Archive for the tag 'ecuador'

Apr 23 2009

“This cute, small flycatcher is so colorful as to be essentially unmistakable.”

Ornate Flycatcher, Milpe, Ecuador How often do you find the words cute and unmistakable in the same sentence with flycatcher? Bob Ridgeley combined them to capture much of what makes this bird special. My photo, unfortunately, only shows the ventral side of the bird. Add in the glowing yellow rump and rusty-based tail and you’ve got [...]

One response so far

Apr 14 2009

Why Easter Egg Hunts are Less Popular in the Tropics

Published by jeff under Birding,South America

Easter Egg hunts are one of those activities engineered to give participants a better than average chance of success. The eggs are hidden, but they’re not too hidden–just tucked away behind a few obvious obstacles dotting a nice expanse of perfect green lawn. Now, I know, some of you probably had an especially mischievous parent [...]

One response so far

Apr 09 2009

Skywatch Friday: Sunrise Over Pilchicocha

Published by jeff under Photography,South America,Travel

The view east as we were leaving Sacha Lodge, 30 March 2009. For more sky photos from around the world, check out Skywatch Friday.

11 responses so far

Apr 07 2009

Papallacta Pass 1: Hunting the Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe

Published by jeff under Birding,South America,Travel

The morning of March 10, 2009 was my first in Ecuador and I was in a distinctly unusual and not entirely comfortable situation. In 5 short days, I would commence co-leading a 2 1/2 week birding tour around a country with one of the most complex avifaunas in the world, yet I’d never been there [...]

10 responses so far

Apr 03 2009

Cuter Sapsuckers

Published by jeff under South America,Travel

Don’t get me wrong…sapsuckers are cute. But in the Amazonian forest surrounding Sacha Lodge, I made the acquaintance of a sap eater that frankly blows our nifty little woodpeckers right off the tree in the cuteness department. Say hello to my little friend: Behold the Pygmy Marmoset–the world’s smallest monkey. How small? Well, according to [...]

11 responses so far

Mar 26 2009

I Will NOT Call this Post “El Cóndor Pasa”

Published by jeff under Birding,South America,Travel

Andean Condor soaring into the clouds below Papallacta Pass, March 25, 2009

4 responses so far

Mar 18 2009

The Tapir is Here, if You Would Like to Come See It

Published by jeff under Birding,South America,Travel

From March 10-15, I had the rare pleasure of spending most of five days in the lovely cloud forest at Cabanas San Isidro, tucked into the east slope of the Ecuadorian Andes at about 2200 meters. I have very little time to share any of the many wonderful things I got to see and do [...]

4 responses so far