About a week ago our friends Vance and Cindy told us they had some friends coming to visit from California and they wondered if we could set up a tour of the mangroves along the Portoviejo river. We called our friend Pasqual of Pasqual Tours (0988988583 – for you locals) and he agreed to take us all up the river from the boca (mouth of the river at the beach) by boat to see the flora and fauna there.
Meanwhile, Tim and Natalie had two couples visiting from Michigan who also wanted to see the unique sights up the river, so we made a morning of it today and took a tour up the river to – meander through the mangroves.
The river flows from the mountains to the east, down through the city of Portoviejo, down to the fertile fields surrounding Rocafuerte, and then into the flats around Corre Aguas, and Charapoto, where it empties into the ocean between San Jacinto and Crucita to our south. From the boca it takes only minutes to be closed in on both sides by thick stands of mangrove trees which provide a unique habitat for many shore birds and other animals.
After the first bend the river narrows and the waters are calm and peaceful.
Most of the waterway is surrounded by mangroves, but occasionally one sees ramps and ladders leading down to the water from neighboring homes.
Mangrove trees are uniquely able to abide saline water and the shifting water levels with their long flowing root system.
The root system works to hold the shoreline intact against erosion and provides cover and homes for countless numbers of animals. Like this iguana we spotted sunning himself on a dry mangrove root. (Did you spot him in the picture above?)
Indeed we saw dozens of iguanas from green to brown to brick-red colored in the mangroves along the river.
The iguana in this last picture was the largest we saw and had to be over six feet long from nose to tail with a hefty body and surly attitude!
But the main attraction of the boca waterway is the birds! Pelicans, frigates, herons, terns, and countless other shore birds fill the trees and line up along the shoreline displaying unbelievable beauty and grace to all of us lucky enough to travel up their river.
Huge pelicans perch on small twig like branches monitoring our passing.
Frigates jockey for a roosting spot in this mangrove tree.
Several different species of heron and egrets grace the shoreline and trees.
All of us had a fantastic experience on a most perfect day with clear skies, bright white cumulus clouds, and breezy temperatures in the mid-eighties.
Many of the smaller birds would fly off or scamper away just as we approached making it difficult to get good pictures, so we have included this short video of scores of small tern-like birds clustered on the shoreline.
We also caught this video clip of a large egret taking wing and flying off up the river.
We wish all of our friends and family could experience the joy of being so close to nature and see these wonderful sights, but this brief post will have to do for now.
Life is good in Ecuador!
Man, that looks like good times! What a perfect way to spend the morning. The Lord sure has the hang of creating beautiful places it seems. Every corner of the globe, there is beauty.
Very nice, John.
Blessings!
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You are so right, my friend. I have been blessed to live in many places and all of them have things that make them especially beautiful and unique. Ecuador just seems to be doubly blessed with abundant beauty and diversity.
We are glad you liked the pictures.
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Just seeing the image in the email part of the post told me that you were in a parallel ecoystem to this one! That’s what ‘this’ bend of the river looked like before the muni shoved down the trees and replaced them with sterile lastre and boulders…
The text part of your post loaded, but the images didn’t. That’s ok (for now) as I have a very strong suspicion that it looks much like the river where i live!
Will be back, most likely Friday night w/fster internet.
Z
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At least for now the “powers that be” seem dedicated to preserving the mangroves at the mouth of the Portoviejo river. There is so much beauty and diversity there that it boggles the mind. We are lucky to live so close and to see so much of God’s creations regularly.
Good luck with the internet situation. JandM
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Beautiful day! Glad you’re able to enjoy it.
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The pictures do not really do it justice. I remember the first time I went up through the mangroves thinking, “Oh my goodness! This area is so full of life and beauty!” I could not believe such wonders were around so close to our home. We are truly blessed.
Love you, Sis!
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I love this wonderful gift of Nature my friend 🙂
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Thank you, my friend. It is truly amazing to see all of the birds in their splendor. We are so glad you liked it. Have a great day!
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I just showed John the post. He asked who took the pictures. I said that you have become an excellent photographer. We’re impressed — thanks again for sharing. Love you!
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Thanks, John and Eileen. It has been fun having the time available to develop new talents and interests. I have fun with the camera, but in truth it does all of the work. You should see how many bad shots I delete for each good one. Thank goodness for digital cameras and no expensive film and developing. Love you!
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Had to come back. I couldn’t get the videos to work. I did get the first one to work today, but I’m getting an error on the second. But still cool post.😉
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I am sorry you had problems opening the videos. I do not know what happened, because everyone else seemed to be able to open them. The pictures of the herons came out well though and we were thrilled to see such a variety.
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Probably my iPhone didn’t like the format. Can you say glitch? 😢
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I’m backkk!!! Ah, what lovely tour, and what great shots of the birds.. One is the elusive cocoi heron – really great shot of that one!
the yellow crowned night herons are really special as well. if you received the rain that we did yesterday, that should trigger a more aggressive breeding season.. the birds will start puffing with more plumes – they’re so funny!
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Lisa – Thanks for identifying the cocoi heron. I had been checking in our bird book and thought that was a cocoi, but your comment makes me more sure. We saw a good variety including several small blue heron, but they usually took flight before I could get good pictures. It is simply amazing to go up the river and see how many different birds and animals make their home in the mangroves!
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Wonderful, beautiful birds! I saw a pelican in a tree for the first time last year and it seemed so odd to see such a large bird in the tree on a small branch, haha.
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I know, sometimes it looks like the branch will surely break under the weight of scores of the huge birds. Apparently mangroves are pretty strong.
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