Date: 8/29/26 1:43 pm From: Jim Betz via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Bird Ecuador
Janine,
We went to Ecuador earlier this year but it wasn't the same tour company.
Our tour operator was Naturalist Journeys (a U.S. based company). However,
there wasn't a hint of influence by the tour company - they just (?) did the
arrangements. It is quite possible that the people we worked with in
Ecuador were from Birding Ecuador - Naturalist Journeys had everything
arranged - but our birding guide and driver were Ecuadoreans (and great).
Here is a synopsis of my thoughts and experiences about birding in
Ecuador:
1) Just GO! One of the best birding trips we've taken (of about 10
total where
you travel specifically for birding).
2) We started in Quito and were never more than 4 hours away - and
always on
the West side of the Andes. It is still "jungle" ... just not
the drippy rain forest
of the Amazon. I had originally looked at a location that was
on the East
side of the Andes and "clearly upper Amazon" ... but I'm not
disappointed
with what we saw. Besides - that means that we can go back for
the Amazon
side! *G*.
3) We travelled from one birding oriented lodge to the next. All at
different
elevations and never "low" ... think "Cloud Forest". Since the
elevation was
changing - the mix of birds at each location was different. Some
times some of
the same species but always some new species we hadn't seen
before. The
rooms were more than adequate - always clean ... and the dining
facilities
were similar. Not 5 star - but excellent.
4) Be prepared for hummingbirds! They will be "every where there is
food".
And, for the most part they will be up close and personal and
'lingering' right
in front of you.
5) All of the lodges have feeders - nectar, fruit and seed feeders.
That means
that every meal was punctuated by the presence of birds.
6) The food was basic and delicious with each lodge having a
specialty or two
that none of the others had - and each lodge seemed to have
their own
wrinkle to the recipe they used for dishes we'd had before.
Yummy! Also,
be prepared for a 'new' (?) experience ... when they serve any
kind of soup
they also have a bowl of popcorn and you put it in the soup.
7) The beverages were good - but not "gourmet/connoiseur".
8) You will see some very special/unique species ... but you will
also see some
birds that you've seen before (but perhaps just not the exact
same species
but rather a closely related "cousin" with slightly different
coloring and
range.
9) I don't remember if you are a photographer or not. I was -very-
happy with
my 100-500 and even got "keepers" from birds that I -thought-
were too
far away and I just took the shot as a record. Live and Learn!
Everyone,
Here is a link to my Ecuador birding pictures ... just ignore stuff
about "how to buy".
(If tweeters strips off the link just send an email to jim betz at jim
betz dot com ) ... Jim
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