Ecuador - The Southwest

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1 Naturetrek Tour Itinerary 2012 Outline itinerary Day 1 Day 2/5 Day 6 Day 7/9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Fly Guayaquil Buenaventura/Umbrellabird Lodge Los Arrozales Macara/Urraca Lodge Guayaquil Fly Miami Arrive London White-tailed Jay Dates Saturday 13th October Wednesday 24th October 2012 Cost 2,395 (London/London) 1,645 (Guayaquil/Guayaquil) combine with our south-east tour and save 750 from the joint price Single room supplement 295 (but limited - see note at end) Grading A relatively easy tour with no altitude sickness risks. Focus Birds Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0) F: +44 (0) E: info@naturetrek.co.uk W:

2 Tour Itinerary NB. Please note that the itinerary below offers our planned programme of excursions. However, adverse weather & other local considerations can necessitate some re-ordering of the programme during the course of the tour, though this will always be done to maximise best use of the time and weather conditions available. Day 1 Guayaquil We leave London in the morning on a scheduled service to Guayaquil via the US*. We will arrive in Guayaquil in the evening and transfer to a comfortable and well positioned hotel for the night. Guayaquil is Ecuador s largest city with about 3,000,000 inhabitants. Situated at sea level its port Puerto Maritimo is the main sea port of the country where about 80% of the Ecuador s imports and more than 50% of its exports are handled. It is the commercial and industrial center of Ecuador and lies on the west bank of the River Guayas about 60 km from its merger with the Pacific Ocean in the Gulf of Guayaquil. *Should you prefer to travel via Amsterdam (KLM) or Madrid (Iberia) please call us for a quote. Day 2 Manglares Churute and Buenaventura After an early breakfast, we will drive up out of Guayaquil, heading south-west towards Machala in El Oro province. After 45 minutes we will arrive at our first main stop of the day: Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve. Created in 1979, the 35,000 hectare reserve protects some of the most threatened habitats on the Ecuadorian coast, including a largely inaccessible area of mangroves and the adjacent inland lake "El Lago Churute" which harbors the largest population of Horned Screamer in Ecuador. There is also some excellent dry-tropical deciduous forest and second growth scrub here allowing us ample opportunity to look for species such as Least Grebe, Pinnated Bittern, Great-blue Heron, Yellow-crowned Night- Heron, White Ibis, Green Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Whitecheeked Pintail, Clapper Rail, Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, Pacific Pygmy-Owl, Ochre-bellied Dove, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, White-whiskered Puffbird, White-tailed Kite, Grey-backed Hawk, Mangrove Hawk, Harris s Hawk, Savana Hawk, Baron s Hermit, Black-breasted Mango, Amazilia Hummingbird, Plain Antvireo, Jet Antbird, Whitebacked Fire-Eye, Pacific Royal Flycatcher, Masked Water-Tyrant, Mangrove Warbler, Great-tailed Grackle, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, Long-tailed Mockingbird, Gray-and-Gold Warbler, Crimson-breasted Finch, Blackcapped Sparrow, Peruvian Meadowlark., among others. After lunch, we will continue driving south towards Buenaventura and birding en route. We will arrive at the Umbrellabird Lodge in the late afternoon enjoying the outstanding landscape of the lowland rainforest from our cabins, where we will be based the next four nights. Naturetrek January 12 1

3 Tour Itinerary Ecuador - The Southwest Day 3-5 Buenaventura and Piñas area After our early breakfasts we will enjoy the fantastic habitat Fundacion Jocotoco s Buenaventura Reserve. None of this important habitat was protected until July 1999, when Fundación Jocotoco purchased 300 hectares of forested land and pasture. Additional properties are soon to be purchased and protected, pending funding. The Fundación will work with local organisations, including the village of Piñas, to reforest the cleared areas. The target size for this reserve is 5,000 ha (12,000 acres). This reserve is located near Piñas and Zaruma in El Oro province. The area is renowned for being one of the ornithologically richest and easily accessible sites in The Ecuadorian Andes. It protects a narrow zone of cloud forest habitat on the otherwise seasonally dry west slope of the Andes in Southern Ecuador. The reserve is the type locality of the El Oro Parakeet and the El Oro Tapaculo and is home of species like Club-winged Manakin and of the Ecuadorian endemic Emerald-bellied Woodnymph. Since its inauguration in 1999, the reserve has been progressively enlarged, and by the end of 2005 extended to about 1500 hectares, with an altitude range from 450m to 1100m. Construction of a residential, research and visitor facility was started in 2004, and by early 2006 this comprised four bedrooms for visitors, each with a bathroom. It has been named Umbrellabird Lodge, because a lek of the globally threatened Long-wattled Umbrellabird is only a few minutes walk away. The abandoned old road from Piñas to Machala goes through the middle of the reserve. During 2005 this was repaired and now can be used as a six kilometre long ecological trail by visitors, beginning near the shrine and descending back to the lodge. Bunches of bananas are being provided as food for birds and mammals, near to the lodge. This has resulted in regular visits by Woodpeckers, Aracaris, Toucans, Tanagers, elusive mammals like Coatis and the occasional Morpho butterfly. The area encompassed includes the present Buenaventura Reserve (which is set for further expansion), along the "lower road" below Umbrellabird Lodge (down 500 metres above sea level), where Fasciated Tiger Heron,Greyheaded, Swallow tailed, Plumbeous and Double-toothed Kites, Great Black Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle, Rufousheaded Chachalaca, Red-masked Parrakeet, the local Grey-cheeked Parrakeet, Crested Owl, Black-and-White and Spectacled Owls, Short-tailed Nighthawk, Stripe-throated Hermit, Violet-headed Hummingbird, Purple-crowned Fairy, Northern Violeaceous Trogon, Western Slaty Antshrike, Elegant Crescentchest, Pacific and Greenish Elaenias, Tumbes Pewee, Grey-breasted Flycatcher, Ochreceous Attila, One-coloured Becard, Pale-vented Thrush, Fasciated Wren, Speckle-breasted Wren, Dull-coloured Grassquit, Yellow-tailed Oriole, Saffron Siskin, and much more. From the lodge, the "upper road" towards the town of Sambo Tambo (from 500 to 1,150 metres above the sea level) was recently purchased by Fundacion Jocotoco in The track and forest here is ideal and offers dense forest areas and second undergrowth vegetation, especially good for El Oro Parrakeet and El Oro Tapaculo. Other important species such as Bicolored Hawk, Crested Guan, Rufous-fronted Wood Quail, Blue Ground-Dove, Pallid Dove, Blue-fronted Parrotlet, Mottled Owl, White-tipped Sicklebill, White-whiskered Puffbird, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Line-cheeked Spinetail, Slaty-winged Foliage-gleaner, Pacific Tuftedcheek, Unifprm Treehunter, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Brown-billed Scythebill, Russet Antshrike, Rufous-rumped Antwren, Grey-headed, Inmaculate, Chesnut-backed and Esmeraldas Antbirds, Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Loja Tyrannulet, Sierran Elaenia, Black-tailed and Sulphur-rumped Myiobius, Orange-crested Flycatcher, Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Club-winged and Golden-winged Manakins, Thrush-like Sciffornis, Spotted Nightingale-Thrush, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, Song Wren, Tawny-faced Gnatwren, Masked Yellowthroat, Three-banded, Buff- 2 Naturetrek January 12

4 Tour Itinerary rumped and Grey-and-Gold Warblers, Glistening-green, Rufous-throated, Golden-naped, Silver-throated and White-winged Tanagers, among others. Not far from the lodge, taking the main road into Piñas, the areas of San Roque and Portovelo offer a dry patch of semi deciduous forest, quite good to see species like Loja Hummingbird, Watkins s Antpitta, Elegant Crescentchest, Highland Elaenia, Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant, Yellow-olive Flycatcher, and more. Day 6 Buenaventura - Macara After another exciting early birding morning, we drive up out of Buenaventura heading the extreme southwest of the country. In despite of the long driving that we have to do on this day, we will do some birding en route on the way towards our final destination, the border locality of Macara., a trading picturesque small town surrounded by the most pure lowland deciduous forest characteristic of the Tumbes region. We will be based here in a basic but comfortable hotel for the next three nights. Day 7-8 Macara area & Jorupe The Tumbesian forest, - a dry habitat type which extends from south west Ecuador into northern Peru, is dominated by statuesque Ceiba trees. It is a conservation priority because much of it is already cleared or badly degraded. The 'Artists for Nature' Foundation visited this region last year and has now published the book "Treasures of the Forgotten Forest". This was featured in BBC Wildlife Magazine (August 2004) and at the British Birdwatching Fair Some of the paintings featured were completed in what is now the Jorupe Reserve. The new reserve at Jorupe, is a few km north east of the town of Macara which is near the Ecuador/Peru border. It supports many endemic and rare species of plants and animals, including populations of numerous globally threatened birds, such as the Henna-hooded Foliage-Gleaner. Godd quality of bird species are not hard to find within the reserve; Rufous-headed Chachalaca, Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, Tumbes Hummingbird, Little Woodstar, Ecuadorian Trogon, Ecuadorian Piculet, the endangered Blackish-headed Spinetail, Elegant Crescentchest, Watkin s Antpitta, Tumbesian Tyrannulet, Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant, Pacific Elaenia, Sooty-Crowned and Baird s Flycatchers, Slaty Becard, Speckle-breasted Wren, Chesnut-collared Swallow, Black-lored Yellowthroath, Black-and- White Tanager, White-headed Brush-Finch, Black-capped Sparrow, White-edge Oriole, among others. Farther from Macará, the road takes us up into the mountains again, and the cooler weather will be welcome. Forest patches near Sozoranga hold yet more Tumbesian endemics like Bay-crowned Brush-Finch, Chapman's Antshrike, as well as Line-cheeked Spinetail, Loja Tyrannulet, Andean Slaty-Thrush and Silver-backed Tanager. The Jocotoco Foundation is a member of "Bosques sin Fronteras" which is a consortium of NGOs from southern Ecuador and northern Peru working to improve conservation in the Tumbesian region. Fundación Jocotoco has just inaugurated its seventh habitat reserve by purchasing about a two square mile area of high quality deciduous forest in the Tumbesian region of south west Ecuador. This has been made possible by donations received from its UK Partner, the World Land Trust, and the American Bird Conservancy (with an especially generous donor) and the Western Alliance for Nature (WAN) Foundation in the US. Naturetrek January 12 3

5 Tour Itinerary Ecuador - The Southwest Day 9 Macara Utuana Catamayo Today we leave the Tumbesian region behind, but not before some final birding in the Utuana reserve, home of the very rare and local Black-crested Tit-Tyrant and where the endangered Gray-headed Antbird can also be found. The reserve at Utuana, close to the Peruvian border in Loja province, protects a small remnant of hilltop evergreen forest at 2500m altitude in the transitional zone between humid montane forest and the dry forest of the Tumbesian endemic region. It is dedicated to the memory of the young Danish biologist Hanne Bloch who was tragically killed in an aircrash while traveling to Ecuador in Very little of this type of habitat remains, and this reserve protects one of the larger intact sections. The trees in the forest are heavily laden with epiphytic plants. Numerous endemic birds are present in this location, including Piura Hemispingus, Black-crested Tit-tyrant, Watkins's Antpitta, Rainbow Starfrontlet, the elusive Black-cowled Saltator and Bay-crowned Brushfinch. We will expore the area of Utuana during the morning and afterwards enjoy our picnic lunch, before continuing later in the day towards the valley of Catamayo. The area is a mix of a dry interandean valley with some dry forest influence, very famous for its massive production of sugar cane. With irrigated fields, perfect for finch birds, we will seek for Drab Seedeater, Tumbes Sparrow and Band-tailed Sierra-Finch. The town centre holds a good population of Tumbes Swallow, likely to be seen nesting on the building walls. We spend the night in this peaceful area. Day 10 Catamayo - Guayaquil The Catamayo Valley is an open area located about 20 miles east of Loja, on the main road from Macara. The Catamayo Valley is an agricultural region located en route from Macara to Loja. The birding activity is mixed and fantastic on the dry scrub vegetation areas where many species such as Croacking Ground-Dove, Peruvian Pygmy- Owl, Band-winged and Anthony s Nightjars, Loja Hummingbird, Purple-collared Woodstar, Collared and Chapman s Anthshrikes, Elegant Crescentchest, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant, Cliff Swallow, Chiguanco Thrush, Parrot-billed Seedeater, Peruvian Meadowlark and more can be found. After a full birding morning and delicious typical lunch, we check out from our hotel and drive up towards La Toma airport. We will be able to do some more birding around the airport while we wait for our flight to Guayaquil where we spend the night before catching our flight back home the following day. Day 11 Guayaquil - London We will be transferred to the airport for our flight home. Day 12 London We arrive back at Heathrow in the late afternoon. 4 Naturetrek January 12

6 Tour Itinerary Grading To enjoy the trip to the full you should be reasonably fit and mobile and enjoy walking. The focus of the holiday is predominantly birdlife. Weather The climate in Ecuador varies enormously, depending on the region and the altitude. The southwestern Ecuador is generally hot and it could be humid or dry according to the season. The Tumbesian areas are mainly dry and warm to very hot. Higher altitude areas like Utuana and Sozoranga can be windy and chilly. There is a possibility of heavy rain at any time, but hopefully not to the extent that it will spoil your enjoyment. Clothing Please inspect the separate clothing list, sent to you on booking, thoroughly. Food & accommodation included in the price All accommodation and meals are included, except for evening meals in Guayaquil. Allow 50. Single rooms The Jocotoco lodges at Buentaventura (4 nights) and Jorupe (3 nights) only have 5 rooms each. It is unlikely therefore that we will be able to offer single accommodation at these localities. In this case, our single room supplement will be pro-rated downwards. Extra expenses Please note that we do not include the following in the cost of this holiday: airport taxes (currently $44 on the international departure from Guayaquil), and all items of a more personal nature such as drinks, laundry and souvenirs. Bird lists & previous tour reports Our comprehensive tour report on this holiday will be automatically provided on booking. However, we will gladly send it to you before, if you wish for a more detailed preview. How to book your place In order to book your place on this holiday, you will need to read our main Naturetrek brochure thoroughly and complete and return the enclosed booking form, together with a deposit of 20% of the holiday cost. If you do not have a copy of this brochure please give us a call on , and we would be happy to post one to you. Naturetrek January 12 5