Close to the Colombian Border
Quick note from us in the field as we've got brief internet access ourselves at Tundaloma Lodge in the Esmeraldas region of northwest Ecuador not far from the Colombian border. Many thanks to Nick Athanas for updating things for us but he's now swapped keyboard for bins and is with us here together with Sam Woods, and helping us to pick up some specialities in this particular region.Today we birded hard while the loggers around us removed the last few remaining large trees, cutting the very perches of the barbets we were looking for. Although no longer pristine the forest areas still held some great birds, including Five-coloured Barbet, Blue Cotinga and Black-tipped Cotinga, Slaty-tailed Trogon and Jet Antbird. Total to date: a stonking 1034 species!!Tomorrow we head back to Quito for our 24 hour journey via Houston and New York back to the UK. Just a quick pitstop to repack and do the washing before we head off again for Africa. Oh, and of course we need to add some British birds to the year list, so we´re squeezing in a big day in North Wales before we go.Posted 9pm local time 26th January