Birding Ecuador Part 3; The Coast

Covers Feb 12-13 where we visit the Salinas area. Starting with Ecuasal, plenty of peeps, herons and flamingos. A car brakedown slowed us down seriously and made us miss birding the sandy beaches in the area, thus made us dip on Kelp Gull and Gray Gull. Birds seen on the film (and slides) are White-cheeked Pintail, Chilean Flamingo, Gray-headed Gull, Black-crowned Night-Heron and Black-necked Stilt among others. Next morning, Feb 13, started at La Chocolatera with sea birds and dry area birds such as Necklaced Spinetail and Long-tailed Mockingbird. After lunch we made a 3 hour dash north, to Ayampe, for a try on the rare Esmeraldas Woodstar. We found one female, far away in murdering light, so no film and no good photo. Still: it was a moment of triumph for us birders! Then it was 3 hours back, check out from the hotel and then a loooong drive back to Guayaquil.