PARTICIPANTS: PAUL AND JANTINE
BIRD GUIDE: JESUS CIEZA
TOUR DESCRPTION
First day in peru and we had a lucky day today with very good views of O3 endemics like Green and white hummingbir, Chesnut breasted mountain finch and Bearded mountaineer. Then we got a very close encounter with a nice family of the rare Andean spectacled bear, nice group of Tschudi’s wooly monkey and a soliatry hunter known as Tayra. All these animaks and birds mixed up with Rufous crested coquette, gould’s jewelfront, Pale tailed barbthroat, Golden tailed sapphire and many more birds.
Then we moved for start some bamboo specialties at Guadalupe lodge and try to shoot some of the hard birds around hilly forest. This time We moved around 6OOmasl and could some birds that inhabit this special type of forest dominated by Gadua bamboo, here We could get the special Peruvian recurbill, Flammulated pygmy tyrant, Manu antbird, Bamboo antshrike, Black spotted bare eye, Pectoral sparrow, Fiery capped manakin, Ornate stipplethroat, Bamboo foliage gleaner, good views of a perched Black hawk eagle, nice couple of white browed purpletuft and many more. Along this nice walk We could also get the uncommon Black headed night monkey with babies and O1 big group of Large headed Brown cappucin!! Then We also did a little walk by the main road getting the unique Fine barred piculet plus many others.
Late in the afternoon We went back to the bamboo Trail and the bird actibity was por but We could add a new bird for the list, this time the colorful Dot winged antwren. Since the activity was not that good then We decided to take the car and go for the endemic Black backed tody flycatcher, this little flycatcher gave us a great view and along the road We could also see O1 couple of Blue headed macaws.
DAY O3.- Hummingbird Garden and Antbird feeders
Today We visited a nice local garden with very good forest and birds, this time We got some really good birds that are usually hard to see in the forest, this time We got them ona feeder spot where Goeldi’s, White lined and white browed antbird are fed with worms and give you a nice view to photograph them. Along this property We also got some other birds like Amazonian antpitta, rufous sided crake, Black capped tinamou calling around, Red billed scythebill, cream colored woodpecker, Johanne’s tody tyrant, Solitary black cacique and many other good birds are found. Here we could also get a nice group of Bolivian black capped squirrel monkeys and this time We had better views of the endemic Black backed tody flycacther.
Late in the afternoon We tried a different route where We also tried the special White cheeked tody flycacther, having good views and photos. Then We went a little lower to get some other birds and finnaly got a good view and photo of the restricted Fine barred piculet and of course We had some other birds around like blue and yellow macaws, Fork tailed palm Swift, Cobalt winged parakeet, Chesnut eared aracarí, Purplish jay, Riparian antbird calling around and many more birds that you can find in our Ebird list.
DAY O4.- More bamboo birds and Manu endemic reserve lodge
We had more time birding Gadua bamboo and second growth in order to get some more targets or get better shots from birds before. Today We could get Ochre throated foliage gleaner, a better view of Bamboo antshrike, Mc’connels flycatcher, Western striolated puffbird and then some more birds along the main road like Amazonian umbrella bird, Yellow breasted antwren, Orange eared tanager plus some extra birds around the lodge garden like White browed hermit, Amethys woodstar, Green hermit, better view of Pale tailed barbthroat, Rufous crested coquette and many more. At the end We went for owling and got a very good view of Rufescent screech owl and right next to us We had Lyre tailed nightjar calling around.
We also had the chance to see a false coral snake around the lodge garden!!
DAY O5.-
We visited another beautiful garden owned by a local guy and this time We added some more birds to our list, these birds were Rufous booted racquet-tail, Deep blue flowerpiercer, Versicolored barbet, Golden collared honeycreeper, Bolivian Tyrannulet right by the feeders, Spotted tanager, Violet fronted brilliant, White lined antbird, Bronzzy inca, Wire crested thorntail, white bellied woodstar and many others. Then We walked along the road getting some more birds like White eared soliatire, Yungas manakin, Ochre faced tody flycatcher, Black eared hemispingus, Western fire-eye, Cinnamon faced tyrannulet, the uncommon Hazel fronted pygmy tyrant, Buff thitheg puffleg, Olive backed woodcreeper, Striped treehunter, Rufous bresated antthrush calling around and many others.
DAY O6.-
Early start to look for the special Hairy crested antbird but no luck this time, then We could get one more time Peruvian recurbill calling around plus Dusky cheeked foliage gleaner, Manu antbird with better view, Two banded warbler, Manu antbird and Gray tinamou calling around.
Late in the afternoon We added some more birds like Scaly naped amazon, Buff tailed sicklebill in the garden. Amazonian umbrellabird, Scale crested pygmy tyrant and some others.
DAY O7.-
Another early start to go for a nice walk along the old inca Trail and ended up with a nice view of female Solitary eagle with a chick. Here We could get some cool shots from this beautiful Eagle and some extra birds around of course, then We also went for more bird walk along the main road looking for some mix species flock and could get Inca flycatcher, the uncommon Rufous backed treehunter, Capped conebill, Fawn breasted tanager, Yellow throated tanager, long tailed sylph, Blue Banded toucannet, Rufous capped thornbill, Black capped hemispingus plus Yungas pygmy calling around. This time We decided to stop early at the Wayqecha lodge since the afternoon was raining and fog started covering much of the road and forest in general so We just spent the afternoon looking at the feeders with some cool hummers like Cuzco starfrontlet, Hooded Mountain tanager, Amethys throated sunangel, many Andean guans and a surprise visit of the special Gray breasted mountain toucan.
DAY O8.-
Rainy morning and some mist around even like this We could manage to see some good birds like Chesnut crested cotinga, Golden collared tanager, Band tailed fruiteater, Rufous bellied Bush tyrant, Mountain cacique, Blue banded toucannet, Fawn breasted tanager with better view today and We had the chance to visit few antpittas feeders where We got the specials – endemics Red and white antpitta, Leymebamba antpitta and Urubamba antpitta plus some extra birds like Gray browed brush-finch and Glossy black thrush.
Late in the afternoon We went out again and this time We had another great time with birds like the uncommon Tyrannine woodcreeper, a nice couple and view of Chesnut crested cotinga, Crimson mantled woodpecker, Fulvous wren, White collared jay and late in the afternoon We got a nice view of Swallow nightjar and Rufous banded owl.
DAY O9.-
this morning We birded the upper part and got some new birds like Scribble tailed canastero, the little Darwin’s nothura, Plain colored seedeater and Puna thisthletail. Then some more birds that We had them already in the list, in Our morning walk we were lucky to see the elusive Pampas cat!!
Then Our afternoon birding We got some new birds like Drab hemispingus, flying flock of Andean parakeet, another good view of Fulvous wren, Marcapata spinetail and We ended up with a good view of White throated screech owl.
DAY 1O.-
Another early day to bird the upper part of Manu Road and this time We were lucky to get a close view of the Yungas pygmy owl plus some extra birds like White browed conebill, Creamy crested spinetail, Bar bellied woodpecker and good view of Slender billed miner to finish the day along the famoous Manu Road.
DAY 11.-
We lef Cuzco city to then visit two andean lakes and try for some birds We had in Our list, morning was a little rainy but We could get some like Many colored rush tyrant, Andean lapwing, Andean duck, Yellow winged blackbird, Spot winged pigeon, Aplomado falcon, Andean flicker and many others. Then We did some birding along Quillabamba road where We got the endemic White tufted sunbean, Great sapphirewing, tufted tit tyrant, Creamy crested spinetail again and some more!
In the other side of the mountain, we birded chusquea bamboo and cloud forest where added some new birds like Cusco Brushfinch, Marcapata spinetail, Urubamba antpitta, Sword billed hummingbird, Inca wren, White winged black tyrant, Sapphire vented puffleg and many more.
DAY 12.-
Full day along the special hábitat and bird location at Vilcabamba area. Here We had another day with rain bute ven like this We could the Vilcabamba specialties like Vilcabamba thistletail, Vilcabamba spinetail and the very little and shy Vilcabamba tapaculo. Around this hábitat We could also get some extra birds like Tit like dacnis, Andean flicker, Cuzco brushfinch, Rufous capped thornbill, Aplomado falcon, Junin canastero, Grass wren and many others. All this We started at 3:3Oam having a long way driving to get to this unique forest and valleys.
DAY 13.-
This time We birded the upper part of Ipal lodge, a nice road that takes you through tea and coffee plantation to end up in a beautiful forest with very good birds like Masked fruiteater, Mottle cheecked tyrannulet, Golden crowned brushfinch, Wattled guan, White rumped hawk, Inca wren, Chivi vireo, Flame faced tanager, Slaty tanager and many more birds. Then in the afternoon after lunch and some rain We headed back to the upper part again. In the afternoon We had a very nice afternoon with some more good birds like Variegated bristle tyrant, Pale legged warbler, Green and white hummingbird, Pale eyed thrush, Blue banded toucannet and many others.
DAY 14.-
Early breakfast to then visit the famous Abra malaga, a birdy area with good specialties and polylepis forest. Here We could get the special and endemics Royal cinclodes, White browed tit spinetail, Tawny tit spinetail, Ash breasted tit tyrant and Red rumped Bush tyrant. Of course some more birds around like Plumbeous sierra finch, Junin canastero, Glacier finch, puna tapaculo and the uncommon Andean ibis. Long walk over 4OOOm. With beautiful views and birds!!
DAY 15.-
Back to Abra malaga area for some more polylepis birds and try for better bird shots but this time We had no luck and found the whole area covered by ice and rain. So We changed Our plan and birded the other side of the mountain with paramo and cloud forest, along this two nice habitas We could add some new birds like Inca wren, Paramo pipit, Unstreaked tit tyrant, Tit like dacnis, Rufous chested tanager, Blue backed conebill, Sapphire vented puffleg , Three striped hemispingus and many more.
DAY 16.-
Early departure to visit and bird the famous Apurimac corner with all the especialties like Apurimac spinetail, Apurimac brushfinch, Koepke’s screech owl (Apurimac), Pale tailed canastero(apurimac) and the unique White eared puffbird plus many other birds that includes Aplomado falcon and Andean condors!!
DAY 17.-
We went up the soraypampa road again and in order to have some better shots from Apurimac spinetail and white tufted Sunbeam. This time We did better and got the photos We wanted plus some extra birds like Mountain velvetbreast, great view of Black chested buzzard eagle and one more try for the unique White eared puffbird. Then late in the afternoon We headed to Cusco city and had Our last dinner around the main incas city.
