Birding Trip Report Southern Ecuador 2023

January 2 to 11.

Participant: Stefano Barchiesi. Guide: Pablo Andrade.

Places to visit:

Buenaventura Reserve (500-1300 m, 1640-4265 feet).

Laguna la Tembladera. Santa Rosa.

Cerro de Arcos (3600 meters, Acacana Reserve. Saraguro

Tapichalaca Reserve (2500 meters- 8200 feet).

Tropical Forest – Bombuscaro River – Podocarpus National Park - Copalinga Reserve (900 m - 2950 feet.).

Amazon Basin - Maycu Reserve, Nangaritza River. Yankuan Lodge. 900 meters

El Zarza Reserve (850 meters . 1600 meters).

Day 1 January 2 Flight Quito – Loja . 06h00 am arrival to Catamayo Airport. Bird around Catamayo Dry forest. Head to the Buenaventura reserve. Umbrella Bird Lodge

Day 2 Jan 3 Buenaventura Reserve.

Day 3 Jan 4 Buenaventura Reserve.

Day 4 Jan 5 Buenaventura R and head to Cerro de Arcos. Night in Saraguro.

Day 5 Jan 6 Acacana Mountain and head to Tapichalaca Reserve. 1 night. Casa Simpson Lodge.

Day 6. Jan 7. Tapichalaca in the morning and head to Zamora. Copalinga Reserve.

Day 7. Jan 8. Copalinga Reserve – Podocarpus National Park, head to los encuentros.

El Zarza Reserve.

Day 8. Jan 9. El Zarza and head to Maycu Reserve – Nangaritza River. Yankuam.

Yankuam and Maycu Reserve.

Day 9 Jan 10 Maycu Reserve and head to the city of Zamora. Podocarpus Park. 1 nigh

Day 10. Jan 11. Podocarpus National Park. Afternnon head to Catamayo airport. Flight to Quito.

This trip asked by Stefano Barchiesi a birder young man and photographer from Italy had a lenght of 10 days. Considering the lenght of the trip and some important and highlights species present in the different ecosistems, we decided to make a little thigh itinerary, to cover the several private reserves and locations, and, for that our staying in some cases was just 1 nigh. The results with hard work was to find highlights and emblematic birds. Including in this itinerary the most stunning journey to Cerro de Arcos, a remote paramo where we had an wonderfull weather and a spectacular views of the Blue-throated Hillstar. Oreotrochilus cyanolaemus.

**Birding Trip Report Southern Ecuador 2023. Stefano Barchiesi Cerro de Arcos**

Reseña del viaje:

Este viaje de observacion de aves ha pedido de Stefano Barchiesi, un joven Italiano fue solicitado para 10 dias; tiempo en el cual se me ocurrio brindarle y aprobechar la mayor de las posibilidades, por ello decidimos juntos darle un poco de enfasis en las especies emblematicas o endemicas en diferentes reservas y ecosistemas, tratando de aprovechar al maximo este pequeño lapso de tiempo. Para ello en algunos sitios como buenaventura reserve (choco region) nos quedamos 3 noches, y en otros sitios decidimos solo quedarnos 1 noche, y asi pudimos observar diferentes aves endemicas. y emblematicas, como ser: Long-wattled Umbrellabird, El Oro Parakeet, Gray-backed Hawk, Pacific-Royal Flycatcher, Horned Screamer, Blue-throated Hillstar, Crescent-faced Antpitta, Andean Pygmy-Owl, Jocotoco Antpitta, Andean Hillstar, Golden-plumed Parakeet, Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan, Chusquea Tapaculo, Lanceolated Monklet, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Amazonian Umbrellabird, White-necked Parakeet, Coppery-chested Jacamar, entre muchas otras mas.

Con Stefano, podemos decir que uno de los sitios mas hermosos y esperados de visitar fue Cerro de Arcos, por ser lejano y remoto, sumado a ello el muy buen clima que nos acompaño, y la espectacular observacion de la Estrellita de Garganta Azul, Oreotrochilus cyanolaemus, Blue-throated Hillstar. Adicionalmente en Buenaventura tuvimos un encuentro con 2 Hoffmann´s Two-toed Sloth - Choloepus hoffmanni.