The boisterous sounds of Black-capped Donacobious can be heard regularly around the verges of the lake as dawn breaks, while Hoatzins clumsily move around low to the water, ready to drop straight in at the first sign of danger. A magical setting for a lodge.

This is a shot of the Chical Road in the northern province of Carchi in Ecuador. This road was "discovered" (by Dusan Brinkhuizen) in 2010, and is now well-established on the birding circuit as it is home to a number of rare Choco species that are very easy and gettable here relative to all the other sites in Ecuador. The two biggest drawcards here are the Star-chested Treerunner and the Purplish-mantled Tanager that are easier here than anywhere else and visible from the road itself, with no difficult trekking required like some other sites for them. Other specialties and scarcities found in the area include Beautiful Jay, Pacific Tuftedcheek, Glistening-green Tanager, Rufous-crested Tanager, Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Toucan Barbet, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Handsome Flycatcher (rare on the west slope), and Semicollared Hawk.

Antisana Volcano towers some 5800m plus above sea level. The surrounding plains are high Andean grasslands known as paramo, that holds many special high Andean birds: most notably it is the best site in Ecuador for Andean Condor and Black-faced Ibis. It is also a great spot for Andean Lapwing, Andean Gull, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Aplomado Falcon,Paramo Ground-Tyrant, Streak-backed Canastero, Andean Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean (Slaty-backed) Coot, (Andean) Ruddy Duck, Grass Wren, both conclodes species and many more! It is also perhaps the best Ecuadorian site too for the Cinereous Harrier, which is a scarce bird even at Antisana. Furthermore, Antisana is a good location for the world's largest hummingbird, the aptly-named Giant Hummingbird.

The top of Balang Shan, or Balang Mountain, is quite a sight. Even in June snow can fall on this 4600m high mountain pass. While the Tibetan prayer flags blow in the wind, (and release their prayers onto the wind as they do so), such beautiful birds as "Purple Ground-Tyrants" (better known as Grandalas, Tibetan Snowcocks, Red-fronted Rosefinches, and Snow Partridges and Snow Pigeons can be found right around the temple up there...magical setting and incredible birds.

This is another shot of one of my favorite birding spots on Earth, the mighty Balang Mountain in Sichuan. While the upper slopes play host to Tibetan Snowcocks and Grandalas, lower than this you find yourself in the country of Chinese Monals, White Eared-Pheasants, and the odd Verreaux's Monal-Partridge, in addition to Giant Laughingthrushes and a whole suite of rosy rosefinches.

This is a classic scene from the Tibetan Plateau, where open grassy plains, sprinkled with bright yellow flowers, extend to a towering horizon of snowy peaks. In the foreground lies a Tibetan Yak herders favored form of modern transport: the motorcycle, while his characteristic "chuba" coat lies abandoned on top. The photo was taken at one of the Tibetan Plateau birding hotspots, Flower Lake, near the bustling Tibetan town of Ruo Er Gai in Sichuan province. While the lake plays host to shorebirds, gulls, terns, and waterfowl, the open marshes and grasses around ring with the sound of Redshank, and larks display high over the plains. These include the widespread Oriental Skylarks and Horned Larks, and also one of the brutes among larks, the giant Tibetan Lark, one of the World's largest and heaviest. Not far from here such treats as White-rumped Snowfinches hang around pika colonies, and White-browed Tits inhabit the shallow valleys, while the telephone poles make convenient perching posts for hulking Upland Buzzards. The lake is also home to one of the most elegant birds of the Plateau: the regal Black-necked Crane.