Reserva Las Tangaras

Greetings!

We are Amanda and Daniel, los administradores nuevos, or new managers, as we are known by at least a few folks in Mindo. We are thrilled to be here at Reserva Las Tangaras until early January 2016! The diversity and beauty of this area is stunning! We have only been here three days, but we already feel immersed in life at the reserve (we have a running list of fun jobs to start and birds to see)! Sometimes is takes weeks to feel settled in a place, but here we felt quite at home within hours after arriving! Everyone we have met so far, in Mindo and at the reserve, has been very friendly and welcoming.

The reserve offers incredible opportunities to see amazing plant and animal life. In addition to our maintenance tasks, we have been studying the hummingbird species seen here and becoming familiar with the trails on the reserve. There is so much to see, and so much to do, both at the lodge and around the reserve!

Here we are doing some birding right outside the lodge.

It is very exciting when a mixed-flock descends upon the trees, giving us a chance to see multiple species at once!

We are very excited to learn all we can while we are here, and to welcome visitors from around the world to this remarkable place, Reserva Las Tangaras!

‘Til next time,

Amanda and Daniel

At Reserva Las Tangaras, there is a great diversity of reptiles and amphibians. Frogs are more likely to be heard at night and can be spotted with a flashlight at night as many are nocturnal, while reptiles are most likely going to be basking or seen as a quick movement as you walk along the trails. For us the greatest species diversity observed has been in snakes, with 10 species observed on or near the reserve. Almost every snake observed has been a different species.

Pasture’s Frog Pristimantis achatinus

Rainfrogs are the most diverse family of frogs in the area with 23 species. Most are nocturnal and arboreal. However with the Pasture’s Frog, the tiny juveniles are diurnal and terrestrial and can be spooked as you walk through the yard and along trails here at the reserve. They are likely the most common frogs at the reserve. They are small, brown, and have distinctive V markings on their backs. We see them in mostly disturbed sites, like grassy areas, trails, and even in the cabin. Only the juveniles are diurnal, but at night the larger adults can be seen on their arboreal perches.

Cane Toad Rhinella marina

This large toad is the most common toad and likely only toad here at the reserve, as the 3 others that occur in Mindo are very rare. Found in areas such as under the cabin and edges of forest. This pugnacious species can grow up to 2.5 kilograms and 24 centimeters in length. As an ambush predator, the cane toad hides and waits to swallow its unsuspecting prey which is anything that it can fit its mouth around. Native here, this toxic toad has become highly invasive in places such as Australia, as few organisms can eat it.

Andean Snail Eater Dispsas andiana

There are a variety of snakes that occur here at Las Tangaras ranging from pencil sized to up to six feet. They range from terrestrial to arboreal, and nocturnal to diurnal. Most snakes that are seen are terrestrial and are seen slithering away as you approach on the trail. However, on a warm sunny day or a cold morning, you may find one basking in the warm or sluggish from the cold.
The Andean Snail-Eater, a nocturnal snake is an example of one of these snakes. Pictured is a juvenile who found itself too sluggish to move from its nighttime hunting grounds during a cool morning. This small juvenile can grow up to 84cm and actively forages exclusively on mollusks. The Andean Snail-Eater is one of three Snail-Eaters and one of 23 colubrids or harmless snakes that occur in Mindo.

Ecuadorian Toadhead Bothrops campbelli

Luckily there are few dangerous poisonous snakes at the reserve. There are one coral snake and four vipers. These snakes are rarely sighted, but one should be aware of their existence. One of these snakes which we have observed is the endangered Ecuadorian Toadhead. Unfortunately, this individual was dead on the the road near the entry trail, however it more than likely could be found at the reserve. Vipers are highly venomous and can be recognized by their triangular heads. According to “The Amphibians and Reptiles of Mindo”, the Ecuadorian Toadhead is somewhat docile and tries to escape rather than bite. However the more common Terpiocelo Bothrops Asper is similar in appearance and is extremely venomous and aggressive.

Ocellated Riama Riama oculata

There is great potential for the diversity of lizards at the reserve with 16 species occuring in Mindo, but for us these creatures have been the most elusive. Most encounters have been brief, and they are gone before we can register any field markings. The Ocellated Riama is a relatively large brownish terrestrial to arboreal lizard often found in moist shaded areas as it is susceptible to overheating. It can be identified by its spear shaped head, short limbs, and shiny scales. The one pictured is a small juvenile that found its way into the lodge.
Source:
The Reptiles and Amphibians of Mindo
Arteaga A., Bustamante L., Guayasamin J.
2013 Universidad Tecnologica Indoamerica

Although we regularly see dozens of bird species here at the reserve, mammals are more elusive. Others have seen mammals and their sign, ranging from otter to coati to even spectacled bear (tracks). While our experience with mammals here has been confined to just a handful of species, we enjoy the peculiar relationship we have with each one.

Central American Agouti

Guatusa

Dasyprocta punctata

The agouti is certainly the most commonly seen mammal at the reserve, as it regularly ambles through the yard to graze. This red-brown rodent is slightly larger than a hare. It has small ears, a very short tail, and slender legs. Apparently agoutis are hunted and can be wary of people, but at the reserve they are very comfortable with us and often eat the over-ripe fruit that we toss to them. I write “them” because agoutis are monogamous, but a pair shares their territory. So although we only ever see one individual at a time (they are not gregarious), I believe we probably see both members of the pair.

“Mamíferos del Ecuador” says that a mother agouti digs a separate burrow for her young and calls them out to nurse. After a few weeks when they have outgrown their burrow, the female moves them to another, larger one. At four to five months old, they are able to leave the burrow to forage with their mother.

Paca

Agouti paca

This larger, nocturnal cousin of the agouti is reddish brown but has rows of white spots on its back. We have seen a paca twice, roaming through the yard in the evening, and have caught a video of it on our game camera. “Neotropical Rainforest Animals” says that pacas are much like agoutis in that they mate in monogamous pairs and share a territory. They den up in burrows as well, and also feed on fruit, tubers, and herbaceous vegetation.

Red-tailed Squirrel

Ardilla de Cola Roja

Sciurus granatensis

This is one of two squirrels that occur at the reserve, and is the more commonly seen one. It is brown above with a rufous underside, and bushy red tail. Like North American squirrel species, it is often heard before it can be seen, chattering admonishingly at hikers. “Neotropical Rainforest Mammals” mentions that the red-tailed squirrel feeds chiefly on nuts, fruits, and fungi. Apparently they are discerning diners: we have seen one in a firewood tree outside of the cabin picking and dropping down fruits. Each fruit only had a small nibble taken out of it, so they were presumably not ripe (or tasty) enough.

Geoffroy’s Long-tongued Bat

Murciélago longirostro de Geoffroy

Anoura geoffroyi

Although Chiroptera is the world’s second largest order of mammals, bats are one of the most difficult species to really see. They fly rapidly through the dark, never giving one the opportunity to see more than a pair of wings. At the reserve, when we have arrived back from town in the dark on occasion, we have surprised several bats enjoying the hummingbird feeders after hours. They are quite fearless, still flying in for another sip at the feeders, even as we carry them inside. We have been able to get a few photos, allowing us to determine that one of the common bats at the reserve is Geoffroy’s long-tongued bat.

“Mamíferos del Ecuador” says that this bat feeds primarily on nectar and pollen but will supplement its diet with insects and occasionally fruit. It is most commonly seen in disturbed areas. A. geoffroy can be identified by its dark fur, small triangular ears, long narrow muzzle, small triangular leaf-shaped nose, and lack of tail.

We often encounter bats on the trail when we are walking in the dark. They swoop in very close, right through the beam of our headlamps. Maybe they are catching insects that are attracted to our lights? If so, these bats could be one of a number of species. Four different families of bats occur in Ecuador: Sheath-tailed bats; Leaf-nosed bats; Mastiff or Free-tailed bats; and Vespertilionid bats. Sheath-tailed bats are aerial insectivores, as are Vespertilionid bats, and Mastiff bats. Within the Leaf-nosed bats, there are four sub-families that occur here: Spear-nosed bats are carnivorous and insectivorous; Short-tailed bats are frugivorous; Long-tongued bats feed on nectar; and Neotropical Fruit bats are, as their name implies, frugivorous.

Sources

Tirira, D. 2010. Los Mamiferos Del Ecuador.

Emmons, L. 1997. Neotropical Rainforest Mammals A Field Guide. University of Chicago Press.

The cloudforest of Ecuador is situated between the Andes Mountains and the low expanse of the Amazon. It has traditionally been a hostile place to those who were not born there, and consequently have not been swaddled in its mist, suckled on the damp of its rainy season, and weaned on dust in its dry summer months. To outsiders, the tropical forest has been a thing to be conquered, cleaned, and used to our own purposes. This trend is an obvious one, starting with conquistadors who exploited not only the forest, but the native people who they saw as part of it, and is being carried on with rubber plantations and more recently natural resource extraction.

What lies at the bottom of our disregard for the tropical forest? What is the cause of our feud, and where is the cure? Maybe, as Jose Eustasio Rivera writes in The Vortex, our apparent hate is derived from fear of the unfamiliar:

“No cooing nightingales here, no Versaillian gardens or sentimental vistas! Instead the croaking of dropsical frogs, the tangled misanthropic undergrowth, the stagnant backwaters and swamps. Here the aphrodisiac parasite that covers the ground with dead insects; the disgusting blooms that throb with sensual palpitations, their sticky smell intoxicating as a drug; the malignant liana, the hairs of which blind animals; the pringamosa that irritates the skin; the berry of the curuju, a rainbow-hued globe that holds only a caustic ash; the purging grape; the bitter nut of the corojo palm.”

Perhaps instead of giving into irrationalities and fright, the traveler should learn what leaf is tonic to his snakebite, and to seek out the bark that is an antiseptic to his wound. In this vein, I have selected five medicinal plants that grow on the reserve, and given short descriptions and photographs of each.

Clusia sp.

This sprawling native epiphyte can be found along trails near the cabin. It has large, simple, opposite leaves which are used as an astringent. Its fruit is an edible star-shaped capsule. According to Tobias Policha in Plants of Mindo, there are 63 species of Clusia in Ecuador, five of which are endemic. The species that we see at the reserve has a white, almost fleshy sweet-scented flower.

Piper sp.

The dangling pointed leaves and flower stalks of Piper sp. are easily seen along the entry trail to the reserve. According to Castner, Timme, and Duke in A Field Guide to Medicinal and Useful Plants of the Upper Amazon, the roots are used as a remedy for kidney stones. Piper sp. is also used for lower back pain, toothaches, and to aid healing in women who have just given birth.

Cecropia sp.

As you make your way into the reserve, you might trample over some large palmately-lobed leaves. Upon looking up, you would see Cecropia trees. This species is a valuable source of food for birds, bats, and other animals, especially as it is a pioneer species. It is easily found on the entry trail to the reserve, which traverses an old pasture. According to Policha, Cecropia is used as a diuretic, and its bark as an emollient and for making hammocks.

Begonia parviflora

This is another native plant with large distinctive leaves. The sweet-scented white flowers are five-merous, and borne on a panicle. Policha writes that B. parviflora is used to treat inflammation, mastitis in cows, and as an antiseptic.

Psidium guajavaPsidium guajava is a native tree which grows right outside of the cabin at the reserve. Its most distinctive characteristic is the thin flaky bark that curls back to expose knotty, almost rippling wood. However it is most recognized at the bearer of the guava fruit. This plant is edible and very high in vitamin C and A. All parts of this plant are useful. Castner, Timme, and Duke write that Psidium guajava leaves are used for treating mouth sores and and the bark can relieve dysentery. Its flowers can help regulate menstrual periods. Policha writes the fruits are anti-diarrheal as well.

Sources

A Field Guide to Medicinal and Useful Plants of the Upper Amazon

James Lee Castner, Stephen Lee Timme, James Alan Duke

1998 Feline Press, Inc.

Plants of Mindo: A Guide to the Cloud Forest of the Andean Choco

Tobias Policha

2012 American Herbal Dispensary Press

Tropical Rainforests: Latin American Nature and Society in Transition

Edited by Susan E. Place

1994 Scholarly Resources Inc.

It’s 5:00 a.m., another dark and dewy morning at Reserva Las Tangaras. We stand in the candlelit kitchen with a hot cup of coffee and an apple to charge ourselves for the trek up the steep mountain we call our backyard. Headlamps on, data sheet and binoculars in our pack, we slip on our muck boots and begin another day. There is nothing like a hike through the jungle at 5:30 in the morning. All you can hear is the hum of the river and the harmonious symphony of frogs echoing from giant leaves and bromeliads. All you can see is the dense mist that fogs your way along the muddy path.

Andean Cock-of-the-Rock – allzinfo.com

At 5:50, we have arrived at our destination, the lek of the infamous Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. This is one of the most peaceful times of the day. Drops of dew splatter from canopy to soil, the peeping of the frogs becomes less and less, the chirping of awakening birds becomes more and more, the hum of the river down in the valley stays steady, all while the clouds hanging over the mountain tops begin to glow with the greeting of the morning sun. Just when we are hypnotized by the tranquility of the Cloud Forest, it explodes to life with the sudden call of the first Cock-of-the-Rock swooping in to claim his perch. Another male arrives and they greet each other with bobbing heads and flapping wings, squawking in a ritualized fashion. After only a few minutes, the lek is blessed with the presence of at least fifteen males. We spend our time collecting data and admiring their bright-red plumage and their fascinating display.

We stay as quiet and still as possible, but we know we don’t go unnoticed. This is proven true when you happen to make direct eye contact with the Cock-of-the-Rock. Although we’ll never know exactly what he’s seeing through his piercing eyes, we hope he’s only seeing another product of Mother Nature, another creature of the forest. This view is contrary to the perception that many humans possess – that we are separate from the rest of the natural world when in reality, we are all an integral part of it.

Crested Guan

 It’s 9:00 a.m. now, and we are descending the mountain after an epic morning. Suddenly, raucous squawks erupt from the canopy of a nearby tree. It’s a large bird, looking almost dinosaur-like, with its long tail, sharp beak, spotted chest, bright red dewlap, and its crown feathers raised up in alarm; it’s a crested guan. We realize there are three of them, all releasing a prehistoric-sounding call before they depart to find solitude again. We comment on the excitement as we continue on our way.

Purple-Bibbed White Tip… one of our favorites at the reserve

As soon as we are back at the cabin, we are eagerly greeted by a purple-bibbed white-tip and her hungry friends. They don’t hesitate to let us know that it is well past the time we usually put out their hummingbird feeders. Once the hummers are pleasantly indulging in their sweet treat we begin our work tasks. It isn’t long until we are interrupted by the shrill distinct call of the chestnut-mandibled toucan. Though we see and hear these neighbors of ours often, we never take their presence for granted, so we run upstairs with our binoculars to get a better view. Sure enough, our toucan friend is perched on a branch high in the canopy, thrusting his beak in the air to cast his song far over the hills, showing off his beautiful yellow neck, glossy black body, and red rump plumage. After about ten minutes, the toucans fly away, large beaks leading their flight, and we return to our duties.

Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan

 Around midday, the usual rains begin. For now, it’s a light drizzle, an ideal invitation for a small mixed flock of birds to play in the trees that surround the cabin. They jump from branch to branch like acrobats searching for their lunch. A golden tanager and a yellow-throated bush tanager hop around in the limon tree. A three-striped warbler pecks at the moss on the branches of a myconnia, while a spotted woodcreeper snacks on a beetle below on the trunk. An orange-bellied euphonia and a tropical parula dance around the guava tree. Each bird releases its own distinct song, chatter, and tweet – as Bob Marley would say “a melody pure as gold.”

Orange-bellied Euphonia

Our day’s work has been completed and we set out for an evening stroll along the Rio Nambillo, hoping to see some more birds. We arrive at our usual spot by the river to find that we are not alone. They stand perched on a mid-stream boulder, male and female, hunting an eddy. They are the true masters of air, water,and land – torrent ducks. We can’t believe our luck. We watch them for over an hour, diving into the swift-flowing river, running up rapids. They gracefully explore the river through every familiar route with their knowledge of every eddy. We admire their spectacular plumage, the male’s white and brown stripes, the female’s golden belly and chest. Eventually, the ducks take flight and we are left alone at the river to ponder on their incredible abilities.

Broad-billed Motmot

 It’s 6:00 p.m. now, as we relax on the deck, relishing the day’s excitement. We notice, once again, that we are not alone. Two broad-billed motmots perch in a tree in the front yard, their rufous breasts stuck out, tails switching side to side like a cuckoo-clock. They take turns swooping through the air to catch their dinner, which reminds us, we better get started making our own dinner. And so our magical day with our fellow citizens of the Cloud Forest comes to a close.

 It’s funny how a day of going out, in search of birds, really brings us in. In to our natural world where we belong. In to the home that we share with so many others. The experiences we share with these captivating birds encourages us to reflect inwardly on our own place on this planet and how we are similar to the other living organisms around us, in that we share this land and its precious resources. It’s been over two centuries since Darwin and Wallace’s revolutionary visions enlightened humans about our place on earth as just another organism in geologic time, simply newcomers, with much left to learn about our dynamic and ever-changing world. Two centuries passed, and many humans continue to build a barrier between themselves and our fellow species. We all call this planet home, but not all of us realize it yet. It’s time for a change, don’t you think?

– Amber & Tom

…the rainy season is back at Las Tangaras!

There are few things better to sooth the soul and ease the mind than a walk through the cloud forest in the rain. The lush, noisy forest seems to come alive as the rain begins to fall. As you place one foot in front of the other in a meander underneath the misty canopy, with all senses tuned to the vast world around you, one can truly focus on the here and now. Thousands of frogs echo in a symphony of calls. The clicks and pops of rain splashing off of orchids quickly makes the mind forget the clicks of clocks or pops of engines in the world outside of the reserve. Such enchantment is a typical day at Reserva Las Tangaras.

We are Tom and Amber, the newest generation of managers at Reserva Las Tangaras. As we made our first trek into the reserve with the previous managers, Parks and Alexia, it only seemed fitting that we experienced it in a downpour, for the rainy season had arrived in Ecuador. As we crossed the swing bridge over Rio Nambillo to enter the reserve, we were welcomed home by millions of raindrops, and the smiles on our faces could not have been bigger. It did not take long to be captivated by the beauty and tranquility of Las Tangaras.

Something inside us draws us to remote places, rich with a bounty of peace and tranquility, as far from the city as one can travel. For other like-minded folk out there, you know what we are talking about. Perhaps it’s the feeling of serenity you get when you stand on a river bank and feel the cool wind howl up the river, thrusting forward a torrent duck in its gust. Perhaps it’s the challenge of the wilderness experience, where you are constantly tested and often succumb to mistakes which only make you wiser. Perhaps it’s the exhilaration you feel at 6:00AM when the first Andean Cock-of-the-Rock comes screeching in to its lek for its daily mating display. Or perhaps it’s the feeling of living in the present, deep under the canopy of a dense cloud forest which seems to engulf you in its non-judgmental and complex atmosphere. For many of us, these things are in our blood. We have a burning desire, not only to live experiences such as these, but to conserve such processes so that our grandchildren, and all life on Earth for that matter, can have such experiences for years to come. It is at places like Reserva Las Tangaras where such magic is happening.

Misty morning at Las Tangaras

Sunlight through the canopy after a heavy rain

Much like a rain drop, Reserva Las Tangaras is a relative small element on a vast planet. However, one must not be fooled by its size, because its influence extends far beyond it’s borders. The area in which Reserva Las Tangaras lies, at the meeting of Ecuador’s lowland jungles and Andean cloud forest, is among the most diverse terrestrial environments on our planet. The bounty of life is astounding; one tree alone seems to harbor hundreds of species including different plants, insects, birds, amphibians, and mammals. Unfortunately, this diversity is under threat by exploitation of humans. At the coast, over 90% of Ecuador’s once vast mangrove forests have been replaced by shrimp farms and towns. Moving inland, the lowland jungles have been rapidly replaced by ‘biological deserts’ of banana plantations and many of the once rich forests at the elevation of Las Tangaras have been clear-cut for agriculture. The Valley of Volcanoes to the east of Las Tangaras has been overwhelmed by urban areas and highways. Even further to the east, in the lands of the Amazon, oil and mining has had detrimental environmental repercussions for the forests, the rivers, and all of its inhabitants, including humans. Of course, such issues are not characteristic of only the small country of Ecuador, but they are happening all over our planet as the population of humans explodes and our anthropogenic impact on the world becomes more intense. Places like Reserva Las Tangaras are critical in conserving the natural systems of our planet that we all depend upon in every aspect of our lives. 

A single raindrop may do little to change the water level of a stream; however a hundred thousand rain drops, together, can change a still water to a raging current. The same can be said for small tracts of protected land that, together, act as a web to connect isolated and fragmented ecosystems and function as buffers to larger protected areas so that migration of wildlife is possible between habitats and the resiliency of our natural systems are preserved. Reserva Las Tangaras is another vital piece of this web. As long as the rain continues to fall, Reserva Las Tangaras will serve as a sanctuary, welcoming all forms of life to enter and be sheltered from the world beyond.

Thousands of rain drops, together, caused Rio Nambillo to flood!

Can you imagine building this:

in the middle of the cloud-forest? Can you imagine that it was built at a site without electricity, at the end of a muddy, slippery 45 minute entrance trail and across a swinging bridge, and by two gringos from the United States?

Taking on a building project is never a small task. There is the design, site selection, material selection, and transport – not to mention the actual construction process. We decided to go with a simple design for the most part; shed roof, nine supports, and the hardest part: a floor. Living in the cloud forest means lots of rain and in the past the camping area had flooded and been an uncomfortable place to spend a night. In order to prevent this in the future, Alexia had the brilliant idea of building the new shelter with a floor.

Here you can see the old shelter and you can get an idea of why it was time for a new one.

But where to put it? Close to the house, relatively level, and without any large trees to cut. This is a ‘before’ picture of the area we chose. Two trees had already fallen in this spot so it was a little easier to clear.

With some machete work and sawing up of one of the trees, we were able to clear an area that looked great for the camping shelter!

We designed the shelter using bamboo as the building material, knowing that bamboo looks really nice and assuming it would be light to carry. As you can see it looks great, but it turns out that 12 pieces of Bamboo Gigante (which we found out comes in 8 meter pieces) 25 pieces of Guadua (the native bamboo, theoretically smaller than the other) and 25 pieces of Chilla (bamboo that has been split and flattened – to create the floor) is not a light load. That’s not to mention the 7 pieces of 6 meter roofing we also needed!

You can see that it was not easy to get these materials carried in…

Enjoy the swim Parks!

Just a little further Alexia.

Well to be truthful we did get some help from our local friend, Artemio, with carrying about 40 of the 62 pieces.

Once we had the materials the structure went up quickly. The site has been laid out and the post holes dug and the first pole placed.

Alexia is getting the rafters ready to finish the process of roofing the building.

Note the specially crafted bamboo brackets holding up the rafters, careful Parks

16 Guadua joists support the floor

Here is the completed structure:

and now we can have some happy campers!