*Giant Antpitta, Refugio Paz de las Aves (Mike Watson)*

In 2005 I made an epic visit to Ecuador with János Oláh, targeting birds he had not seen on his previous visit, but this meant lots of tough-to-see species, particularly antpittas. We had an incredible time, but my tripod broke on day 1 so no digiscoping or any kind of photography for me. This was one year before I got my first DSLR and as time went by, some of the rarer birds got easier to see and to photograph with the explosion in feeding stations at lodges. I had a couple of days to fill in Quito before my Galapagos tour this year so, where better to spend them than the cloud forest of the west slope of the Andes? Unfortunately, the timing of my visit did not coincide with recent sightings of some of my most-wanted Choco specials, like Banded Ground Cuckoo, Rufous-crowned Antpitta and Tooth-billed Hummingbird but there were still plenty of new ones possible and it would be great to photograph some old favourites.

Arriving in the afternoon, tired after a long journey I got biffed instantly by Europcar at Quito airport for ‘their insurance’. They refused to recognise the insurance I had bought with the car rental via booking.com. So, don’t bother with the booking.com insurance was the answer and don’t use them again. A disappointing scam. Also, I should also have hired a more powerful car than the little Chevvy Groove SUV, there are some long uphill climbs and goodness me, the entrance drive to Tandayapa Lodge is steep and has some wicked turns. It was interesting to do this now unfamiliar drive in the dark and 20 years after I was last there! The staff at Tandayapa are excellent and looked after me very well, the food was great and it was simply magical to stay at a lodge in the cloudforest again, surrounded by hummingbirds! Tandayapa Valley is the world capital of hummingbirds and one of those true world birding Meccas that everyone goes to eventually. It had lost none of its charm in the last two decades and in fact it has got even better, more of this later.

*Rose-faced Parrot, Mashpi Amagusa (Mike Watson)*

With so little time, this meant a 4AM start next morning bound for Mashpi Amagusa. This lodge was not on the established birding circuit last time, but it has gained a reputation for birds that are more difficult in the Mindo area, including some that I missed in 2005. After at least one million bends, dodgy mapping and some sketchy tracks I finally rolled up at 6.30AM. Without trying to drive up a path to someone’s house and in daylight it was much quicker on the way back! My local birding guide Sergio, the owner of the lodge met me at the gates, and we got down to birding immediately, starting with the moth trap. This is another modern phenomenon that offers an opportunity to see insectivorous birds very easily, attracted to a large white sheet covered with moths. I can’t imagine that moth lovers like it though, watching a wide variety of stunning moth species being eaten for breakfast in front of them, there goes another hawkmoth down the gullet of a woodcreeper. It is a very efficient way to see birds in a short space of time. This was not the only feeder here though, there were bananas and papaya too for fruit lovers. Bird activity was great before my own breakfast! I added some good new birds: Purple-chested Hummingbird, Rose-faced Parrot (at least 12 came in to the bananas first thing, something of a Mashpi speciality now and such a welcome catch up as I had missed it at Rio Bombuscaro in 2005 with stomach trouble while my pals all saw it), Uniform Treehunter, Bronze-olive Pygmy Tyrant, Choco Tyrannulet, Black-billed Peppershrike, Choco Vireo, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Indigo Flowerpiercer and Glistening Green and White-winged Tanagers. Best of all were the three Black Solitaires we found in the forest away from the lodge. Hanging around the feeder for Dark-backed Wood Quail or trying for the solitaire was an easy choice. Jonas had shown me a log on which a Black Solitaire had perched 20 years ago, and we failed to find it, so I had wanted to see one ever since. What a smart bird it is too. The white pectoral tufts came as a surprise. Other good birds on what ended as a 95 species day were two of the best hummingbirds: Green-fronted Lancebill and Velvet-Purple Coronet (from the breakfast table), plus Golden-headed Quetzal, Bicolored Antbird, Orange-breasted Fruithunter, Golden-winged and Club-winged Manakins, Lemon-rumped, Flame-faced and Black-chinned Mountain Tanagers and the excellent Bangsia, Moss-backed Tanager, which I had seen in the mist 20 years ago. Here it was a couple of metres away while eating breakfast! Thanks to Janet and Doris too, for making my short visit a very enjoyable one. I will be back! I love watching the mist swirl up the forested hillsides, with occasional gaps revealing a wonderful tapestry of cloud forest trees. It is the steep slopes that cannot be cultivated that has saved this precious habitat. I had a little time back at Tandayapa spent watching the hummingbird feeders, which were incredibly busy. No lifers but a cool 12 species including Sparkling Violetear, Violet-tailed Sylph, Fawn-breasted and Green-crowned Brilliants and White-necked Jacobin. What a way to spend your time!

*Green-fronted Lancebill, Mashpi Amagusa (Mike Watson)*

*Ornate Flyctcher, Mashpi Amagusa (Mike Watson)*

*Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Mashpi Amagusa (Mike Watson)*

Velvet Purple Coronet, *Mashpi Amagusa (Mike Watson)*

Moss-backed Tanager, *Mashpi Amagusa (Mike Watson)*

Black Solitaire, *Mashpi Amagusa (Mike Watson)*

Black Solitaire habitat, *Mashpi Amagusa (Mike Watson)*

Next day saw another modern classic world birding hotspot, Refugio Paz de las Aves. Everyone who is interested in world birding goes here at least once in their life! Accessed by another rutted, bumpy track this place shot to fame soon after my visit to Ecuador with its habituated antpittas. We had toiled in the forest, hiding on precipitous muddy slopes in the hope of luring them into view and although I was thrilled to see them, including Giant, Moustached, Scaled, Crescent-faced (all the tough ones) I have nothing to show for it 20 years later bar some sketches and fading memories. So, I was keen to take some photos! The action-packed morning starts with a visit to one (!they have more than one!) of their Andean Cock-of-Rock leks. Another annoying gap from 2005! Janó had seen it before of course and we only heard it on his second visit. They are difficult to see away from their leks. It was a noisy and exhilarating experience to finally set eyes on this bird! At least seven males were spread around the trees in front of the hide, with one dominant bird in the centre, who had several scraps with potential usurpers, kicking them back out to the periphery. The light was poor, the distance was too great, the birds often facing away, excuses, excuses, excuses but I loved it. They are laser dot red in the darkness of the forest and what a racket they make, constantly screeching at each other. Cotingas really are the Birds of Paradise of the Neotropics! Crested Guan was new here as well but apart from these two, everything else was an old friend.

*Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Refugio Paz de las Aves (Mike Watson)*

Angel Paz and his brother Rodrigo have created something very special here and their ‘show birds’ are a classic example of what can be accomplished in grass roots conservation. The reserve is a working farm with steep, forested slopes and gullies, where the special cloud forest birds cling on. Rodrigo was down one of these slopes already and was joined by Angel. After a tense wait Angel returned with the news that Maria was there. We descended at least one million steps into a world of mossy, bryophyte-covered trees and slippery, muddy slopes to a contour trail where Maria was. She is actually at least Maria III, all their Giant Antpittas are called Maria after the first bird they started feeding around 20 years ago. We enjoyed some terrific views of her as she came for the food put down for her, she didn’t eat it but took it back into the undergrowth where we could just about see her well-grown chick. Fab-u-lous! A tip. Don’t push the ISO up too high. Lower the shutter speed instead. The antpitta will freeze for you every now and again and you can rely on IS and super-steady hands instead.

A pair of Swallow-tailed Kites circled the valley, and we broke off for breakfast at the Paz restaurant. More unexpectedly great facilities and especially great locally grown coffee! How times have changed in this region. After breakfast we had another couple of antpittas to see. First on the agenda was Yellow-breasted. Another I had seen very nicely on the old Nono-Mindo road all those years ago but no lasting memory aid. I don’t think the Yellow-breasted has a name, but it showed beautifully. ‘Where do you want it?’ ‘The middle of the waterfall would be good’ and so it was, with a watery background. Incredible! Shakira was next on stage. That is what they call every Ochre-breasted Antpitta. They use a nice mossy branch for this one, great for close ups. It had started to rain now. Exactly what they taught us about rain forests in school. ‘How long do you think it will rain for?’ ‘No idea’ ‘Could it rain all afternoon, or could it stop soon?’ ‘Yes’, to both. Back at Tandayapa, where it also rained all afternoon, the hummer activity was intense and Lesser Violetear was a new one I’d missed in ’05.

*Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Refugio Paz de las Aves (Mike Watson)*

*Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Refugio Paz de las Aves (Mike Watson)*

*Rodrigo, KC, some other guy and Angel at Refugio Paz de las Aves (Mike Watson)*

I had hardly stepped outside the lodge garden at Tandayapa, so it was time to explore here a little before heading back to Quito this afternoon. There are still a few birds I haven’t seen in the valley even now after adding Crowned Woodnymph on the hummer feeders, Pallid Dove and the very sneaky and tiny White-throated Spadebill. I also had some very nice looks at the lovely Toucan Barbet, Strong-billed and Spotted Woodcreepers and Russet-crowned Warbler at the all-you-can-eat moth buffet. The local form of Red Brocket Deer was a surprise. So ended my time in the Choco, it must be one of my favourite habitats. One of the most diverse in the world and there are still plenty of birds left for me there. It is also just a terrific way to spend your time watching the endless comings and goings at the lodge feeders. Next time! I won’t look forward to the sodding one million enormous speed humps on the road back to Quito though.

ECUADOR'S CHOCÓ 20 YEARS LATER