This video is from our last day in the north-west. This Ecuador Mega Trip is mainly focused on the south, but we had planned these days up here, to add lots of birds not seen in the south, just like we spent that hour at Shrine Calacalí on arrival day. Tonight we'll spend in Quito, tomorrow mid day we'll fly to Coca for a few days in Amazon habitat at Napo Wildlife Center, but that's for later videos. This day we start at dawn at Paz de las Aves, hoping for all the Antpittas. That didn't work out, Maria the Giant Antpitta was busy incubating a new generation, but we heard her call. The Moustaches wasn't up for any worm-feeding either, but we glimpsed it in a shrubby ditch. No photo. The Yellow-breasted Antpitta, however, wanted worm snacks and turned up. It had a young one, hanging back out of sight :-)
The Cock-of-the-Rock display didn't want to happen either, and if it did we couldn't see much. Too many peeps in the blind.
The fruit feeders had many visitors, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Sickle-winged Guan, Toucan Barbet, Blue-winged Mountain Tanager and Black-chinned Mountain Tanager.
The Hummingbird feeders were also well frequented, mostly the same species as yesterday at Las Grallarias (minus the Hoary Puffleg, ofc) but with the addition of Empress Brilliant, Andean Emerald, Purple-bibbed Whitetip and Tawny-bellied Hermit.
While most of the groups ate the included breakfast we sneaked back to the fruit-feeders and spotted a gorgeous male Orange-breasted Fruiteater (Lifer) and a shy White-throated Quail-Dove.
After that we ate our breakfast and drove off to Mashpi, trying to outrun the afternoon rain (in vain: February isn't prime visit time for the northwest, it's more June-Sept, but it's prime time for the south and somewhat prime for the Amazon habitat in the northeast). We spent the time walking the road down to where the new lodge should be built (is built, now) before we had to turn around and hurry back to the car. Despite walking in fog/rain cloud and later in drizzle, i e lousy sight, we managed to squeeze out a few more species for our list: Scaly Fruiteater (Lifer), Olive Finch (Lifer) and Moss-backed Tanager. Almost back to the car we got a nice view of a Smoke-colored Pewee. After that it was time for the 3 hour long drive back to Quito.