Peru Mega Birding Tour 30 th June to 28 th July 2019 (29 days)

Transcription

1 Peru Mega Birding Tour 30 th June to 28 th July 2019 (29 days) Long-whiskered Owlet by Dubi Shapiro

2 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 2 Peru is one of the most diverse and exciting birding destinations on the planet. The country hosts an abundance of highly sought-after endemic avifauna and this, combined with spectacular scenery and thriving local culture, makes for a very popular birding destination. This specially crafted tour covers a number of hot spots, targeting a large number of Peru s endemics and near endemics. We start with some birding around Lima we will kick off the tour with Humboldt Penguin, Peruvian Pelican, Peruvican Booby, Red-legged Cormorant and Inca Tern amongst many other seabirds and waterfowl. we then fly to Tumbes on the northern border with Ecuador to search for Pacific Royal Flycatcher, Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Tumbes Hummingbird, Rufousheaded Chachalaca, Elegant Crescentchest, Grey-backed Hawk, West Peruvian Screech Owl and Watkin s Antpitta. Driving south, we make our way to Quebrada Limon and Olmos, site of the Critically Endangered White-winged Guan, Red-masked Parakeet, Tumbes Swallow, Necklaced Spinetail, Tumbes Pewee, Baird s Flycatcher, White-headed and White-winged Brushfinch, White-tailed Jay and Tumbes Sparrow. We now start moving eastwards, climbing over the Abra Porculla pass to Jaen searching for Piura Chat- Tyrant, Line-cheeked Spinetail, Bay-headed Brushfinch and Little Inca Finch. Then we deliver one of the great highlights of any trip to Peru, the incredible Marvelous Spatuletail and Pale-billed Antpitta in a single day! We spend two full days in the brilliant and little known forests of Abra Patricia. Top bird species here include Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant, Royal Sunangel and the scarce White-capped Tanager, while in the fabulous Cloud forests we will target Long-whiskered Owlet, Lulu's Tody- Flycatcher, Coppery Metaltail, White-chinned Thistletail, Yellow-scarfed Tanager, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan and the elegant Swallow-tailed Nightjar. Departing Abra Patricia we head south east towards Tarapoto, birding near Arenas Blancas Preserve for such rarely seen species as Rufousbreasted Wood Quail and both Little and Cinereous Tinamou! A few hours at the nearby Morro de Calzada, offers another diverse range of species including Cinereous-breasted Spinetail, Black-billed Seed Finch and Pale-eyed Blackbird, Buckley s Forest Falcon, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Mishana Tyrannulet and the stunning Fiery-capped Manakins. We move our attention to the lowlands around Tarapoto, targeting the endemic Ash-throated Antwren, Grey-tailed Piha, Spot-winged Parrotlet and Sharpbill en route. A morning around Cordillera Escalera should be just enough time to find Dotted Tanager, the rare Koepke's Hermit and endemic Huallaga Tanager before we take an afternoon flight to the isolated city of Iquitos. Our time in Iquitos will be divided between Allpahuayo Mishana, Explornapo and Muyuna Lodge. With an area species list of over 600 species, we shall certainly have our hand full with an amazing volume of new species. While quite impossible to mention all the possible highlights, some of the major target species encompass Ancient Antwren, Allpahuayo Antbird, Iquitos Gnatcatcher, Wattled Curassow, Rufous and White-winged Potoo, Pompadour Cotinga, Northern Chestnut-tailed Antbird, Zimmer's Tody-Tyrant, Castelnau's Antshrike, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Zimmer's Woodcreeper and Blacknecked Red Cotinga, Dugand s Antwren, Pavonine Quetzal and Crested Eagle. Having filled our boots in Iquitos, we catch an afternoon flight back to Lima for a well-deserved rest, before heading to Cusco and the High Andes in following morning. Departing Cusco, we head for the famed Manu Road, dropping in at Lago Huacarpay for Rusty-fronted Canastero, Streak-fronted Thornbird and the prime target of the area; the gorgeous endemic Bearded Mountaineer. We climb to the highest parts of the Manu Road before descending the eastern Andean slopes and birding through

3 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 3 temperate zones and montane cloud forest, offering chances for an incredible variety of exceptional and endemic birds, including Cerulean-capped and Yungas Manakins, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, Blue-banded Toucanet, Spotted Barbtail, the outrageous Amazonian Umbrellabird, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Inca Flycatcher, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Golden-eyed Flowerpiercer and Peruvian Piedtail. We also visit an Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek site, where up to twenty males sometimes congregate, to watch the strange mating dance of these spectacular birds! With persistence, night birding in this area might yield the uncommon Napo and Rufescent Screech Owls, Rufous-banded Owl, Lyre-tailed Nightjar and possibly even Andean Potoo. As the tour reaches its conclusion, we head down the Rio Madre de Dios to the overwhelming Manu Wildlife Centre, one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world. From mobile towers, clay licks, oxbow lakes and bamboo forest to an extensive network of trails, there will be no boring moments ahead, spending several fabulous days in this avian wonderland. The number of star birds here is again mind-boggling, with over 560 species having been recorded here, with such stellar potentials as Rufousheaded Woodpecker, Manu Antbird, Elusive Antpitta, Razor-billed Curassow, Pale-winged Trumpeter, Pavonine Quetzal, Purus Jacamar, Sunbittern, Sungrebe and Agami Heron, to name but a few! Other wildlife abound, including 13 species of monkey and chances for Brazilian Tapir, Collared and Whitelipped Peccary, and even Jaguar! Our final day in Peru will be spent in the Urubamba Valley and the Abra Malaga pass, some 4,230m above sea level. We will spend our time targeting the polylepis forest specialties of the area including Andean Ibis, Andean Hillstar, Tawny and endemic White-breasted Tit-Spinetail, exhibitionist Stripeheaded Antpitta, endemic Junin Canastero, Puna Tapaculo, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, Blue-mantled Thornbill, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Red-rumped Bush Tyrant and Giant Conebill. In 2013 we released the Colombia: 1000 Bird Mega tour, promising to deliver over 1000 species in a matter of 30 days. Many wondered if this was even possible, but 30 days later and a trip list of 1017 proved it was very much possible! Can we find 1000 species in Peru on a single tour? Come along and help us find out.

4 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 4 THE TOUR AT A GLANCE MEGA ITINERARY Day 1 Arrivals in Lima Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Days 8 & 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14 Day 15 Day 16 Day 17 Day 18 Day 19 Day 20 Day 21 Day 22 Day 23 Day 24 Days 25 & 26 Day 27 Day 28 Day 29 Ventanilla Marshes, boat trip to Palamino Islands and transfer to Tumbes Tumbes Reserved Zone Tumbes Mangroves and transfer to Olmos Quebrada Limon area Abra Porculla and to Jaen Jaen and Pedro Ruiz to Huembo Abra Patricia area Arena Blancas Reserve to Moyobamba and Moro Calzada Moyobamba area to Tarapoto Cordillera Escalera and flight to Iquitos Allpahuayo Mishana and boat trip to Explornapo Explornapo Explornapo and boat trip to Iquitos Birding River Islands and travel to Muyuna Lodge Muyuna Lodge Muyuna Lodge to Iquitos for PM flight to Lima Flight to Cusco, afternoon birding at Huacarpay Lake Cusco to Upper Manu Road Upper Manu Road Mid Manu Road Mid Manu Road to Amazonia Lodge Amazonia Lodge to Manu Wildlife Centre Manu Wildlife Centre Manu Wildlife Centre to Porto Maldonado Flight to Cusco and travel to Ollantaytambo Abra Malaga Pass to Cusco and PM flight to Lima for departure

5 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 5 TOUR MAP THE TOUR IN DETAIL Day 1: Arrival in Lima. Today we arrive in Peru s capital city of Lima. A Rockjumper representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to our comfortable city hotel. If you have just arrived in Peru, do enjoy the fine afternoon views from Miraflores over the Pacific Coast. For those continuing onwards from the Ancash & Lima Extension, there will be time to freshen up and rest before we meet up for a welcome dinner this evening. Day 2: Ventanilla Marshes, boat trip to Palamino Islands and transfer to Tumbes. We will start our birding with a boat ride out to the Palomino Islands. This will be a great opportunity to see several seabirds that take advantage of the nutrient-rich cold water Humboldt current that runs up the coast of Peru. Humboldt Penguin will be the star of the show but we will also see gorgeous Red-legged and Guanay Cormorant, Peruvian Pelican, Peruvian Booby, Grey and Belcher s Gull and the absolutely stunning Inca Tern. The rocky shoreline may also give us views of our first of many endemics, the

6 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 6 Peruvian Seaside Cinclodes. While we will not be heading far enough offshore to see many tubenoses, we may be lucky enough to spot Elliott s Storm-petrel and Sooty Shearwater is a good bet. After this exciting start we will head to the Ventanilla Marsh, a well-known coastal wetland area just to the north of Lima that is teeming with birdlife. Here we can expect lots of waterfowl including Cinnamon Teal, White-cheeked Pintail, Andean Duck, White-tufted, Pied-billed and Great Grebes, Chilean Flamingo, Neotropic Cormorant, Great and Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Common Moorhen, Andean Coot, Black-necked Stilt, Killdeer, various wintering shorebirds, Greyhooded Gull and Black Skimmer, to name a few! Inca Tern by Clayton Burne The surrounding area should have Croaking Ground Dove, West Peruvian Dove, Blue-and-white Swallow, Peruvian Meadowlark and perhaps the newly split Peruvian Pipit. Reed-beds have Wren-liked Rushbird and the amazing Many-colored Rush Tyrant, while we will keenly scan around for the nocturnal and well-camouflaged Peruvian Thick-knee. We will then continue to the Lima airport to catch a flight north to Tumbes, a small city located just south of the Ecuadorian border. Day 3: Tumbes Reserved Zone. Much of the west coast of South America is arid, indeed it is one of the driest places on earth. But here in this far northwest corner of Peru, the desert gives way to a seasonally lush deciduous forest that is both highly threatened and packed full of localized endemic birds. We will spend the day birding the Tumbes Reserved Zone which protects one of the last large tracts of Tumbesian forest. Pacific Royal Flycatcher by Dušan Brinkhuizen During a very exciting day of birding today we will hope to see the rare Pacific Royal Flycatcher and if we are fortunate will watch it displaying its incredible crest. We will also scour the ground for movement which could alert us to the presence of a shy ground bird, such as Pale-browed Tinamou, Ochre-bellied Dove or Watkin s Antpitta. Amongst a host of other Tumbesian endemics possible today prime targets will be many and include Rufous-headed Chachalaca, Greybacked Hawk, Grey-cheeked Parakeet, Tumbes Hummingbird, Grey-breasted Flycatcher, Hennahooded Foliage-Gleaner, Blackish-headed Spinetail and Saffron Siskin. Other species of limited distribution that we hope to see in this action packed

7 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 7 day could include Blue Ground Dove, the impressive Guayaquil Woodpecker, cute Pacific Parrotlet, scarce Grey-capped Cuckoo, Violetbellied Hummingbird, colourful Ecuadorian Trogon, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Pacific Elaenia, Sooty-crowned Flycatcher, Slaty Becard, White-tailed Jay, Fasciated Wren, Greyand-gold Warbler, Black-capped Sparrow and White-edged Oriole. There is also an isolated population of Mantled Howler Monkey surviving in this undisturbed area and we may hear or see them. Night birding in the area could result in views of Peruvian Screech Owl and Peruvian Pygmy Owl although the latter species is perhaps more likely to be seen during the day! White-tailed Jay by Adam Riley Day 4: Tumbes Mangroves and transfer to Olmos. This morning we will bird the Tumbes mangroves. Quietly moving through this coastal forest we may be fortunate to see a shy Rufous-necked Wood Rail, one of the specialties of the area. Another possibility is Bare-throated Tiger Heron here at a remote southern outpost for the species. Our lists will certainly continue to grow with a good diversity of herons, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill along with Magnificent Frigatebird and Brown Pelican. It is one of the only sites in Peru for the endearing Masked Water-Tyrant and we should also see the lovely Mangrove Warbler. From Tumbes we will drive south to Olmos to continue our explorations of the Tumbesian region. Day 5: Quebrada Limon area. This morning we will head up into the rocky canyon called Quebrada Limon and have another day birding for the Tumbesian endemics. The star bird here is White-winged Guan. This spectacular cracid was feared to have gone extinct but was rediscovered in Quebrada Limon protects a small but viable population of this critically endangered bird that is thought to have a world population of little more than 200 individuals. Seeing this bird will certainly be the highlight of our day s birding, but there is much more to see here as well! White-winged Guan by Adam Riley We will have a chance at catching up with some of the specialties we may have missed at the Tumbes Reserved Zone and will look for an exciting bunch of new ones as well such as Red-masked Parakeet, the little known Tumbes Swallow, Necklaced Spinetail, beautiful Elegant Crescentchest, Grey-and-white Tyrannulet, Baird s Flycatcher, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, White-headed and White-winged Brushfinches, Tumbes Sparrow and in particular this area is good for the stunning Tumbes Tyrant.

8 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 8 Day 6: Abra Porculla and to Jaen. Today we will embark on one of the most scenic drives of the tour, though we will enjoy several lovely journeys as we cross high passes and plummet into deep valleys over the course of this month. However, the drive over Abra Porculla, dropping down to Jaen in the depths of the Maranon Valley, is an impressive one! We have some very important birding along the way as well, searching for endemics and other species particular to elevations above 1600m on West Andean slopes of Tumbesia. The most important species of the day is certainly the Piura Chat- Tyrant, which is incredibly range-restricted, though Black-crested Tit-Tyrant is undoubtedly a Marañon Crescenchest by Dubi Shapiro very close runner-up, given its plumage and charismatic nature. Other species we will seek out include the porculla race of Grey-chinned Hermit, which is almost certainly a species unto its own, Line-cheeked and Chapman s Antshrikes, Three-banded and Grey-and-gold Warblers, Bay-crowned Brushfinch, Highland Elaenia and many others! Once we cross the pass and begin our descent towards Jaen, the habitat will change dramatically. As we near Jaen, we shall begin birding the road to Chirinos looking for as many Lower Maranon Valley endemics as we can. Though some deforestation has occurred, this road is still the best site for the skulking Maranon Spinetail, which can be extremely difficult elsewhere. Numerous additional fine birds will keep us busy while searching out the spinetail, including Military Macaw, Green-backed Becard to Purple-throated Euphonia, to name just a tiny handful. Day 7: Jaen and Pedro Ruiz to Huembo. Some of the more prominent species we are searching for include Chincipe Spinetail (currently a sub-species of Necklaced, but a good species if ever there was one), the Maranon form of Northern Slaty Antshrike, Tataupa Tinamou, Red-crested Finch, and if we have time to scour some of the rice fields and local irrigated fields, we might even find Spotted Rail or Paint-billed Crake! We might head out this evening for a spot of owling, where we may find West Peruvian Screech Owl or Anthony s Nightjar. Pale-billed Antpitta by Rob Williams There is only one way to describe today: Marvelous Spatuletail day!!! It is hard to say anything more because nothing can top viewing these stunning, unique birds in full. We will likely view the males from the very site that the BBC film crew captured the iconic footage we have no doubt all enjoyed. The afternoon will then be spent seeking out several elfin/high-temperate forest species at a new site for both Pale-billed Antpitta and Violetthroated Starfrontlet, two stonkingly good birds that can only be found on very few mountaintops in far northern

9 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 9 Peru. Other species will abound in this lush forest and we hope to encounter a few of the following: Speckle-faced Parrot, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Inca Flycatcher, Redhooded and Grass-green Tanagers as well as Large-footed Tapaculo. We will have access to similar forest the following day, though this is our best chance for the two headline species mentioned above. Days 8 & 9: Abra Patricia area. We have the next two full days to thoroughly explore the Abra Patricia area, home of some of the least Marvelous Spatuletail by Dubi Shapiro known of Peruvian birds. We will be hoping for mixed bird flocks that should contain radiant Straw-backed, Blue-browed and Metallic-green Tanagers, Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Spotted and Rusty-winged Barbtails and the newly described Lulu s Tody-Flycatcher (Tody-Tyrant). We will be birding several altitudinal zones between 1,000 and 2,200m (3,300 to 7,200 ft) and along the way, we hope to encounter the difficult and endangered Ash-throated Antwren as well as Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant, endemic Bar-winged Wood Wren, Equatorial Greytail, White-capped and Scaly-naped Parrots, the stunning Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Crimsonmantled Woodpecker, Montane Woodcreeper and the outrageous, but scarce, White-capped Tanager. During this time, with some persistence, we also hope see the endemic Ochre-fronted and Rusty-tinged Antpittas as well as Yellow-scarfed and Blue-browed Tanager the list of possibilities seems endless! Our list will certainly grow as we sift through the various habitats and other birds we will be looking out for include Long-tailed Antbird, Golden-faced, Sulphur-bellied and Ecuadorian Tyrannulets, Barred and Scaled Fruiteaters, perhaps the spectacular Andean Cock-of-the-rock, endemic Fine-barred Piculet, Barred Becard, the very scarce Lanceolated Monklet, Sepia-brown Wren and, in addition, we will also search for a newly described species related to Bicolored Antvireo. We won t ignore night birds either and will work after dark to find goodies such as Rufous-banded Owl, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk and Cinnamon Screech Owl. This is also the type locality for Long-whiskered Owlet, which has become regular of late! We stand a good chance of finding this bizarre and tiny endemic that, until 2011, was virtually unknown. Yellow-scarfed Tanager by Dubi Shapiro Day 10: Arena Blancas Reserve to Moyobamba and Moro Calzada. Our first stop this morning will be will be at the Arenas

10 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 10 Blancas Preserve not far from Aguas Verdes. Owned by a former logger turned conservationist, this is probably the best site worldwide to locate some incredibly tricky voices. Rufous-breasted Wood Quail will be at the top of our priority list, while Little and Cinereous Tinamous make up a trilogy of species far more frequently heard than seen. With the aid of seed feeders, we stand a very good chance of getting fabulous visuals of these species. We shall continue to bird the surrounds for the remainder of the morning, possibly adding other such mouthwatering species as Speckle-chested Piculet, Bamboo Foliage-gleaner, Lined Antshrike, Rufous-winged, Yellow-breasted and Creamy-bellied Antwrens, Spectacled Bristle Tyrant, Plumbeous-crowned and Ecuadorian Tyrannulets, Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater, Redshouldered, Huallaga and Vermilion Tanagers and tonnes more! Lulu s Tody-Flycatcher by Clayton Burne We plan to spend the late afternoon at Morro de Calzada, which offers another completely new set of birds! Species of the scrub at Calzada may include Cinereousbreasted Spinetail, Black-billed Seed Finch and Pale-eyed Blackbird, while the forests could turn up Buckley s Forest Falcon, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Mishana Tyrannulet, White-bellied Pygmy Tyrant and the stunning Fiery-capped and Western Striped Manakins! Given such an elevation range, the species listed here represent less than one-fortieth of the birds in the area so we must remain on our toes for whatever might turn up! This is still an exciting area for discovery where new sites for rare species, as well as actual new species, are still being found by researchers on a regular basis. Today s motto should perhaps be this: Expect the unexpected! Day 11: Moyobamba area to Tarapoto. We have the morning to bird Quebrada Misquiyacu, a littleknown site home to endemic Ash-throated Antwren. This site has an assortment of species particular to the base of the eastern Andes and we are in for a real treat. Grey-tailed Piha, Spot-winged Parrotlet, Sharpbill, Green and Blue-rumped Manakins, Chestnut-throated Spinetail and Foothill Antwren are just a tiny fraction of the species that are possible here! All we have to hope for is good weather, and we will be seeing some of the most desired foothill species in the entire Peruvian Andes. Sharpbill by Rich Lindie Sometime will be spent at our lodge s hummingbird feeders, and indeed over 25 species have been recorded here - it really is armchair birding at its best. Rufous-crested Coquette is certainly one of the numerous highlights here, as is White-chinned Sapphire, Black-throated and

11 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 11 Great-billed Hermits, Black-throated Mango and Greybreasted Sabrewing. We shall also stretch our legs around the garden, where we may find the localised endemic Mishana Tyrannulet. In the afternoon, we shall head to Tarapoto. Day 12: Cordillera Escalera and flight to Iquitos. The Cordillera Escalera is a forested ridge north of Tarapoto, and the last outlying ridge before the Amazonian lowlands. This ridge is home to some very localised species such as the endemic Koepcke s Hermit and the very recently found Plumbeous Euphonia (seen on a previous Rockjumper tour here led by Rob Williams). We also have a good chance of finding White-tipped Swift, White Hawk, Yellow-bellied & Dotted Tanagers, Red-stained Woodpecker, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo, Blackish Pewee, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Cliff Flycatchers and Blue-crowned Manakin. The lower elevations in the area have more classic Amazonian avifauna and we will work our way over the ridge trying to find a good range of species from the Amazon too. Leaving the Andes behind for now, we will fly down to Iquitos where we will be entering another ornithological wonderland the seemingly limitless lowland rain forests of the Amazonian basin. Rufous Potoo by Dušan Brinkhuizen Day 13: Allpahuayo Mishana and boat trip to Explornapo. The tour notches up to another gear as we now start birding in the most bird-rich habitat on Earth. We will start out not far from the city of Iquitos at the Allpahuayo Mishana Nature Reserve. It protects a parcel of white-sand forest and the extreme endemism within this unique habitat was only fairly recently discovered prompting this reserve to be established. We will make and early start in the hopes of seeing two rare and beautiful nocturnal species, the Rufous and the very difficult White-winged Potoos. During this morning s birding we will be searching in particular for those species that were discovered here at this very site: Iquitos Gnatcatcher, Mishana Tyrannulet, Allpahuayo Antbird and Ancient Antwren. Other highly localized species that we will be targeting this morning include the stunning Pompadour Cotinga, Brownbanded Puffbird, Northern Chestnut-tailed Antbird, Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin, Orange-crested Manakin, Zimmer s Tody-Tyrant, Citron-bellied Attila, Cinnamon-crested Spadebill and Yellow-throated Flycatcher plus the Camparina Flycatcher, a possibly undescribed species. Pompadour Cotinga by Dušan Brinkhuizen After this exciting start to our Amazonian birding, we will return to Iquitos and board our boats to head along the mighty Amazon River as we travel to our lodge. Along the river we may see Large-billed and Yellow-

12 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 12 billed Terns and will keenly scan the water for the two species of river dolphin found here: the Tucuxi and the amazingly pinkcoloured Amazon River Dolphin. We will arrive in the afternoon to our comfortable lodge and make the most of any daylight we have left! Once darkness descends we can head out in search of Northern Tawny-bellied Screech Owl, Crested Owl, Long-tailed Potoo and the area even boasts a slim chance at the mythical Nocturnal Currasow. Day 14: Explornapo. With the better part of two days to explore this renowned birding area, we are in for a couple of our most action Paradise Tanager by Dušan Brinkhuizen packed days here. There are nearly 600 species known from this small area more than most countries! and we are going to be inundated with new species. The key to experiencing the bird diversity here is sampling trails in both of the two main habitat types, the seasonally flooded Varzea forest and the higher and drier (and more hilly) Terra firme forests. Another must is spending time on the 500 meter long canopy walkway which will get us the eye level views of those canopy loving species that we normally have to crane our necks to 100 feet or more to glimpse from below! With the characteristic song of the Screaming Piha as our soundtrack, we will head out in search of some of the most elusive but also most-wanted birds in the forest around Explornapo including the imposing Crested Eagle, Pavonine Quetzal, the triking Black-necked Red Cotinga, the shy Ochre-striped Antpitta and the canopy-loving Dugand s Antwren. With such a staggering bird list here it is impossible to list more than a few of the possible highlights but these could include Rufous Motmot, Collared and Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Lanceolated Monklet, Paradise, Purplish, Great and Yellow-bellied Jacamar, Ivory-billed and Many-banded Aracari, Golden-collared Toucanet, Channel-billed and White-throated Toucans, a variety of parrots including Red-andgreen Macaw, Black-headed Parrot and Orangewinged Amazon, a slew of colourful tanagers such as Paradise, Turquoise, Opal-rumped and Opalcrowned, Black-faced, Yellow-bellied and Blue Dacnis, Green, Short-billed and Purple Honeycreeper, Lawrence s Thrush (arguably the world s greatest mimic) and the beautiful Spangled and Purple-throated Cotinga. Black-necked Red Cotinga by Dušan Brinkhuizen Manakins are always a favorite and these forest is particularly rich for that group with species including Golden-headed, Wire-tailed, Bluecrowned and Blue-backed. We are likely to run into some mixed feeding flocks that will contain up to 50 species in a single flock with many of the aforementioned species joining a dazzling array of

13 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 13 woodcreepers, antwrens, antbirds and flycatchers! We will also be alert for an armyant swarm which can lead us to sightings of a number of the obligate swarm followers such as the incredible White-plumed Antbird, Bicolored Antbird and the beautiful Reddish-winged and Black-spotted Bare-eyes. We can even dream of seeing the near mythical Red-billed Ground Cuckoo in such situations. Day 15: Explornapo and boat trip to Iquitos. No two days of birding are alike here and spending most of the day birding here, our list will be equally varied but completely different to the previous days. After spending much of the day on the trails, we will return downstream to Iquitos for the night. Black spotted Bare-eye by Dubi Shapiro Day 16: Birding River Islands and travel to Muyuna Lodge. We depart Iquitos this morning heading to the comfortable Muyuna Lodge on the Rio Yanacayu. Travel time is somewhat dependent on the river level, but is typically in the order of 3 ½ hours. We will bird en route, seeing a number of commoner and widespread species such as Capped and White-necked Herons, Greater Yellow-headed and King Vultures, Western Osprey, Roadside Hawk, Black Caracara, Black Skimmer, Collared Plover, Neotropical Palm Swift, Ringed, Amazon and Green Kingfishers and various macaws and parrots overhead. After settling in to our lodge, we shall head out and bird the immediate surrounds where we may find the gorgeous Collared Puffbird, Silvered Antbird, Bluecrowned Trogon, White-throated Toucan, Varzea Schiffornis, Rufous-capped Nunlet, Grey-chested Greenlet, Scaled Spinetail, Orange-fronted Plushcrown, Slatecoloured Hawk, Sungrebe, Short-tailed Parrot, Festive Amazon and Red-and-white Spinetail. We may also be particularly lucky to find a family group of Pygmy Marmoset, the New World s smallest primate. This evening we will head out for a spot of owling, where we are sure to find a selection of interesting nocturnal species such as Spectacled Owl, Great and Common Potoos, Ladder-tailed Nightjar or Paraque. Collared Puffbird by Clayton Burne Day 17: Muyuna Lodge. We have a full day to bird the Varzea forest around Muyuna Lodge. This lodge is now famous as the best place to see Wattled Currasow, although it will take some hard work to see this impressive cracid. We will of course rack up another huge list of birds today with many possibilities including elusive Zigzag Heron, Boat-

14 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 14 billed Heron, Rufous-capped Nunlet, Rufous-necked Puffbird, Blue-cheeked Jacamar, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Long-billed Woodcrepper, striking Point-tailed Palmcreeper, localized Black-tailed Antbird, Bare-necked Fruitcrow, Saturnine Antshrike. Blue-chinned Sapphire, Rose-fronted Parakeet, Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Slender-billed Xenops, Amazonian Antshrike and Grey-chested Greenlet amongst so many more. Day 18: Muyuna Lodge to Iquitos for PM flight to Lima. After some final birding in the Amazonian lowlands (for now!) we will return to Iquitos by boat and then connect with a flight to Lima, where we will spend the night. Day 19: Flight to Cusco, afternoon birding at Huacarpay Lake. We leave the Pacific coast of Peru behind today and fly to Cusco, the historical Incan capital city of Peru perched some 3,382 lung-busting metres above sea level. While construction of the city was started by the indigenous Killke culture, it is the building by the Inca and consequent destruction by the Spanish that the city is best known for. Since 1200CE, the Inca lived here and enhanced the city for more than 300 years. The arrival of the Andean Hillstar by Dubi Shapiro Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro spelt the end of Cuzco, for despite re-naming it the Very noble and great city of Cuzco, the Spanish pulled most of the stone down and re-constructed the city in their own light. A strong earthquake in 1950 toppled many of the Spanish constructions, while the original Incan walls remained intact - some testament not only to the beauty of the architecture but also its incredible design. This afternoon, we shall drive through Cusco and spend the afternoon around the scenic Huacarpay Lake. The lake is surrounded by both Incan and pre-incan ruins, and we will have time to look for a wide variety of high Andean waterfowl. These include Puna, Yellow-billed and Cinnamon Teals, Yellowbilled Pintail, Andean Duck, Silvery Grebe, Andean Coot and many other wetland-associated species. We will also search the surrounding reed beds for the furtive Wren-like Rushbird, beautiful Manycolored Rush Tyrant, Yellow-winged Blackbird, Puna Ibis and Andean Negrito, to name just some of our targets. The seemingly barren arid scrub that covers the surrounding hillsides is loaded with birds, and we will search for the endemic Rusty-fronted Canastero, Streak-fronted Thornbird and the prime target of the area; the gorgeous endemic Bearded Mountaineer feeding in the yellow flowers of tobacco bushes. While the mountaineer is sometimes tricky to find, it is often associated with the larger Creamy-crested Spinetail by Clayton Burne Giant Hummingbird, Green-tailed

15 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 15 Trainbearer, Greenish Yellow Finch, Blue-and-yellow Tanager and Peruvian, Ash-breasted and Mourning Sierra Finches. We may also encounter some raptors, including the lovely Aplomado Falcon, Cinereous Harrier, Variable Hawk and the larger Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle. Day 20: Cusco to Upper Manu Road. This morning we leave the scenic splendour of Cusco and the Urubamba Valley and head for the famed Manu Road. Along the way, we will make selected stops along the inner-montane valleys searching for some very localised endemics. Our first stop is likely to be at a site for the endemic Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch should we not already have seen it, though we will also be watching for the high-altitude Andean Hillstar, Black-throated Flowerpiercer, Chiguanco Thrush and Kalinowski s Chat-Tyrant by Clayton Burne the endemic Creamy-crested Spinetail if required. After a good morning's birding and a fair amount of driving, we shall reach Acjanacu, the last Andean mountain pass where Andean Condors can sometimes be seen cruising high above. If the weather is clear, it may be possible to look out from this final range of the Andes, over the infinite expanse of the Amazon basin stretching into the distance. Doubtlessly, the Incas also stood in this same place in ancient times worshipping the sun rising over the endless rainforest. Birding the roadside scrub might yield Scribble-tailed and Line-fronted Canasteros as well as Puna Tapaculo. In the late afternoon, we will begin birding through the upper limits of the eastern slopes, before gradually working our way down the eastern edge of the Andes during the next few days. Here the forest becomes more contiguous than in the highlands, as we make our way to our idyllically located cloud forest lodge perched at almost 2,800m (9,000 feet) above sea level. In the evening, we will have the opportunity to search for the exquisite Swallow-tailed Nightjar, Yungas Pygmy Owl and perhaps even White-throated Screech Owl. Tit-like Dacnis by Rob Williams Day 21: Upper Manu Road. Breakfast this morning will greet us with a varied dawn chorus that may include the endemic Redand-white Antpitta. Beginning from our lodge, some of the birds we will set out searching for this morning are the recently described Diademed Tapaculo, Moustached Flowerpiercer, Tit-like Dacnis, Goldencollared Tanager and Puna Thistletail. We will spend most of the day birding through lush forest seeking out mixed feeding flocks that are sure to contain a variety of tanagers, flycatchers and furnarids (ovenbirds),

16 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 16 including Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, White-collared Jay and Southern Mountain Cacique. Grass-green Tanager, Hooded Mountain Tanager, Black-throated Tody- Tyrant, Barred Fruiteater and both Whitebanded and White-throated Tyrannulets, to name just a few of the possibilities. Some of the scarcer denizens of the forest here include Peruvian Treehunter, Golden-plumed Parakeet, Kalinowski s Chat-Tyrant and Greater Scythebill. After lunch, we will continue birding downhill, heading towards our lodge for the Golden-collared Tanager by Dubi Shapiro next two nights. As we move down the littletravelled forested road to lower elevations (approaching 1,600m / 5,000 ft), we will be keeping an eye out for White-rumped Hawk, Trilling Tapaculo, Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Andean Guan, Scaly-naped Amazon, Crimson-mantled and Bar-bellied Woodpeckers, the endemic Marcapata Spinetail, Whitethroated Antpitta, Band-tailed Fruiteater, Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher, Barred Becard, Pale-footed Swallow, Mountain Wren and Citrine Warbler. This area also supports a wide variety of dazzling hummingbirds such as Collared Inca, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Amethystthroated Sunangel, Purple-backed Thornbill, Scaled Metaltail and White-bellied Woodstar. We can expect to arrive at our lodge in the late afternoon. It offers only basic candle and lantern lighting at night, but more than makes up for this with a pleasant dining area and exquisite lounge overlooking fantastic hummingbird and fruit feeding stations. The mammal front may also get a boost here, with Brown Capuchin Monkey and Tayra both possible, the latter often arriving at night to pick through fruit scraps from the feeding station. Day 22: Mid Manu Road. Our lodge is situated in the pristine cloud forest of the mountains of Manu, only a few minutes walk from a spectacular Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek site. Furnished with comfortable blinds from which to observe these vibrant birds during their incredible dawn mating rituals, you should be sure to bring you camera and a spare battery or two. An adjoining trail system enables us to see right into the cloud forest understory where skulkers abound, including Chestnut-breasted Wren, Scaled Antpitta, Rufous-breasted and Short-tailed Antthrushes, Slaty Gnateater and the endemic Cerulean-capped Manakin. The surrounding area also allows for views of several spectacular waterfalls as well as a plethora of beautiful orchids, with at least 80 species recorded in the lodge vicinity alone! Rufous-capped Thornbill by Clayton Burne We will take the time to concentrate on the different altitudinal zones, spanning from 2,500m to 1,500m (7,700

17 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 17 to 4,600 ft). Among the many species on offer here, we will be searching intently for White-rumped Hawk, Montane Solitary Eagle, Rufous-capped Thornbill, both Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, Masked Trogon, Andean Motmot, Black-streaked Puffbird, the charismatic Blue-banded Toucanet, Olive-backed and Montane Woodcreepers, Spotted Barbtail, Montane Foliagegleaner, the outrageous Amazonian Umbrellabird, Uniform and Variable Antshrikes, scarce Chestnutcrested Cotinga, Scaled Fruiteater, Bolivian Tyrannulet, the endemic Inca Flycatcher, Yungas Manakin, Whitethroated Spadebill, Fulvous-breasted Flatbill, Saffroncrowned Tanager, Yellow-rumped and Slaty Antwrens, Golden-eyed Flowerpiercer and the endemic Peruvian Piedtail. With persistence, night birding in this area might yield the uncommon Napo and Rufescent Screech Owls, Rufous-banded Owl, Lyre-tailed Nightjar and possibly Andean Potoo. Golden-tailed Sapphire by Rob Williams Day 23: Mid Manu Road to Amazonia Lodge. Waking up to the songs of Andean Solitaire and Paradise Tanager, we will spend the day slowly birding down to about 1,500 ft. (500 m). The upper tropical zone forest we will be passing through today has sadly disappeared from much of the Andean slopes in South America because of its suitability for cash crops such as tea, coffee and coca, but in this part of Peru the forest remains virtually untouched. Some of the birds we will be searching for in this specialized habitat include Rufous-breasted Wood Quail, Plum-crowned Parrot, Chestnut-collared Swift, Three-striped and Three-banded Warblers, Long-tailed Sylph, the scarce Lanceolated Monklet, Versicolored Barbet, Russet Antshrike, Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulet, Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant, Fulvous-breasted Flatbill, Olive-tufted and Golden-crowned Flycatchers, Dusky-green Oropendola, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, White-winged Tanager and the striking Yellow-throated Bush Tanager. A short boat ride across the Madre de Dios River takes us to our comfortable lodge in the foothills of the Amazon. This evening we shall head out for an owling session, possibilities include Mottled and Black-banded Owls, Tawny-bellied Screech Owl and Great, Long-tailed and Common Potoos. Black-banded Owl by Rob Williams Day 24: Amazonia Lodge to Manu Wildlife Centre. We have a morning to explore the surroundings of our family run, converted tea hacienda. The lodge is situated in the transitional zone between the foothills of the Andes and the flat lowlands of the Amazon Basin proper, and boasts an almost unbelievable bird list of over 550 species! Numerous butterfly bushes often attract a variety of hummingbirds including the attractive Rufous-crested Coquette, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Western Emerald, Black-eared Fairy and Black-bellied Thorntail.

18 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 18 While the avian possibilities are enormous, some specific species we will searching for include Black-capped Tinamou, Blackish Rail, Wattled Guan, Military and Blue-headed Macaws, Pheasant Cuckoo, the endemic Koepcke s Hermit, Rufous-webbed Brilliant, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Fine-barred Piculet, Red-billed Scythebill, Dark-breasted Spinetail, Bamboo Foliage-gleaner, Bamboo and Chestnut-backed Antshrikes, Amazonian and Thrush-like Antpittas, Rusty-belted Tapaculo, Mottle-backed Elaenia, Red-billed Tyrannulet, Johannes s Tody-Tyrant, Yellow-browed and Black-backed Tody-Flycatchers, Ornate Flycatcher, Cuzco Warbler, the rare Buckley s Forest Falcon, Black-faced Dacnis, and Bandtailed, Fiery-capped and Round-tailed Manakins. Round-tailed Manakin by Dubi Shapiro As the day begins to warm, we will make our way down the Alto Madre de Dios River in our motorized roofed canoes on a long but exciting journey to its confluence with the Manu River, and onwards to the very comfortable Manu Wildlife Center. Along the journey we will have the opportunity to see riverside species such as Pied and Collared Plovers, Fasciated Tiger Heron, the eye-catching Orinoco Goose and both Large-billed and Yellow-billed Terns. Overhead we might see several species of macaws and parrots as well as the possibility of numerous lowland raptors. Our outstanding lodge is situated in the heart of pristine Amazonian habitat absolutely teeming with wildlife and swarming with birds, and we have an two full days based at the Manu Wildlife Centre, offering us an incredible chance to explore this remarkable area supporting the highest diversity of life on Earth! Days 25 & 26: Manu Wildlife Centre. The fabulous Manu Wildlife Centre is undoubtedly one of the world s greatest wilderness preserves. Over 13 species of monkey occur here, Giant River Otter still survives in the oxbow lakes and over 1000 bird species have been recorded! White-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher by Clayton Burne Our lodge is situated just upriver from the Blanquillo Macaw Lick, and one morning we will take time to visit this site and observe the spectacle of hundreds of colourful parrots and macaws at close quarters from the camouflage of a wellsituated blind. Here we will see the beautiful Orange-cheeked Parrot, hundreds of Blue-headed Parrots and also Mealy and Yellow-crowned Amazons. Other visitors include White-eyed and Cobalt-winged Parrotlets. Later on we will also visit the large mammal lick in the forest, which

19 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 19 apart from attracting the rare Brazilian Tapir, Collared and White-lipped Peccaries and maybe even Jaguar, allows us to watch for equally attracted guans, curassows and chachalacas, as well as Painted and Black-capped Parakeets and Dusky-billed Parrotlet. The extensive trail system in this area has been designed to offer access to the many diverse forest types in the Amazon, and we will gradually work our way along these trails thoroughly birding each unique habitat as we go. These include extensive varzea, large stands of bamboo, tierra firme, and mature transitional floodplain forest. The combination of these habitats supports a mind-boggling variety of birdlife. Ornithological investigations suggest that this area holds more bird species than anywhere else in the world! There is also a wonderful canopy observation tower accessed by a spiralling metal stairway where we will spend considerable time watching canopy flocks, which could include Sclater s Antwren, Chestnut-winged and Lineated Foliage-gleaners, Three-striped Flycatcher, Red-billed Pied Tanager and Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak, as well as a Rufous-headed Woodpecker by Dubi Shapiro multitude of other tanager, dacnis and honeycreepers species. In dense stands of bamboo we will specifically target the difficult Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Flammulated Bamboo Tyrant, Whitecheeked Tody-Flycatcher, Dusky-cheeked and Brown-rumped Foliage-gleaners, amazing Peruvian Recurvebill, Large-headed and Dusky-tailed Flatbills, the scarce Rufous-fronted Antthrush, White-lined and Striated Antbirds, Ihering s and Ornate Antwrens and, of course, the quintessential Manu Antbird. Some of the scarcer forest species we will be actively searching for include Bartlett s Tinamou, Razor-billed Curassow, Pale-winged Trumpeter, Sunbittern, the littleknown Elusive Antpitta, Pavonine Quetzal, Purus Jacamar, Striolated and Collared Puffbirds, Rufous-capped Nunlet, Cream-colored Woodpecker, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Ruddy Spinetail, Plain Softtail, Eastern Woodhaunter, Sclater s Antwren, Banded and White-throated Antbirds, Ashthroated Gnateater, Black-spotted Bare-eye, Black-faced Cotinga, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, White-bellied Tody- Tyrant, Amazonian Royal Flycatcher, Musician Wren and Pale-eyed Blackbird, to name just a few! Pale-winged Trumpeter by Dubi Shapiro We will also visit several ox-bow lakes where we will seek out water-associated birds including the bizarre Hoatzin, secretive Sungrebe, Large-billed Seed Finch, Silvered and Band-tailed Antbirds, the rarely recorded Agami Heron, Amazonian

20 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 20 Streaked Antwren, elusive Rufous-sided and Greybreasted Crakes and, with a little luck, we may even find one of the two Giant Otter families that reside in the area. Night birding can be productive and we have a chance at Long-tailed, Great and Common Potoos, Amazonian Pygmy Owl, Spectacled Owl, Ocellated Poorwill and Silky-tailed Nightjar. Day 27: Manu Wildlife Centre to Porto Maldonado. We will set out early today on our river journey towards Puerto Maldonado, giving us another opportunity to enjoy parrot flocks and riverside birds as we voyage along the Madre de Dios River through pristine forest. Our journey down the Madre de Dios takes us to the town of Boca Colorado, affording us a great chance to search for riverside birds and raptors. As the journey continues we ll also see evidence of gold panning before finally arriving at our destination of Boca Colorado. Leaving our boat, we ll then travel by vehicle across the Inambari River, birding along the way until reaching the bustling frontier town of Puerto Maldonado where we ll spend the night in a comfortable hotel. Tawny Tit-Spinetail by Dubi Shapiro Day 28: Flight to Cusco and travel to Ollantaytambo. This morning we will have some time for birding in the Puerto Maldonado region and may be able to add a handful of species to what will by now be a mammoth list. Some possibilities for this morning could include Red-breasted Blackbird, Whitetailed Kite, Grassland Sparrow, Grey-breasted Crake, Black-faced Tanager, Barred Antshrike, Southern Crested Caracara, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Small-billed Tinamou, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Rusty-margined and Sulphury Flycatchers, and several species of seedeater. We will then fly back to Cusco and drive on to Ollantaytambo, located in the Sacred Valley near to the famous ruins of Machu Picchu. Giant Conebill by Dubi Shapiro Day 29: Abra Malaga Pass to Cusco and PM flight to Lima for departure. We have an action packed final day of the tour, tackling the various habitats and altitudinal specialities to be found in the Abra Malaga area. Leaving our hotel early, we will head up to Abra Malaga pass, some 4,230m above sea level. At this altitude, everything gets done rather slowly, even a seemingly short hike takes rather longer that one might anticipate. Not that we are in any rush, for new species abound. Typically, cold and often cloudy, with a little luck, we will be treated to panoramic views of the snow-capped and glacier-ridden Mount Veronica.

21 RBL Peru Mega Itinerary 21 We shall first tackle the polylepis specialities of the area. Starting from the pass itself, we walk through a short section of barren grassland before descending a short section of the upper trail. The grassland habitat itself holds a few important species such as White-winged Diuca Finch, Streak-throated Canastero, Cinereous Harrier, Brightrumped Yellow Finch, Paramo Pipit and possibly the rare Andean Ibis and Andean Hillstar. Upon reaching the nearby ridge, we can gaze across the valley far below us, and the remaining thick patches of mature polylepis. For now, we start descending a narrow trail through patches of small polylepis trees. Our list of target species today is perhaps not huge, but rather particularly rich in scarcity and interest. Both Tawny and endemic White-breasted Tit-Spinetails, exhibitionist Stripe-headed Antpitta, endemic Junin Canastero, Puna Tapaculo, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, Bluemantled Thornbill, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Redrumped Bush Tyrant and Giant Conebill all occur here. Moving towards the head of the valley, we will target a particular patch of polylepis, home to one of the world s rarest species, the Royal Cinclodes. Stripe-headed Antpitta by Clayton Burne A recently-found population in Bolivia may have erased its Peruvian endemic status, but it is an incredibly scarce species numbering only in the low hundreds. This is by no means a given species, and we can expect to have to work hard to find an individual probing through the damp and peaty soil along the various rocky ledges. In the afternoon, we head over the Abra Malaga pass, dropping into fabulous humid cloud and bamboo forests at the slightly lower altitude of approximately 3,500m. We take the easier option and bird slowly downhill. The thick stands of chusquea bamboo hold a number of endemic and tricky species including the oft-heard, but not so often seen Rufous Antpitta. Considering that the Rufous Antpitta complex could well be split into upwards of seven full species, observing every sub-species is certainly desirable! Not that we will be stuck on any one species for too long, as we can expect a very birdy afternoon. We will be looking for the endemic Inca Wren and Parodi s Hemispingus, while Marcapata Spinetail occurs in low numbers as does the minute Scaled Metaltail, Amethystthroated Sunangel and Purple-backed Thornbill. The flowering bushes come alive with Moustached, Black-throated and Masked Flowerpiercers, White-browed Conebill and Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant. Flocks are not uncommon, often led by the bright Scarletbellied Mountain Tanager, and a profusion Junin Canastero by Dubi Shapiro of