A Reflections of the Pure World Weblog Publish Collection by Jim Acquire
Ecuador Birding – The place Each Feather Tells a Story
From October 26, 2025 by way of November 8, 2025 I joined 5 different adventurers and an impressive photographer and birding information (Liron Gertsman) with Eagle-Eye Excursions to Ecuador. This weblog collection highlights the animals (largely birds), individuals and areas we encountered over the 14 full days on this stunning land.
DAY 3 – Mid-Morning
The primary sound was a distant, rolling raaak—a voice so daring it appeared to vibrate by way of the forest itself. On the PN Yasuní clay licks, that decision can solely imply one factor: Scarlet Macaws are on their approach. Even after seeing them in Costa Rica—these loud, charismatic pairs cruising over coastal almond bushes—the anticipation nonetheless hits like a jolt. However right here within the Ecuadorian Amazon, the expertise feels deeper, wilder, virtually ceremonial.
They arrived in twos and threes, circling excessive above the treetops earlier than committing to the descent. Towards the muted greens of the Amazon cover, their colours regarded impossibly vivid—scarlet wings glowing like embers, yellow panels flashing within the solar, and cobalt-blue tails trailing behind them like brushstrokes. Every wingbeat felt deliberate, highly effective, as if the birds have been absolutely conscious of the spectacle they created.
The clay licks themselves—steep, uncovered riverbanks wealthy in mineral-laden clay—are one of many Amazon’s most exceptional pure theaters. Dozens of species go to them, however the macaws remodel the scene into one thing unforgettable. Scientists consider the birds eat the clay to neutralize toxins discovered within the unripe fruits and seeds that make up a lot of their weight-reduction plan. Regardless of the purpose, the result’s a day by day gathering that feels each historic and important.
At Yasuní, the macaws method cautiously at first, touchdown within the cover above the lick and calling loudly to 1 one other. Then, one courageous chook drops to the bottom, cautiously surveying the close by space for potential hazard. The others comply with, till the doorway to the cave is alive with shade—reds, yellows, and blues shifting and shimmering because the birds drink up the clay-enriched water with their huge payments.
A Acquainted Species in a New Mild
Watching them right here, I couldn’t assist evaluating the second to my earlier encounters in Costa Rica. There, Scarlet Macaws really feel virtually celebratory—shiny flashes over seashores, pairs chattering from palm crowns, their calls echoing over the surf. In Ecuador, the temper is completely different. The macaws appear extra related to the deep pulse of the forest, their presence tied to the rhythms of the river and the chemistry of the soil. The clay lick transforms them from charismatic showpieces into contributors in a posh ecological dance.
A Second That Stays With You
Because the morning solar climbed larger, the macaws regularly lifted off, one pair at a time, circling again into the huge inexperienced expanse of Yasuní. Their calls light into the gap, leaving the clay financial institution quiet as soon as extra. However the impression lingered—the sense of getting witnessed one thing each spectacular and deeply rooted within the lifetime of the Amazon.
Seeing Scarlet Macaws in Costa Rica taught me to understand their magnificence. Seeing them on the Yasuní clay licks taught me to understand their story.
NEXT UP: EB#22 “A Cultural Feast with the Amazonian Kichwa of Sani Isla“
Further Pictures and Video
Earlier Ecuador Birding weblog posts will probably be linked beneath.
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EB21 – The Amazon Ignites: A Scarlet Macaw Spectacle on the Clay Licks
by Jim Acquire
In October 2025, Jim Acquire joined a birding tour in Ecuador, exploring its wealthy biodiversity and beautiful landscapes over 14 days. The weblog collection chronicles his experiences with birds and nature.
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EB20 – Yasuni’s Colourful Chaos on the Parrot Licks
by Jim Acquire
In October 2025, Jim Acquire joined a birding tour in Ecuador, exploring its wealthy biodiversity and beautiful landscapes over 14 days. The weblog collection chronicles his experiences with birds and nature.
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EB19 – Day Three Opens with a Riverbound Journey to El Retiro
by Jim Acquire
In October 2025, Jim Acquire joined a birding tour in Ecuador, exploring its wealthy biodiversity and beautiful landscapes over 14 days. The weblog collection chronicles his experiences with birds and nature.
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EB18 – First Encounters within the Amazon: A Hen‑Crammed Afternoon
by Jim Acquire
In October 2025, Jim Acquire joined a birding tour in Ecuador, exploring its wealthy biodiversity and beautiful landscapes over 14 days. The weblog collection chronicles his experiences with birds and nature.
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EB17 – Feathers from the Previous: The Outstanding Hoatzin of Ecuador
by Jim Acquire
In October 2025, Jim Acquire joined a birding tour in Ecuador, exploring its wealthy biodiversity and beautiful landscapes over 14 days. This put up focuses on his encounter with the Hoatzin.
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EB16 – The Mama Lucy and Canoe Transit to Sani Birding Lodge
by Jim Acquire
In his weblog collection, Jim Acquire shares his Ecuador birding journey from October 26 to November 8, 2025, with information Liron Gertsman and fellow lovers. Throughout their journey, Acquire’s species depend reached 76, together with 52 lifers. Captivated by the Amazon’s magnificence, they encountered hanging birds like Pied Plovers and Crimson-capped Cardinals, capturing the essence and vibrant colours of this unimaginable ecosystem. Their expertise on the Sani Lodge related them deeply with nature.
*This Ecuador Birding weblog put up was formed and polished with the help of Microsoft Copilot, serving to carry readability and a constant movement to my area notes and dictated recollections.
**Until in any other case indicated within the picture caption, all pictures (>99%) are mine.