Day Five And Six At Río Bigal - The Last Hurrah

November 6, 2023

Somehow, it was already my final full day at Río Bigal. I am not sure where the time all went, but now the end was in sight. Hoping to maximize my final day, I arranged for a packed lunch and planned for an earlier breakfast so that I could hit the trails ahead of schedule. The goal was to explore down the Bigal Trail during the best hours of the morning, then turn right at the property boundary and search down that trail for a few kilometres before eventually backtracking and returning to the field station for dinner time. 

Grapeleaf Passionflower (Passiflora vitifolia) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

I awoke around 4:30. The night was still and somewhere off in the distance, some deep hoots echoed. I quickly clued in that this was a Salvin's Curassow. For the next ten minutes I lay in bed, soaking in the moment. By the time that I had dressed and exited the cabin, the curassow had stopped. This would be my only encounter with a Salvin's Curassow during my time at Río Bigal. 

It was a beautiful morning - calm, partly overcast, but without a strong threat of rain as I began my walk down the Bigal Trail. At this point, new birds that I could potentially find were few and far between. I still hadn't seen a Salvin's Curassow or Sapphire Quail-Dove (or several other heard-only species, for that matter). Fiery-throated Fruiteater remained a possibility. Though this cotinga is tiny and not very vocal, it seems to be reported regularly at Río Bigal and I was a little surprised that I hadn't found one yet. Red-winged Wood-Rail was also a possibility but I kept my expectations low for this scarce and secretive species. Plain-winged Antwren was possible, especially with understory mixed flocks. And there were two species of tody-flycatcher I "needed", the Black-and-white Tody-Flycatcher and the Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher. 

Blue-topped Satyr (Amiga arnaca) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Unfortunately, most of the above possibilities did not come to fruition but I had a wonderful day on the trails, anyways. New birds for my Ecuador list were around every bend. An Orange-billed Sparrow, clad in blacks and olives with a contrasting white throat and eyebrow, a striking golden shoulder patch and a carrot-orange bill, sang its squeaky song from a shaded ravine. A White-tipped Sicklebill gave me brief but satisfying views, then a little while later I heard a Golden-collared Toucanet croaking from the canopy. An antbird sang from off the trail; familiar, yet a sound that I could not immediately place. A memory from eastern Colombia came back to me and I suddenly recollected that it was a White-cheeked Antbird. 

Taeniotes sp. - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Some twittering in the canopy alerted me to the active movements of a pair of Yellow-backed Tanagers. She was wearing dull yellows and grays, while he was sharply dressed with a black cap and back, bright yellow undertail coverts and throat, gray underparts, and a smart yellow dash in the wing. 

Yellow-backed Tanagers - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

My progress was slowed for a good 30 minutes or more when I encountered a huge and diverse mixed flock. Birds were everywhere and it was difficult to know where to look! My camera only received minimal use at this time, as I wanted to look at as many birds as possible. A highlight was a pair of Plain-winged Antwrens (my first!), while the flock also carried Gray, White-flanked and Rusty-winged Antwrens. I managed a good look at a Duida Woodcreeper as well. 

The side trail dropped a little lower in elevation and the excellent birding conditions continued. Three Black Caracaras were perched on a snag in a more open area, while I heard a Blackish Pewee, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo and numerous Screaming Pihas. My day list was already approaching 90 species. 

Black Caracaras - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

The sun came out for a bit as well, instigating a flurry of insect activity. 

Anius Metalmark (Charis anius) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Heliconius congener - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Hyposcada illinissa - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

White Satyr (Pareuptychia ocirrhoe) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

I knew that the good weather would not last forever. In the early afternoon, storm clouds preluded a rain shower, though fortunately, it was short lived. I was well prepared with my umbrella and I took advantage of the rain delay to eat my packed lunch. The weather passed and I began the long walk back to the field station with the trees still dripping from above. 

Ecuador Poison Frog (Ameerega bilinguis) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

A tiny frog leaped off the trail but remained in view long enough for a poor record photo. This is a type of poison dart frog; I believe it is the species Ameerega bilinguis, the Ecuador Poison Frog. 

The walk back along the Bigal Trail was less productive than it had been in the morning, but I still added a few things here and there including some Wing-banded Wrens, a Euler's Flycatcher and a heard-only White-throated Woodpecker. With my day list already into triple digits, I continued past the turnoff for the field station and continued walking to the forest edge and the fields beyond. Might as well try to pump up the day list!

Chestnut-collared Swift - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

I added over twenty species in short order. They were all fairly common widespread species typical of disturbed areas; Plumbeous Kite, Gray-capped Flycatcher, Chestnut-eared Aracari, White-thighed Swallow and Black-crowned Tityra, to name a few. 

Black-crowned Tityra - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

By the time that I returned to the field station, I had found 125 bird species for the day, my highest one-day total at Río Bigal. A fine day!

That evening, Jeiber, Natalia and I headed out for our final night-hike. We went for a little while longer this time, exploring the Bamboo Loop thoroughly and methodically. 

Pristimantis sp. - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Oreophoetes sp. - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Once again, snakes eluded us. Luckily, there was enough by-catch to keep us entertained.

Coremagnatha orionalis - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Platyphora sp. - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Unidentified weevil (subfamily Entiminae) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Rusted Clearwing-Satyr (Cithaerias pireta) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

This sleeping lizard is Anolis fuscoauratus, the Brown-eared Anole. 

Brown-eared Anole (Anolis fuscoauratus) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

As usual, arachnids were well-represented. 

Ventripila marginata - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Phareicranaus hermosa - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Unidentified wandering spider (family Ctenidae) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Avicularia sp. - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Enoploctenus sp. - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Stick insects and katydids were also well-represented. 

Unidentified katydid (supertribe Pleminiiti) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Unidentified leaf katydid (subfamily Phaneropterinae) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Typophyllum morrisi - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

This was a new species of frog for me. It is somewhat related to the rain frogs (Pristimantis sp.), and is known as Niceforonia nigrovittata. This species lives in the western Amazon with most records from eastern Peru, though it also reaches southern Colombia and northern Peru. 

Niceforonia nigrovittata - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Sometimes, the best strategy for finding mammals at night is to simply listen. I heard a few fruits falling from the canopy, and the lack of wind made this sound seem abnormal. When I shone my torch into the canopy, glowing blue eyes stared back at me. 

Spix's Night Monkey (Aotus vociferans) - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

None of us had binoculars handy, but it was obvious that these were Spix's Night-Monkeys. Most of my previous experiences with this species had consisted of individuals peeking out of roosting trees during the day. It was neat to watch this group of three doing their thing at night, high up in the canopy.

Since this was my last night at Río Bigal the moth sheet was a must. Unfortunately, I had neglected to charge my powerbank and it died prematurely, but not before I photographed a handful of new (to me) species. 

Paragonia cruraria - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Herminodes sp. - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Omiodes croceiceps - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Epia sp. - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Hemeroblemma ochrolinea - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Unidentified moth - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Eumorpha capronnieri - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Camponotus cacicus - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

November 7, 2023

Though technically this was my last day at Río Bigal, I had budgeted this day as essentially a travel day to return to the Quito area. I would be taking several forms of transportation including several taxis and a bus. I didn't really have time to do any exploring at the reserve since the taxi would be picking me up at 9:00 AM three kilometers from the field station. 

A brief stakeout at the hummingbird feeders after breakfast was all I managed. Though I hoped that a Pink-throated Brilliant would allow me once final chance at photos, this was not to be. The "wrong" brilliant appeared, though, the Black-throated Brilliant. 

Black-throated Brilliant - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

The walk through the pastures to the taxi pick-up spot was filled with birdsong and I had to stay disciplined to keep to my schedule. There were just too many distractions!

Summer Tanager - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

Lineated Woodpecker - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

I played some tape for the Olive-chested Flycatcher when the habitat looked good, as this was a range-restricted species that I had only seen once before (and never photographed). Surprisingly, this tactic worked and I was soon eye-to-eye with a Olive-chested Flycatcher. Certainly not one of the flashier species at Río Bigal!

Olive-chested Flycatcher - Reserva Biológica del Río Bigal, Orellana, Ecuador

And with that, the trip was coming to a close. Luckily, my taxi showed up right at 9 AM and I had no issues taking a bus back to the Quito airport area. My visit to Río Bigal had been amazing; I hope I will have the opportunity to return one day. It is the sort of place where you can spend years and never run out of interesting things to see. If anyone else is considering a visit here, you can get in touch with Thierry Garcia (email: sumacmuyu@gmail.com, or contact through Facebook). Trust me, you will not regret a visit here.