ECUADOR & GALAPAGOS 2002 by Philip Pope

Like everyone else, I had seen and read much of the Galapagos islands. Having seen the cost of visiting them in the bird holiday brochures I had resigned myself to the fact that I would never be able to get there myself. However, late last year Ron Thomas announced that he had found a trip that could make such a visit possible. It was an ordinary budget tour organised by Jules Verne Voyages that he thought could be converted into a birding holiday. The trip gave the opportunity of two days rain forest birding, one day in Quito, the capital of Ecuador and four full days on the islands.

So, with the help of the internet I set out to see what I could do. I quickly found a company in Quito that would take us out for a day into the Andean cloud forests and find us as many species as possible. I also contacted the rain forest lodge and arranged for them to get a specialist bird guide in for the two days we were there. The islands themselves wouldn’t be a problem as birdwatching is very much part of the experience there anyway. Although we would cover only part of the islands we reckoned we would get most of the species on offer. Only the Albatross and a few of the finches would be unlikely as we were not visiting the right islands. 

It was a long day’s travelling to Quito via Madrid and Bogotá. We arrived near to midnight and got to bed as quickly as possible. First light we were awoken by a  loud song down in the hotel gardens. Quickly we were out on the balcony with scopes and had identified our first South American birds, as well as admiring the surrounding Andes panorama. The song belonged to a Great Thrush, which proved to be one of the commoner birds of the area together with Rufous-collared Sparrow (actually a bunting). We were due to leave for the rain forest straight after breakfast but we managed to get in a bit more time in the garden, adding Eared Doves, Rusty Flowerpiercer and two hummingbirds, Sparkling Violetear and Black-tailed Trainbearer. The last was identified when waiting for our bus. I was describing the bird and leafing through the ‘Birds of Ecuador’ when our tour guide came up and announced “that sounds like a Black-tailed Trainbearer”. It turned out he was a birder!

Once on the bus we headed out of the city and onto the slopes of the Andes. A brief stop enabled us to get a Giant Hummingbird and a distant Andean Gull. At 13,500 ft. we came to the Papallacta pass where arctic conditions made birding somewhat difficult. We weren’t really dressed for it, but, braving the icy blizzard outside the bus we saw Stout-billed Cincloides and a Plumbeous Sierra Finch. A little further down, in a more sheltered spot we persuaded the driver to stop again. This time I spotted a strange tailless bird walking around the edge of the road. It looked just like a Pitta, and of course had to be an Antpitta. But what was it doing wandering around in the open on top of a mountain? I always thought they skulked in thick rain forests. They do usually but apparently this one, Tawny Antpitta, lives high up in the Andes. 

The rest of the day was spent descending the mountains into the Amazon rainforest on the other side. There was little opportunity for more birding as we had to reach the lodge before dark. So, apart from some nice Blue-and-White Swallows nesting in the eaves of houses in the village where we had lunch we saw little else that day. The arrival at the end of the road was at dusk and we had to transfer into canoes for a half hour ride to our lodge, set on the banks of the River Napo (not the actual Amazon but a tributary). That night, at dinner, we met our bird guide, Oscar Lupuy, who instructed us to meet him at 05:30 the following morning (sunrise was around 6). 

Day 2

We were there at the appointed time and ate a hurried breakfast before being ushered into the canoes again. It was quite magical going out onto the river with the sun just rising and all the birds becoming active. Short-tailed Swifts flew around the village and a Tropical Kingbird sat on the telephone wires. On the water White-winged  and White-banded Swallows hawked for insects and Yellow-rumped Caciques flew over, as did a single Ringed Kingfisher. As the canoe passed a patch of reeds on the bank a warbler song was heard. Oscar ordered the boat to be reversed back and as we drifted past again he played a tape of the warbler. After repeating this 2 or 3 times the bird finally showed and we had good views of a Buff-rumped Warbler, a member of the New World Warbler family. 

Eventually we reached the start of a trail into the forest and the boatman dropped us off. As we climbed up the river bank and entered the forest we saw a Roadside Hawk in a tree. The forest itself was relatively quiet with just the occasional bird call. It was then that Oscar showed us why it was necessary to have a good guide in this environment. Using the electronic pack around his neck he would either play his own tape of a bird he knew would be in the area or would tape a call and play it back to the bird. He would then locate the bird by pointing his microphone and watching a dial on the box. Having found it, he would point a red laser pen just above the bird, enabling us to pick it out with our bins. Often it took several goes before we both got on the bird, as most of them showed for only a few seconds before dropping into cover. This was probably the most difficult, and sometimes frustrating, birding I have ever done. But for some of the views we eventually got, it was worth it. In this way in the first couple of hours we located Cinereous, Gray, Spot-winged and Spot-backed Antbirds, Southern Nightingale and Choraya Wrens as well as a Black-tailed Tityra and a Gilded Barbet which showed themselves through gaps in the canopy. A calling Thrush-like Antpitta led us a merry dance and we must have tracked it for nearly an hour before it gave us great views. A Brown Nunlet flew in to admire us and a Greater Yellow-headed Vulture flew overhead. The forest, especially where we came out into sunny clearings, was superb for butterflies. We didn’t have a book but just admired the many varieties. The superb Blue Morphos were common in the forest itself. The best bird of the morning was a stunning Great Jacamar, a large, rather Kingfisher-like bird with a white throat, green back, red underparts and a large decurved bill. Almost as good was a male Golden-headed Manakin but the female Blue-headed Manakin was a little disappointing  As we reached the end of the trail and the boat returned to take us back for lunch we spotted three Yellow-tufted Woodpeckers on a bare tree on the riverbank.

Lunch was followed by “siesta”, which we didn’t really want, so we took a shower and decided to scan the expanse of river and sandbanks we could see from our balcony. Southern Rough-winged Swallows were overhead and in the scrub just below us we identified Chestnut-bellied Seedeaters, Yellow-browed Sparrows and Silver-beaked Tanagers. A superb Yellow-headed Caracara flew slowly across the river and the number of Black Vultures feeding on the sandbank grew steadily, amongst them was a single Black-headed Caracara. Our guide called for us around three and we walked out of the hotel complex and into the area behind it, picking up Blue-Grey Tanager and Black-throated Mango (another hummer) in the gardens. This area had almost certainly once been unspoilt primary forest but now it was largely given up to agriculture, interspersed with a few thickets and  stands of larger trees. Grey-breasted Martins were seen and several White-eyed Parakeets flew over. Out came the tapes again and both Warbling, Blackish and White-browed Antbirds obliged, the last being the most spectacular of the family I had seen, an all black bird with a massive white supercilium!  We flushed a Great Antshrike from a bush and, as the light faded quickly, we managed to make out a Scarlet-crowned Barbet sat up in a tree with the aid of a torch which lit up the crown nicely. Walking back to the lodge in the dark we played tapes of various owls, all to no avail, but a Pauraque (a nightjar) showed up in the beam sitting on a log in characteristic fashion to finish the day with.

Day 3

Next day started as had the previous one, with a 5.30 breakfast and into the canoes just as the dawn broke. This time we headed off in the opposite direction towards a nearby river island. Our second Ringed Kingfisher flew over us but we never got to see this superb bird at rest. I understand they like to get up in the trees well under the canopy to fish from there. As we landed on the island a Grey-capped Flycatcher sallied for insects nearby, a Solitary Black Cacique flew over  and Ruddy Ground Doves fed almost around our feet. A noisy flock of Giant Cowbirds flew into a nearby tree.  As we walked up a creek which ran across the island Magpie Tanagers and a Grayish Saltator were in the high trees on one side. A calling bird in bushes on the other side eluded us for many minutes but, with the aid of the tape, we eventually got good views of a Rusty-backed Spinetail. On the way back to the boat we saw a Fuscous Flycatcher and a Caqueta Seedeater followed by another hummer, a Rufous-breasted Hermit. Both Little and Spot-breasted Woodpeckers were heard then seen in the tallest trees.

Back on the river we passed very close to a perching Amazon Kingfisher, with its stunning green crest and red breast band. I wonder why the South American Kingfishers are predominately green in colour? Also a Striated Heron flew very close as we pulled into the bank and onto our second forest trail. This one proved the most frustrating with only a few birds responding to the tapes. Notably Scaly Backed and Black-faced Antbirds and a Wing-banded Wren. However, my most memorable moment was when we could hear a striking call obviously some distance away which our guide announced was Broad-billed Motmot. This is a fantastic bird, with a red breast, black mask, green back and long blue tail feathers. One I wanted to see very much.  We played the tape and I raised my bins to scan the distant trees visible through a clearing in the forest. As I panned across I suddenly encountered the Motmot filling my binocular view at very close range. Wonderful! To finish our morning we had good views of a lovely striped Fasciated Antshrike directly above us in the canopy as well as a Wedge-billed Woodcreeper.

Back for a siesta and a quick swim in the pool and we were off in the canoes again for what was to be our final rain forest session. Heading upstream once more we pulled into the bank for our third different forest trail. It was to be the most productive yet. On the river island on the opposite bank a beautiful Oriole Blackbird was perched and a Green Oropendula flew across. Saddle-backed Tamarins (our only forest mammal, a monkey) were at the start of the trail, watching us from the canopy. One of the most skulking of birds, a Rusty-belted Tapaculo was heard calling, and with the help of the tape we eventually got good views of the bird coming towards us through the undergrowth. The tape also brought in a Dusky-throated Antshrike and a Black-banded Woodcreeper.

There then followed the ideal finale to this stage of the trip. An Amazonian White-tailed Trogon sat motionless on a branch not too far above us. It was an absolutely stunning bird with its yellow belly and blue head and breast. It was closely followed by another contender for best bird, a Golden-collared Toucanet, exquisitely coloured, it surpassed my expectations of this family. But we hadn’t finished yet. As the Toucan left two Cream-coloured Woodpeckers appeared on a bare branch which extended out of the canopy. I felt these were the most beautiful of the family that I had seen, as its name suggests, it is all cream except for brown wings and a striking red patch under the eye.  We were almost back at the boat still reeling from these birds and the light was going. A Buff-throated Woodcreeper was seen briefly and then Oscar began his owl tapes. This time we had a fairly quick response as a bird was seen to shoot past us into the trees. Out came the flashlight and there was a superb Tawny-bellied Screech Owl staring down at us. It was pitch dark as the boat headed back downstream, and there were no lights. The stars were fantastically clear, with the Southern Cross and lots more unfamiliar constellations showing well. How we navigated back I don’t really know.

DAY 4

Next day we had to say our farewells to Oscar, we both agreed he was one of the best guides we had ever been with, and the boatmen we had used. We had an early start which meant little or no time for birding as we had to be back at the thermal springs at Papallacta by lunchtime. Some of the now familiar birds were seen again on the canoe ride back to the road head, White-winged Swallows, Amazon Kingfisher, Drab Water Tyrant and Tropical Kingbird. We didn’t stop until Papallacta and I gave up trying to get new birds from the bus. However, once we had eaten at the restaurant and the others had entered the hot springs our tour guide decided he could spend some time birding, so off we went. The gardens around the springs were full of the trumpet shaped Belladonna flowers, which looked ideal for Hummingbirds, and we were not disappointed. The first one had a detectable upturned bill and was identified as Mountain Avocetbill. Another one, Shining Sunbeam sat on a nearby roof as Paramo Seedeaters hopped around the buildings and a Black Flowerpiercer flitted amongst the bushes. I spotted another hummer feeding from the wrong side of a bush. I couldn’t see all of it but from the length of the bill I could see this could only be a Sword-billed Hummingbird, the bird that has the longest bill of any relative to its size. It was indeed. The bird suddenly shot past us like a bullet out of a gun and disappeared without trace before we could experience it more fully. Scanning the mountainside revealed a hunting Black-chested Buzzard Eagle but, disappointingly, no Andean Condors obliged. All too soon it was back in the bus and we were winding our way back down the Andes into Quito. Back at the hotel we were met by Xavier from Neblina Forest, the Quito based bird tour company. We spent a pleasant hour planning our next day’s trip, paid our money and agreed to be picked up at 05:30 next morning.

DAY 5

After a quick breakfast we had negotiated with the hotel for 05:00 we were promptly picked up by Xavier and his driver complete with plenty of food and drink! We headed out of Quito in the dark and headed for the top end of the famous Mindo road. The first stop was rather cold and windy and the light was not that good yet. We saw a few Sparkling Violetears again and a Cinereous Conebill but decided to move down the road a bit to more sheltered areas. The road, which had virtually no traffic on it, wound its way around the forested hills and offered good vistas over the surrounding areas. We would stop the van, walk along the road for a bit then be picked up by the driver. Our next stop gave us views of a stunning Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, which frustrated by keeping well in cover most of the time. We also saw American Kestrel hovering overhead  and two flycatchers, Tufted Tit Tyrant and White-crested Elaenia while Brown-bellied Swallows flew overhead. A little further on and another Mountain Tanager, this time a Buff-bellied, was seen some distance away but it obliged by flying towards us to give better views. Other birds seen here were Rufous-chested Tanager, White-sided Flowerpiercer, Streak-throated Bush Tyrant and Green Violetear. Eventually the road followed a stream and we had a tremendous view of a White-capped Dipper, behaving just like its European cousin. A flock of Band-tailed Pigeons flew across the valley and both Golden-crowned and Cinnamon Flycatchers hawked for insects. Some small birds flitting in a tree were seen, with patience, to be Orange Bellied Euphonia (a Tanager) and a Spectacled Whitestart.

Lunchtime was approaching and we were told we would visit the home of an American tour leader, and his German wife. Climbing up to the house we had Rufous-tailed Hummingbird and a Yellow-bellied Seedeater. It is difficult to imagine a more perfect spot to live for a birder, or anyone else for that matter. The house was pretty well at the top of the hill and overlooked a huge expanse of Cloud forest stretching as far as you could see. But it was the garden that took the breath away. It was full of Hummingbird sugar feeders. And it was Hummingbird city, as we sat and ate the excellent packed lunch, which came with the trip, we could watch probably around 50 hummers flitting from one feeder to another. During the hour we were there I recorded 11 different species. Collared Inca, Buff tailed Coronet, Andean Emerald, White-bellied Woodstar, Purple-throated Woodstar, Empress Brilliant, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Violet-tailed Sylph, Speckled Hummingbird, the exquisite Booted Racket Tail and Brown Inca. We also had superb views of a flock of Blue-winged Mountain Tanagers which worked their way through the garden. 35 species of Hummer had been recorded in the garden and the balcony list was 267! This lunch stop really was an extraordinary experience. 

All too soon it was time to move on and we continued along the road towards Mindo. There were more good birds still to find. Just past the famous Bellavista Lodge we stopped for a Andean Guan, up in the branches of a tree. Another walk along the road gave us Pacific Hornero, Mountain Woodcreeper, Three-striped Warbler and then a Superb Golden-headed Quetzal, an amazing green and red bird with a golden sheen on its head.

There were two specialist birds of this area that we really did not want to miss and we now concentrated on them. We were looking down from the road across the cloud forest when two honking calls of birds answering each other were clearly heard some way away. Xavier quickly played the tape and the duet came closer. Then, suddenly, right in front of us on a branch was a beautiful multi-coloured Toucan Barbet. We were able to watch it and marvel for several minutes before it got bored with us and flew back to its mate. Only next minute and our second main target bird flew into the trees above us. A wonderful Plate-billed Mountain Toucan. The bird on the front of the ‘Birds of Ecuador’. These almost look as if they have been hand carved and painted by a master craftsman. Fantastic!

We pushed on towards the town of Mindo with our time starting to run out. Another short walk produced two large trees (I forget which sort) that were absolutely full of Tanagers! There was Flame-faced, Golden, Swallow, White-winged, Beryl and Golden-naped as well as a Red-headed Barbet, a Buff-winged Saltator and a Masked Tiyra. Presumably this was a feeding flock taking a bit of time out.

A bit further along we encountered one of the large Toucans, a Choco Toucan which sounds a bit like an ice cream. It is an impressive bird without, to my mind, being quite as stunning as the smaller Plate-billed. Also in the same spot we had Shiny Cowbird, some Red-billed Parrots and a Southern Beardless Tyrannulet. On the way to our final destination, the bridge at Mindo, we saw Smoke-coloured Pewee from the van. Unfortunately the bridge was a little disappointing, with only a Black Phoebe on rocks. There were other good species to be got here but we had run out of time!   

DAY 6

MV Santa Cruz 

Next morning we were up at 04:30 for yet another early breakfast and departure for the airport. Our flight was 07:30, this meant we should be in the Galapagos mid morning with plenty of time for birding. Our plane touched down on San Cristobel island around 10:30 and we stepped out into a different world. An almost desert landscape with the light seeming almost dazzling and the blue Pacific Ocean nearby. A bus took us straight to the sea front. As we climbed into the Zodiacs to take us out into the harbour where the ship, the MV Santa Cruz was moored, we immediately started to get good birds. Magnificent Frigatebirds soared effortlessly around overhead, Blue-footed Boobies regularly flew past and Elliot's Storm Petrels danced over the water.

Once on board we were shown to our rooms. We immediately thought that we’d been shown the wrong ones and that this was the captain’s room or something. My expectations derived from crossings I had done on the Plymouth-Santander ferry, tiny rooms with four squashed bunks and a bathroom you could barely squeeze into. This was something else, spacious rooms with neatly tidied beds, and a desk! My thoughts went back to previous birding trips, sleeping in cars, on people’s floors, living on Mars bars and badly cooked burgers. I was developing a strong guilt complex about leaving my wife behind on this one! 

Anyhow, a wash and freshen up and we were back in the Zodiacs and being taken to the Interpretive centre back on the island. This was interesting mainly because of the surrounding habitat of trees and scrub. It wasn’t long before we had identified two of the Darwin’s finches, Small and Medium Ground Finches. I had been led to believe this group of birds would be tricky to get to grips with but generally they seemed straightforward, with the bill sizes clearly different. There is, apparently, a fair bit of cross over in sizes, a bit like the Crossbill situation, so we had to be careful.

San Cristobel has its own species of Mockingbird and this became our target for this visit. After looking around the centre we walked into town, the rest of our party heading off to buy postcards and icecreams, Ron and I to hunt for the Mockingbird. We searched high and low around the town, into as much habitat as we could find in the scrub around it. There were loads of Yellow Warblers but could we find the Mockingbird! Nope. We were later told that the next party to go ashore had one at the interpretive centre.

Back at the harbour to get our boats we were visited by a Lava Gull, down to a couple of yards. This is reckoned to be the rarest Gull in the world in terms of numbers. But it certainly isn’t the most difficult here.

Back on the boat we sat up on deck to see the last of the afternoon sun. Several Brown Noddies flew past and a single Masked Booby (or Nazca Booby as it is now called, having been split out) was seen with the Blue-foots. Audubon’s Shearwaters were numerous further out, we saw this species regularly throughout the next few days. Sunset completed, we were invited into the bar for cocktails with the captain! Then it was on to the restaurant for our seven course dinner. More guilt feelings!

DAY 7

As usual in a strange bed I awoke early and wandered up onto the deck just as dawn was breaking over the ocean. During the night we had crossed the channel between San Cristobel and the main islands and were now moored just off Bartolome. I had been worried about this crossing, as I had read that it could be rough, but I had slept through it. As the light gathered Swallow-tailed Gulls could be seen flying overhead. These almost immediately went to the top of my favourite Gull list. Like a giant Sabine's Gull with a forked tail!

Swallow-tailed Gull

There were more Elliot’s Storm Petrels and we picked out a single Wedge-rumped Petrel amongst them. I could see that there were other birds on the shore so quickly dashed down and got my scope, waking Ron up in the process.

As I had suspected the scope revealed that two birds on the shore were in fact Galapagos Penguins, one of the smallest of the family. Yet another new family for me. By now most of our tour party was on deck and I was able to show them the birds. A little further along the shore was a small group of American Oystercatchers. After an excellent self-service breakfast we boarded the zodiacs and set out for the Island. This particular island is scenically very interesting, with high pinnacles and many volcanic features. But as we neared the shore, the magic of these islands became apparent. Galapagos Fur Seals swam beside and under our boat. A Brown Pelican sat, just feet away, on a rock. Having climbed out onto the rocks (a ‘dry’ landing this one) colourful Sally Lightfoot Crabs scuttled around under our feet and Lava Lizards sunned themselves. Already, at around 10:00 the equatorial sun felt strong and we all donned hats as we climbed slowly up to the top of the Pinnacle rock. A Galapagos Dove was seen to fly past. The view from the top was tremendous, with views of our boat in the bay and other islands visible in the distance. Back at the bottom we saw a Wandering Tattler on the rocks, an excellent wader to get. 

I decided to try some snorkelling and, after a few problems with my mask, I was able to drift around the edge of the rocks, spotting many colourful tropical fish. I don’t know what they were, although I think there was an Angel fish amongst them. A sea lion swam below me on several occasions. Unfortunately, my back was exposed to the sun for rather a long time and that evening I was suffering somewhat. The snorkelling was brought to an end when a member of our party shouted that he thought he had seen a Galapagos Hawk on the other side of the island. So, slipping on our shoes we dashed across the dunes to the other beach. After waiting a while a hawk did a superb fly past for us. Of interest here as well were a number of White-tipped Sharks, which were swimming only a few feet into the water. We decided not to snorkel from this beach.

Whilst lunch was being eaten the boat sailed on towards James Island nearby. Some time was spent on deck during which we had a superb close fly past of Dark-rumped or Hawaiian Petrel, a Pterodroma petrel. This is now , apparently, a very scarce bird globally with more breeding in the Galapagos than in Hawaii.  We were offered a special ‘birdwatching’ walk on James. We had to have a guide with us at all times as this is a rule for the islands. In fact the rules are very strict, you can’t even have a pee on them and your feet have to be thoroughly washed before getting back onto the boat. The rest of our party were getting quite keen on birds by this time and all came along on this walk. Despite being a blazing hot afternoon we walked some distance through the desert-like habitat. Large-billed Flycatcher showed well and this was followed closely by a Galapagos Mockingbird, a very obliging bird. Then a Black-billed Cuckoo was seen, rather to the surprise of our guide it seemed. A hawk was seen perched in a tree some way ahead, apparently next to a nest. Some tentative photos were taken and we moved a little closer, then closer still. The bird eventually allowed the whole party to get within a few feet, without any apparent nervousness. It was quite amazing. The bird reminded me of the Black Hawk I had seen in Arizona, it is a separate species but how closely related is it? 

Galapagos Hawk

At the other end of the island we encountered several waders around the rock pools. There were Semi-palmated Plovers, Whimbrels, Turnstone and some more tattlers as well as a Great Blue Heron and Yellow Crowned Night Heron. Pools amongst the rocks had both Californian and Galapagos Sea Lions. Many Marine Iguanas were seen (and smelt!), they were described simply as ‘Gross’, which I won’t argue with. On the way back we encountered several Land Iguanas, much more impressive beasts, huge in size but rather shyer than the marine variety. 

DAY 8

Red-footed Booby

There were three new Darwin’s Finches to be had here and one of the guides, who was a particularly keen birder helped us out. The tiny Warbler Finch was easily found flitting low around the bushes. Sharp-billed Finches were fairly common, but the Large-billed Cactus Finches were more difficult. There were plenty of Cactuses around, so no shortage of habitat. Our guide was able to imitate the call, and before long a bird appeared on a nearby cactus, we’d got them all!

The bird I most wanted to see here, however, was Red-billed Tropicbird. I had not seen any from the boat on our approach to the island, but then the light was not very good. They should have been on the cliffs and the highest cliffs were right across the other side of the bay. After a lot of scanning I picked out two birds in the distance, but too far for my liking. I asked the guides whether we could move the boat nearer to the cliffs but they didn’t like that idea. They assured me that I would see them properly on leaving the island. As we got back on the boat and it moved out of the bay I was starting to get desperate, but then, suddenly, there was one flying right past the boat with its bright red bill and long white tail streamers. It did a wide arc around us and then headed back to the cliffs, an excellent view though. 

Through lunch and for the next few hours we sailed back over the equator and on to North Seymour Island. This crossing enabled us to do a bit of seawatching away from the islands. We saw plenty of Audubon’s Shearwaters, Wedge-rumped Petrels and more Dark-rumped Petrels. Red-footed Boobies lined up on the ship and many Masked Boobies were seen in flight. 

North Seymour was notable for its breeding Blue-footed Boobies who perform a remarkable courtship display which involves the male plodding away from the female and then paddling their blue feet up and down. There were many pairs carrying this out and you could stand just a few feet away and watch. Breeding Magnificent Frigatebirds were also much in evidence, again with several having inflated pouches, and some even flying around with them inflated. The birding on the islands is, in a way, rather too easy, the birds are completely unafraid and allow people to walk right up to them. You don’t really need optics!

DAY 9

The last proper day of birding and dawn found us moored in the harbour at Santa Cruz. There was quite a swell and this was the only occasion on the whole trip when I felt slightly queasy over breakfast. We were soon packing our bags, saying farewell to our guides and other members of the crew and boarding the zodiacs for the last time to go ashore. Many of the now familiar species were on show on the way, Brown Pelicans, Blue-footed Boobies, Brown Noddy etc. Having safely parked our bags we visited the Darwin research centre near the town of Ayora. It was nice to see the Giant Tortoises even though we couldn’t ‘tick’ them. It was of more interest, however, for the selection of Darwin’s finches that it attracted. It wasn’t long before we had a new one, a Large Ground Finch and eventually, after scanning the many cactus plants we identified a Cactus Finch. Yellow Warblers and Galapagos Mockingbird were seen again.   

We then boarded a bus and travelled right the way across Santa Cruz island to the airport on the other side. It was rather a fast trip and I gazed longingly at the highland areas we passed where there may have been Tree Finches or even Woodpecker Finch which I quite fancied seeing. Even wild Tortoises were here, but we carried on at about 50 mph. Frustrating! After a short wait at the airport we were soon winging our way back to Quito and the end of the trip.

That night I was up at 3.00 and down to the hotel lounge to watch England v Brazil in the World Cup. There were three of our party sat at the front and many Ecuadorians, supporting Brazil, sat behind us. Half way through the first half I turned around and realised that all of the South Americans were asleep! So much for their passion for football.

I was up at around 8.00 the next morning for a final fling around the hotel before our departure. The residential gardens around gave me Masked Flowerpiercer, Cinereous Conebill and our first Vermillion Flycatcher of the trip. Back in the hotel garden a new bird was found, a Black-hooded Siskin. It proved to be the last species. Our coach soon arrived and we were checking in for our flight home. The journey is one best forgotten with six hours (scheduled) wait at Bogotá airport and another three (unscheduled) at Madrid. A stunning trip though.