Birding Peru 5-17 August 2018 Lau Jia Sheng (Author), Ang Bao Jun Photo 1: Jon, the Rusty-Tinged Antpitta Introduction Chancing upon a reasonably priced birding trip to Columbia, it struck me that it was possible to realise my dream of visiting South America. After some discussion with Bao Jun, we decided to go for it because this may turn out to be our once-in-a-lifetime window of opportunity. This happened in end of May and within three months, we were birding in Peru, the land of the Incans and the land where the Amazon meets the Andes. The trip would not be possible without the service from Kolibri Expeditions (Email: [email protected]). Their offering of different multi-days short tours covering the entire country of Peru allowed us to put together an ambitious tour to cover the following in 13- days: (i) birding sites from both North and South Peru, (ii) Machu Picchu, which is one of the 7 New Wonders of the World, and (iii) varied habitats ranging from the sea-level Pacific coast to the dry hillslopes of the West Andes to the high-elevation (>4000m) punas of Andes to the cloud montane forest of the East Andes to the tropical Amazon hill forest. We wanted a trip of the lifetime and we certainly got it. No regrets. In total, we saw a total of 538 species of birds, including 58 species of hummingbirds, 17 species of parrots, 28 species of antbirds and allies, 5 species of antpittas, 72 species of flycatchers and allies, 5 species of manakins and 57 species of tanagers. Of which, 24 are endemics. A further 35 species were seen by our guides or heard only. Itinerary Day 1, 5 August 2018: Arrival at Lima Airport. Morning birding at La Punta district and boat trip to Palomino Islets. Afternoon flight to Cusco. Night at Ollantaytambo. Day 2, 6 August 2018: Visit Machu Picchu. Night at Ollantaytambo. Day 3, 7 August 2018: Early morning birding at Hotel Pakaritampu. Travel to Cock of the Rock Lodge with birding enroute. Night birding near Cock of the Rock. Lodge Night at Cock of the Rock Lodge. Day 4, 8 August 2018: Early morning visit to Cock of the Rock lek. Morning birding at Cock of the Rock Lodge. Travel to Amazonia lodge with birding enroute. Night at Amazonia Lodge. Day 5, 9 August 2018: Early morning visit to small parrot lek. Birding at Amazonia Lodge. Night birding at Amazonia Lodge. Night at Amazonia Lodge. Day 6, 10 August 2018: Early morning birding at Amazonia Lodge. Travel to Wayquecha Lodge with birding enroute. Night at Wayquecha Lodge. Day 7, 11 August 2018: Morning birding at Wayquecha Lodge. Travel to Cusco Airport with birding enroute. Flight to Tarapoto via Lima. Night at Tarapoto. Day 8, 12 August 2018: Morning birding at Aconabikh. Birding in the surroundings of Tarapoto. Travel to Wakanqi Lodge with birding enroute. Night birding at Wakanqi Lodge. Night at Wakanqi Lodge. Day 9, 13 August 2018: Morning birding at Wakanqi Lodge. Travel to Hotel Brisas with birding enroute. Night birding in the vicinity of Hotel Brisas. Night at Hotel Brisas. Day 10, 14 August 2018: Early morning birding at Huembo Lodge. Morning birding at San Lorenzo. Afternoon birding at Fundo Alto Nieva and Afluentes. Night birding at Fundo Alto Nieva. Night at Fundo Alto Nieva. Day 11, 15 August 2018: Morning birding at Owlet Lodge. Birding at white-sand montane forest. Night birding at Fundo Alto Nieva. Night at Fundo Alto Nieva. Day 12, 16 August 2018: Morning birding at Arena Blanca. Travel to Tarapoto Airport with birding enroute. Flight to Lima. Night at Lima. Day 13, 17 August 2018: Birding at Santa Eulalia. Depart from Lima Airport. Location and Habitats Lima and surrounding 1. La Punta District – Mudflats 2. Palomino Islets – Pelagic, Islands with nesting seabird colonies 3. Santa Eulalia – Arid montane valley of West Andes South Peru Tour 1. Machu Picchu – Montane forest of East Andes 2. Hotel Pakaritampu – Garden in the arid puna of East Andes 3. Acjanacu Pass – Remnant polylepis forest and dry puna of East Andes 4. Cock of the Rock Lodge – Submontane cloud forest of East Andes 5. Amazonia Lodge – Mixed Amazonian rainforest 6. Pillcopata – Low hill forest of East Andes 7. Wayquecha Lodge – Elfin forest and montane cloud forest of East Andes 8. Huacarpay Lake – Montane lake North Peru Tour 1. Aconabikh – Low hill forest of East Andes 2. Wakanqi Lodge – Hill forest of East Andes 3. Huembo Lodge – Arid puna of East Andes 4. San Lorenzo – Montane forest of East Andes 5. Fundo Alto Nieva – Montane white sand forest of East Andes 6. Owlet Lodge – Montane white sand forest of East Andes 7. Arena Blanca – Low hill forest of East Andes 8. Morro Calzada – Limestone forest of East Andes Detailed Day-to-Day Account Day 1, 5 August 2018: After spending 26 hours in the plane, we arrived in Lima with great excitement. The sun was nowhere to be seen – so was our guide. Fortunately, the birds were still active amidst the foggy weather. Our first bird for the trip was the West Peruvian Dove, which was common everywhere in the city, including the airport. Photo 2: Our first hummingbird of the trip. The beautiful Amazilia Hummingbird. Finally, our guide Alejandro picked us at the airport and took us to La Punta with a short stop for breakfast enroute. La Punta was a rich man’s estate with hundreds of yachts. Being near the sea and a short drive from the airport, it was a convenient place to give us a brief introduction to the coastal birds of Peru, a habitat that we will not cover for the rest of the trip. Key highlights were two cute-looking Franklin Gulls amongst a flock of Andean Gulls, a couple of Spotted Sandpipers and a fishing Peruvian Booby. In addition to the coastal birds, we saw our first hummingbird of the trip – the beautiful Amazilia Hummingbird. The sparkling green on the head and neck sides really dazzled even in the gloomy weather! The morning was not to be ended without the gorgeous Inca Tern and the iconic Humboldt Penguin. A short boat ride away, we found ourselves staring at guano-covered cliffs filled with thousands of seabirds, including the beautiful Red-Legged Cormorants, the Guanay Cormorants, Peruvian Boobies, Belcher’s Gulls, Kelp Gulls and our targets. Photo 3: (From left to right) A couple of Humboldt Penguins and the gorgeous Inca Tern Besides nesting seabirds, the Palomino Island is also famous for its South American Sealion colony and we were not disappointed. Literally, we saw an island of sealions. Photo 4: Sealions from the shoreline to the top of the island... How is this not an island of sealions? Photo 5: Guano-covered island filled with breeding seabirds. Apparently, all the earth on the island is from guano and those buildings were used previously by guano-collectors. Returning to the theme of birds, we were still missing our final target, the endemic Surf Cinclodes, a unique maritime passerine. Circling the islands, our boatman duly found us one cooperative individual who preferred to run rather than to fly around the rocks, out of our line of sight. More Inca Terns on our return journey rounded up our wonderful morning. Photo 6: The endemic Surf Cinclodes being chased by a large crab We rushed for our flight to Cusco but was still an hour late. This meant that the rest of the daylight hours was spent driving to Ollantaytambo from Cusco airport. We did not do any birding and had an early night rest instead. Dinner was a simple meal of alpaca and deep-fried guinea pig meats – nothing fanciful. Photo 7: (For left to right) Alpaca steak, deep-fried Guinea Pig and the famous Coca Tea made from the same raw ingredient as cocaine. Day 2, 6 August 2018: Photo 8: Aguas Calientes Catching the earliest train in the rain, we were on our way to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to the wonders of Machu Picchu. Aguas Calientes is a small tourist town of stone-walled shop houses, cobbled pathways and stone bridges, nestled in the midst of steep forested mountains. We can’t wait to see Machu Picchu. Photo 9: Gorgeous Andean Motmot! Unfortunately, it was raining and foggy. Our guide, Antonio, knowing better, brought us to do some birding along the railway tracks to wait out the rain and fog. We were duly rewarded with sightings of both Brown-Capped and Red-Eyed Vireos, a couple of Andean Motmots, a Beryl-Spangled Tanager, a juvenile Fasciated Tiger-Heron, a Variable Antshrike, which was our first encounter with a member of the antbird family, a Golden-Crowned Flycatcher, a pair of responsive Sclater’s Tyrannulets, a pair of Marble- Faced Bristle-Tyrants, a female Long-Tailed Sylph, a male Booted Racket-Tail and several endemic Green- and-White Hummingbirds, including one hovering in mid-air trying to catch some flies. The best bird though was a pair of beautiful Torrent Ducks seen swimming in the torrent under the torrential rain – no pun intended. Photo 10: Birding along the railway tracks Photo 11: Torrent Ducks in the middle of a torrent in a torrential rain As the rain was abating and the fog was clearing, we boarded the bus to Machu Picchu. We were overwhelmed. First, by the huge turnout of local tourists and second, by the sheer audacity of the architecture of Machu Picchu. This forgotten palace or temple or research center was literally built at the cliff’s edge and managed to survive the Spanish and time – simply unbelievable! Birds were few and we missed the endemic Inca Wrens but added the American Kestrel and our only White-Winged Black-Tyrant.