We got up early (as usual) and went to Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary, Pichancha, Ecuador.

We walked from the parking lot to this observation tower and up 5-6 flights of stairs.
We were more than 60 feet in the air and looking into the tops of the trees.

Some of our group at the top of the Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary observation tower:
Pete, Margo, Linda, Kannan, Del and Ann

Ann, Carolyn, Cindy and Mary
at the top of the observation tower

Our guide, Lelis Navarette, in the middle, talking to
David, Jerry, Kannan and Bill, with our driver Danilo in back

Kannan and Lelis check out one of David's great photos

Cacique nest just a few feet from the tower deck

Lelis, Danilo, Margo, Bill and Cindy

Steve, Kannan, Del, Jerry, David and Danilo

Cindy, Pete, Carolyn, Linda, Ann and Mary

Steve and Mary

Yellow-throated Toucan

Yellow-throated Toucan

Toucan and Aracari briefly sharing a branch

Pale-billed Aracari
Lelis told us the 'c' is soft,
because the word is of Portugese origin.

Yellow-throated Toucans

Pale-billed Aracari

Pale-billed Aracari

Palm Tanager

Yellow-throated Toucan

Bronze-winged Parrot

Second Bronze-winged Parrot

Male White-tailed Trogon

Male White-tailed Trogon

Male White-tailed Trogon

Hook-billed Kite

Hook-billed Kite
looks gray, like a male

Yellow-tufted Dacnis male

Yellow-tufted Dacnis male (back view)

Barred Puffbird

Female Green Honeycreeper

Barred Puffbird

Boat-billed Flycatcher

Male White-tailed Trogon (back view)

Male White-tailed Trogon (back view)

Male White-tailed Trogon (back view)

Female White-tailed Trogon with an insect

Yellow-throated Toucan
(formerly Chestnut-mandibled Toucan)

Grey-and-Gold Tanager

Grey-and-Gold Tanager

Grey-and-Gold Tanager

Grey-and-Gold Tanager

Barred Puffbird

Barred Puffbird

Barred Puffbird

Pale-billed Aracari

Pale-billed Aracari preening

Male Masked Tityra

Male Masked Tityra

Pair of Black-cheeked Woodpeckers on a snag near the tower

You can see some red on the belly of the Black-cheeked Woodpecker.

One of the Black-cheeked Woodpeckers
was seen checking out a nesting cavity in a nearby palm tree.

Black-cheeked Woodpecker at nest hole in a palm tree

Male White-tailed Trogon (front view)

We left the tower to walk the grounds and nearby roads and trails.

Some of our group along the road
near Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary
After a break for some hard-boiled eggs
and apples, we took a walk down the road
just outside the Rio Silanche Reserve.

Trying to get a good look at a bird

Female Blue-chested Hummingbird

Female Blue-chested Hummingbird

Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant
The smallest passerine in the world

Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant

Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant

Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant

Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Olivaceous Piculet

Hook-billed Kite
One of three soaring overhead with a Turkey Vulture

Southern Rough-winged Swallows

Variable Seedeater

Violet-bellied Hummingbird at lantana beside the road

Violet-bellied Hummingbird

Violet-bellied Hummingbird

Violet-bellied Hummingbird

Red-rumped Woodpecker

Red-rumped Woodpecker

Spotty underside of the Spotted Woodcreeper
with its head stuck in a small bromeliad

Spotted Woodcreeper

Spotted Woodcreeper

Spotted Woodcreeper

Spotted Woodcreeper

Spotted Woodcreeper
taking a nosedive
Kannan says this is a characteristic behavior

Scarlet-rumped Cacique with a spider
and a loose feather

Scarlet-rumped Cacique with a spider

Scarlet-rumped Cacique

Scarlet-rumped Cacique

Scarlet-rumped Cacique

Back at the entrance to Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary

Sign over the entrance to
Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary

Blue-black Grassquit
coming to a roadside puddle for a bath

Blue-black Grassquit leaving its roadside bath
as a Variable Seedeater comes in to take its place

Blurry Variable Seedeater

Laughing Falcon
in a Cecropia tree at the side of the road
as we were leaving Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary

Laughing Falcon (rear view)

Laughing Falcon with a view of the top of its head

Pacific Parrotlets
along the road from Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary

Pacific Parrotlet

Pacific Parrotlet

Pacific Parrotlet

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Pacific Parrotlets

Pacific Parrotlets

Pacific Parrotlets

Pacific Parrotlets

Pacific Parrotlets

Pacific Parrotlets

Pacific Parrotlets

Pacific Parrotlets

Pacific Parrotlets

Pacific Parrotlets

Pacific Parrotlet

Seedeater

Masked Tityra with a leaf
at a nest hole

Masked Tityra
entering nest cavity

From Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary
we went to Milpe Bird Sanctuary
where we had our packed lunch and watched hummingbirds

Milpe Bird Sanctuary gift shop

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Green-crowned Brilliant

Male Green Thorntail

Male White-necked Jacobin

Female Green Thorntail and Purple-bibbed Whitetip

Green Thorntail male

Green Thorntail male

Female Green Thorntail
at Mindo Cloudforest Foundation Bird Sanctuary, Milpe, Ecuador

Female and Male Green Thorntail

Green-crowned Woodnymph

Male Green-crowned Woodnymph

Female Green-crowned Woodnymph

Male Green Thorntail

Male Green Thorntail taking flight

Male Green Thorntail

Green-crowned Woodnymph and ?

At supper, Mary enjoys a beer to celebrate a great day of birding