More from Ecuador

I spent most of my 9 days in Ecuador birding in the cloud forest in one deep valley near Mindo, about two hours northwest of Quito in the western foothills of the Andes. The mornings were generally sunny, and in late afternoon the mist flowed in from the lowlands, spilling over the ridges like an incoming tide. Hummingbirds thrive in this environment, and I saw 18 different species of them, including the stunning Violet-tailed Sylph.