Back down South...(S Ecuador): 10 - 11 Feb 2010

After just a couple of days to renew my acquaintance with my Quito apartment, I was hopping on a plane down south to Guayaquil to start another (this time shorter) circuit of the south of Ecuador. A brief stop at Cerro Blanco, in the Chongon Hills on the outskirts of Guayaquil, produced just a few birds during a period of heavy rains. We did manage to find our first noisy Fasciated Wrens, a fine male Ecuadorian Trogon, and a buzzing male Crimson-breasted Finch, before we pointed our vehicle south. After waving to another Horned Screamer as we passed through Manglares Charute (along with literally masses of Snail Kites lining the highway), we proceeded to Buenaventura reserve again. As we ascended into the foothills of the Andes the clouds gathered ominously again, and our arrival in this Jocotoco Conservation Foundation reserve was greeted with another heavy tropical downpour. This caused us to retreat to the busy hummingbird feeders at the lodge, where we also picked up the resident pack of Rufous-headed Chachalacas (see video from previous tour of this group, when they were easier to find in much drier conditions)