On the Galapagos Islands all visitors have to be accompanied by a national park guide inside the protected areas. The US$100 park entrance fee has to be paid in cash on arrival at the airport and includes the services of the guide.

Flights.

We chose KLM on price and quality of service and flew from our local airports, Humberside, Manchester and Heathrow to Guayaquil via Amsterdam and Bonaire.

Our flights to and from the Galapagos were arranged by TAME.

We used "Lets Go Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands" which is very comprehensive and has some useful maps.

The weighty "The Birds of Ecuador" by Ridgely and Greenfield is essential.

For the Galapagos I used "A guide to the Birds of the Galapagos Islands" by Castro and Phillips.

17^th April. Flew from Humberside 1445.

18^th April. Arrived at Guayaquil 0700 where we were met by the minibus and our English speaking guide. We were taken downtown to the Hotel Continental www.hotelcontinental.com.ec and after a quick wash and brush up we were on our way to Salinas and the Santa Elena peninsula. Salinas is around an hour and a half west of Guayaquil and the saltpans are on the right just before entering the town. We were allowed to walk around the saltpans and found lots of waders, terns, pelicans and flamingos etc. We saw a single Grey Gull on the beach near the entrance to the saltpans along with a huge Leatherback Turtle.

19^th April. We were taken to Guayaquil airport and flew to the Galapagos island of Baltra. After a short coach and ferry transfer to Isla Santa Cruz we boarded the Yate Fragata. Afternoon visit to the Darwin Research Station. www.darwinfoundation.org

20^th April. In the morning we birded Santa Cruz highlands where we filmed a Woodpecker Finch using a twig to coax a grub out of its hole inside a tree branch, then a short cruise to Isla Santa Fe with an afternoon trip ashore. Overnight cruise to Isla Espanola.

21^st April. Isla Espanola, home of nesting Waved Albatross, Swallow-tailed Gull, Nazca and Blue footed Booby. Visited Punta Suarez and Gardner Bay. Overnight cruise to Isla Floreana.

22^nd April. Diving with Penguins at Post Office Bay, Isla Floreana. Also moored at Punta Cormorant, Devils Crown, and Enderby Island. Overnight cruise to Santa Cruz.

23^rd April. Turtle Bay Isla Santa Cruz then cruised to Baltra for our return flight to Guayaquil. Night in Hotel Continental.

24^th April. Predawn start to Cerro Blanco Protected Forest located at K16 on the road to Salinas. The reserve is sandwiched in between industrial and housing complexes but proved to be very productive, with Henna hooded Foliage-gleaner, Red billed Scythebill, Grey-capped Cuckoo etc. Then a drive back through Guayaquil to Manglares-Churute reserve on the east side of town. We easily found 6 Horned Screamers by scanning the marshes along the main road. In the afternoon we drove south to Zaruma birding on route. Night at Hotel Roland in Zaruma.

25^th April. Buenaventura reserve, upper trails. http://www.fjocotoco.org/reserves-buen.html Heavy rain overnight. Hotel Roland.

26^th April. Disaster today when Jose lost his minidisk player while helping to get traffic moving around a landslide which had blocked our route. Buenaventura lower trails, saw El Oro Parakeet, Grey backed Hawk etc. Drive to Macara. Night at Hotel Santigym, Macara.

27^th April. Jatupamba Jorupe http://www.arcoiris.org.ec/areasprot/areasprotingles.html and Macara River. Very hot and humid and lots of mosquitoes here. We were unfortunate to encounter an angry swarm of bees along the trail and had to make a run for safety after being stung repeatedly. It was worth the pain though when we saw Watkins Antpitta and Elegant Crescentchest etc. Night at Hotel Santigym.

28^th April. Drive to Loja. Birding at Sozoranga, Utuana, Catamayo and Cajanuma. Night at Bombuscaro Hotel, Loja www.bombuscaro.com

29^th April. Cajanuma National Park am. Drive to Tapichalaca. Night at Tapichalaca Lodge, birded around the village at the entrance to the park.

30^th April. Tapichalaca. Light rain and very muddy. We borrowed wellies from the rangers at the lodge. Predawn start for Chestnut-naped Antpitta from the hide close to the lodge. Later along the trail Jose taped out a party of 3 Jocotoco Antpittas for us. We also found an Oilbird roosting under the fronds of a palm tree above the trail. Glenn spotted the bird, and even he doesn’t know how! http://www.fjocotoco.org/reserves-tap.html Drive to Zamora. Night at Hotel Orillas del Zamora.

1^st May. Rio Bombuscara National Park. Jose found an Ecuadorian Piedtail defending territory near the entrance gate. Lots of good birds here including a pair of Lanceolated Monklets, Coppery chested Jacamar, White breasted Parrot etc. Also birded a marsh just outside the park on th Yanzatzna Road where we found Lined Antshrike, Black capped Donacobius etc. Night at Hotel Orillas.

2^nd May. Drive to Cuenca. Birded old Zamora road, San Francisco National Park and the old Cuenca road. Night at Posada del Angel.

3^rd May. Drive to Guayaquil. Birded El Cajas National Park and around Dos Chorreras. Second visit to Manglares-Churute. Night at the Continental. Had a very pleasant farewell dinner with Jose and Darwin in the hotel restaurant.

4^th May. Darwin dropped us at Guayaquil airport for our flight home.

5^th May. Arrive Humberside airport 0950.

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