How many birds?!
“Segua Marsh is an important wetland system in Manabí Province, located just a few minutes southwest of the city of Chone. While the area is intensively farmed for rice and fished for shrimp, there is a remarkable variety of ducks, grebes, shorebirds, and herons to be found here, making it a worthwhile visit for any birder looking to boost his country list.” from Birding Ecuador Blogspot/2009
La Segua/Chone/Ecuador – When friends Luis and Peter invited me to join them for a second Global Big Day at La Segua near Chone, I was a bit torn; “If I spend the day with the two of you in the Segua, then the birds of Poza Honda will miss their chance for the country list.” Reaching an easy compromise, we spent the morning at La Segua, then traveled two hours east to observe the Poza Honda birds!
At dawn as we loaded the truck, a Tropical Kingbird provided a cheerful ‘Buenos Dias’ greeting, a good omen that almost-clear skies would replace the pre-dawn rains!
Peruvian Meadowlark
We stopped half a dozen times to confirm various species before we reached the Segua headquarters. Tricolored Heron, Peruvian Meadowlark, Snail Kites, White-cheeked Pintails, Purple Gallinule, Common Gallinule, wow – a Limpkin!
A bad image is better than no image of the Limpkin!
White-cheeked Pintail
Peter and Luis confirmed as I photographed and then scribbled the various species names in a notebook!
Common Gallinule?
Tri-colored Heron
La Segua Welcome Center
“Water which is too pure has no fish.” Ts’ai Ken T’an
“Lisa, you are going to cry,” Luis warned me before parking at La Segua, a large alluvial flood plain or Rios Chone and Tosagua.
“Thanks for the warning,” I replied, “… but I’ve seen the excavators working in the past… more shrimp ponds?”
Last year water lilies dotted this pond and provided cover and habitat for many species.
6 a.m 2017 -La Segua Parking area
New shrimp ponds claim those water-lily areas, although the tree-lined route to the pier remains bird friendly. The birds adapt, and some of the wetland areas are healthy ecosystems.
2017
2018
2018
Last year I photographed waterlilies and a White-throated Crake in this spot.
Wattled Jacana seems happy here!
Snail Kite
Although more-sterile shrimp ponds replaced the water-lily setting, there were many lovely vistas, still-intact wetlands and a great diversity of birds.
Purple Gallinule
Masked Water Tyrant on nest
Snowy-throated Kingbird
What does she see?….
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