My youngest son, Nick Athanas, paid us a visit recently.  Nick is one of the owners of TropicalBirding.com which is located in Quito, Ecuador. He only gets home to visit once or twice a year so his visits are always special. Nick and the other guides at Tropical Birding.com lead tours all over the world for people interested in seeing rare and unusual birds. Nick has become something of an expert on South American birds. His photography is excellent  as can be seen by the accompanying photos and he is particularly well known in the birding community for his audio recordings.

 

Crimson Hooded Manakin                                Nick Athanas ©2010


I visited Nick two years ago and spent ten days with him. We went from the high Andes to the Amazon rain forest. It was a great experience. It is difficult for someone from the U.S. to comprehend the incredible number and variety of bird species in South America. Here in Connecticut, we have one hummingbird, the Ruby Throated. During my ten days in Ecuador, I saw over 50 different hummingbirds - there are over 140 in Ecuador alone and many more throughout South America!

 

Bronzy Jacamar                                                Nick Athanas ©2010


My favorite part of the trip was my stay at the Tandayapa Bird Lodge which is affiliated with TropicalBirding.com. The lodge was built in 1999 on a steep ridge at an elevation of 6000 feet in the Andes cloud forest. There are twelve fully furnished rooms and a spacious balcony that looks out over the forest. Meals are included in the room rate and the food here is excellent. Whether you have an interest in birds or not, this is a great place to just relax and get away from it all - no internet, no telephone, no interruptions! You can just enjoy the lodge and the balcony or you can walk the many trails and dirt roads - the mountain views and wildlife are spectacular. However, if you are looking for nightlife and/or tourist attractions, this is definitely not the place to go!


Hyacinth Macaws                                             Nick Athanas © 2010

 

So, if you are looking for an unusual vacation in South America or any of a number of exotic locations world wide, contact Tropical Birding.com. You won’t be disappointed - I know I wasn’t.


Balcony at Tandayapa Bird Lodge  As many as 20 different hummingbirds can be seen at these feeders at the same time!