, with a sudden burst of motion, the Streak‑capped Treehunter arrived—bolder, stockier, and far more animated than the woodcreepers. Its warm brown plumage was accented by a pale, streaked crown that gave it a slightly tousled, inquisitive look. The bird hopped rather than climbed, moving with a bounding energy that made it feel almost mischievous. Its bill was stout and powerful, built for prying into mossy tangles and bark clusters. In the soft glow of the moth lights, it looked like a creature always on the verge of uncovering some hidden treasure.
Lineated Foliage-gleaner
And then, from the tangle just beyond the glow, a busy, rust‑toned investigator pushed into view…
The Lineated Foliage-gleaner arrived with a kind of restless determination, its warm brown plumage catching faint highlights as it rummaged through moss and vine. Its bold facial stripes gave it a sharp, almost masked expression, as though it were perpetually scrutinizing the forest for secrets. Unlike the woodcreepers’ vertical precision, this bird moved in short, purposeful bursts—prying, tugging, and probing every crevice within reach. Even in the dim moth‑light glow, its energy felt unmistakable: a creature built for uncovering what the forest tries to hide.
Behaviors of the Woodcreeper Quartet
Watching all five species together revealed an even richer spectrum of foraging styles shaped by subtle differences in build and temperament. The Strong‑billed Woodcreeper worked with slow, deliberate power, prying deeply into bark and moss with its formidable bill as though excavating the forest’s hidden layers. The Montane Woodcreeper moved with a smoother, more fluid rhythm—less forceful than the Strong‑billed, but more persistent, pausing often to probe fine crevices with quick, precise jabs. The Spotted Woodcreeper brought agility to the group, weaving up trunks with light, rapid steps and gleaning insects with a deftness that made its movements feel almost airy. The Streak‑capped Treehunter remained the outlier in both posture and personality—hopping rather than climbing, rummaging through mossy tangles with bold, animated energy, as if always on the verge of uncovering something unexpected. And threading through the chaos was the Lineated Foliage‑gleaner, a restless investigator that worked in short, purposeful bursts, tugging at moss and prying into hidden pockets with a masked, scrutinizing intensity. Together, they turned the moth lights into a vertical buffet, each species carving out its own niche in the morning feast.
A Hint of What Comes Next
As the sun finally crested the ridge and the moth lights faded into the brightness of day, a new sound drifted through the clearing—a rich, resonant call that seemed to vibrate through the forest itself. It was a voice we knew well, one that promised color, charisma, and a story all its own. The Toucan Barbet was waiting, and the next post will be devoted entirely to this unforgettable bird.
NEXT UP: EB#70 “Colors in the Canopy: Meeting the Toucan Barbet at Tandayapa“
Additional Photographs
Previous Ecuador Birding Blog Posts:
- The Velvet‑purple Coronet and the Science of Color: A Field Photographer’s Reflection
A quiet Gray Fox along the Stanislaus River offered a moment of Zen‑like stillness, blending natural history, resilience, and the calm grace of wildness moving at its own pace. - EB100 – Epilogue – Full of Wonder and Gratitude
This epilogue looks beyond the individual bird highlights to the deeper meaning of the journey, capturing the wonder, gratitude, and renewed perspective that Ecuador left within me. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with birds and nature. - EB99 – Ecuador – Favorite Images from the West Andes
This epilogue looks beyond the individual bird highlights to the deeper meaning of the journey, capturing the wonder, gratitude, and renewed perspective that Ecuador left within me. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with birds and nature.
>>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%) are mine.
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