Known As the Salt of the Earth

This 'Post' comes at exactly the halfway point of the Tour
Seven weeks done, Seven weeks to go!

The Ecuasal Salt Lakes just outside of Salinas (15 minute drive from my hostel) cover some 500 acres, and were created by man to commercialise the extraction of salt. Seawater is pumped into evaporation pools by a tube system, where the sun is left to do its work. The saline solution is then run into crystallization ponds where, when most moisture is extracted, the raw salt is harvested before being sent to the 'on site' factory. Here it is processed by the addition of iodine, making it safe for human consumption. Bagged, labeled and weighed it is then carted away by lorries for sale. On the northern periphery, freelance salt producers have their own small, modest pans for which they pay the government about $10 for the use of the land. Once Peruvian Thick-knee roamed this area but production has put paid to them, and if you look to the east leveling has already begun as a base for more urbanisation.

To this foreboding looking area is where Benito Haas brought me at 06-00 this morning, and on first sight it looks nothing more than a wasteland, but the bird life within can only be described as amasing. For 5 hours we walk around the site, during which time we recorded 52 species several new for the trip and one addition to the life list. I had expressed a wish to see Surfbird and Black Turnstone if at all possible, with the latter being off the schedule only usually migrating as far south as Mexico. However, we drove the Ocean Road searching the tide line rocks, but it was not to be so continued to the pans. Grey-hooded Gull was a prized sighting, as although not new to me it did give an opportunity to get photographs. By the same token Wilson's Phalarope, Snowy Plover and Royal Tern were most welcome, and as we crossed yet another of the labyrinth of 'bunds' there before us were about two dozen Surfbirds. In addition, I cleared up a fairly big mistake I made last week, while in Puerto Lopez, when identifying what I thought were Peruvian Pelicans. Even though I had seen this species before I still managed to cock it up, as they were in fact 'Brown Pelican'. Once reintroduced to this 'monster' together with their 'Brown' cousin, it seems almost impossible that such a mistake could be made. This has been Benito's patch for 22 years, and even though there was something for him here today. Only ever having recorded Southern Rough-winged Swallow during a single month of the year, December, the 3 present today were a 'month tick' for him, over which he got quite excited.

The Ecuasal Salt Pans are 'Private Property' but doubt there would be much difficulty in gaining access.

Today's additions to the Lists include:-

AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER
SANDERLING
WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL
GREY-HOODED GULL
COMMON TERN
BROWN PELICAN
KELP GULL
STILT SANDPIPER
SURFBIRD*
CHILEAN FLAMINGO

Trip Ticks - 751 Lifers - 513 Endemics - 44

All figures are subject to adjustment!

Benito Haas

Surfbirds among more familiar suspects - wish I'd taken this at Ferry Bridge.

Franklin's Gull (adult winter, there were a couple just starting to show 'pinkish').

Neotropic Cormorants with Brown and Peruvian Pelicans for comparison.

Grey-hooded Gull at sea.

Grey Hooded Gull airborne.

Greater Yellowlegs

and something just a little more familiar to some (Sandwich Tern).

Least Sandpiper, probably the most common bird on site.

Snowy Plover - what a little cracker?

Stilt Sandpipers

A few for you to sort out!

Privateers tending their 'pans'.

Tricoloured Heron

A trio of Wilson's Phalarope.

A Chilean Flamingo

A few Chilean Flamingos.

Down At The Borderline

Today was another transit day, meaning no birding so consequently no additions to the list. However, there has been some adjustment as I'm in the process of methodically plodding through the Field Guide, comparing records against the list. Already I have had to make 7 deductions from the Life List, not because of misidentification but because for some reason each had been entered twice. No wonder he's done so well I hear you say, but feel sure there will be more to follow. Overnight there had been torrential rain, which has at least one positive side and that is it keeps the road dust down. My plan was to catch the 06-30 'chicken' from Puerto Lopez to La Libertad via Jipijapa, then onward to Salinas. I arrived here, the final lap of 5Km, by 'pirate taxi' which I shared with a local man with a view to finding the Whale Museum or The Oyster Bar both of which are owned by Benito Haas, an ex-pat Dutch birder. After a number of de-tours (the driver didn't have a clue) we were advised the museum was at the Air Force Base, which it was, but not the one I wanted. Another tour of the town and more inquiries, we finally found it some 3Km away, but closed. Back to town I simply got the cabbie to drop me at a roadside cafe, where I had breakfast, made more inquiries and booked into a seafront hotel. At the hotel they seemed to have some idea about the Oyster Bar, but at mid-day there seemed little point in pursuing it, everyone gets their head down at noon, hence the work on the bird list.

Late afternoon I set out to find Benito, and by a sheer stroke of luck located him at his Whale Museum, which was in fact the second we found this morning. In his 50th year and most willing to help, we have set up a meeting at 06-00 tomorrow when he will give me a tour of the nearby Salt Flats. He has tempted me by saying there are 2 unusual species there at the moment but will not divulge, so it'll be worth waiting for. After our chat he showed me around the Whale museum, which is now in fact defunct. With little time to tend it and a mountain of exhibits he says he'll never get round to cataloging he has asked the local authority to take possession of all his specimens.

On the way to his place I walked the beach and found there many of the sea-birds seen in Lopez, but in far fewer numbers. However, there was one stroke of luck as a group of about 20 Parrots flew high over-head and then plummeted as if landing. A little back-tracking found them in a tree, in a small town park, and via the Field Guide identified as Red-faced Amazon, the 'lifer' for the day. Hope I can report more tomorrow.

This is Salinas in the extreme South West corner of Ecuador, from here it's just a short swim to Peru.

Humpbacked Whale skeleton

Mellon-headed Whale (rarely seen in the wild)

Pygmy Killer Whale (the rarest of the Orca's I was told)

Hudsonian Whimbrel

Willet

Last Night in Puerto Lopez, Or Is It ??

An early bus back to Ayampe Road paid dividens this morning as the weather was ideal birding conditions, overcast, coolish, gentle breeze and little glare from the obscured sun. Again Iwas hopeful of an 'endemic' or 2 and did come away with the much coveted Esmeraldas Woodstar, and 7 'lifers' besides. After a good morning there I have finally decided to make my next move tomorrow, and head down to Salinas in the far south west corner of Ecuador. There, as I said yesterday, I have potential of 2 contacts which,even if they only point me in the right direction, will be something.

This afternoon I say farewell to my new found mates Richard and Deirdre who have been so hospitable, and think it's true to say the feeling has been mutual. She has a regular slot on the local radio, on which she mentioned some of my observations with reference to the litter problem here. Within 30 minutes of transmission the Town Administrator had been in touch to discuss my finding, lets hope it helps to continue the active try the people are making o clean the place up. On the subject of friends, two very promising events have taken place while I have been out here. Firstly, I have been contacted, out of the blue, by my boyhood friend John Wood from Chilwell in Nottinghamshire, where I was born. I have for many years sent a Christmas card to his parents for no other reason than I held them in very high regard during those formative years, and very much so in my memory. Mr (Alan) Wood, John's father, who unfortunately past away some years ago, was one of my early mentors trying to improve my maths with extra teaching during many an evening. I remember him mostly for his patience, as I was not exactly a shining pupil but still he persevered. Mrs (Doris) as I remember a disciplinarian, and a number of times I remember she brought me up short for my (regular) misbehavior.

Anyway, as usual I sent Mrs Wood a card before I left on this trip, attaching the Blog Link knowing she would be interested in my movements as each year we have kept up to date, via our cards, on past events. John, in turn, hooked his mum up to the site and dropped me an e-mail suggesting we might get together in 2010 and giving me a precis of his life since my departure just 12 months short of 50 years ago. That meeting is priority for this year, and I am very much looking forward to the reunion!

Secondly, another e-mail from my dear pal Jim the Medic (from Buchan Alpha) tells me that he and his lady friend will be landing in Buenos Aires on the 20th February. Coincidentally, I fly home from there on the 24th, so looks like there will doubtless be a party. Jim and I have covered a lot of ground together, not least of which was re-lived in a second mail telling me of the death of his father a few days ago. Although I never met Jim's 'Ald Man I know he was a great fan of Rabbie Burns. Some years ago Jim and I were visiting the now rapidly decaying Gaiety Theater in Shimla in the Himalaya Foothills. We met a small group of Indian academics there, and one of their number (a Professor who's name now escapes me) got on this world famous stage and recited an excellent Shiek poem. By way of return I got up and did the Bard's immortal "No Indispensable Man", which rings as true for me today as it ever did when my old sea-going Jock pal Willy Macvie recited it on the night we saved the crew of HMS Bossington in Lock Fyne in the eye of a cruel force 11 gale. Jim is going to make this Dad's uligy, and my thoughts will be with them next week.

Someday when you're feeling important
Someday when your egos in bloom
Someday when you're getting to thinking
your the most important man in the room
Take a bucket and fill it with water
Plunge your hands in right up to the wrists
The hole that remains when you remove them
Is the amount of how much you'll be missed

Burns

and the List's Additions since who knows when!

HOUSE SPARROW FRANKLIN'S GULL
WHITE-EDGED ORIOLE* CROAKING GROUND DOVE
ELEGANT TERN COLLARED WHISTLING FINCH*
NAZCA BOOBY RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD
BLACK STORM PETREL* WILSON'S PHALAROPE
WAVED ALBATROSS* RED-FOOTED BOOBY*
PACIFIC PARROTLET* PERUVIAN PELICAN
BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY PERUVIAN MEADOWLARK
WANDERING TATTLER LONG-TAILED MOCKINGBIRD
VARIABLE SEEDEATER SPECKLED-BREASTED WREN*
OCHRE-BREASTED DOVE* MASKED WATER TYRANT
LESSON'S SEEDEATER CRIMSON-BREASTED FINCH
SCRUB BLACKBIRD* GREAT FRIGATEBIRD*

GREY-LINED HAWK* PLUMBEOUS-BACKED THRUSH*
GREY ELAENIA* GREY-BREASTED FLYCATCHER*
PALLID DOVE* RUFOUS-FRONTED WOOD QUAIL*
PACIFIC ELAENIA* ESMERALDAS WOODSTAR* (E)
BAND-BACKED WREN*

Trip Ticks = 746 Lifers = 519 Endemics = 44

Grey-lined Hawk

Band-backed Wren

Butterfly Sp

Grey Elaenia

Monarch Butterfly - good numbers there today.

'Oh I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside'

A few photos from yesterday to give a flavour of the activities on the Puerto Lopez Beach, usually each and every day.

Puerto Lopez

Hammerhead Shark & Manta Rays

Dorido - now 'in season', plentiful and being landed by the barrow load.

This lady entranced me, filleting these Doridos at a rate of about one per minute.

Garfish Sp

The Garfish filleter

Hammerhead Sharks

The Ministers of Fisheries (you'll have to relax after all that graft lads)

Pacific Red Snapper

Small Grouper

No Idea (answers on a postcard please)

Sand Shark?

Hammerheads & Bagsy Sharks

The Iceman Cometh

Messing About on the River

Elegant Tern

Places to Go, People to Meet

It would be right to say that I am finding it difficult to leave Peurto Lopez. Despite my descriptions of dirty streets, failing structure etc this place has a relaxed charm, feels safe and every local friendly as can be. The intention was 2 nights, but already I have stayed 3 then woke up this morning and decided not to leave. Maybe this has something to do with my adventure yesterday which goes back to an encounter, I failed to report, when I first arrived here. I alighted the bus right next to a 'fish stale', something I have never been able to resist. Whilst scanning the catch a couple from Glastonbury of all places stopped for a chat, put me right about this hostel and suggested I might be able to use their Internet in town. Saying they'd be in touch we parted company me thinking little more of it.

Arrived by 'Chicken Bus' Superior

The Main Drag, Peurto Lopez

The Communal Restaurant

A typical Hacienda

Hostel Colombia Entrance


Hostel Colombia Garden

Mama and son Gallo the Owners

Breakfast, fresh fruit, home made bread, eggs & coffee

Yesterday morning I once again visited the fish landing area on the beach, then after breakfast headed for Ayampe a small hamlet 45 minutes south of here. Unfortunately, none of the afore mentioned 'endemics' were seen, but Speckled-breasted Wren, Masked Water Tyrant and Ochre-bellied Dove reached the World List, while Variable & Lesson's Seedeater were both additions for the trip. The area is described as a river valley, but little of the Rio remain save patches of ankle deep water blocking the path. which occasionally took some crossing. It was a good morning and on my return Gallo the owner told me that the Somerset people had been looking for me with a view to paying them a visit.

Brown Pelican

Masked Water Tyrant - a delightful Wheatear like bird.

Variable Seedeater

Yellow-rumped Cacique

Pacific Parrotlet

A quick phone call soon had the meet arranged and via a motorbike taxi arrived at their house at 14-30. Richard Lunniss an Archeologist and his partner Deirdre Platt an Ecologist arrived here in 1982, since when they have hardly ever left the place and now appeared to me to be completely 'native'. It was most interesting to here how the land they now live on was an ancient township including huge houses, markets and Shaman places of worship, but thus far Richard had resisted the temptation to dig up the back garden. Deirdre on the other hand, had contented herself with forming their own wildlife sactuary planting trees and bushes to attract birds, insects etc. I didn't get round to counting her garden Bird List but noted there were 'many' species I would like to have added to my own. They were also able to further my progress by giving me the names of 2 birders in Salinas, my next destination, and where to find them. Texts were also sent to each to brief them of my arrival, so who knows, it's anothe 'wait and see' situation! After a cup of tea and making another 'world addition' of Scrub Blackbird we said our farewells and I headed back to town. There I was hopeful of getting another quarter chicken from the spit-raost man, but he was our of action. Second best was the lady with a BBQ so I bought 3 pieces from her. These were obviously select cuts, only selected by the butcher to 'throw away', seen-off again. With the Internet back at base playing up, all I was able to do was edit the photos and get an early shower and head down.

Motorbike Tuk-Tuk, first class transport to visit my new found friends.

Deirdre, Richard & Me enjoying tea in the shade.

Scrub Blackbird

This morning (Tuesday 5th January) I was down the beach again at first light, to find twice as many people and 100 x more fish, the New Year holiday was over. Now in addition to the small Tuna there were Hammerhead & Sand Sharks, Groupa, Red Mullet and even a Pacific version of Herring. What did come as a surprise, and a shock, was the landing of Manta Rays. I have never given a thought to this fish being a food source, and in my naivety considered these the 'untouchables' (along with Dolphin) of the Oceans.

The rest of today, I'm simply going to chill (if I can possibly get any more chilled than already), catch up on my notes, photographs and Blog, then go down the road for a cup of the local coffee which, in keeping with the rest of the trip, is superb. In fact Deirdre has just popped in, as this is by coincidence 'their office' and Internet that I'm using.