My time on North Ron - by Espen Quinto Ashman & George Gay

My Time on North Ron: George Gay, 21, Somerset

"I arrived on North Ron on April 22^nd, it was a long journey, taking the best part of a day. When I arrived I was greeted by Alison off the plane, she drove me straight up to the Obs to meet Kevin, Mark, Fleur and the two girls Sara and Molly. They were the first volunteers I saw in my spell, both lovely girls and both in the early stages of their birding lives!

The first week was spent getting used the census routes and finding my own way around, I think the main highlight was a Tree Pipit, a bird I wasn't overly familiar with so seeing one perched on a wall was useful!

I'll skip ahead slightly now to the 1^st May, it was my first time on the top end of the island, census area F. I was about halfway through the route coming up the loch inside of the sea wall at Bewan, I could see three wading birds feeding on a mud spit, the first two clearly Dunlin the third was different, I crept closer and got stunning views of what I could of thought was a calidris type Sandpiper, I had a fair idea of what the bird was before I phoned Mark, he told me to be cautious and describe it to him as if I had no idea what it was, my description was enough for him to decide it was worthy of a look, so when he rolled up with everybody from the Obs I started to panic and doubt myself a bit! Thankfully my hunch was correct and the bird stuck about, it was my first lone find and a lifer too!. White-rumped Sandpiper!

Forward in time now to the 30^th May, myself and Steve are in our room, Steve was on holiday in Hungary when I arrived but was back on the island now, I'm sat in bed having just woken up and I can hear these loud rushing footsteps coming up the stairs, I say to Steve.

“Is that Mark? Why's  he's coming to our door?”

With that a highly flustered Mark bursts through the bedroom door shouting and waving like a mad man!

“Gav’s caught a Cathurus Thrush at Holland, he's not sure what it is! Get up!”

Me and Steve were out of bed and in the car before Mark had left the room, we got to Holland and the bird was presented to us, me and Steve in awe of what was being shown to us! A Veery! The girls didn't really grasp the significance of the bird we were looking at until it was explained it was only the 11^th record for Britain. It was the highlight of the Spring.

Other Spring highlights included a long staying Male Rustic Bunting, a stunning OBP, a self-found Woodchat Shrike (3^rd Island Record), Long-tailed Skua passage that defied logic (they passed 12ft over heads!)  and other Spring migrants like Corncrake, Bluethroats etc.

Not a bad Spring.

I left the island in late June for a holiday to America and return again at the back end of July, the faces I knew had left apart from Steve and Sam Perfect had arrived along Pete, there where things to see once I got back, the breeding birds had bred and we had chicks to rings in the form of Arctic Terns, Black-headed and Common Gulls, we had done most the waders in early June but a few remained and best of all the Tystie (Black Guillemot) chicks. We managed a record number of Tysties this spring, also on the ringing front we had Storm Petrels to ring, an amazing experience and if any of you get a chance to do it then I suggest it! With the Stormies we also caught a few Leach’s and that's a real treat!

With the ringing done the birds started to move back towards Africa and early Autumnal influxes of Wrynecks,  Icterine and Barred Warblers arrived, bringing the hope of that far Eastern mega bird but it never really arrived! Things seemed to slow down, we had a few exciting birds, like a possible Arctic Peregrine that I photographed on the 7^th September, Steve found an American Goldie in horrible weather conditions that hung around for at least a week, we had a second WRS and plenty of other good passage migrants, the highlight of our Autumn came in late September and continued to be a highlight until I left. A phone call from Mark to me while I was sat in the Obs with Sam and maybe Johnny (I can't remember sorry!) sparked a wild and now in hindsight unneeded panic, Mark said he thought he had a Northern Harrier, if you ever get the chance to bird with Mark Warren do it, it's a privilege! I think is as good as I've got! So a mad dash and some potentially wreck less driving later we got to Mark, and eventually the bird, what a screamer it was, a sub-adult Male Northern Harrier, it stole the show for weeks and rightly so! I'm sure you've all seen pictures of it and now it's been split its all the sweeter! In October we joined in with the Yellow-browse passage that sweeper the UK breaking the island record, I can't remember the total but going out census and getting into double figures was easy, the same happened with Short-eared Owls in November!

It would be wrong to mention our excursion to nearby Papa Westray for a potential 1^st Britain if accepted, the Chestnut Bunting was a fantastic bird showing stupidly well but it overshot us by about 20 miles and that sort of hurts!

 My time on North Ronaldsay was rounded off by a truly unexpected event, while ringing at Holland House I got a text from Mark about a large Cetacean, not thinking much of it and bring up to our armpits it's Redwings we blew it off, only for Mark to text again to say it was a probable Humpback, so me and Alison rushed down the pier, and lone and behold every 1-2 minutes a ridged back would appear and an all to familiar panic ensued, we now had to get everyone on it! So several Land Rover trips later everyone got to see what was and still is one the most spectacular creatures on the planet.

My time on the island was amazing, the people, the wildlife and the birds. Best of all, I get to do it all over again in March!"

My Time on North Ron: Espen Quinto-Ashman, 18, Herefordshire
"This autumn saw me travelling up to the most northerly Isle in the Orkney Archipelago to help out as part of the North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory team. The Island was split into 6 different areas: A,B,C,D,E and F, and the Obs team rotated around censusing one area each, every day. The first few days I spent getting my bearings, as the island is bigger than I had imagined and there are lots of place names to learn! Once I had an idea of this I was put on the rota and birded one area of the island each day for the rest of my stay. I was also required to do shifts in the observatory which included doing various jobs in the kitchen, the guest house and shop. The volunteers took turns at going ringing when the conditions were suitable and we caught a brilliant array of species during the course of the autumn!

Birding highlights in my first week included a huge fall of Yellow-browed Warbler consisting of 31 birds (an Island day record, which I got to ring 3 of!), and a Red-breasted Flycatcher became my 300^th species in Britain! A Blyth’s Reed Warbler was found in the dock field at Senness and was trapped and ringed to confirm ID, a Common Buzzard was only the 2^nd on the island this year, but a Honey Buzzard would’ve been much more appreciated… A big influx of Snow Bunting was also apparent. 

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Blyth’s Reed Wabrler

Week 2 started with a bang as a stonking adult male Northern Harrier was found late morning on 25th, census was abandoned and a stampede to the north end ensued, luckily it was still in the area and gave a close flyby so we could check the id features- it was spot on! The bird then went on to stay all autumn giving great views to all and is still present now (17^th November)! The 25^th also produced the first significant movement of Pink-footed Goose of the autumn with 418  going south throughout the day. 3 Barred Warbler were present on the 28^th, one of which I flushed whilst cycling past one of the Heligoland traps and nearly caught it there! Several Lapland Buntings were also now present on the Isle.

Northern Harrier!

Week 3 started fairly quietly, although two Buff-breasted Sandpiper were the first on the island for two years. Hopes were high for the end of the week with an easterly gale forecast, on the 4^th a Storm Petrel was found on the pier which George very kindly let me ring! On the 5^th the easterlies started blowing, these produced a few migrants, the best of which being a Little Bunting I found on the rocks on the north coast, the day record of Barnacle Goose was also broken with 375 going south. The birding was tough on the 6^th with high winds and rain but the 7^th produced two more goodies in the form of a Bluethroat and another Little Bunting, two Grasshopper Warblers were also found although we couldn’t help feeling a little disheartened that they weren’t something rarer!

Little Bunting

Yellow-browed Warbler

The highlight on the 8^th was the Aurora  which put on a phenomenal display! It’s the first time I’ve seen it and it didn’t disappoint! That day we also caught two Ring Ouzel in Holland Gardens, a lovely ringing tick. The next few days’ highlights were a Temminck’s Stint and an interesting Redstart with prominent white wing panels- a characteristic of the eastern race samamisicus, this went on to stay for the next few days. 

Bluethroat

A duo of rare pipits: Olive-backed Pipit and Pechora Pipit on the 12^th and 13^th respectively were more than welcome, who doesn’t love a good pipit! Also of interest was the wing of a swift sp. found at the lighthouse, we’re still awaiting confirmation of ID although it looks most likely a common. The island’s 5^th Firecrest was also found on the 14^th among the large numbers of Goldcrest which had been present over the week.

Watching a Pechora Pipit

Aurora Borealis

The highlights of the next week were undeniably the cetaceans with two lifers for me in as many days, an Orca on the 17^th and a Humpback Whale on the 18^th, wow wow wow! Other highlights were a Richard’s Pipit and having in-the-hand views of a Long-eared Owl!

white wing-panelled Redstart

migrant Goldcrest

Humpback Whale

A Glaucous Gull on a short seawatch on the 24^th provided some interest but it was all about the 28^th! A very impressive fall took place with minimum totals including 2525 Fieldfare, 1114 Redwing, 124 Blackbird, 81 Song Thrush, 1 Ring Ouzel, 22 Brambling, 13 Woodcock, 5 Long-eared Owl and best of all 22 Short-eared Owl including two separate ‘flocks’ of 10, doubling the previous day record! A day that will remain one of my most memorable days’ birding ever!

The 29^th is another day that will remain lodged in my memory, in the morning 927 Blackbird were recorded, it was a bizarre experience seeing actual flocks of Blackbird just like the flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare! The Short-eared Owl day record was broken again with 24 counted! Also present were 2 Great-grey Shrike. In the afternoon the team hopped on a plane and we were soon watching Papa Westray’s 1w male Chestnut Bunting, the next day was spent birding Papay and in the afternoon we flew back to North Ron. The highlights of the rest of my last week were a showy Glaucous Gull, several Pomarine Skua and Little Auk, the latter of which I consistently failed to catch up with! I also got to ring a Great-grey Shrike in Holland Gardens which was a privilege- what a bird!

Richard’s Pipit

migrant Short-eared Owl

Chestnut Bunting on Papa Westray

North Ronaldsay was a brilliant experience with some fantastic birds and wildlife; I would recommend a visit to any birder! I’d like to thank the BTO for this grant which helped significantly to finance my trip! I’d also like to thank Kevin and Alison for the opportunity and the observatory staff and volunteers for making it so enjoyable! I’ll be back!"

1W Glaucous Gull

Ecuador Trip Report - Espen Quinto-Ashman

Ecuador 16th July- 9th September 2015

After a long (18hr) flight via Bogota (where I’d already added 5 new species from out the window!- Brown-bellied Swallow, Tropical Kingbird, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Great Thrush and Andean Lapwing), I finally touched down in Quito airport, tired, but itching to go birding! I was picked up from the airport by one of Bellavista Lodge’s (where I’d be volunteering for the next 2 months) drivers, on the 2 hour drive to the lodge we made our way through Quito’s hot, polluted and busy streets and into the Cloud Forest, I managed another 3 new species: Black Vulture, Eared Dove and American Kestrel.

When we finally made it to the lodge I grabbed a bite to eat and Nelson Apolo, one of the guides there took me birding round one of the trails, new species came thick and fast.. 43 of them in fact! That evening I got two mammal ticks: Olinguito and Tayra. The next day I got lots more lifers, the best of which being a Common Potoo sat on one of the buildings at night!

A couple of days later I joined some visiting birders down to the Angel Paz reserve which has different species to Bellavista due to the lower altitude, highlights here included Band-winged Nightjar, Paraque, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Yellow-bellied Antpitta, Giant Antpitta, Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Rufous-breasted Antthrush, Dark-backed Woodquail, Golden-headed Quetzal, Swallow-tailed Kite and Olive-capped Yellowthroat.

The next day I did the same thing and headed down to Milpe where highlights included: Broad-billed Motmot, Orange-billed Sparrow, River Bank Warbler, Gira Tanager, Choco Toucan, Swallow Tanager, Golden-winged Manakin, Choco Warbler, Choco Tyrannulet, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Collared Aracari and Spotted Nightingale Thrush.

The next two weeks were spent birding Bellavista with highlights including Plushcap, Tanager Finch, Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Yellow-vented Woodpecker, White-throated Hawk, White-rumped Hawk and Rufous Tanager, I also finally saw Spillman’s Tapaculo and Chestnut-crowned Antpitta after hearing many! 

It was finally time for my trip to Gareno Lodge in the Amazon with Nelson, we headed down to Quito with Bellavista transport and from there hopped on a bus to Puyo (a short 9hr journey away.. I found buses in Ecuador tend to be a very cheap and fairly easy way to travel, unlike those back home, In fact it costs roughly the same for the 9 hour journey to Puyo as it would to get a bus from Hereford to my patch at Wellington GPs which takes 20 minutes….), we passed Sugar Cane, Yucca and Balsa Wood plantations on the journey and 9hrs later at 1am we stepped into the humid Amazonian night, found a hotel and quickly fell asleep, the next morning we were up early and headed to a café for breakfast, which involved sampling some of the local cuisine, including ‘chontacuro’- a type of palm-eating grub… not something I’m in a hurry to try again it has to be said! We got a taxi to a nearby reserve called Cascada Hola Vida where highlights included: Paradise Tanager, Yellow-headed Vulture, Thrush-like Wren, Magpie Tanager, Green Kingfisher and a group of Brown-mantled Tamarin monkeys!

That afternoon we got a bus to Tena where we spent another night. Very early the next morning a pickup truck with one of Gareno’s guides in picked us up from the hotel and we headed to Laguna Pikawe, our first stop on the way to Gareno, as we waited for it to get light the incredible bubbling calls of Russet-backed Oropendolas began emanating from the trees, when it was light enough we piled into a canoe and headed out onto the lake, new birds started appearing.. American Purple Gallinule, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Lettered Aracari, Striated Heron, Crested Oropendola, Orange-backed Troupial, White-bearded Hermit, Speckled Chachalaca, Grey-necked Wood Rail, Amazon Kingfisher, Slender-billed Kite, Gilded Barbet, Black-fronted Nunbird, Dark-billed Cuckoo and the prehistoric Hoatzin, whose young have spurs on their wings like little feathery dinosaurs! we also saw 2 new monkey species: Black-mantled Tamarin and Spider Monkey!!

Further along the road to Gareno and deeper into the Amazon we did some more birding, finding species including: Opal-rumped Tanager and Opal-crowned Tanager, Ornate Hawk Eagle, Black Hawk Eagle, Southern Lapwing, Black Caracara and White-winged Swallow. It was depressing how degraded the rainforest looked along all of the roads we’d been along so far, with most converted to agricultural land with just a few sad looking trees left standing and it was only now as we got closer to Gareno lodge did it feel like we were entering proper rainforest.

Finally we reached the lodge with just a few hours of daylight left, we were taken to the day roosts of two of my target species: Rufous Potoo and Crested Owl… what a fantastic start! In the fading light I managed a couple of new species including Yellow-browed Antbird and Spot-winged Antshrike around the huge army ant swarm, which I’ll warn aren’t fun when they start crawling up your legs and getting bitey… they’re no wood ants, these things have serious jaws! As it got dark the rainforest came alive, and the sound was just mind-blowing, an experience I’ll never forget! 

After dinner we went for a night walk to see what we could find, insects everywhere including a monstrous cricket with a body at least 3 inches long!, massive whip-scorpions and tarantulas, frogs, and a snake coiled up in a tree, we heard Tawny-bellied Screech Owl but they evaded our best efforts at finding them with their ventriloquist abilities. The next day we were up at the crack of dawn and the lifers again came thick and fast! The first of these being 2 Cream-coloured Woodpeckers leaving their roost in a bromeliad, another stint at the antswarm revealed a Peruvian Warbling Antbird, a Scale-backed Antbird and the amazing White-plumed Antbird! Highlights from the rest of the day included Boat-billed Flycatcher, Golden-headed Manakin, Olive Oropendola, White-fronted Nunbird, Green-backed Trogon, Speckled Spinetail, Fasciated Antshrike, King Vulture, White-browed Purpetuft, Spangled Cotinga, Screaming Piha, Blue-backed Manakin and Blue-crowned Manakin. Another night walk produced a probable Pit Viper sp, and the Tawny-bellied Screech Owls again evaded us.

The next morning proved why it’s called a rainforest, torrential rain all morning. Despite this we spent the whole morning birding, getting soaked to the skin but I added two new species, through fogged up bins. Late morning the pickup truck took us back to Tena, via the port town on the Rio Napo to see the group of White-faced Capuchin Monkeys who resided there. From Tena we got a bus back to Quito where I left Nelson who headed on elsewhere and I spent the night in a hostel there before heading back to Bellavista in the morning.

The next couple of weeks at Bellavista were a little quieter and I spent them targeting missing species, I added some good species though including: Tyrannine Woodcreeper, White-faced Nunbird and Barred Becard.

On the 16^th I headed up to Antisana reserve high in the Andes above the treeline, although it was a little touch-and-go as to whether we could get there due to the recent eruption of Cotopaxi Volcano which had covered the southern half of Quito in ash (although as usual the media blew it out of all proportion, if you’ll pardon the pun, and it wasn’t half as bad as made out, just a thin film of ash on all the cars was the only indication it happened…). But all was fine and I was soon birding in the high Paramo, highlights included: Andean Coot, Silvery Grebe, Andean Teal, Andean Ruddy Duck, Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean Condor, Black-chested Buzzard-eagle, Carunculated Caracara, Paramo Pipit, Giant Hummingbird, Ecuadoran Hillstar, Shining Sunbeam, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Andean Lapwing, Black-faced Ibis and Paramo Ground Tyrant. There was also a White-tailed Deer.

Back at Bellavista I managed to add few new species including Swallow-tailed Nightjar, Undulated Antpitta and best of all the Ocellated Tapaculo which I’d come so close to seeing so many times finally gave itself up, albeit briefly! A fantastic trio of birds! An Andean Slender Mouse Opossum also visited the bananas at Bellavista for two 
consecutive nights, which I was pleased with as it’s a hard species to catch up with!

A day hike down to Tandayapa yielded a few new species of which the highlight was a pair of stunning White-capped Dippers displaying on the stream which runs through the village, I could’ve watched them until dusk but I had a Lyre-tailed Nightjar to dip!

It was now nearing the end of my trip but I still had two more trips lined up to see a few more new species before I headed home, the first of these being another trip down to Angel Paz as I’d heard news of a family of the newly discovered Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl frequenting the area around the Cock-of-the-rock Lek. So I arranged transport down there, but soon learned that they’d not been seen all day today for the first time since they’ve been there, so things weren’t looking too optimistic, but the next day we headed down there anyway and as I’d expected there was no sign of any owls, there were however a pair of very cool Scaled Fruiteaters as some consolation, however, just as we were thinking of moving on one of the other birders who had been there for the lek shouted that the Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl was there, and there they were, bird of the trip for sure!

Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl

The next night back at Bellavista I went owling with Nelson and one of the other volunteers Saul, this proved fruitful with an Andean Pygmy Owl found, the closest cousin of CFPO, another great species!

My last trip away from Bellavista was to Silanche in the western lowlands, I got there for first light after spending the night in Pedro Vincente Maldonado, highlights here included Red-capped Manakin, White-bearded Manakin- mechanical clicking sounds and all, Scarlet-bellied Dacnis, White-whiskered Puffbird, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift, Red-masked Parakeet, Pacific Hornero, Gartered Trogon, White-tailed Trogon, Blue-whiskered Tanager, Little Cuckoo, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Brown-capped Tyrannulet and Tooth-billed Hummingbird. Back in Pedro Vincente Maldonado I noted my first House Sparrows of the trip- mega! And a single Snowy Egret on a stream.

My last week at Bellavista yielded just one new bird species- Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant.

On the 8^th of September I headed in to Quito for the final time and once I’d checked in to my hotel in Tababela I got a taxi to Quito Airport Pond, a little known site but well worth a visit for any birder with a few hours to kill in Quito! I saw some great species there and the birding was in total contrast to the rest of my trip! There were 2 Andean Gull, c25 Wilson’s Phalarope, at least 1 Greater Yellowlegs, several Lesser Yellowlegs, good numbers of Pectoral, Baird’s and Least Sandpipers, a Stilt Sandpiper (only the second highland record for Ecuador), several Pied-billed Grebe, a Blue-winged Teal amongst a group of Yellow-billed Pintail, and two Peregrine came through, flushing all the waders, it was like being back home already.

The next day I was on a plane home after a fantastic bird-filled 2 months where I’d racked up 415 species, a list of which I’ve included below, after each species I’ve added a note of where they were seen (that I can remember!)

Quito City: Q

Silanche: S

Cascada Hola Vida: C

Gareno: G

Bellavista: B

Tandayapa: T

Tony’s House: TH

Johnie’s House: J

Angel Paz: AP

Laguna Pikawe: L

Milpe: M

Antisana: A

Bogota Airport: BA

Puyo->Gareno journey: PG

Pedro Vincento Maldonado: PVM

Alambi: AB

Bellavista->Mindo road: BM

Birds

Speckled Chachalaca	L
Sickle-winged Guan	B, T
Dark-backed Wood Quail	AP, B
Andean Teal	A
Yellow-billed Pintail	A, QAP
Andean Duck	A
Pied-billed Grebe	QAP
Silvery Grebe	A
Black-faced Ibis	A
Striated Heron	L
Great Egret	BA, PG
Snowy Egret	PVM
Cattle Egret	Widespread open lowlands
Turkey Vulture	Widespread
Black Vulture	Widespread
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture	C, G
King Vulture	G
Andean Condor	A
Hook-billed Kite	B
Swallow-tailed Kite	AP, L
Black Hawk Eagle	PG
Ornate Hawk Eagle	PG
Black-and-chestnut Eagle	B
Double-toothed Kite	PG
Plain-breasted Hawk	B
Plumbeous Kite	C, PG
Slender-billed Kite	L
Roadside Hawk	Widespread open areas
White-rumped Hawk	B, TH, BM
Black-chested Buzzard Eagle	A, QAP
White-throated Hawk	TH
Short-tailed Hawk	B, S
Black Caracara	PG
Carunculated Caracara	A
American Kestrel	Widespread open areas
Bat Falcon	B
Peregrine Falcon	QAP
Grey-necked Wood Rail	L
Purple Gallinule	L
Andean Coot	A
Southern Lapwing	PG
Andean Lapwing	A
Greater Yellowlegs	QAP
Lesser Yellowlegs	QAP
Spotted Sandpiper	QAP, A, PG
Least Sandpiper	QAP
Baird's Sandpiper	QAP
Pectoral Sandpiper	QAP
Stilt Sandpiper	QAP
Wilson's Phalarope	QAP
Andean Gull	QAP
Rock Dove	Urban areas
Band-tailed Pigeon	B, T, TH
Plumbeous Pigeon	B
Ruddy Pigeon	M, G
Dusky Pigeon	S
Eared Dove	Urban areas, Open areas
Black-winged Ground Dove	A
Pallid Dove	M
White-throated Quail Dove	B
Red-masked Parakeet	S
White-eyed Parakeet	L
Maroon-tailed Parakeet	B, M
Barred Parakeet	B
Blue-headed Parrot	G
Red-billed Parrot	B, T, TH, J, M
Scaly-headed Parrot	B, M
Southern Mealy Amazon	G, PG
Hoatzin	L
Greater Ani	L
Smooth-billed Ani	Widespread open lowlands
Little Cuckoo	S
Squirrel Cuckoo	B,T, S, M
Dark-billed Cuckoo	L
Crested Owl	G
Andean Pygmy Owl	B
Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl	AP
Common Potoo	B, TH
Rufous Potoo	G
Rufous-bellied Nighthawk	B
Paraque	AP
Band-winged Nightjar	B, AP
Swallow-tailed Nightjar	B
Chestnut-collared Swift	B
White-collared Swift	Widespread
Short-tailed Swift	G, PG
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift	S
Rufous-breasted Hermit	Amazon
White-whiskered Hermit	S
White-bearded Hermit	Amazon
Tawny-bellied Hermit	B, AB
Straight-billed Hermit	G
Tooth-billed Hummingbird	S
White-necked Jacobin	B, TH, T, AP, J, AB
Brown Violetear	B, TH, T, AB, J
Green Violetear	B, TH, T, AB, J, AP
Sparkling Violetear	B, TH, T, AB, J, AP, Q
Western Emerald	TH, AP
Fork-tailed Woodnymph	G
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird	AB, AP
Andean Emerald	B, T, TH, J, AB, AP
Glittering-throated Emerald	C
Blue-chested Hummingbird	S
Speckled Hummingbird	B, TH, T, AB, J, AP
Fawn-breasted Brilliant	B, TH, T, J
Green-crowned Brilliant	AB
Empress Brilliant	J, TH
Buff-tailed Coronet	B, TH, T, J, AB, AP
Velvet-purple Coronet	J, TH, AB
Shining Sunbeam	A
Ecuadorean Hillstar	A
Mountain Velvetbreast	B, TH
Brown Inca	AP, TH
Collared Inca	B, J, TH, T, AB, AP
Giant Hummingbird	A, Q
Gorgeted Sunangel	B, J, TH, T
Purple-bibbed Whitetip	B, TH, AP
Booted Racket-tail	B, TH, J, T, AB, AP
Black-tailed Trainbearer	A, Q
Green-tailed Trainbearer	B, TH
Tyrian Metaltail	A
Violet-tailed Sylph	B, J, TH, AB
Wedge-billed Hummingbird	AP
Purple-crowned Fairy	S
Long-billed Starthroat	C
Purple-throated Woodstar	B, J, TH, T, AB, AP
Golden-headed Quetzal	AP
Crested Quetzal	B
White-tailed Trogon	S
Green-backed Trogon	G
Gartered Trogon	S
Masked Trogon	B
Green Kingfisher	C
Amazon Kingfisher	L
Ringed Kingfisher	C
Rufous Motmot	S
Broad-billed Motmot	M
White-eared Jacamar	L
Rufous-tailed Jacamar	S
White-whiskered Puffbird	S
White-faced Nunbird	B
Black-fronted Nunbird	L
White-fronted Nunbird	G
Orange-fronted Barbet	S
Gilded Barbet	L
Red-headed Barbet	TH, T, AB, AP
Toucan Barbet	B, T, TH, AP
Crimson-rumped Toucanet	B, T, AP, M
Lettered Aracari	L
Chestnut-eared Aracari	L
Collared Aracari	M
Plate-billed Mountain Toucan	B, AP, J
Choco Toucan	M
Yellow-throated Toucan	S
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker	L, C
Black-cheeked Woodpecker	S
Smoky-brown Woodpecker	M
Yellow-vented Woodpecker	B
Golden-olive Woodpecker	T, S
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker	B
Spot-breasted Woodpecker	L
Cream-coloured Woodpecker	G
Lineated Woodpecker	S
Powerful Woodpecker	B
Guayaquil Woodpecker	M, S
Chestnut-winged Cinclodes	A
Stout-billed Cinclodes	A
Pacific Hornero	S
Streak-backed Canastero	A
Rufous Spinetail	B, M
Azara's Spinetail	B, T, TH, J, AP, AB
Dark-breasted Spinetail	C
Red-faced Spinetail	M, B
Speckled Spinetail	G
Rusty-winged Barbtail	B
Spotted Barbtail	B
Pearled Treerunner	B, J
Streaked Tuftedcheek	B
Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner	M
Lineated Foliage-gleaner	B
Rufous-rumped Foliage-gleaner	C
Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner	M
Striped Treehunter	B, J, TH
Plain Xenops	G
Streaked Xenops	C
Tyrannine Woodcreeper	B
Plain-brown Woodcreeper	C
Olivaceous Woodcreeper	C
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper	M, C, G, S
Strong-billed Woodcreeper	B, T
Buff-throated Woodcreeper	G
Spotted Woodcreeper	M, S
Streak-headed Woodcreeper	S
Montane Woodcreeper	B, T, TH, J, AP, AB
Fasciated Antshrike	G
Great Antshrike	L
Uniform Antshrike	T
Mouse-coloured Antshrike	G
Black-crowned Antshrike	S
Cinereous Antshrike	G
Spot-winged Antshrike	G
Streak-headed Antbird	B, J
Grey Antbird	C
Peruvian Warbling Antbird	G
Yellow-browed Antbird	G
Blue-lored Antbird	M
White-plumed Antbird	G
Bicoloured Antbird	G
Common Scale-backed Antbird	G
Rufous-breasted Antthrush	AP
Undulated Antpitta	B
Giant Antpitta	AP
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta	B
Yellow-bellied Antpitta	AP
Ochre-breasted Antpitta	AP
Ocellated Tapaculo	B
Spillman's Tapaculo	B
Blackish Tapaculo	B
Sooty-headed Tyrannulet	S
Black-capped Tyrannulet	B
Forest Elaenia	G
Grey Elaenia	G
White-cresed Elaenia	B
Sierran Elaenia	B
Brown-capped Tyrannulet	S
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet	S
White-tailed Tyrannulet	B
Rufous-winged Tyrannulet	AP
White-banded Tyrannulet	B
Torrent Tyrannulet	AB
Yellow Tyrannulet	BM
Rufous-headed Pygmy Tyrant	B
Choco Tyrannulet	M, S
Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant	J
Streak-necked Flycatcher	B, T, TH, M
Olive-striped Flycatcher	BM
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher	G
Slaty-capped Flycatcher	M
Flavescent Flycatcher	B, T
Ornate Flycatcher	M
Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant	T
Double-banded Pygmy Tyrant	G
Common Tody Flycatcher	S
White-throated Spadebill	M
Cinnamon Flycatcher	B, TH, J
Black Phoebe	T, AP
Smoke-coloured Peewee	B, J
Paramo Ground Tyrant	A
Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant	A
Masked Water Tyrant	S
Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant	B
Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant	B
Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant	A
Piratic Flycatcher	S, C, G
Rusty-margined Flycatcher	S
Social Flycatcher	S, C, G
Grey-capped Flycatcher	C
Golden-crowned Flycatcher	B
Streaked Flycatcher	S
Boat-billed Flycatcher	G, BM
Sulphury Flycatcher	PG
Crowned-Slaty Flycatcher	PG
Snowy-throated Kingbird	S
Tropical Kingbird	Open areas throughout
Dusky-capped Flycatcher	G
Red-crested Cotinga	B
Green-and-black Fruiteater	B, TH, J, T, AP
Scaled Fruiteater	AP
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock	AP, TH, T
Spangled Cotinga	G
Screaming Piha	G
Golden-winged Manakin	M
Blue-crowned Manakin	G
White-bearded Manakin	S
Blue-backed Manakin	G
Red-capped Manakin	s
Golden-headed Manakin	G
Sulphur-rumped Myobius	G
Black-crowned Tityra	L
Black-tailed Tityra	G
Masked Tityra	M
White-browed Purpletuft	G
Barred Becard	B
Chestnut-crowned Becard	C
White-winged Becard	T
Pink-throated Becard	G
Brown-capped Vireo	B
Red-eyed Vireo	M,B
Turquoise Jay	B, TH, T, AP, J, AB
Violacious Jay	L, PG, G
White-winged Swallow	PG
Grey-breasted Martin	PG
Blue-and-White Swallow	Common Throughout
Brown-bellied Swallow	A
White-banded Swallow	C
White-thighed Swallow	G
Southern Rough-winged Swallow	C
Thrush-like Wren	C
Sepia-brown Wren	B
Plain-tailed Wren	B, TH, J, T, AB
House Wren	M, C, J
Mountain Wren	B
White-breasted Wood-Wren	G
Grey-breasted Wood-Wren	B, J, T, TH, M
Tropical Gnatcatcher	G
Slate-throated Gnatcatcher	S
Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush	BM
Spotted Nightingale-Thrush	M
Great Thrush	Common in Highlands
Glossy-black Thrush	B
Pale-vented Thrush	M
Ecuadorian Thrush	T, AB, AP
Black-billed Thrush	C, G
White-capped Dipper	T, AB
House Sparrow	PVM
Paramo Pipit	A
Hooded Siskin	A
Thick-billed Euponia	AB
Golden-rumped Euphonia	AP
Wite-lored Euphonia	G
White-vented Euphonia	L
Orange-bellied Euphonia	Common in forested areas
Rufous-bellied Euphonia	G
Olive-crowned Yellowthroat	AP
Tropical Parula	M
Black-crested Warbler	B
Riverbank warbler	M
Choco Warbler	M
Russet-crowned Warbler	B, TH, J, T, AB, M
Three-striped Warbler	B, M, T
Slate-throated Whitestart	B, TH, J, T, AB, M
Spectacled Whitestart	B
Crested Oropendola	L
Russet-backed Oropendola	Lowlands
Olive Oropendola	G
Yellow-rumped Cacique	Lowlands
Orange-backed Troupial	L
Giant Cowbird	S, PVM
Shiny Cowbird	C
Bananaquit	AB
Rufous-collared Sparrow	Common in Highlands
Yellow-browed Sparrow	PG
Orange-billed Sparrow	M
Chestnut-capped Brushfinch	B
Tricoloured Brushfinch	AP
Yellow-breasted Finch	BM
White-winged Brushfinch	B, J
Dusky Bush Tanager	B, T, TH, J, AP, AB, M
Yellow-throated Bush Tanager	C, M
Magpie Tanager	C
Black-capped Hemispingus	B
Western Hemispingus	B
Rufous-chested Tanager	B
Flame-crested Tanager	G
Tawny-crested Tanager	S
White-lined Tanager	T, AB
Masked Crimson Tanager	L
Silver-beaked Tanager	C, PG, G
Lemon-rumped Tanager	AP, M, BM, S
Blue-grey Tanager	C, G, AP, M, S
Palm Tanager	C, G, AP, M, S
Blue-capped Tanager	B
Blue-and-Yellow Tanager	Q
Hooded Mountain Tanager	B
Blue-winged Mountain Tanager	B, TH, J, T, AP
Grass-green Tanager	B
Orange-eared Tanager	C
Turquoise Tanager	C, PG, G
Paradise Tanager	C, PG, G
Blue-whiskered Tanager	S
Golden Tanager	M, AP, AB, T, TH, J, B
Silver-throated Tanager	AB
Flame-faced Tanager	AP, B, T, TH
Yellow-bellied Tanager	G
Bay-headed Tanager	M, S, G, C
Rufous-winged Tanager	S
Golden-naped Tanager	;
Metallic-green Tanager	B
Blue-necked Tanager	M
Masked Tanager	G
Beryl-spangled Tanager	B, T, TH, AP, M
Blue-and-Black Tanager	B
Opal-rumped Tanager	PG, G
Opal-crowned Tanager	PG, G
Swallow Tanager	M, C
Black-faced Dacnis	PG
Yellow-tufted Dacnis	S
Yellow-bellied Dacnis	PG, G
Blue Dacnis	PG, G
Scarlet-breasted Dacnis	S
Purple Honeycreeper	C, PG, G
Green Honeycreeper	C, G, S
Scarlet-browed Tanager	S
Guira Tanager	M
Yellow-backed Tanager	G
Capped Conebill	B, T, TH, J
Black Flowerpiercer	A, Q
White-sided Flowerpiercer	B, J
Masked Flowerpiercer	B, T, TH, J, AB, AP
Tanager Finch	B
Plumbeous Sierra Finch	A
Ash-breasted Sierra Finch	A
Blue-black Grassquit	M
Variable Seedeater	S, PVM
Yellow-bellied Seedeater	B, AP
Chestnut-bellied Seedeater	C
Thick-billed Seedfinch	BM
Chestnut-bellied Seed Finch	C
Band-tailed Seedeater	Q
Plushcap	B
Ochre-breasted Tanager	M
Golden Grosbeak	M, B
Slate-coloured Grosbeak	S
Buff-throated Saltator	T, AB
Black-winged Saltator	T, AB
Mammals
White-tailed Deer	A
Tayra	B
Olinguito	B
Kinkajou	B
White-eared Opossum	B, S
Adean Slender Mouse-Opossum	B
Western Red-tailed Squirrel	B, AP
Western Dwarf Squirrel	BM
Agouti	BM
White-faced Capuchin	Puerto Napo
Spider Monkey	L
Black-mantled Tamarin	L
Brown-mantled Tamarin	C
Dwarf Mouse	B
Arnoura Fistulata	B
Thomasomys sp	B
Oryzomys sp	B
Shrew sp	B