Ecuador trip - part 3

Our 14th day in Ecuador was spent traveling east to the Amazon. After a bit of morning birding we drove east to a town called Coca from where we boarded a motorized canoe to travel a couple hours downstream on the Napo river to Sacha lodge in the Amazon forest.

Coppery-chested Jacamar:


Pearl Kite:

Seen roadside while driving to Coca.


Motorized canoes at Coca dock:



Presumably the ample oil money in the area is financing the building of this bridge.

River life:




Sacha lodge:






We were welcomed by a refreshing drink at the lodge:


Lake at the entrance to the Sacha lodge buildings at dusk:




Day 15:

Agami Heron:


Liz atop the Sacha lodge canopy tower:


Liz and Jose on canopy tower:


Sacha lodge canopy tower:




Purple-throated Fruitcrow:


Black-mantled tamrin:

Seen on the Sacha lodge boardwalk during lunch break.

Liz taking advantage of our hammock:

By this point in the trip constant exhaustion was a fact of life.

Day 16:

Liz on the Sacha lodge canopy walkway:





The Sacha lodge canopy walkway is a sturdy steel structure but it's still a little scary for people anxious about heights (like Sina):









That's Jose trying to spot some birds for us.

Photos from the canopy walkway:

Chestnut Woodpecker:


Double-toothed Kite:


Ivory-billed Aracari:


A Smooth-billed Ani in front of our cabin:


Liz and the giant tree:



Liz woke up some bats inside the giant tree.

Crested Owls:


Butterfly garden at Sacha lodge:








Lots of chrysalises in the butterfly garden:


The porch behind our cabin:

Cabins had no windows.

The afternoon of our 16th day was spent birding on a small muddy island on the Napo river:

Lia and Martin don't look too impressed by all the mud.

Rubber boots were a must!


Gray-breasted Crake:

This was my best picture of this secretive species.