Ecuador 2009
Birding Northern Ecuador
Sacha Lodge to Quito

S 00°28.234'
W 76°27.563'
Altitude 983 feet
14 Feb 09 - Sacha Lodge, Rio Napo, EC
Today we started the long process of going home, a three day effort. At a leisurely 7 AM, we paddled across the lagoon, and accompanied by the calls of a large troupe of howler moneys - our first noisy monkeys of the trip - we walked to the river landing. It's a much nicer walk when it isn't raining. Then the long boat ride, longer upstream against the current, back to Coca.

Along the Rio Napo, we saw a couple of new birds, including Pied Plover, Ladder-tailed Nightjar and Cocoi Heron. And it was much more comfortable than the ride in. After coffee at Sacha's Coca headquarters, we bused to the Coco Airport. While waiting for our flight, we watched an amazing number of soldiers and munitions get loaded into a funky little half-airplane. It's hard to see how a country as tiny as Ecuador needs or can afford an army as large as it has. I know it has had trouble recently with Peru, but still.

The flight from Coco to Quito was uneventful, although the slalom course air approach to Quito from the east is interesting. The transfer back to Hotel Sebastian was smooth as ever. Kudos to Tropical Birding for a very nice set of transitions.

A great trip.


Pied Plover

Ladder-backed Nightjar

Kapok Tree at Twilight


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