Northern Peru and Huascarán National Park, Cordillera Blanca
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Birding Ecotours Peru Birding Adventure: June 2012 Northern Peru and Huascarán National Park, Cordillera Blanca By Eduardo Ormaeche Yellow-faced Parrotlet (all photos by Ken Logan) TOTAL SPECIES: 507 seem, including 44 country endemics (heard only excluded) Itinerary Day 1, June 1st. Arrival in Lima and transfer to the hotel. Overnight Lima Day 2, June 2nd. Explore the Pucusana beach and Puerto Viejo wetlands. Overnight Lima Day 3, June 3rd. Explore the Lomas de Lachay National Reserve. Overnight Barranca Day 4, June 4th. Drive from Barranca to Huaraz. Explore Lake Conococha. Overnight Huaraz Day 5, June 5th. Explore Huascarán (Cordillera Blanca) National Park (Llanganuco Lake and Doña Josefa Trail). Overnight Huaraz Day 6, June 6th. Explore Huascarán National Park (Portachuelo de Huayhuash mountain pass). Overnight Huaraz Day 7, June 7th. Explore Pueblo Libre, Huaylas, and drive to the coast. Overnight Casma Day 8, June 8th. Drive from Casma to Trujillo. Explore Cerro Campana and Chan Chan archeological site. Overnight Trujillo Day 9, June 9th. Explore Sinsicap and drive to Chiclayo. Overnight Chiclayo Day 10, June 10th. Explore Bosque de Pómac Historical Sanctuary and drive towards Olmos. Overnight Bosque de Frejolillo (Quebrada Limón) safari camping Day 11, June 11th. Explore Bosque de Frejolillo and drive to Salas. Overnight Los Faiques Lodge Day 12, June 12th. Drive to the Porculla Pass and to Jaén. Overnight Jaén Day 13, June 13th. Explore the Gotas de Agua Private Reserve, visit the Huembo hummingbird center, drive to Pomacochas. Overnight Pomacochas Day 14, June 14th. Drive towards Abra Patricia. Overnight Long-whiskered Owlet Lodge (LWO) Day 15, June 15th. Full Day at LWO. Overnight LWO Day 16, June 16th. Full Day at LWO. Overnight LWO Day 17, June 17th. Full Day at LWO. Overnight LWO Day 18, June 18th. Birding along Afluente, Aguas Verdes bridge, Yacumama recreational center, and Wakanki orchid garden. Overnight Moyobamba Day 19, June 19th. Explore the mountains above Wakanki, drive to Tarapoto. In the afternoon explore the Chazuta road. Overnight Tarapoto Day 20, June 20th. Explore the Tarapoto tunnel, the Chazuta road, drive back to Moyobamba. Overnight Moyobamba Day 21, June 21st. A last morning’s birding at Wakanki, drive back to Pomacochas. Overnight Pomacochas Day 22, June 22nd. Birding at Huembo, the Utcubamba Valley above Pedro Ruiz, and around Chillo Lodge. Overnight Chillo Lodge Day 23, June 23rd. Birding at Chillo Lodge, drive to Leymebamba. Visit Kentipata feeders and Sunipampa (Atuen valley). Overnight Leymebamba Day 24, June 24th. Explore the mountains above Leymebamba (Las Palmas, the Mirador Calla-Calla, and the Black Mud Pass). Drive to Balsas. Overnight Balsas Day 25, June 25th. Explore the Marañon (cacti) Valley above Balsas, the Hacienda Limón, and Cruz Conga (road to Cajamarca). Overnight Cajamarca Day 26, June 26th. Explore the Chonta valley in the morning and the Gavilan mountain pass in the afternoon. Overnight Cajamarca Day 27, June 27th. Explore San Marcos for the Great Spinetail, fly to Lima. Overnight Lima Day 28, June 28th. Fly home. NORTHERN PERU SYSTEMATIC LIST, JUNE 2012 Bird species marked as (H) were heard by all the participants but failed to show in response to playback. Bird species marked as (HG) were heard distantly (and identified) by the guide only. TINAMIFORMES Tinamidae Andean Tinamou Nothoprocta pentlandii We enjoyed several individuals at Lomas de Lachay National Reserve. Amazingly, they were totally fearless about the presence of visitors, and we recorded at least eight different individuals. Tinamous are very shy in many parts of the Neotropics as an effect of hundreds of years of hunting by humans. Tataupa Tinamou Crypturellus tataupa One bird was seen briefly by all at Gotas de Agua Private Reserve Pale-browed Tinamou (HG) Crypturellus transfasciatus Heard at Bosque de Frejolillo. Great Tinamou (HG) Tinamus major Heard at Wakanki. Little Tinamou (HG) Crypturellus soui Heard at Wakanki GALLIFORMES Cracidae White-winged Guan Penelope albipennis We had great views of this endemic species at Bosque de Frejolillo, where we counted at least eight different individuals. We started to walk up the canyon trail in the dark, and having the local guan call at dawn was a magical moment indeed. This bird was discovered to science in 1840 and not seen again until 1977, when it was rediscovered at Bosque de Frejolillo. It is listed as Critically endangered. Andean Guan Penelope montagnii We had two individuals at Sunipampa, while we were waiting for the Andean Condor. Sickle-winged Guan Chamaepetes goudotii One bird was seen from the Aguas Verdes bridge. Speckled Chachalaca Ortalis guttata Common in the eastern lowlands. Wattled Guan (HG) Aburria aburri Heard at LWO. ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Comb Duck Sarkidiornis sylvicola We had some birds on the islands of Las Viñas reservoir. Yellow-billed Teal Anas flavirostris Formerly called Speckled Teal. Common on the quiet waters of Lake Conococha. Puna Teal Anas puna Common on the quiet waters of Lake Conococha. Yellow-billed Pintail Anas georgica Two birds at Lake Conococha. White-cheeked Pintail Anas bahamensis A few individuals were seen at the Puerto Viejo lagoon. Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera Seen at both Puerto Viejo and Lake Conococha. Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Seen at Lake Conococha only. Crested Duck Lophonetta specularioides Great views of two birds at Lake Conococha. Torrent Duck Merganetta armata One of the classic birds of the Andes. A female was seen nicely below LWO, and later we had a male along the Utcubamba River. PODICIPEDIFORMES Podicipedidae Great Grebe Podiceps major Two individuals were seen nicely at the Puerto Viejo lagoon. White-tufted Grebe Rollandia rolland Seen at Lake Conococha and Las Viñas reservoir. Silvery Grebe Podiceps occipitalis Two birds were seen well at Lake Conococha. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps One bird seen well at both Puerto Viejo and Las Viñas reservoir. PELECANIFORMES Threskiornithidae Puna Ibis Plegadis ridgwayi Several birds were seen around Puerto Viejo and a few others on the way to Cajamarca. Ardeidae Cocoi Heron Ardea cocoi One bird was seen at Las Viñas reservoir. Fasciated Tiger Heron Tigrisoma fasciatum This bird is relatively common along the Utcubamba River, where we saw at least two different individuals. Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Common along the pastures and paddy fields. One first recorded in the New World in 1877 (Surinam), it has since then spread through large sections of the hemisphere, even reaching islands such as the Galapagos. Snowy Egret Egretta thula Common at several locations. Great Egret Ardea alba Seen north of Chiclayo and on the way to Tarapoto. Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea One bird was seen at Puerto Viejo. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Seen at Puerto Viejo, Lake Conococha, and Las Viñas reservoir. Striated Heron Butorides striata We had several encounters at Puerto Viejo, Rioja, and the paddy fields of Jaén. This bird is known for its bait-fishing practice, which consists of attracting fish by placing bait, like insects, flowers, seeds, twigs, bread, even popcorn, on the water surface. The Striated Heron may also break off part of a twig to use for bait, making it not only one of the few tool-using animals, but one of the very few that actually make their tools. Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis One bird was seen briefly by one of our guests and me in the reeds of Puerto Viejo. This is normally a secretive bird, which spends most of the time motionless in the reeds. Pelecanidae Peruvian Pelican Pelecanus thagus Common at Pucusana. SULIFORMES Sulidae Peruvian Booby Sula variegata Common at Pucusana. Phalacrocoracidae Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Common along the shores of Lima and Pucusana. This is the only cormorant in Peru that is found away from the ocean, and it is present as well along Amazonian rivers and oxbow lakes. Red-legged Cormorant Phalacrocorax gaimardi Nice views at Pucusana. This bird is listed as Near-threatened. Guanay Cormorant Leucocarbo bougainvillii This bird was seen nicely on the boat ride at Pucusana. Its common name comes from guano, which is the word use to refer to the bird excrements used as fertilizer. From 1849 to 1870, guano was the most effective fertilizer, and Peru was the largest producer of guano, exporting between 10 and 12 million tons, mostly to the United Kingdom. SPHENISCIFORMES Spheniscidae Humboldt Penguin Spheniscus humboldti We had scope views of this Humboldt Current specialist at our usual spot in the Pucusana fishing harbor. This bird is named after the 19th century German explorer and scientist Alexander von Humboldt. This species is listed as Vulnerable. The word Penguin is thought by some to derive from the Welsh words pen (head) and gwyn (white), applied to the now extinct Great Auk. This theory is supported by the fact that penguins looks remarkably like Great Auks in general shape. ACCIPITRIFORMES Cathartidae Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Numerous and widespread. Recent genetic studies have indicated that the New World vultures might be modified storks and don’t belong with raptors. An excellent example of convergent evolution Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Another frequently encountered vulture, while soaring it typically shows the characteristic “dihedral” angle. Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture Cathartes burrovianus Good views of one individual along the grasslands of the Yacumama recreational center. Andean Condor Vultur gryphus One of the largest flying birds in the world, this species is considered a divine creature by the old pre-Hispanic civilizations. We had two birds at Sunipampa. This is the national bird of Ecuador. Accipitridae Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus Good views of this smart kite on the way to Tarapoto. Hook-billed Kite Chondrohierax uncinatus One bird was seen near Tarapoto. Pearl Kite Gampsonyx swainsonii Seen on the way to Olmos. Roadside Hawk Buteo magnirostris Common in the eastern lowlands.