Sandra Patiño – (Bird of Paradise Tours/Mindo Ecuador)
(Mindo/Pichincha/Ecuador) -Observing the day of October 08 to acknowledge our feathered neighbors on this planet, the Mindo Bird Guide Association (Asociación de Guías Naturalistas de Mindo) partnered with local, national and international sponsors and hosted their second Bird Fair. Of course I jumped at the opportunity to participate, starting at dawn yesterday, October 08!
Early-birders gathered for a dawn bird trek, and depending on which birds we hoped to see, our groups split in different directions. I shadowed my friend Sandra Patiño, who guided us along a high ridge where hummingbirds, barbets and toucanets shared the spotlight while toucans and pygmy tyrants provided the live soundtrack!
Look! There! Sandra located birds by sight and by sound. She delighted in showing us the ‘macho’ Red-headed Barbet.
Red-headed Barbet
A Crimson-rumped Toucanet dropped in to greet us!
Stunning cloud-forest surrounds Mindo.
Two groups merged at the end of our treks!
We were transported to Hosteria La Roulotte, where the rest of the event was hosted. Over 100 birders enjoyed networking, listening to the great cast of speakers and interacting with like-minded people. (The sponsors and speakers deserve their own post…)
Update: The new owners of the property (See that post HERE) arrived almost two weeks ago, and I have weaned into a studio apartment in Mindo. The Bird Fair event deserves several posts, so as I unpack and sort through a chaos of hurriedly-placed boxes, I look forward to sharing more of the Bird Fair stories – and side stories!
It feels good to be back! More soon!
Lisa/Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
I bet that was fun, and I wonder if any North American migrants were in the mix. I hope the new digs are comfortable enough for you. Glad you’re back!
Thanks, and one of the speakers spoke about migratory birds – very interesting talk.. I hope to see some of the guides in the next day to confirm details for the next posts… Thanks, my highly-talented friend!
Hey Lisa great post ! Living here at 10thousand ft above sea level in Divide, Colorado Mundo and I are seeing LOTS of different birds…and many of the same …migrating is amazing to watch as flocks! of birds leave here for warmer destinations.
Love your posts. Keep them coming. Always interesting and love the pictures.
Thanks Gwen, and your comment made me think of (and search for) Audubon’s description of the passenger pigeon’s migration. “… , I observed the Pigeons flying from north-east to south-west, in greater numbers than I thought I had ever seen them before, and feeling an inclination to count the flocks that might pass within the reach of my eye in one hour, I dismounted, seated myself on an eminence, and began to mark with my pencil, making a dot for every flock that passed. In a short time finding the task which I had undertaken impracticable, as the birds poured in in countless multitudes, I rose, and counting the dots then put down, found that 163 had been made in twenty-one minutes. I travelled on, and still met more the farther I proceeded. The air was literally filled with Pigeons; the light of noon-day was obscured as by an eclipse, the dung fell in spots, not unlike melting flakes of snow; and the continued buzz of wings had a tendency to lull my senses to repose.” …”
May we all find ways to help slow/ halt the present-day extinctions…
That’s an excellent description of a great natural phenomenon that has been gone for over a a hundred years already. Other comparable ones have vanished in the last few centuries.
thanks, steve, and yes, it is sad that our own species is responsible for so many extinctions, especially when birds darkened the skies.. that makes me think of tales of the buffalo which must have seemed equally thick at ground level.
Lisa, I love the birds and bird watchers, but I think my favorite picture is the cloud forest. Great eye, my dear. Keith
Thanks, Keith.. What a contrast to what’s been brewing in your backyard — How did Matthew’s path affect you/your loved ones in N.Carolina?
Thanks for asking. The folks in the eastern part of the state were hit hard and flooding caused some deaths, unfortunately. My family in Charlotte and Jacksonville, FL are all OK with no property damage, just some tree limbs lost.
having lunch today with friends, i noticed that the news flashed to photos of the hurricane’s damages, and it was difficult to pay attention t my friends while i wanted to see what the news had to report…
glad that yu and your family are ok…
may the oceans grow calm soon and stay nice for the rest of the year…
Thanks for sharing Amiga. Hugs
Thank you, as well.. I look forward to seeing what’s happening in your newest chapter!
Oh I would love this!
Cindy, it would be great if your path every crossed w/mine – especially along the line of the equator! the birds are amazing here, but there are so many other equally-lovely options -like orchids and bromeliads and towering tree ferns!
I’ll bet it feels great to be back! I for one am thrilled!!
I’ve missed that easy flow of communication as well.. hope that the tropical air has not been too unstable… but then, that rainfall is so important.. i remember many octobers that werer just as rainy as the september ones.. hope you get just enough!
watch out for those skeeters!
Birding events are always fun. Would love to attend one in Ecuador!
will your area participate in the christmas bird count?
Yes, we do. But usually I am in Mexico.
ecuador usually is in the top three for that bird count… i hope to be ‘free’ to be part of the official sites.. either in mindo or where a guide friend hopes to start a new area near the coast…
I’m looking forward to the follow-up posts. It’s good to have an update, and to know that you’ll be a little more present now. At least, that’s what I hope — you’ve been missed.
than ks linda, and it’s nice to presently be playing ‘guess again..’ with you.. how many guesses do i get before you toss a hint in my direction?