13 DAYS PHOTO TOUR – OCTOBER 2025

PARTICIPANTS: TOMASZ KALISEWSKI, TADEUS ROSINSKI & MICHAL J.

BIRD GUIDE: JESUS CIEZA

I went to picked the team up to then go to a nice downtown hotel where We could easily walk around and visit some places to know a bit about Lima city and get a nice dinner. Our second day We visited a nice bird spot located at 4O minutes from Lima downtown, this well-known place known as Villa marshes gave us some cool birds like Gray hooded gull, Oriole blackbird, Elegant tern, Kelp gull, Many colored rush tyrant, Chesnut throated seedeater, Black skimmer, White cheecked pintail and many more by a nice lagoon right by the Pacific ocean. Then We went for another O1 hour ride to get another cool fishing village where We took a nice boat ride and navigated a nice rocky island with great birds like the colorful Inca tern, Humbolt penguin, the endemic Surf cinclodes, Red legged cormorant, Peruvian pelican, Blackish oystercatcher and many more birds. Then We had a nice fresh sea food facing the great view given by the area and the ocean. Later on, we had extra time and went for some local beers and a nice walk around Lima city.

Early departure from Lima to go for O1 hour flight to Cusco where Our driver Jose Antonio was waiting for Us and take us to a nice hummingbird feeder from a local family where We could get nice shots from Giant hummingbird, Black tailed trainbearer, Black throated flowerpiercer, the endemic Green and white hummingbird, Mountain velvetbreast, Tyrian metaltail and many others. After this nice afternoon We went for a local restaurant and tried Alpaca steak for dinner. Nice breakfast at Our hotel to then catch Our train to aguas calientes town at only 2 hours along the cool view of Urubamba River. Once at the hotel We spent Our time shooting some cool birds right by the hotel since this place has a nice garden with bird feeders and We could get the colorful Gould’s inca, Chesnut breasted coronet, Common tody flycatcher, Yellow olive flatbill, Ashy headed tyrannulet, Silvery tanager, Bronzy inca, Thick billed euphonia, chivi vireo, Andean cock of the rock and many more. Then We had a nice room and lunch to then search for the colorful Torrent duck, this time We went to walk along the river and We could find a nice couple of Torrent ducks, good views of White capped dipper, Green fronted lancebill, Andean motmot, Fasciated tiger heron and many more birds. Later this day celebrated a good day with some local craft beers the cool birds We could see and photograph.

MACHUPICCHU DAY – BACK TO CUSCO

Early breakfast to then catch the bus up to Machupicchu for 2O minutes, then We had a very nice walk around this magical place where part of the Incas culture was developed. We were also lucky with the weather since We had a nice day, clear and a bit of sunshine, We took hundreds of pictures and We could also get some birds like the endemic Inca wren, the uncommon Highland elaenia, Mottle cheecked tyrannulet, Cuzco brushfinch calling around, white tipped Swifts around the sky and another good view of the endemic Green and white hummingbird. Later this day We visited another feeders before the train back to Cusco where We got Blue banded toucannet, Andean cock of the rock, Fawn breasted tanager, Orange bellied euphonia, Golden naped tanager and many more birds. Finally, we had the train back to cusco and a nice dinner around Cusco city. Once in Cusco we went to visit Chonta town to get some bird species that are restricted to this area and we could only see few of them since much of the day there was rainy and could not get to see the Andean condors and some species We wanted but even like this We got the Apurimac sub-specie of Koepcke’s screech owl, Crimson mantled woodpecker, Black tailed trainbearer, Black backed grosbeak, Creamy breasted canastero (pale tailed) and white eared puffbird. Then since rain did not le tus bird properly We decided to drive back to Cusco and enjoy the city with some shopping around.

ON THE WAY TO THE FAMOUS MANU ROAD

Early visit to a local feeding station where We could get O2 endemic birds like Bearded mountaineer and Chesnut breasted mountain finch. Then here We could also get some extra birds like Green and white hummingbird, Giant hummingbird, Black tailed trainbearer, Green tailed trainbearer, Black backed grosbeak and many more. After having great morning here We then moved to the famous Manu road and on the way We could get a nice family of Andean ibis and Grass wren, then We ended up at Wayqecha lodge with more birds by the feeder they had and here We got Our last birds list with White bellied woodstar, Long tailed sylph, Black faced brushfinch, Amethys throated sunangel, Violet throated startfrontlet and many others. Before dinner We went to try some night time birds and this time We got a nice view of White throated screech owl.

WAYQECHA LODGE – UPPER MANU ROAD

Another early start at the nice cloud forest that surrounds Wayqecha lodge, here after having great breakfast We went for some specialties like Red and white antpitta, Urubamba antpitta and leymebamba antpitta. O3 antpittas that are hard to photograph in the wild and easily spotted by the local feeders this lodge has around it. Later We also did some walk to get some extra birds and got Handsome flycatcher, Montane woodcreeper, Rufous bellied Bush tyrant, Citrine warbler and good shots of Yungas pigmy owl. Later this day We got the colorful Gray breasted mountain toucan, Spectacled redstar, Pearled treeruner, Buff thighed puffled, Sierran elaenia, Mountain wren and We finished the day with the American barn owl and Rufous banded owl.

MANU LOWER PART – TIO VICTOR FEEDER

This time We try for some colorful birds like Golden headed quetzal, Blue banded toucannet and Handsome flycatcher. Lower down We also had a beautiful stop at el tio victor forest, an area with nice bird feeders where We could get some cool Tanagers and hummingbirds such as Rufous booted rackettail, Wire crested thorntail, Saffron crowned tanager, Beryl spangled tanager, Golden naped tanager, Golden collared honeycreeper and many others. Right after this and a nice lunch facing these colorful birds We headed to another lodge where We added some more birds like the endemic Black backed tody flycatcher, and more hummingbirds like Rufous crested coquette, Blue tailed emerald, White browed hermit, Green hermit, Two banded warbler, Great billed hermit, Pale tailed barbthroat, Gould’s jewelfront, Sapphire spangled emerald, Golden tailed sapphire and many more birds.

MANU ENDEMIC RESERVE LODGE – ROAD BIRDS

We did not do much in the morning since We much of the day was raining but then We decided to take the car and move along the road and when rain really stop, we could get some extra birds like Southern emerald toucannet, Speckled chachalaca, Great antshrike, nice group of Blue and yelllow macaws, Sawllow tanager and finally a perched Common potoo.

PICO DE OZ BIR FEEDERS – PILCOPATA BIRDS

Our last lodge along Manu Road and this time with hummingbirds and extra birds like Mottle backed elaenia, Lemon throated barbet, Rufous breasted hermit, Long billed starfrontlet, White necked jacobin, white bearded hermit, Sulphur bellied flycatcher, Yellow green vireo. We also went for a bird walk around this property where we added the famous Hoatzin, Purple gallinue, King vulture, Wedge billed woodcreeper, Gray capped flycatcher and many others.  Later this day We visited a place with some more birds and this time We got some bird nesting and gave us chances to shoot them right by the nest to Cream colored woodpecker, Lemon throated barbet, Rusty margined flycatcher and Yellow tufted woodpecker. Some extra birds around this spot were Capped heron, Blue throated pipin guan, Sungrebe, Chesnut eared aracarí, Long tailed tyrant and many others.

PICO DE OZ LODGE BIRDS – INKAMAZONIA FEEDERS

Another good day around these O2 places where We could photograph some very special Antbirds such as Goeldi’s antbirds, White browed antbirds, White lined antbird and a very good view of Rufous sided crake. Around the first bird spot We could also get Ringed antpipit, Rusty fronted tody flycatcher, Amazon kingfisher, then We also visited another place for extra things like an expected Emerald tree boa, White throated toucan, inmature King vulture and better view of Gould’s jewelfront, Many spotted hummingbird and many more.

PILCOPATA – TIO VICTOR FEEDERS – CUSCO

Last day along Manu Road and We went back to this nice bird spot in order to improve Our pictures of Rufous booted racquet-tail and We did. Our last morning here We could also get the colorful Versicolored barbet and Beryl spangled tanager plus many others around. Then We headed back to Cusco to catch the flight back to Lima.