Reserva Las Tangaras

Hola from your new lodge managers, Callie and Zak!

We have had a busy first month at Reserva las Tangaras, with many overnight guests and day visitors. We hosted a group of photographers from California looking to experience our amazing display of hummingbirds at our feeders, and have had multiple fellow biologists and bird watchers come to enjoy our impressive and intimate Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek.

Reserva las Tangaras lodge under the stars. Photo by Zak Pohlen

Many travelers and campers have come looking to get away and to enjoy a relaxing few days in Ecuador’s cloud forest. Nobody has been disappointed!

Purple-bibbed Whitetips eager for their morning sugar water

While the lodge has been bustling with guests, the biodiversity experienced at the reserve has been superb. From orchids to glass frogs, snakes and monkeys, and some of Ecuador’s more memorable birds, travelers have it all at Reserva las Tangaras.

Reserva las Tangaras upper level sleeping quarters

In-between hosting guests and general maintenance around the lodge, we have been getting acquainted with the lovely town of Mindo and searching for some of the areas beautiful bird-life.

Reserva las Tangaras’ cozy lounge lit by candlelight

We are very excited about our next 2 months at Reserva las Tangaras. We look forward to enjoying more time with the many different travelers that come to experience this special property and we hope to discover more of the impressive biodiversity this reserve has to offer!

Cheers!

Zak and Callie

Hola from Reserva Las Tangaras!

This year’s Mindo Christmas Bird Count was an incredible experience, and we even saw a few new species at the Reserve! Not only is it great fun, the Count is an excellent opportunity to collect valuable data about avian diversity at the Reserve.

We counted a total of 116 species at the reserve, three of which were only documented on our route! These three were the Russet Antshrike, Rufous-rumped Antwren, and the Streaked Saltator.

Here are a few photo highlights from the day. From left to right: Beryl-spangled Tanager, White-capped Dipper, Violet-tailed Sylph (female), Golden Tanager, Broad-billed Motmot, Clubwinged Manakin (male), Flame-faced Tanager, Ornate Flycatcher, Booted Racket-tail (male), and Chestnut Mandibled Toucan.

Beryl-spangled Tanager

White-capped Dipper

Violet-tailed Sylph, Female

Golden tanager

Broad-billed Motmot

Club-winged Manakin displaying

Flame-faced Tanager

Ornate Flycatcher

Booted Racket-tail, Male

Chestnut-mandibled Toucan

Booted Racket-tail, Male

Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, preening

We really enjoyed birding with our friends from Un Poco del Choco, another nearby biological station, as well as our two friends from Mindo who hiked into the reserve at 5 AM to help count all day!

It was a tremendous effort, and a job well done!

The day after the count, we went to Mindo to participate in the “desconteo,” the post-count meeting. Mindo recorded over 467 species, which is at least 2 more than last year! Such a high number is impressive given that the area experienced inclement weather in the afternoon.

We are very glad to have had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Christmas Bird Count before ending our term as Managers at Reserva Las Tanagaras! In all, managing the reserve has been a life-changing experience that we are extremely grateful for. Las Tanagaras is one of those special places that are becoming even more few and far between. We hope that everyone can visit at some point and experience it. We are excited for the next managers, Callie and Zak, who are already doing a fantastic job!

Cheers,
Amanda and Daniel

¡Hola! Daniel and Amanda, the reserve managers, here!

One of our greatest joys working at Reserva Las Tangaras is spending time with the visitors who journey here from all over the world, near and far, and for many different reasons. Everyone who visits the reserve is someone who loves exploring the natural world and has a sense of adventure! They love spending time outside surrounded by the sight, sounds, and smells of the cloud forest and enjoying the tranquility and excitement of the wilderness.

People all over the world share a great love of beautiful and intact wilderness areas inhabited by a plethora of plants, animals, fungi, and other species. Nature has the great power to unify us, and the reserve reveals this to us in many ways!

The reserve is an exciting and fantastic gathering place to meet travelers and local people who share a similar love of nature. Many find themselves engaged in lively conversation about a variety of different topics, providing a great opportunity to learn from the diversity of knowledge and experiences of others.

When we’re not involved in these exciting exchanges, the hummingbirds enchant us all, no matter where we are from! You can find yourself on the porch with others from around the world and find similar looks of wonder on their faces while gazing at these amazing birds.

Here you can meet other environmentalists, scientists, photographers, writers, artists, chefs, farmers, yoga instructors, guides, non-profit organizers, doctors, nurses, and teachers, just to name a few of the kinds of people who join us here. We even met one family traveling around the world in their RV. Check out their blog! http://glob3trotters.canalblog.com

One of our most exciting and favorite activities for visitors is visiting the Andean Cock-of-The-Rock (ACOR) lek. We rise at five am for a pre-dawn hike up steep slopes to the lek, where the ACOR males gather for courtship displays. Hot coffee, fresh bread, and a banana snack definitely help get you going! All around us, frogs chirp and sing while the forest prepares for sunrise. As we sit up in the hide, the first light of morning peeks in through the canopy and the magic unfolds as the first ACOR male arrives in a flurry of bright red feathers and with a high rattling “heeeoooowoop.” It’s now time for their most exciting part of the day, too! I won’t tell you anymore, you will just have to come see for yourself how amazing these fellows, and occasional gal, really are. Though not normally as active as the morning lek, the afternoon lek offers visitors another opportunity to see the ACOR in action!

Visitors also love learning about the research at the reserve. Those who visit the lek with us understand why we study the fascinating social dynamics between the males. Some even spend time learning the hummingbird species so they can help with our daily hummingbird observations. If you are a scientist interested in conducting research at the reserve, let us know! We have also been enjoying going on some great hikes with visitors and learning about the many plant and animal species here!

The reserve is also a great place for volunteers to contribute to a meaningful project while learning new skills, knowledge, and the ins-and-outs of running a nature reserve. It is an incredibly rewarding and enriching experience!

Most visitors wish they could live and work here like us. We wish you would stay longer as well! We feel very lucky indeed to be here in our cloud forest home! Come visit us!

¡Hasta luego!

Amanda and Daniel

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.