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Trip
Basics North Peru is home
to a number of enigmatic birds, from the large number of Marañon endemics
and Tumbes specialties to almost mythical cloud forest species and
Amazonian diversity. This trip ventures into remote parts of the country
in search of many of these incredible birds.
Days: 22
Combines With: Lima
Pelagic (1 day), Central Peru
(15 days)
Traveling Conditions: This is one of our more difficult trips. Most
nights are in basic hotels, but many are spent camping. Expect long
drives, mostly pre-dawn but potentially also into the night occasionally.
The first part of the trip is on good roads, but this trip also visits
some of Peru's most remote areas, and the roads are, to be honest,
terrible. Food is generally either prepared in the field or bought in
small roadside restaurants. Be prepared for all this, but also for some of
Peru's best birding!
Itinerary
Day 1
We will start in the morning at Lomas de Lachay. This strange, dry landscape is home to three endemics; Cactus Canastero and Coastal and Thick-billed Miners as well as the near-endemic Greyish Miner. At this time of year, the desert is covered in a bloom of flowers and attracts Least Seedsnipe and Tawny-throated Dotterel in good numbers; we will be looking out particularly for another uncommon endemic - Raimondi’s Yellow-Finch. We will drive on to Trujillo for the night.
Day 2
An early morning start will get us to Rafan, where we will spend the morning searching the area for the rare endemics Peruvian Plantcutter and Rufous Flycatcher. Other birds we may expect in this dry, scrubby habitat include Peruvian Martin, Baird’s Flycatcher, Cinereous Finch, Necklaced Spinetail, Pacific Hornero and Tumbes Tyrannulet (split from Mouse-coloured). We will proceed
to the reserve of Bosque Pomac near the town of Batan Grande. This extensive protected area is another stronghold of Peruvian Plantcutter and other Tumbesian endemics are found here such as
White-edged Oriole and Collared Antshrike. Perhaps more interestingly the rare coastal Black-faced Ibis is found among cliffs in the reserve and the seldom seen Tumbes Swallow can be found along riverine vegetation. We drive on to spend the night in Olmos passing a roadside swamp which is a regular site for Spotted Rail and looking out for hawking Lesser Nighthawks on the road.
Day 3
White-winged Guan will be the main attraction this day, and we will have an outstanding chance of observing this species and many other Tumbes specialties such as Henna-Hooded Foliage-Gleaner, Ecuadorian Piculet, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, Red-masked Parakeet, White-tailed Jay, Short-tailed Woodstar and Tumbes Tyrant as well as Guayaquil Woodpecker and Black-tailed Trogon. Driving back we will pass through another area of desert scrub good for Tumbes Sparrow, Parrot-billed Seedeater, Collared Warbling-Finch and Saffron Finch. We will spend another night in Olmos.
Day 4
On the way to Jaen in the morning we pass by the now very degraded site of Abra Porculla and will stop to look for the rare endemic Piura
Chat-Tyrant as well as Elegant Crescentchest, Three-banded and Grey-and-gold Warblers, Chapman’s Antshrike, Ecuadorian Piculet and White-winged Brush-Finch. In the Jaen area, we will get our first taste of the Marañon specialties by driving out to the edge of town, once we have installed ourselves in the rather plush Hotel Prims, to look for Chinchipe Spinetail, Peruvian Slaty-Antshrike, Marañon Crescentchest, Spot-throated Hummingbird as well as some more widespread species such as Drab Seedeater and Dull-coloured Grassquit.
Day 5
An early morning start will allow us to mop up any missed birds and mount a concerted attempt to find
a very difficult Marañon endemic, the Marañon Spinetail. We will then drive on towards Bagua passing the small town of Chamaya near which we will look for the endemic Little Inca-Finch in roadside
desert scrub.
Day 6
After spending the night in Bagua we will leave very early to start the long drive down towards the very poorly known foothill forest of Urakusa - home of the near-mythical Orange-throated Tanager, a bird seen by very few birders. We will make many stops along this bumpy road since there is much excellent forest on the roadside where we will look for such species as Grey-breasted Sabrewing, Gilded Barbet, Spot-winged and Warbling Antbirds, Pygmy Antwren, White-breasted Wood-Wren, Chestnut-crowned Becard and Solitary Cacique amongst others. We will spend the night camping in the school building of the small town of El Paraiso.
Day 7
An early start will take us into Aguaruna Indian territory; a sensitive area, but with our local contacts we will be able to investigate the roadside forest and we have an excellent chance of observing the Orange-throated Tanager at Peña Blanca as well as a host of other outstanding species such as Fiery-throated Fruiteater, Blackish Peewee, Golden-headed Manakin, Black Bushbird, Purple-throated Cotinga, White Hawk, Red-necked Woodpecker and the rare, but here regular, Ecuadorian Cacique. We will again camp in the area for the night. Day 8
We'll spend this day birding the from El Paraiso towards Pomacohas. The
Orange-throated Tanager has been recorded from this stretch of road as
well, and many other birds such as Green-fronted Lancebill, Yellow-ridged
Toucan, Chestnut-crowned Becard and Opal-crowned Tanager. We'll spend the
night in a basic hotel in Pomacochas.
Foto: Ecoan 2005
Day 9
This morning we'll travel early to Pomacochas to search for the splendid and
threatened endemic
Marvelous Spatuletail. In the same area we may well find such excellent species as Silver-backed Tanager and Buff-bellied Tanager and the local and isolated race of Rufous-capped Antshrike as well as a host of hummingbirds such as Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Green-tailed Trainbearer and Collared Inca. After observing many good highland forest birds here we will head for Abra Patricia. This
outstanding area of temperate and subtropical forest holds many rare and spectacular species, not the least of which is the enigmatic Long-whiskered Owlet - a bird not that has not been seen without mist nets. It could now found by the side of the excellent
tarmac road that passes through the forest. While it is unlikely we will bump into the owlet, or the similarly mysterious Ochre-fronted Antpitta, we stand a much better chance of finding the rare Royal Sunangel and Bar-winged Wood-Wren along the same ridges. We will spend the day in the Abra Patricia area, where further possibilities are Orange-breasted Falcon, Rusty-tinged Antpitta, White-capped Tanager, White-collared Jay, Black-throated Tody-Tyrant and the newly described Lulu's Tody-Tyrant. We will camp for the night possibly on the surprisingly comfortable floor of the restaurant at the pass enabling us to make a very early start the next morning.
Day 10
We will again bird the road and a forest trail looking for flocks including
Yellow-scarfed, Metallic-green and Rufous-chested Tanager, Black-eared, Drab and Black-capped Hemispingus, Pearled Treerunner, Spotted Barbtail and Sierran Elaenia while paying particular attention for some of the rarer inhabitants of the forest such as Chestnut-crested Cotinga and Russet-mantled Softtail. A further stop at the owlet ridge may produce Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant before we head down the road to investigate the forest at around 1000m at Afluentes. This very different forest holds a completely
separate, but no less fascinating, bird community including such species as the rare and very
localized Ash-throated Antwren, Speckle-chested Piculet, Versicolored Barbet, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Black-mandibled Toucan, Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Andean
Cock-of-the-Rock, Huallaga Tanager, Plumbeous-crowned Tyrannulet and Yellow-crested Tanager and many others.
We'll again camp again for the night.
Day 11
After enjoying another morning's
birding in this fantastic area, we will head back up to the pass and towards the Marañon valley along the dry and dusty road to Leimebamba, looking out for Fasciated Tiger-Herons on the rocks along the river.
Day 12
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This morning we will head out of Leimebamba and search a small but excellent forest patch above the town for Russet-mantled Softtail, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Glowing Puffleg, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed
Hummingbird and Superciliaried Hemispingus. |
In the paramo above the forest Andean
Flicker and Curve-billed Tinamou could be
among the birds found, and in the bushes a host of smaller species such as Moustached Flowerpiercer, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant and Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant
occur. We will then descend into the spectacular Marañon valley and a much drier habitat searching for the endemic Buff-bridled Inca-Finch by the roadside. At the bottom of the valley a search in the oasis town of Balsas will hopefully reveal more Marañon endemics Peruvian Pigeon, Marañon Thrush and Yellow-faced Parrotlet, although the latter is more likely at Chagual later on. We continue to Hacienda El Limon where we will camp the night.
Day 13
This morning we will search for more Marañon endemics including the rare Grey-winged Inca-Finch, Chestnut-backed Thornbird and Buff-bellied Tanager as well as more widespread species such as Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Lesser Goldfinch and White-winged Black-Tyrant. On the way to Celendin for the night, we will look for Jelski’s Chat Tyrant and Andean Parakeets.
Day 14
Today we will need to spend most of our time driving as the next leg of the journey is long and hard and we will need to reach Cajamarca by midday so as to make good progress further south before camping on the way towards some outstanding birds. We will however bird at various stops on the road and the potential rewards in this poorly known area are very high with species such as White-tailed Shrike Tyrant and Grey-bellied Comet known from this region. Other birds we may encounter include Slender-billed Miner, Rusty-crowned Tit Spinetail, White-browed Ground Tyrant, Rufous-webbed Tyrant and Baron’s Spinetail.
Day 15
After an early start we continue on towards El Molino, the traditional site for the rare and little known
Purple-backed Sunbeam, before continuing on down once again into the Marañon valley to look for the very rare and only recently rediscovered Great Spinetail, which we stand a good chance of
seeing. We then continue down to Chagual at the bottom of the valley where a lunch break will allow us to look again for Peruvian Pigeon and Yellow-faced Parrotlet. We then climb out of the valley once again and drive on towards the mining village of Pataz where we spend the night in a simple hotel.
Day 16
This morning we will spend the morning searching the slopes above Pataz for Rufous-backed Inca-Finch and Black-necked Flicker. Depending on time we may climb higher to search for the endemic Brown-flanked Tanager but this is a long hike and we have a long road ahead. We will
continue on through mining country towards the town of Buldibuyo and, depending on the time of arrival we will either spend the night in a simple hotel in the town or continue on towards what will be one of our main highlights on this incredible trip the virtually unknown forest called La Montañita.
Day 17-18
Only a handful of birders have visited this extraordinary forest. Open Paramo breaks up into temperate forest further down the east slope where we will camp for 2-3 nights. Here along the side of a lake Coppery Metaltail is common, but the main prizes lie at the paramo/forest ecotone where the incredible Golden-backed Mountain-Tanager was first found here in 2000. This mind-blowing endemic is probably easier to find here than anywhere else although to get here independently is extremely difficult and with us you can be sure that a safe and trouble free exploration will begin. Other Carpish endemics here include the rare Bay-vented Cotinga and Rufous-browed Hemispingus and Pardusco can be expected. As well as these outstanding birds, Russet-mantled Softtail is common in bamboo as well as Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Striped Treehunter, Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher and Plush-capped Finch. In and around the forest many other excellent birds can be found including Swallow-tailed Nightjar, Undulated, Pale-billed and Rusty-tinged Antpittas, Large-footed and Neblina Tapaculos, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Yellow-scarfed Tanager, Mountain Cacique, Golden-headed Quetzal and Masked Trogon. There is still much to discover here, and we will find it hard to tear ourselves away from this magical spot.
Day 19
We will continue on towards Huancaspata and the long drive towards Yungay via Sihuas which will take us over the high puna and more very poorly known country. Our main target will be the northern form of Pale-tailed Canastero on this day of driving.
Day 20
High up above the town of Yungay, in Huascaran National Park, we will begin our exploration in the
Polylepis groves characteristic of the high Andean mountains. Here if we are lucky and there is fruiting mistletoe we may encounter the endemic White-cheeked Cotinga and possibly the even rarer Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant. More likely will be Stripe-headed Antpitta, Ancash Tapaculo, Blue-mantled Thornbills, Black Metaltail, D’Orbigny’s Chat Tyrant, Tit-like Dacnis, Black-throated and Moustached Flowerpiercer, Plain-breasted and Striated Earthcreepers, Rufous-eared Brush Finch and Giant Conebill. Lower down we will look for Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant, Smoky-brown Woodpecker and Shining Sunbeam and around the extraordinary lakes of Llanganuco we will search for Puna and Plain-capped Ground Tyrants, Andean Goose, Andean Ibis, Puna Teal and other waterbirds before descending through another
Polylepis patch where Plain-tailed Warbling-
Finch and Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant are regular. Andean Condor is a real possibility amidst the majestic snow-covered peaks here in the heart of the Cordillera Blanca. After a late lunch we will drive south through Huaraz and on towards the coast over the Cordillera Negra looking on the way for the endemics Green-headed Hillstar,
Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch and Canyon Canastero before heading on towards the small town of San Damian near which we will camp.
Day 21
At San Damian we will hike up into the dry hills above the town to seek a very rare bird indeed - the endemic and
threatened Russet-bellied Spinetail which is known from only four other sites. In this habitat other special birds include Great Inca-Finch, Piura Chat-Tyrant, Bay-crowned Brush-Finch, Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant, Streaked Tit-Spinetail and Amazilia Hummingbird. Andean Condor
and Andean Swifts could be seen overhead. At midday we will return towards the coast with lunch on the way and install ourselves into a comfortable hotel at the coastal town of Huarmey. In the afternoon we will drive the short distance to the coast passing some small lagoons on the way which hold many
waders such as Wilson’s Phalarope, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Least and Baird’s Sandpipers as well as the possibility of Great Grebe and the austral migrant Dark-faced Ground Tyrant. At the beach we will look for Blackish Oystercatcher and Peruvian Seaside Cinclodes and out in the ocean we will see many seabirds including possibly Humboldt Penguin, South American and Inca Terns, Red-legged and Guanay Cormorant, Peruvian Pelican, Peruvian Booby and Band-tailed and Grey Gulls, while on the return to Huarmey we will keep an eye out for Peruvian Thick-knee which can be found in good numbers here.
Day 22
On our return to Lima we will stop at the marshes of Ventanilla on the outskirts of the city to find some final new species for the trip including Wren-like Rushbird, Many-coloured Rush-Tyrant, American Oystercatcher, Whimbrel, Sanderling and other possible migrant birds which we may not have encountered at Huarmey.
Hotel is not included this night. |
