After our Amazon River Cruise, we returned to Quito. We spent one night in the Hotel Patio Andaluz which we also stayed at on our Galapagos trip a few years ago. In Quite we visited a grocery store and did a chocolate tasting.

The next morning it was off to Bella Vista lodge in the cloud forest. After breakfast we did a guided hike.

Gem Anole and W Rainfrog

Bromeliads and an orchid

Masked Flowerpiercer (this individual had a broken top beak with tongue sticking out) and Buff-tailed Coronet.

Buff-tailed Coronet stretching. Have you ever seen a hummingbird pee? Well if you watched the video, you have now.

In the afternoon Lindsay and I went on a hike on our own.

Crimson-mantled Woodpecker and metallic Flea Beetles.

Sunset in the cloud forest.

We also did a night hike out first night in the cloud forest.

Tree frog and “Daddy Long Legs” with photoluminescence under a UV light.

Tiny Rain Frog and Stick Insect

Olinguito. The olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina) is a mammal of the raccoon family Procyonidae that lives in montane forests in the Andes of western Colombia and Ecuador. It was classified as belonging to a new species in 2013.
On 22 May 2014, the International Institute for Species Exploration declared the olinguito as one of the “Top 10 New Species of 2014” among species discovered in 2013. It is the first new carnivoran mammal described in the Western Hemisphere in 35 years.

Picture on right is a Jumping Spider with a bunch of babies.

Striped Walkingstick and “Daddy Long Legs” with photoluminescence under a UV light.

Day 2 Maybe the highlight of most days at Bella Vista is the morning birding from the parking lot. They use a light overnight to attract moths and put out bananas. These two things attract a lot of birds in the morning that come to feed.

Turquoise Jay with Bee and moth.

Strong-billed Woodcreeper and Montane Woodcreeper with moths.

Cinnamon Flycatcher and Golden-headed Quetzal.

Slate-throated Redstart and Blue-winged Mountain Tanager.

Red-tailed Squirrel and Golden Tanager

Flame-faced Tanager and Orange-bellied Euphonia

Choco Brushfinch and Golden-naped Tanager

Masked Flowerpiercer and Russet-crowned Warbler

Plate-billed Mountain Toucan

Swing and waterfall hike

Whip Spider and Waterfall

Speckled Hummingbird and Jordan feeding the hummingbirds.

Day 3 I did an excursion to see and photograph the Andean Cock of the Rock birds while the girls stayed at the hotel and did the morning birding (it was just me the first day).

Choco Toucan and the mountains

Green-crowned Brilliant and Buff-tailed Coronet on nest

In the afternoon hike we saw a really cool Walkingstick insect. I also did an extra trail with the guide to see this Common Potoo.

In the evening I found the male Masked Trogon sitting on the railing near one of the buildings. The next day I found the female.

Day 4 We did the morning birding. Lindsay and I then went on a long and steep hike with the guide before we had to head back towards the airport for an early flight the next morning.

Golden Tanager Couple

Plate-billed Mountain Toucan enjoying some banana.

Toucan Barbet

Andromica Clearwing and recent Puma picture on trailcam

Tarantula and goodbye to Quito.