Roy will share his recent trip to Ecuador and the Galápagos. Mindo is a small village in the rainforest of Ecuador north of Quito. It has an extraordinary diversity of birds for such a small region. Highlights include Golden Tanagers, Red-headed Barbets, Orange-bellied Euphonia, and especially the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. The group spent a couple of days birding in Mindo before traveling around the Galápagos Islands on a 16-passenger boat. In addition to the always enjoyable Blue-footed Boobies and the Magnificent Frigatebirds, among Roy’s personal favorites were the Red-billed Tropicbird, Galápagos Dove, and the Brujo Flycatcher (related to his “spark bird”—the Vermilion Flycatcher).

Roy Howard lives in North Potomac and is a member of the Montgomery Bird Club Council. The company of birds, combined with the company of other convivial birders, is truly his sweet spot.