Synopsis: At daybreak beneath the moth lights at Tandayapa Lodge, we shifted from the earlier evening’s flash‑pictures classes right into a difficult however magical low‑mild session that exposed a Three‑striped Warbler and a quartet of Funariidae woodcreepers and treehunters.
Ecuador Birding – The place Each Feather Tells a Story
From October 26, 2025 by November 8, 2025 I joined 5 different adventurers and an excellent photographer and birding information (Liron Gertsman) with Eagle-Eye Excursions to Ecuador. This weblog collection highlights the animals (principally birds), individuals and areas we encountered over the 14 full days on this stunning land.
A Reflections of the Pure World Weblog Submit Sequence by Jim Achieve
**Because of the excessive decision and high quality of the photographs on this weblog collection it’s extremely really helpful
that readers view posts in Panorama Mode on a desktop PC from the precise blogsite at Ecuador Birding**
DAY 12 – Morning
Tandayapa Lodge: Daybreak on the Moth Lights
The morning after our flash‑pictures class arrived shortly, the cloudforest nonetheless wrapped in darkness as we made our means right down to the moth lights. These glowing sheets, hung like luminous veils towards the bushes, serve a twin objective at Tandayapa: they attract a shocking array of bugs for the birds to feed on at first mild, and so they give photographers a uncommon probability to seize species that will in any other case stay hidden within the dim understory. However taking pictures right here isn’t straightforward. The sunshine is low, the birds transfer quick, and each body turns into a small gamble—holding the digital camera regular at sluggish shutter speeds whereas pushing the ISO excessive sufficient to seize something in any respect, figuring out every shot balances timing, focus, and luck on a razor’s edge. Nonetheless, the problem is a part of the magic.
Firstly of the moth mild taking pictures session I used to be hand-holding my Canon R5 with the 100-500 mm IS lens PLUS the 1.4x adaptor and my settings have been: APERTURE f/7.1; EXPOSURE TIME 1/125; ISO 40000
Three‑striped Warbler
Earlier than the forest totally woke, a small flicker of movement slipped into the glow…
The primary chook to slide into the glow was a Three‑striped Warbler, its presence virtually ghostlike within the half‑mild. Its heat olive again and wealthy yellow underparts glowed softly towards the pale moth sheet, whereas the daring black stripes on its face and crown gave it a pointy, alert expression. The chook moved with fast, purposeful hops, pausing solely lengthy sufficient to grab a moth from the material earlier than darting to the subsequent perch. Its tail flicked always, a nervous metronome protecting time with its foraging rhythm. Within the dim morning haze, the warbler felt like a small spark of vitality—stressed, environment friendly, and completely at residence within the shadows.
The Woodcreeper Quintet Arrives
No sooner had the warbler vanished into the undergrowth than the forest delivered a heavier, extra deliberate presence: the primary of 5 trunk‑foraging specialists, every one drawn to the straightforward pickings on the moth lights.
Sturdy‑billed Woodcreeper
Then a heavier silhouette emerged, regular and deliberate towards the glowing veil…
The Sturdy‑billed Woodcreeper appeared like a russet‑brown pillar towards the glowing sheet, its lengthy, decurved invoice casting a fragile shadow throughout the material. Its plumage was wealthy and earthy, patterned subtly with wonderful streaks that blended seamlessly with the bark‑like tones of its physique. The chook climbed with sluggish, highly effective actions, bracing itself with stiff tail feathers because it probed for bugs. Its eyes have been darkish and regular, giving it a targeted, virtually contemplative demeanor. Up shut, it felt like a creature carved from the forest itself—stable, historical, and purposeful.
Montane Woodcreeper
The place the Sturdy‑billed introduced weight, this one introduced finesse, slipping into the glow with practiced ease…
The subsequent arrival was the Montane Woodcreeper, slimmer and extra evenly constructed than the Sturdy‑billed, with a heat brown physique etched in wonderful, delicate streaks. Its invoice was reasonably curved—much less imposing than its bigger cousin’s, however completely fitted to gleaning bugs from bark and moss. It moved with a clean, virtually fluid climbing rhythm, pausing incessantly to probe crevices with fast, exact jabs. Within the mushy glow of the moth lights, its refined patterning took on a delicate radiance, revealing particulars that will be practically invisible within the dim forest. The Montane carried an understated magnificence, a quiet presence that rewarded shut consideration.
Noticed Woodcreeper
The subsequent arrival shimmered subtly, every pale spot flickering because it shifted alongside the trunk…
The Noticed Woodcreeper adopted, slimmer nonetheless and extra intricately patterned than both of the earlier two. Its chest and stomach have been adorned with delicate pale spots, every one outlined in heat brown, making a mosaic of texture that shimmered within the low mild. It moved with extra agility than the Sturdy‑billed, weaving up the trunk with fast, fluid motions. Its invoice, although nonetheless curved, was finer and extra exact, excellent for plucking bugs from crevices. The chook’s presence felt full of life and alert, a distinction to the heavier, extra deliberate vitality of the Sturdy‑billed.
Streak‑capped Treehunter
With a burst of vitality, a tousle‑topped explorer hopped into the glow…
Then, with a sudden burst of movement, the Streak‑capped Treehunter arrived—bolder, stockier, and way more animated than the woodcreepers. Its heat brown plumage was accented by a pale, streaked crown that gave it a barely tousled, inquisitive look. The chook hopped somewhat than climbed, transferring with a bounding vitality that made it really feel virtually mischievous. Its invoice was stout and highly effective, constructed for prying into mossy tangles and bark clusters. Within the mushy glow of the moth lights, it appeared like a creature all the time on the verge of uncovering some hidden treasure.
Lineated Foliage-gleaner
After which, from the tangle simply past the glow, a busy, rust‑toned investigator pushed into view…
The Lineated Foliage-gleaner arrived with a form of stressed willpower, its heat brown plumage catching faint highlights because it rummaged by moss and vine. Its daring facial stripes gave it a pointy, virtually masked expression, as if it have been perpetually scrutinizing the forest for secrets and techniques. Not like the woodcreepers’ vertical precision, this chook moved in brief, purposeful bursts—prying, tugging, and probing each crevice inside attain. Even within the dim moth‑mild glow, its vitality felt unmistakable: a creature constructed for uncovering what the forest tries to cover.
Behaviors of the Woodcreeper Quartet
Watching all 5 species collectively revealed an excellent richer spectrum of foraging types formed by refined variations in construct and temperament. The Sturdy‑billed Woodcreeper labored with sluggish, deliberate energy, prying deeply into bark and moss with its formidable invoice as if excavating the forest’s hidden layers. The Montane Woodcreeper moved with a smoother, extra fluid rhythm—much less forceful than the Sturdy‑billed, however extra persistent, pausing typically to probe wonderful crevices with fast, exact jabs. The Noticed Woodcreeper introduced agility to the group, weaving up trunks with mild, fast steps and gleaning bugs with a deftness that made its actions really feel virtually ethereal. The Streak‑capped Treehunter remained the outlier in each posture and persona—hopping somewhat than climbing, rummaging by mossy tangles with daring, animated vitality, as if all the time on the verge of uncovering one thing surprising. And threading by the chaos was the Lineated Foliage‑gleaner, a stressed investigator that labored in brief, purposeful bursts, tugging at moss and prying into hidden pockets with a masked, scrutinizing depth. Collectively, they turned the moth lights right into a vertical buffet, every species carving out its personal area of interest within the morning feast.
A Trace of What Comes Subsequent
Because the solar lastly crested the ridge and the moth lights pale into the brightness of day, a brand new sound drifted by the clearing—a wealthy, resonant name that appeared to vibrate by the forest itself. It was a voice we knew properly, one which promised coloration, charisma, and a narrative all its personal. The Toucan Barbet was ready, and the subsequent put up might be devoted completely to this unforgettable chook.
NEXT UP: EB#70 “Colours within the Cover: Assembly the Toucan Barbet at Tandayapa“
Further Images
Earlier Ecuador Birding Weblog Posts:
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EB72 – Drawn to the Flame: Photographing New Birds at Tandayapa’s Moth Gentle
by Jim Achieve
At daybreak beneath the moth lights at Tandayapa Lodge, we shifted from the earlier evening’s flash‑pictures classes right into a difficult however magical low‑mild session that exposed a Three‑striped Warbler and a quartet of Funariidae woodcreepers and treehunters. This weblog collection chronicles Jim Achieve’s experiences with birds and nature.
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EB71 – Freezing Wings in Mid‑Air: An Afternoon Flash Images Class
by Jim Achieve
Our late afternoon at Tandayapa Lodge reworked right into a masterclass in excessive‑pace flash pictures, the place we discovered to freeze hummingbirds in mid‑air and reveal particulars the human eye may by no means catch by itself. This weblog collection chronicles Jim Achieve’s experiences with birds and nature.
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EB70 – Behind the Scenes: My Photograph Processing Course of — From Obtain to Gallery Show
by Jim Achieve
This behind‑the‑scenes look walks by my full put up‑processing workflow—from organized laborious‑drive folders and Lightroom edits to eBird documentation and SmugMug gallery uploads—exhibiting how every picture travels from area seize to ultimate presentation. This weblog collection chronicles Jim Achieve’s experiences with birds and nature.
>>Ecuador Birding Weblog Dwelling Web page Hyperlink https://reflectionsofthenaturalworld.com/ecuador-birding/
*This Ecuador Birding weblog put up was formed and polished with the help of Microsoft Copilot, serving to carry readability and a constant move to my area notes and dictated recollections.
**Except in any other case indicated within the picture caption, all images (>99%) are mine.