Quito

Sparling Violetear - our first Hummingbird!

 All arrived safely in Quito and gathered for dinner at the appointed time and place! 

The following day, post breakfast, boasted a slow morning giving me the opportunity to try to find some urban species.

Great Thrush

Rufous collared Sparrow

In the afternoon we visited the Quito old town. One of the first Catholic Churches visited was designed, to some degree, to celebrate the flora and fauna of Ecuador. La Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús (often just called La Compañía) in Quito, Ecuador. 

 While the church is most famous for its stunning Baroque architecture and gold-leaf-covered interior, one of its more quirky and lesser-known features is its facade ornamentation, which includes unusual carvings of local fauna, such as iguanas, armadillos, and even anteaters. 

These carvings are a fascinating example of syncretism — the blending of indigenous and European artistic traditions. When indigenous artisans helped build and decorate the church during the colonial period, they incorporated familiar animals from their natural environment into the ornate stonework, subtly leaving their mark on a European religious monument. So while there aren't real iguanas or anteaters living at the church, their stone representations are embedded in the church’s exterior decorations — a unique feature that makes La Compañía especially intriguing from a natural history and cultural perspective.