Trip Report: Birding Central , Focusing on the High 10–24 July 2019

Baron’s Spinetail (E) (Dubi Shapiro)

Participants: Carol Beardmore (Phoenix, AZ) Rose Leach (Missoula, MT) Judy Meredith (Bend, OR)

Leaders: Ramiro Yábar (Cuzco, Peru) and Jeff Marks (Portland, OR)

Prepared by Jeff Marks Executive Director, Montana Advocacy

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Tour Summary Our tour began and ended in Lima and spanned latitudes 12° to 9°S and longitudes 76° to 78°W in the departments of Lima, Junín, Pasco, Huánuco, and Ancash. Weather was cloudy on the coast and mostly sunny with scattered clouds inland. We had prolonged rainfall on only one day, at Bosque Unchog. Temperatures were pleasant, dipping slightly below freezing on a couple of mornings at high elevations, with highs of about 70°F at the lower elevations. Long sleeves and long pants were the rule, supplemented a couple of times by gloves and long underwear in the morning. Julio navigated the roads with great skill, prepared wonderful meals in the field, and made superb coffee with a French press! Hotels and lodges were quite suitable. We detected 354 of , only four of which were heard but not seen (Brown , Mitred Parakeet, Rufous-vented , and Dusky-capped Flycatcher), and one that was seen only by Ramiro (Lyre-tailed Nightjar). Incredibly, we managed to find 46 of the 52 Peruvian endemics (88%) that were possible to encounter given our itinerary; three of them (Mantaro Thornbird, Millpo Tapaculo, and Mantaro Wren) have not been formally described in the scientific literature. We did especially well with (27 species), furnariids (29), tyrant flycatchers (42), tanagers (29), and (25). We owe the success of our trip to our highly skilled guide Ramiro Yábar, our expert driver and cook Julio Benites, and our always smiling logistics man Percy Velasquez Saravia. In the following narrative, English names followed by “(E)” denote endemics.

Day 1 (11 July), Coastal areas near Lima Our first day of birding was on the coast, with visits to Puerto Viejo, Chilca, Pucusana (including a short boat trip), and Los Pantanos de Villa for specialties such as Humboldt Penguin, White-tufted Grebe, Great Grebe, Peruvian Booby, Peruvian Pelican, Red-legged Cormorant, Guanay Cormorant, Blackish Oystercatcher, Peruvian Thick-knee, Belcher’s Gull, Kelp Gull, Gray Gull, Inca Tern, Surf Cinclodes (E), Coastal Miner (E), Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Collared Warbling-, and Drab Seedeater. We then drove northeast on Highway 22 for two hours to our home for two nights, Santa Eulalia Bungalows.

Humboldt Penguins (Jeff Marks) Belcher’s Gull in basic plumage (Jeff Marks)

Day 2 (12 July), Santa Eulalia Valley We departed the bungalows at 0500 and began a steady climb on a gravel road that traversed a seriously steep slope some 300-400 m above the Rio Santa Eulalia. We eventually crossed the river and walked along a seldom-traveled track up the east side of the valley at nearly 10,000 feet elevation. Giant Hummingbirds and Sparkling Violetears were common, as were Rusty-bellied Brush-Finches (E), Mourning Sierra-Finches, and Band-tailed Seedeaters. We saw our main target bird, the IUCN Endangered Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch (E), very well at a seep visible in a small opening in the

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Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch (E) vegetation along the road near where Julio served breakfast. Also at the seep we obtained great looks at an , our third for the day! Other birds seen here included Mountain Parakeet, Purple-collared Woodstar, Rusty-crowned Tit-Spintail (E), Canyon Canastero, Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant, White-browed Chat-Tyrant, Cinereous Conebill, the nearly omnipresent Rufous-collared Sparrow, and Greenish Yellow-Finch. We drove back down the road and continued to bird while Julio prepared one of his splendid lunches. New birds at the lunch stop included Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Black-winged Ground-Dove, Spot-winged Pigeon, Andean Swift, Peruvian Sheartail, Black-necked Woodpecker (E), Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Great Inca-Finch (E), and Golden Grosbeak. We returned down the valley, stopping once to search unsuccessfully for the endemic Thick-billed Miner, and spent our second night at the Santa Eulalia Bungalows. A singing Peruvian Pygmy-Owl provided a nice look near our cabins.

Day 3 (13 July), Santa Eulalia Valley & Marcapomacocha to Concepción Early in the morning we retraced our path up the west slope of the Santa Eulalia Valley and continued north to an open area of scattered shrubs at 12,400 feet, where we ate breakfast by a grove of trees. En route we saw Andean Geese, Torrent Ducks, and Puna Ibises and also had a White-capped Dipper in the creek by our breakfast spot. A lone Andean Condor soaring above the ridge to the east proved to be our only encounter with that species. By far the best birds of the morning were the three White-cheeked Cotingas (E) that Jeff spotted in the Polylepis grove. They eventually flew down across the road and were easily visible from our table. Other birds encountered here were Black Metaltail (E), Shining Sunbeam, Streak-backed Canastero, d’Orbigny’s Chat-Tyrant, Andean Swallow, Black-throated Flowerpiercer, and more Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetails (E) and Rusty-bellied Brush-Finches (E).

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Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch (E)

Black-throated Flowerpiercer (Dubi Shapiro)

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As we continued to climb on the drive north, we crested an unnamed pass at nearly 15,700 feet. Shortly thereafter, at about 15,600 feet, we stopped to stretch our legs while Ramiro played the raucous calls of the Puna Tinamou. We received a reply almost immediately and eventually obtained great scope views of three of these giants, along with a wary group of four vicuñas and a pair of Gray-breasted Seedsnipes. We arrived at the cushion-plant at Marcapomacocha at 12:20 p.m. and began scanning for the specialties here. We found a second pair of seedsnipes and then one of our main target species, the IUCN Critically Endangered White-bellied Cinclodes (E). We also had great looks at foraging Olivaceous Thornbills and a host of puna that included White-winged Cinclodes, Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant, Taczanowski’s Ground-Tyrant, Puna Ground-Tyrant, Ochre-naped Ground-Tyrant, Cinereous Ground-Tyrant, White-fronted Ground-Tyrant, and White-winged Diuca-Finch. We left this site and drove over a pass at 15,900 feet before arriving at our second cushion-plant site. Here, we succeeded in finding a pair of Diademed Sandpiper-Plovers at 15:25, plus a couple more Olivaceous Thornbills. We then took a late lunch on the puna at more than 15,000 feet elevation.

Continuing on after lunch, we stopped at one more birding site and were fortunate to find our target on a nearby hillside, the lovely Black-breasted (E). We arrived at the rustic but quite comfortable Hotel Loma Verde in Concepción at 7 p.m., at some 10,000 feet above sea level, quite happy that our prescription medicine Acetazolamide (aka Diamox), along with keeping well hydrated, effectively fought off “altitude” or climber’s sickness throughout the day for each of us. We enjoyed a Pisco sour by the fireside before dinner and then retired for the night after an absolutely extraordinary day of birding.

White-bellied Cinclodes (E) (Dubi Shapiro)

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Diademed Sandpiper-Plover (Dubi Shapiro)

Day 4 (14 July), Concepción to Satipo We departed Hotel Loma Verde after breakfast and headed up Highway 24A through several small villages in agricultural areas and then higher up past Laguna Pomacocha and over a pass at 14,691 feet, where the ground was covered in frost. As we headed down along the east slope of the Andes, most of the drive to Satipo was on dirt roads through cloud forests and riparian . Although the going was slow, the birding was fantastic. Among the many species seen today were Andean Goose, Yellow-billed [Speckled] Teal, Puna Ibis, Black-faced Ibis, Variable Hawk, Mountain Caracara, Andean Lapwing, Black-winged Ground-Dove, Sparkling , Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Purple-backed Thornbill, Fire-throated Metaltail (E), Highland Motmot, Common Miner, Striated Earthcreeper (E), White-winged Cinclodes, Cream-winged Cinclodes, Eye-ringed Thistletail (E), Creamy-crested Spinetail (E), Streaked Tuftedcheek, Stripe-headed Antpitta, Chestnut Antpitta (E), the undescribed Millpo Tapaculo (E), Sierran Elaenia, White-banded Tyrannulet, White-throated Tyrannulet, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Rufous-naped Ground- Tyrant, Black-billed Shrike Tyrant, a female Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Brown-capped Vireo (seen by Carol and Judy only), Blue-and-white Swallow, Short-billed Pipit, House Wren, Mountain Wren, Great Thrush, Chiguanco Thrush, White-capped Dipper, Black-capped Hemispingus, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Blue-and- Yellow Tanager, Blue-backed Conebill, Moustached Flowerpiercer, Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch, Plain- colored Seedeater, Slaty Brushfinch, Citrine [Peruvian] Warbler, Spectacled Redstart, and Dusky-green Oropendola. We arrived after sundown at Hotel San Luis in Satipo, which at only 1,970 feet elevation marked the low spot that we visited inland.

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Streaked Tuftedcheek Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager (both Dubi Shapiro)

Day 5 (15 July), Andamarca and Satipo Roads Owing to the slow roads, we left the hotel at just after 4 a.m., headed back up Satipo Road. At sunrise, Ramiro and Julio saw a male Lyre-tailed Nightjar that flushed from the roadside without anyone else seeing it. Driving on after a fruitless attempt to re-find the nightjar, we turned onto Andamarca Road near the village of Calabaza. Continuing up and over a pass at 12,480 feet, we dropped into a hilly area of agricultural fields with scattered trees and shrubs, where we birded between 10,600 and 10,800 feet, starting at 7:40 a.m. Right off we found two of our three targets for the morning: the undescribed Mantaro or Otuto Wren (E), and the Black-spectacled Brushfinch (E). We also saw a White-rumped Hawk, several Black-faced Ibises, a large flock of Band-tailed Pigeons, a Tyrian Metaltail, had a glimpse of the undescribed Mantaro Thornbird (E), and got a great look at a Masked Flowerpiercer.

We headed back to Satipo Road and made several prolonged stops to look for mixed-species flocks in the cloud forest. We lucked into several such flocks, and also had decent looks at species such as Andean Guan, Sword-billed , Great Sapphirewing, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Andean [Highland] Motmot, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Junin Tapaculo (E), Marcapata Spinetail (E), Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Barred Fruiteater, Band-tailed Fruiteater, Peruvian Wren (E), and Slaty Brushfinch. Some of us also saw a before it disappeared into the roadside brush. We encountered many wonderful species among the mixed flocks, including Barred Becard, Drab Hemispingus, Rufous-chested Tanager, Rust-and-yellow Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, Blue-and-black Tanager, Blue-backed Conebill, and Plushcap. Leaving the cloud forest, we made a special stop at the edge of a small village where Ramiro called in two gorgeous Bay Antpittas (E). We returned to Hotel San Luis at 7:25 p.m. and ate a great dinner, many of us having fresh fillet of catfish.

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Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager

Day 6 (16 July), Satipo to Ulcumano Ecolodge We left Satipo at 5:30 a.m. headed toward Oxapampa along the Rio Perené and then the Rio Ene, stopping occasionally to bird. These unplanned stops allowed us to find several lowland species that were not on the trip list, including Yellow-headed Caracara, Gray-breasted Sabrewing, Emerald Toucanet, Little Woodpecker, Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher, Crested Oropendola, Chestnut-bellied Seedeater, Purple-throated Euphonia, and Golden-bellied Euphonia. Other species we encountered in the lowlands were Speckled Chachalaca, Roadside Hawk, Blue-headed Parrot, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Long-tailed Tyrant, Social Flycatcher, Violaceous Jay, White-banded Swallow, White-winged Swallow, Yellow-rumped Cacique, and Giant Cowbird.

On the access road to Ulcumano Ecolodge we saw several Swallow-tailed Kites overhead and stopped in open forest for two Golden-headed Quetzals, which also enabled us to see an Olive-backed Woodcreeper and a Smoke-colored Pewee. We arrived at the lodge proper at 11:40 a.m., settled in, and had a late lunch. A large flock of more than 100 White-collared Swifts foraged overhead while we waited for our cabin assignments, and near the dining room we saw two Chestnut-crested Cotingas, a Long-tailed Sylph, Azara’s Spinetail, and Saffron-crowned Tanager (Jeff and Ramiro only). After lunch, lodge owner Eduardo de la Cadena accompanied us on a walk in wet forest below the lodge, where we encountered Rufous-tailed Tyrant, Masked Fruiteater (E), Blue-necked Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Yellow-throated Tanager, Silver-backed Tanager, Russet-crowned Warbler, and Olivaceous Siskin. After a wonderful meal, Eduardo took us to a large patch of forest above the lodge where Ramiro eventually called in the near-endemic Cloud-forest Screech-Owl, which gave us an eye-level view from about 30 m away. Night at Ulcumano Ecolodge.

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Long-tailed Sylph (Dubi Shapiro) Cloud-forest Screech-Owl (Ramiro Yabar)

Day 7 (17 July), Ulcumano Ecolodge to Tarma At sunrise, Rose and Ramiro saw a Sickle-winged Guan. After breakfast, we found species such as Speckled Hummingbird, Booted Racket-tail, Blue-banded Toucanet, Montane Woodcreeper, Variable Antshrike, Rufous-vented Tapaculo (E)(heard only), Highland Elaenia, Peruvian Tyrannulet, Glossy Black Thrush, Andean Solitaire, White-eared Solitaire, Oleaginous Hemispingus, Yellow-throated Tanager, and Bluish Flowerpiercer. We departed the ecolodge in light rain at 12:30 p.m. During the drive we saw Speckled Chachalaca, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, American Kestrel, Tropical Kingbird, Blue-and-white Swallow, and Chiguanco Thrush. Night at Hotel El Vuelo del Condor in Tarma.

Chestnut-crested Cotinga (Dubi Shapiro)

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Day 8 (18 July), Tarma to Huanuco via Junín Lake Situated at just under 13,400 feet elevation, Junín is the second-largest lake in Peru (after Lake Titicaca) and is home to the IUCN Critically Endangered Junin Grebe (E), a flightless species endemic to the lake and whose global population size is estimated to be fewer than 300 individuals. We arrived at the lake at 7 a.m., had breakfast, and then boarded a boat and headed out with local guide “Tito” to the middle of the lake, where we obtained great looks at no fewer than eight Junin Grebes, some of which were within 25 m of us. Closer to shore we saw White-tufted Grebes, Chilean Flamingos, Andean Geese, Crested Ducks, Yellow-billed Teal, Yellow-billed Pintails, Puna Teal, and Ruddy Ducks.

Junin Grebe (E) We disembarked at 9:30 a.m. and then drove around the southern end of the lake and turned north along a dirt track that bordered the western shore. Birds seen in the surrounding grasslands included Cinereous Harrier, Mountain Caracara, Andean Negrito, Short-billed Pipit, and Bright-rumped Yellowfinch. A local guide, Cesar Zeballos, who works for a Peruvian wildlife agency, showed us three Black [Junin] Rails (E) in the marsh. Birding in the surrounding grasslands and wetlands produced a Magellanic Horned Owl that was roosting on a rock outcrop, Puna Ibis, Chilean Flamingo, Plumbeous Rail, Purple Gallinule, many Slate-colored Coots, one Puna Plover (not seen by all), Puna Snipe, many Andean Gulls, Black-breasted Hillstar (E), Dark-winged Miner (E), Plain-breasted Earthcreeper, Black- billed Shrike-Tyrant, Correndera Pipit, Peruvian Sierra-Finch, and Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch.

After lunch, we walked through the small village of Ondores near the southwestern corner of the lake and found several Black-winged Ground-Doves and loads of Rufous-collared Sparrows. We continued north along the lake’s western shore, finding an , Burrowing Owl, and a small flock of Black Siskins before we left the lake basin. To break up the long drive to Huánuco, we stopped at a good spot for the Rufous-backed Inca-Finch (E), which several of us saw. Unfortunately, and very surprisingly, Jeff and Carol began to feel ill and soon succumbed to the effects of a stomach bug. We arrived at our hotel for the next three nights, the Hacienda Santa Cruz, at the rather late hour of 9:00 p.m. owing to our two ill passengers.

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Junin Rail (E) (Cesar Zeballos)

Day 9 (19 July), Paty Trail near Carpish Tunnel For the first time ever, Jeff missed a day of birding on a tour he was co-leading. Carol, however, had rallied, and joined the group to bird along the Paty Trail. This area is characterized by large tracts of cloud forest from 8,850 to 9,200 feet elevation, but clearing of small patches of forest for agriculture is ongoing, right before our eyes. Birds seen from the trail included Swallow-tailed Kite, White-rumped Hawk, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Mountain Velvetbreast, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Masked Trogon, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Powerful Woodpecker, Rufous Spinetail, Azara’s Spinetail, Pearled Treerunner, Cinnamon Flycatcher, White-collared Jay, Mountain Wren, Peruvian Wren (E), Black-capped Hemispingus, Brown-flanked Tanager (E), Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, Blue-backed Conebill, Plushcap, Slate-throated Redstart, Spectacled Redstart, Gray-browed [Stripe-headed] Brushfinch, and Slaty Brushfinch.

Jeff recovered in the early afternoon and watched birds from the veranda near his room, finding Smooth-billed Ani, Eared Dove, two Plain-breasted Ground-Doves (which Ramiro had never seen anywhere near here before), Croaking Ground-Dove, American Kestrel, several Tropical Kingbirds, a group of about six Fasciated Wrens, Blue-and-white Swallows, Golden Grosbeak, Blue-gray Tanager, and . The group returned a bit early owing to Carol feeling ill again. Soon after returning to the hotel, Ramiro called in a very cooperative Peruvian Pygmy-Owl that gave all of us a great look as it perched in a tree near our rooms. Then, Rose, Jeff, Judy, and Ramiro took a short walk off the hotel grounds and found several White-tipped Doves and at least four Oriole Blackbirds. Night at Hacienda Santa Cruz, which has been a great place aside from the hotel staff’s reluctance to provide ample hot water for our showers.

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Day 10 (20 July), Bosque Unchog We left Hacienda Santa Cruz at 5:30 a.m. and began climbing a well-graded dirt road through open forest that was heavily fragmented by agricultural fields. Our destination, Bosque Unchog, is a locally protected reserve that consists of small patches of cloud forest between 11,800 and 12,100 feet elevation, which we accessed from a rocky trail that borders a lovely creek. For the only time on the trip, most of the day was misty, rainy, and cool. The birding was excellent, however. At our parking and breakfast spot we had good looks at Coppery Metaltail (E), Line-fronted Canastero, White-chinned Thistletail, Moustached Flowerpiercer, and Slaty Brush-Finch. As we walked the upper portion of the trail, we encountered several mixed flocks that included about 10 Parduscos (E), multiple Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanagers, Golden-collared Tanagers, and Chestnut-bellied Mountain-Tanagers, but no Yellow-scarfed Tanager, which turned out to be our only major miss of the trip!

Line-fronted Canastero (Dubi Shapiro)

Continuing along the trail, we paused for Ramiro to call in a rather cooperative Neblina Tapaculo (E) for all to see. Shortly thereafter, we had one of the luckiest sightings of the trip when a Golden-backed Mountain-Tanager (E) landed atop a small dead tree less than 30 m away, giving us a stunning view of this rare endemic for perhaps 10 seconds. Farther down the trail, the birding slowed as the mist and rain increased. Ramiro knowingly suggested that we shelter in place until the rain stopped, which we did for 20 minutes or so. The birding picked up soon after the rain ceased, and we obtained excellent looks at White-throated Tyrannulet, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Red-crested Cotinga, and Bay-vented Cotinga (E).

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Golden-backed Mountain-Tanger (E) (Dubi Shapiro)

Local family at 12,000 feet, Bosque Unchog (Jeff Marks) On the return walk, Ramiro called in a Large-footed Tapaculo (E), which gave most of us a brief look at this difficult-to-see species. We returned to the van for lunch and then walked the road below the native forest, where we added Baron’s Spinetail (E), Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant, Brown-flanked Tanager (E), Black-throated Flowerpiercer, and Plain-colored Seedeater to the day’s list. Night at Hacienda Santa Cruz, where Jeff’s continued complaints resulted at last in hot water for showers. (Some speculated his shouts of profanity did the trick.) All agreed it was as spectacular day of birding, despite the weather.

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Bay-vented Cotinga (E) (Dubi Shapiro)

Day 11 (21 July), Huanuco to Carhuaz We left Hacienda Santa Cruz for the last time at 5:40 a.m. to begin the long drive to Carhuaz near the western border of Huascaran National Park. After passing through the mountain hamlet of La Unión, we got drive-by views of two male Torrent Ducks in a rushing roadside stream and then stopped for two hours to bird and eat lunch at Laguna Contaycocha, which is at 12,400 feet elevation and surrounded by arid scrub and steep hillsides. Earlier in the day we were delayed for an hour by road construction at two places, one of which yielded great looks at a Striated Earthcreeper (E) and a Black-crested Tit-Tyrant. The laguna had the normal assortment of waterfowl (e.g., Andean Goose, Crested Duck, Yellow-billed Teal, Ruddy Duck) plus several pairs of Giant Coots on nests. Several very noisy Andean Flickers cavorted near the lakeshore.

Continuing west, always with beautiful snow-covered peaks in view, we crossed a pass at 15,270 feet and then descended onto vast open grasslands at about 13,300 feet. We stopped at Laguna Conococha (at 13,189 feet elevation) and added Chilean Flamingo, Silvery Grebe, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Greater Yellowlegs, Streak-throated Canastero, and White-winged Cinclodes to the day’s bird list. Also here were Puna Teals, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Puna Ibises, a few more Giant Coots, and lots of Slate-colored Coots. Turning north onto Highway 3N, we headed down the Río Santa Valley and through the relatively large city of Huaraz before arriving at the small town of Carhuaz and our lodging for the next three nights, the exquisite Hotel El Abuelo. En route, Carol spotted our only Aplomado Falcon for the trip.

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Portachuelo Pass (15,636 feet), looking southwest to the Llanganuco lakes

Day 12 (22 July), Huascaran National Park A very early departure (4:08 a.m.) found us heading north on Highway 3N to the town of Yungay, which suffered a devastating earthquake on 31 May 1970 that buried the town and killed 20,000 residents (including surrounding areas, the death toll was estimated at 67,000–70,000). We turned northeast at Yungay and followed a winding dirt road to the entrance of Huascaran National Park. Continuing to climb in elevation, we passed two natural lakes, Llanganuco Chinancocha and Llanganuco Orconcocha, each at about 12,630 feet. We continued on what became a steep, winding road until we crested the divide at Portachuelo Pass (15,636 feet) just north of Huascaran Sur, which is the highest point in Peru and the tallest mountain in the tropics, at 22,199 feet above sea level. A brief stop on the east side of the pass, at about 15,000 feet, yielded a great look at a singing Junin Canastero (E) and a glimpse at a vizcacha. We descended on a less-steep road, now on the east slope of the Andes, and parked along a small rushing stream next to a beautiful stand of old-growth Polylepis forest at about 13,600 feet. After another great “Julio” breakfast, we found our main targets in and along the edge of the Polylepis grove, namely, Blue-mantled Thornbill, Black Metaltail (E), Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, Tit-like Dacnis, Giant Conebill, Rufous-eared Brushfinch (E), and Thick-billed Siskin.

At 12:25 p.m. we headed back toward the pass and stopped for lunch at an isolated patch of Polylepis at 14,500 feet, where we obtained fantastic looks at an Ancash Tapaculo (E), two Giant Conebills, and the seldom-encountered Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant. At 4:40 p.m. we stopped to bird at park headquarters on the west side of the Andes, at 11,260 feet, where we found a Plumbeous Rail, a Baron’s Spinetail (E), a pair of actively foraging Black-crested Warblers, at least two Plain-tailed Warbling-Finches (E), a Golden-billed Saltator, and numerous Rufous-collared Sparrows. We arrived back at Hotel El Abuelo at 6:35 p.m. and had a wonderful meal and then retired for the evening.

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Huascaran Sur (at right), the highest point in Peru at 22,199 feet

Day 13 (23 July), Pueblo Libre, Huascaran NP We ate breakfast at Hotel El Abuelo and then departed at 5:40 a.m., headed to the arid scrub habitat of the Pueblo Libre District northwest of Yungay. We found a pair of our target species, the Rufous-backed Inca-Finch (E), rather easily, and also saw at least two Spot-throated Hummingbirds (E), a Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant, a Blue-and-Yellow Tanager, and several Band-tailed Seedeaters.

We then returned to Huascaran NP and birded a small patch of Polylepis near the upper of the two Llanganuco lakes. Multiple Black Metaltails (E) foraged in flowers growing from the steep cliff just west of the lake, and we finally succeeded in getting a great look at a perched male Green-headed [Andean] Hillstar. Other birds seen or heard here, and on the nearby flats of the lake, included Andean Goose, Crested Duck, Andean Lapwing, Striated Earthcreeper (E), Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail (E), Cream- winged Cinclodes, a heard-only Ancash Tapaculo (E), Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrant, Rufous-webbed Bush-Tyrant, and Giant Conebill. At the park headquarters we had Baron’s Spinetail (E), Rufous-eared Brushfinch (E), Black-crested Warbler, and Golden-billed Saltator.

We arrived back at Hotel El Abuelo at 4:00 p.m. to give us time to bird in the hotel garden before dinner, where we found Purple-collared Woodstar, Spot-throated Hummingbird (E), Sparkling Violetear, and a pair of Rusty Flowerpiercers. Interestingly, the woodstar appeared to be getting nectar from some red tubular flowers through holes made by the flowerpiercers, the hummingbird having way too short a bill to access the nectar in the normal method. Thus, like the flowerpiercers, it obtained nectar without pollinating the flowers. This behavior apparently has not been described in the literature.

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Giant Conebill

Day 14 (24 July), Return to Lima, including Reserva Nacional de Lachay and Coast We departed Hotel El Abuelo at 5:05 a.m. after another lovely breakfast and retraced our route south along Highway 3N, passed through Huaraz, and then turned west toward the coast on Highway 16 at Laguna Conococha. Heading south along Highway 1N after we hit the coast, we stopped for several hours at the Rerserva Nacional de Lachay (aka Lomas de Lachay), which is an extremely arid region (annual precipitation less than 1 inch) characterized by unvegetated valleys and low hills that support smallish columnar cacti. At our first stop we got good looks at three Least Seedsnipes but failed to find our other target, the Tawny-throated Dotterel. At the second stop we hiked up some of the small -filled draws and found Burrowing Owls, Grayish Miners, a Cactus Canastero (E), and the morning’s best bird, a Thick-billed Miner (E).

Reserva Nacional de Lachay (both Jeff Marks)

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Our last stops were on the coast near Playa Ventanilla, where we saw a variety of waterbirds that included White-cheeked Pintail, Cinnamon Teal, Rudy Duck, Neotropic Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Black-necked Stilt, Killdeer, Gray Gull, Gray-hooded Gull, Kelp Gull, and Franklin’s Gull. We also saw Harris’s Hawk, Groove-billed Ani, Wren-like Rushbird, Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Long-tailed Mockingbird, and Scrub Blackbird. We assembled for a drink at the hotel bar in Lima and took a room to shower and pack before heading to the airport for the evening flight to the states.

Our group, sans Marks, at Portachuelo Pass, 15,636 feet (Jeff Marks)

Birding the Highlands of Central Peru, July 2019, Page 18

South of Marcopomacocha, 15,600 feet (Julio Benites)

In the cloud forest at Ulcumano Ecolodge (Jeff Marks)

Birding the Highlands of Central Peru, July 2019, Page 19

Top 10 List of Bird Species Seen Species Carol Rose Judy Jeff Andean Tinamou X Puna Tinamou X X Junin [Black Rail E X Diademed Sandpiper-Plover X X X Humboldt Penguin X X Cloud-forest Screech-Owl X X Green-headed [Andean] Hillstar X Black-breasted Hillstar E X Sword-billed Hummingbird X Emerald Toucanet X Black-necked Woodpecker E X Powerful Woodpecker X Striated Earthcreeper E X Eye-ringed Thistletail E X X Chestnut Antpitta E X Bay Antpitta E X Neblina Tapaculo E X Ancash Tapaculo E X X X Black-crested Tit-Tyrant X Andean Cock-of-the-Rock X White-cheeked Cotinga E X Red-crested Cotinga X White-eared Solitaire X X Golden-backed Mountain-Tanager E X X X Golden-collared Tanager X Giant Conebill X Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch E X X Black-spectacled Brush-Finch E X

Black-necked Woodpecker (E) Julio and Judy (Rose Leach)

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Ground-foraging Olivaceous Thornbill

Carol and Jeff on stone bench at Laguna Contaycocha (Rose Leach)

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