PARTICIPANTS: STEVEN BREZINSKI AND MARRY MURRELL

BIRD GUIDE: JESUS CIEZA

 TOUR DESCRPTION

Our first day in Peru was birding Ricuricocha lagoon at Tarapòto City which is at 01 hour flight from Lima city. There We could get some targets like Asy headed greenlet with very limited distribution in Peru, then Sulphur bellied tyrant manakin, Rusty backed antwren, Pearly vented tody tyrant, Mouse colored tyrannulet, Yellow headed caracara, Northern slaty antshrike, Olive faced flatbill, Spot breasted woodpecker, Rusty fronted tody flycatcher, Dull colored grasssquit and many more. Our second day was great with a long driving that includes the famous Plataforma town for the main 02 targets, Scarlet banded barbet and Cordillera azul antbird. So, we left Tarapoto early in the morning to then drive for 2 hours and change cars to a modified track and make possible the rest of the trip to this corner by a dirt road. Once at this bird place We went for The Barbet and we had the chance to see 04 of them and some more birds around like Olive chested flycatcher, Epaulet oriole, Blue winged mountain tanager, Line antshrike, Versicolored barbet, Yungas manakin, Yellow breasted antwren, Blue browed tanager, Paradise tanager, Golden eared tanager, Green honeycreeper, Streaked xenops, Marble faced bristle tyrant, Peruvian tyrannulet,  and many more birds heard like Scaled antpitta, Lineated foliage gleaner, Chesnut capped brushfinch, Riparian antbird, Chesnut tipped toucanet, White crowned tapaculo and many others. Late in the afternoon We tried Subtropical pygmy owl and we just heard it.

Then we also had Ocellated poorwill and Band bellied owl. At day 03, We went for the other main target around Plataforma town and this time we were very lucky with Cordillera azul antbird since we had this bird at only 02 meters from us, walking around and singing. Then we got some more cool birds like Yellow throated spadebill, Buff tailed sicklebill, Blackish pewee, Scarlet breasted fruiteater, White throated woodpecker, Blue rumped manakin, Rufescent antshrike, Rufous capped nunlet and many more birds. At the very first hour on the way to our birdy spot we had a very nice view of White browed titi monkey and Peruvian tyrannulet. Late in the afternoon We birded a different spot for some other birds and targets, this time we got some extra birds like green and gold tanager, Ash browed spinetail, Wing barred piprites, Masked tityra, Magpie tanager and a very good view of Sub-tropiocal pygmy owl along with Long tailed potoo, Band bellied owl, Silky tailed nightjar and Ochre breasted antpitta calling around. Our last morning at Plataforma town was to go back to the trails and get some extra bird species and this time We could get South-american leaftosser, the special White fronted tyrannulet, White throated quail dove, many more Rose fronted parakeets, Lanceolated monklet, Dark breatsed spinetail and many others. Then we had a nice breakfast to then drive back to Tarapoto city with some more bird stops on the way at the lower part in order to get the special Hoatzin, plus some extra birds at the big rice fields along the road where we added some more birds like Brasilian teal, Comb ducks, Oriole blackbird, Snail kite, Large billed tern, White tipped dove, Black necked stilt and many more.

This time from Tarapoto to Moyobamba city. On the way we had a short stop for Oilbirds, this particular place holds a big Oilbird colony where we could photograph some since we had a nice sunny day. Then we arrived at Morro de calzada in order to have another chance for Painted manakin and this time we could get just the female plus some extra birds like Pygmy antwren, Forest elania, Greater yellow headed vulture and many more. Our afternoon was spent by Waqanky lodge where there is a nice Hummingbird feeder and habitat for birds like Rufous crested coquette, Great billed hermit, Golden tailed sapphire, Turquoise tanager, Olivaceous woodcreeper, Purple honeycreeper, Fork tailed woodnymph, White necked jacobin, Hauxwell’s thrush and many more. Last morning around Moyobamba city to search for some missing bird species and this time We headed back to Morro calzada area where we got Stygian owl in a roosting place, we got some nice shots and then we also got some extra birds around like Southern beardless tyrannulet, Blue dacnis, White eyed parakeet and others. Early birding before this spot was in a place known as Mirador Tahuishco, where we added Riparian parakeet, Coraya wren, Rufous fronted thornbird, Black bellied tanager, Lafesnaye’s piculet, Stripe chested antwren, Barred antshrike, Varzea thrush, Chesnut eared aracari and many others. Then along the road and heading another lodge, we had another bird stop by the rice fields getting Burrowing owl, Spotted rail, Black billed seed finch, Black capped donacobius, Rufous sided crake, Slender billed kite, finally we arrived to Arena blanca reserve, where we spent the rest of the afternoon by the hummingbird feeders where we had Brown violetear, Great billed hermit, Hauxwell thrush, Many spotted hummingbird and many more birds including Andean saddle backed tamarin and San martin titi monkey, two endemic species sometime hard to find.

Another great day along northern Peru and this time we had great shots and views of Cinereous tinamou, Little tinamou, Orange bellied sparrow and big group of Rufous breasted wood quail. Then we also had some good views at the hummingbird feeders with Little woodstar, Amethys woodstar, Blue fronted lancebill and the famous Rufous crested coquette. Late in the afternoon we continued with our bird tour at Alto nieva lodge where we got some more cool birds like Metallic green tanager, Blue winged mountain tanager, Peruvian racket-tail, Spectacled bristle tyrant, Bronzy inca, Flame crested tanager, Violet fronted brilliant and many more. Then we headed to Progreso town but before we had another bird stop for the famous and uncommon Royal sunangel, getting good view of it, plus a great number of Scaly naped amazon, couple of White capped dipper by the river and some targets like Johnson’s tody flycatcher, Southern emerald toucanet, big flock of White capped dipper and we finished with a great view of the rare Long whiskered Owlet.

Another great day at Amazonas region where we could get some very good shots from 02 endemic birds at the same spot, these were Rusty tinged and Ochre fronted antpitta. Some more good birds around like Bar winged wood wren, Cinnamon breasted tody tyrant, Royal sunangel, Fawn breasted brilliant, Red billed parrot, Ornate flycatcher, Uniform antshrike and many others at Alto nieva reserve. Then we did some more bird stops, this time by the main highway where we had Rufous capped antshrike, Yellow breasted brush finch, Johnson’s tody flycatcher, Barred becard, Olivaceous siskin, White collared jay, Scarlet rumped cacique, Rufous browed peppershrike, Green and black fruiteater, Peruvian tyrannulet and many more. This time a great lunch along the many local restaurants by the road to then continue with more birding around Abra patricia forest where we had the uncommon Tyrannine woodcreeper, Collared inca, Golden headed quetzal, the common migrant Broad winged hawk, Chesnut crested cotinga, Southern emerald toucanet and more. We finished our day at Pomacochas lake birding with some rare visitors like Black tern and Common terns. Then some extra birds such as Peruvian meadowlark, Mouse gray flycatcher, Little ground tyrant, Vermilion flycatcher, Plumbeous rail, Black crowned night heron and many others. Great day at amazonas region, this time we visited San Lorenzo town where we had a great day walking at the famous Cresta san Lorenzo, this place gave us very good views of Pale billed Antpitta, Utcubamba Tapaculo, Gray browed wren, Lacrimose tanager, Johnson’s tody flycatcher, Streaked tuftedcheek, Superciliared hemispingus, White sided flowerpiercer, Slaty finch, Violet throated starfrontlet, Barred fruiteater and many others. After having good time at this hotspot, we then moved at the lower part and bird the road parallel to Chido river, where we added the beautiful Torrent duck, Torrent tyrannulet and Blackburnian warbler. Then we ended up in a beautiful lodge located right in front of Gocta fall, a popular place for nature and Chachapoyas culture lovers. Our last day and night at this beautiful Gocta Lodge with nice breakfast and views, we went to visit a local feeding station where we got to see another great target known as Marvelous spatuletail with great shots and views.

Then we also added some extra birds like Little woodstar, Gray chinned hermit, Andean emerald, White bellied woodstar, White bellied hummingbird, Lesser violetear and Marañon thrush. Some more birds along the Utcubamba river such as Peruvian pigeon, Spot throated hummingbird, Western wood pewee, Black chested buzzard eagle, speckled breasted wren, Buff bellied tanager and 02 great targets like Marañon crescentchest and Speckled chested piculet. Our afternoon was spent around this beautiful lodge facing the great Gocta fall and some relax time for the following day. Early departure from Gocta lodge to then continue with more of Utcubamba valley and some birds along this road like the endemic Black necked woodpecker, Peruvian pigeon and others. Then we birded Atuen road where we added some more cool birds like Black capped tyrannulet, Mountain caracara, Brown bellied swallow, Mitred parakeet, the colorful Rainbow startfrontlet, Red hooded tanager and the endemic Russet mantled Softail and others. To finish our afternoon, we went back to the main highway where we got some extra birds such as Drab hemispingus, Blue backed conebill, Purple backed thornbill, Andean flicker, Red crested cotinga, Tawny rumped tyrannulet, Scarlet bellied mountain tanager, Chachapoyas antpitta and Utcubamba tapaculo calling around. Then we had a great night at Rangra wasi lodge with great view at mountain humid forest.

This time we had a great time along the famous Marañon valley with all the specialties at this hotspot, today we got Marañon sparrow, Marañon tyrannulet, Marañon gnatcatcher, Buff bridled inca finch, Purple collared woodstar, White winged black tyrant, Chesnut backed thornbird, Gray winged inca finch and Yellow faced parrot. Some more specialties like Black lored yellowthroat, Golden grosbeak, green jay, Bare faced ground dove, Spot throated hummingbird, Brown crested flycatcher, Fulvous faced scrub tyrant, Jelki’s chat tyrant, Long tailed mockingbird and many more! This famous bird route also give a nice mix of nice tree line and paramo forest before you get into Marañon and along this section we could get Grass wren, Coppery metaltail, Line checked spinetail, Sapphire vented puffleg, Red crested cotinga and many more. After having great bird time along this bird route, we spent our night at Celendin town, nice little town with everything you need. Our last night was spent at Cajamarca city, the place for the famous Gray bellied comet and others. Here we had a nice view of Gray bellied comet flying over our heads and some extra birds at the main spots along the highway such as White tailed shrike tyrant, Rufous naped ground tyrant, Rusty crowned tit spinetail, Cajamarca antpitta, Black crested tit tyrant, Plain tailed warbling finch, Jelki’s chat tyrant and many more. Later this day we had a great dinner at Cajamarca downtown and spent our night at a very nice hotel facing the main square!

Another last and early start to finish with our last targets along northern peru and drive for 01 hour to jesus city where we could get some extra and good birds like the Great spinetail, very good view of White winged black tyrant, again Buff bridled inca finch, Striped cuckoo, Croacking ground dove, Black lored yellowthroat, Fulvous faced scrub tyrant and many more! Then we jumped onto Abra Gavilan bird spot for the special and hard to see, the famous Rufous backed inca finch, Green tailed trainbearer, black metaltail, Tufted tit tyrant, the uncommon Unicolored tapaculo and many others. Then we finished the day at Cajamarca city airport!!