field guides BIRDING TOURS WORLDWIDE fieldguides@fieldguides.com 800 728 4953 ITINERARY NORTHERN PERU: ENDEMICS GALORE November 3-23, 2013 We include here information for those interested in the 2013 Field Guides Northern Peru: Endemics Galore tour: a general introduction to the tour a description of the birding areas to be visited on the tour an abbreviated daily itinerary with some indication of the nature of each dayʼs birding outings Those who register for the tour will be sent this additional material: an annotated list of the birds recorded on a previous yearʼs Field Guides trip to the area, with comments by guide(s) on notable species or sightings (can be downloaded from the website) a detailed information bulletin with important logistical information and answers to questions regarding accommodations, air arrangements, clothing, currency, customs and immigration, documents, health precautions, and personal items a reference list a Field Guides checklist for preparing for and keeping track of the birds we see on the tour after the conclusion of the tour, a list of birds seen on the tour For birders, a mental map of the land between southern Ecuador and central Peru has resembled the map of an early explorer, with a large blank area decorated by a few improbable creatures such as Marvelous Spatuletails, White-winged Guans, Long-whiskered Owlets, and dragons. Such is the immensity of the Andes of Northern Peru that our energetic tour still only covers a slice of Northern Peru, but it is a slice that will transform your mental map into a montage of memories of the Rio Maranon and its mountains and bring reality to a number of its nicer improbabilities. There are certainly some improbable creatures there. Perhaps foremost among them is an adult male Marvelous Spatuletail, its crisscrossed spatulas dangling and bobbing as it flies. White-winged Guan is a striking variation on the Penelope theme; with fewer than 600 remaining, it is also one of the rarest birds in the world. The recently described new species of Poecilotriccus, Johnsonʼs (Luluʼs) Tody-Tyrant, is a little gem. Yellow-scarfed Tanager is stunning. And incafinches (of the genus Incaspiza, endemic to the mountains of Peru) are at their maximum diversity in the north. As for the mythical Long-whiskered Owlet, that denizen of Andean forest that was revealed (later to be described as a new genus!) by two specimens mist-netted on the night of August 23, 1976, the good news is: This beautiful rarity was actually seen perched on two recent tours! Not that itʼs become easy, mind you, but local guides at Owlet Lodge have located several territories and had modest success showing the Owlet to birders for at least the several months surrounding our visit. To catch up on the history here: Despite considerable effort, the Owlet wasnʼt found again in the area until a Louisiana State University (LSU) expedition in August of 2002 rediscovered it and recorded its vocalization for the first time (as it called inside Dan Laneʼs tent at 5:00 a.m.!). Even with the recording, the owlet was not encountered again until February 2007, when researchers for ECOAN flushed one from dense understory at the edge of a trail in the new Abra Patricia-Alto Nieva Reserve during the day! Our chances of finding it have increased as we are now armed with both recordings and more knowledge of its habitat; however, the number of us now trying to see a limited number of accessible owlets cannot help! And indeed, the owlets seemed a little tired of the attention in 2012. Similarly, weʼve been managing to see the endangered little Ochre-fronted Antpitta, first described in 1976, pretty regularly since 2007. In 2011 we saw Pale-billed Antpitta on the tour for the first time, a passable road shortening the hike enough that many in the group could make the attempt (still strenuous), and we were able to repeat the experience for half the folks in 2012. The improbable has Field Guides Incorporated 9433 Bee Cave Road #1-150 Austin TX 78733 512 263 7295 fax 512 263 0117 www.fieldguides.com
become excitingly predictable (albeit still a great challenge) in this relatively unknown region, its allure continuing to grow. In addition to the improbable, Northern Peru is rich in the "regular." Our route runs from the coastal lagoons and mesquite woodlands near Chiclayo to the semi-deciduous (Tumbesian) forest of the western Andean foothills, through the Western Cordillera of the Andes, across the central Maranon valley, over the Eastern Cordillera to the foothills of the eastern slope, then back to the high Western Cordillera via a different crossing of the Maranon. The habitats include desert, scrub, semi-deciduous and deciduous woodland, wet Andean forest and cloud forest at several different elevations, down to 3500 feet in humid foothill forest along the eastern base of the Andes, as well as treeline forest and puna grassland on our way to Cajamarca. The diversity of birds seen on this trip will be correspondingly great, including a terrific variety of night birds, hummingbirds, flycatchers, ovenbirds, and tanagers. As we make our grand loop, weʼll acclimate slowly to increasing elevations, birding the highest montane areas toward the end of the tour. Northern Peru also offers a visual feast. The Andes in this region include neither the snow-capped volcanoes of Ecuador nor the Alp-like crags of the Cordillera Blanca in central Peru; you are likely to see snow only from the plane. The mountains of the Andean cordillera we will see are awesome in a different way for their immensity, for their bulk, for their ruggedness, for their relief. This relief has been cut in great part by many rivers, particularly the Maranon and the Utcubamba, both of which have carved impressive canyons that we will traverse. The tour will also be rewarding for those with an eye toward the plants. In addition to some simply beautiful forests (deciduous and evergreen), we will periodically pass through stranger communities, including magnificent cacti, abundant terrestrial bromeliads, and stunted cloud forest with emergent palm trees. About the dragons. Northern Peru was never a major area for the Sendero Luminoso. We are sure Northern Peru is not "problem free" for the simple reason that human beings live there, but our own travels there have left us feeling the region is typical of rural South America. For years now we have been offering a full slate of Peru tours; based on our cumulative experience, our problem-free scouting, and our many years of guiding tours in Northern Peru, we are quite comfortable offering this trip. For some, a further dragon is the prospect of camping and basic accommodations. Indeed, the remoteness of some of the major birding areas necessitates camping. Thanks to the development of new, strategically located hotels and the increasing reliability of seeing the White-winged Guan, the total nights of camping on this tour have been reduced to only two, both of which are in warm-weather sites that usually offer pleasant nighttime temperatures for sleeping. For the 2012 tour we will be staying four nights in the new Abra Patricia Lodge, beautifully located right inside the reserve, where Emerald-bellied Pufflegs are routine at the feeders and White-throated Screech-Owls can be heard from the rooms. Here three bungalows are each divided into two units, each of these with two rooms (a double and a single) that share one large, lovely bathroom with a hot-water shower. So for four nights we will have shared bathrooms. On an additional four nights our lodging will be in rather simple hostals/hotels; but all of these offer private bathrooms with hot water. If, as a matter of personal preference or current physical condition, the camping and basic accommodations loom too large, you may want to consider our shorter sampler of some of the same areas, PERUʼS MAGNETIC NORTH: SPATULETAILS, OWLET LODGE & MORE, June 25-July 6. Or let us help you find another exciting destination from our catalog. That said, let us assure you that we will make substantial effort to Richard Webster designed a great itinerary and kept his focus on our target birds, supplemented by excellent knowledge of current issues of taxonomy. We enjoyed his company and expertise...richardʼs leadership role was outstanding in all respects." S.C., Colombia Pepe Rojas was absolutely delightful: very enthusiastic, very concerned that everyone see a particular bird, full of interesting information about Peru, its food and culture. I am so glad you have hired him as a full-time guide he's great!! K.Z., Peruʼs Magnetic North make the trip as comfortable as possible. Our outfitters for the tour have been outfitting tourists for camping in the Manu and environs for more than fifteen years, and theyʼve handled our eleven previous Northern Peru tours well. Their company will handle setting up camp and provide most of the camping equipment (including three-man Eureka tents; participants need only supply a lightweight tropical sleeping bag or sleeping bag liner and a pillow case); weʼll have their best cooking staff and a very experienced driver. We believe that with a comfortable camp and good food, it is quite possible to enjoy the adventure of birding Northern Peru. We find camping (and the night-birding it allows) in such remote areas as the White-winged Guan canyon far preferable to a 3:00 a.m. start in order to make the long, rough drive to reach this birding habitat. We view camping along the Rio Maranon at Balsas as prerequisite to making the long loop that includes the habitats for such Peruvian endemics as Yellow-faced Parrotlet, Coppery Metaltail, Chestnut-backed Thornbird, Russet-mantled Softtail, and Buff-bridled and Gray-winged inca-finches, as well as many delicious highland specialties. That night of camping at Balsas saves driving time and adds birding time. If this subject still looms large, give 2
us a call. This tour is based on what weʼve learned over the years in five weeks of scouting in two trips in 1996, on our series of thirteen tours since, and on some additional scouting in 2007 and 2008. Our original scouting benefited greatly from records compiled by hard-working ornithologists from Louisiana State University (LSU), who in turn were often following in the footsteps of remarkable early collectorornithologists such as Melbourne Carriker and Henry Watkins. This long history of scientific exploration means that the list of potential species is actually quite well known. Our original challenge was to turn these records into a functioning tour. To this day, our tour route is very basic, not being all that different from the core outlined by Parker, Parker, and Plengeʼs 1982 checklist. Collectively, much has been learned about systematic relationships and distribution of birds in northern Peru since the days of the earlier ornithologists, and we now see 12-15 specialties more than we did on our first tour to the area. Our overall record has been exceptional with respect to seeing the hard-to-see endemics and specialties, such as antpittas and tapaculos that are easily ignored as heard-onlyʼs by some tour groups. (Our 2007 tour group saw 7 species of antpittas and heard one more!) So while we feel that the overall challenge has been met (we are offering a great An adult male Marvelous Spatuletail. Photo by Richard Webster tour), we usually miss showing off several tough species. The Long-whiskered remains very difficult, and several other species are extremely rare or weather-dependent. More than twenty species are considered threatened or endangered. While we doubt that the triplist of a tour here five years hence will be substantially lower, as a result of environmental damage and increasing traffic along newly paved roads, we are already starting to miss some nice forest birds of the east slope, and this is yet another area in which sooner is better than later. Fortunately, some of this decline has been offset by the opening of new trails within the wonderful new Abra Patricia-Alto Nieva Reserve, trails that make such treasures as White-faced Nunbird, Barred Antthrush, Chestnut and Ochre-fronted antpittas, and now the legendary Long-whiskered more accessible. We remain excited about the possibilities! About the Physical Requirements & Pace: Our thirteen previous tours have gone well. Weʼve been lucky with the birds, the logistics have been quite good, and we have tried to benefit from several learning experiences. The rewards are substantial, but this is a harder-than-average tour. What is required to enjoy the trip is the combination of fairly good physical condition and a good measure of flexibility and patience: Everything will not go as planned, and we donʼt even try to plan the weather. Setting up and striking camp takes time (though staff does most of the work), and travel on bumpy roads in remote areas takes time. Still, by spending so much time in the out-of-doors, we get to do much birding. Camping adds a certain burden, though it is relatively easy camping, and it allows more time in good areas. In terms of day-to-day activities, the tour is not harder than average. For the guans at Quebrada Limon, we plan an early start to hike up the trail and climb to their favored slopes, hoping to reach these areas as early as possible which means keeping a steady pace at a slight gradient with a few steeper sections. For this hike, you should be able to walk at a pace of around 2-3 mph on a slight but continual uphill grade. Depending on the group, we may divide into two groups based on abilities. Weʼll do trails at Abra Patricia (7400 feet) that descend very steeply and could be muddy, depending on recent rains. These are trails that require good balance, a certain degree of endurance, and (for some) a good walking stick. Looking for Pale-billed Antpitta requires ascending a steep, rocky trail from 9,000 to 10,000 feet (2,700 to 3,000m, a 1,000 foot or 300m elevation gain). All of these activities are optional, and if there is enough of a division in the group, we can structure easier and more energetic options. And there are usually a few short, steep forays off the road to enter some thicket with some skulker. But trails are limited and a high percentage of our time is spent birding slowly along roads. We now have the advantage of the new Owlet Lodge at Abra Patricia, along with a paved road all the way to our farthest birding habitats on the east slope, making the drive from our accommodations to our most-distant birding areas only 45 minutes to an hour, thus allowing us to base in comfort for our five full days of birding on the rich east-andean slope. If you are in reasonable shape, flexible, and donʼt mind camping for two nights, this could be an easy tour! 3
The purpose is in fair part announced by the tour title: endemics galore. We will put substantial effort into seeing the birds that are special to this region, and at times we will put less effort than normal into seeing more common and widespread species. Be prepared not to see a higher-than-usual percentage of the 650+ species that are included on the checklist. The checklist reflects the collection of reasonable possibilities that have been heard or seen on our route over the years, some of them regularly but only in the distance. To devote precious morning time to try to see these species (if they are distant or at all tough to see) would divert us from the regional specialties that we consider of much higher priority on this tour. That said, even while searching for specialties we do much basic birding, and everyone sees a large percentage of the long and varied list of species. This trip does not require birding expertise, and some people see over 250 life birds while others see a fifth as many. Part of the purpose is simply to see wondrous Northern Peru in an enjoyable birding format. If you are uncertain about whether this tour is a good match for your abilities, please donʼt hesitate to contact our office; if they cannot directly answer your queries, they will put you in touch with one of the guides. About the Tour Cost: This tour was once a relative bargain, especially when we camped for eight or nine nights! It is still not bad, but we are now spending a third of our nights at lodges that are in the "business" of making money for conservation. Your tour fees are buying hectares of wonderful habitat, but it has meant a rising price. The new BIRDS OF PERU: If youʼve been waiting to bird Peru until the long-awaited field guide to the birds of Peru was published, now is the time! The new Birds of Peru (by Schulenberg, Stotz, Lane, OʼNeill, & Parker; published by Princeton University Press) came out just in time for our 2007 tour and has already been updated (2010). Itʼs available in paperback at Amazon.com for $26.07. Weʼve used it in the field, and we can assure you that it will add great joy both to your preparation for this tour and to our collective field experience during the tour. About the Birding Areas Coastal Desert Virtually the entire coast of Peru is desert, as the Humboldt Current produces fog but very little rain over the coastal plain. Just inland from the coast near Lima, sandy hills, or lomas, are high enough to collect sufficient moisture from the fog to support plant life, including some endemic cacti. And wherever there is plant life, there are birds. Weʼll spend our first morning at the Lomas de Lachay National Reserve, north of Lima, targeting a few (depending on how much time we have) of the specialties of these foggy lomas: Cactus Canastero, Grayish, Coastal, and Thick-billed miners, as well as Least Seedsnipe, Oasis Hummingbird, and Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant. Where the terrain is flatter, as in most of coastal northern Peru, any spot that can support vegetation of any type can support crops, with the result that little native vegetation remains. Thus, some species are threatened; one of these, Peruvian Plantcutter, will be a particular target near Chiclayo. Here it occurs in a few nice wooded patches that have, for various reasons, escaped clearing. Weʼll seek it in patches of desert-thorn woodland near Chiclayo. Other specialties of the same habitat include the uncommon Rufous Flycatcher, the Myiarchus with the most divergent plumage; Cinereous Finch, a species without obvious close relatives; and Tumbes Swallow, a little-known swallow of restricted range that occurs in the Reserva Bosque Pomac. Other species we should encounter in the same area include Peruvian Dove, Croaking Ground-Dove, Pacific Parrotlet, Peruvian Pygmy-Owl, Amazilia Hummingbird, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Necklaced Spinetail, Pale-legged (Pacific) Hornero, Coastal Miner, Collared Antshrike, Gray-and-white Tyrannulet, Mouse-colored (Tumbes) Tyrannulet, Tawnycrowned Pygmy-Tyrant, Fasciated and Superciliated wrens, and Collared Warbling-Finch. Tumbesian Dry Tropical Forests With elevation and distance inland from the Humboldt Current, rainfall increases and the vegetation shifts from desert scrub (along the coast) to a semi-deciduous woodland. The dry, semi-deciduous forests known as the Tumbesian Center of Endemism occur from the Cordillera de Chongon of Ecuador south to Lambayeque, Peru. We will bird this habitat at Chaparri Reserve, at Quebrada Limon near Olmos on the west side of the western cordillera, and more briefly on the east side of the western cordillera, near Jaen in the valley of the Rio Chinchipe. We will encounter a moderate number of Tumbesian endemics during our efforts to see the White-winged Guan and the Piura Chat-Tyrant, but this tour does not represent a thorough coverage of the Tumbesian specialties. For those not encountered on this route, we urge you to consider our SOUTHWESTERN ECUADOR SPECIALTIES tour. At first glance, much of this Tumbesian habitat appears in good shape sizable trees are still standing, often draped with Tillandsia or other epiphytes. At second glance, and each subsequent look, it becomes apparent that goats rule arid northern Peru, and that humans have been a pervasive influence for a long time. For the tasty White-winged Guan, the result has been near-extinction, though a captive breeding program (with some 4
successful reintroductions) and some efforts toward conservation and education offer some hope. We will see free-living, multi-generation products of the reintroduction program at the community reserve of Chaparri. Then, with the help of locals and by camping in the area we will make an effort to see representatives of an original population at Quebrada Limon. Other specialties in the region include Tumbes Hummingbird (erratic), Tumbes Tyrant, Piura Chat-Tyrant (scarce), and Tumbes Sparrow. At lower elevations we may see Red-masked Parakeet, Peruvian Screech-Owl, Scrub Nightjar, Short-tailed Woodstar, Ecuadorian Piculet, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Collared Antshrike, Elegant Crescentchest, Pacific Elaenia, Sooty-crowned and Bairdʼs flycatchers, Rufous-winged Tyrannulet, Gray-breasted Flycatcher, White-tailed Jay, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, Speckle-breasted Wren, Gray-and-gold Warbler, Black-capped Sparrow, White-headed and White-winged brush-finches, Collared Warbling-Finch, Sulphur-throated Finch, and Whiteedged Oriole. At higher elevations, possibilities include Gray-chinned Hermit (Phaethornis griseogularis porcullae), Linecheeked Spinetail, Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner (furtive), Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaner (extra furtive), Chapmanʼs Antshrike (Thamnophilus [doliatus] zarumae), Three-banded Warbler, Bay-crowned and White-winged brush-finches, and Black-cowled Saltator. The Maranon Valley The Amazon is a river without any single headwater, but on looking at a map, it is hard not to call the Rio Maranon just that. As a body of water, the Maranon isnʼt especially impressive itʼs just another big tributary to a really big river. But the deep canyon it has carved through major cordillera of the Andes is truly awesome. Not only is the scenery impressive, but this canyon is probably the single most important biogeographic barrier to the distribution of forest birds anywhere in the Andes of South America. Our tour visits what might be called the central Maranon: above the wet, flat stretches as the river rolls toward Iquitos and below the high, puna country of its headwaters. We will cross the Rio Maranon twice by road, the first time south of Jaen in an area where the river first starts to emerge from the Andes, and the second time at Balsas (about 3000 feet elevation), a region of very impressive topography. Not only does the valley of the Rio Maranon serve as a major barrier to the distribution of Andean forest birds, but the lower elevations of the central portion are an (evidently old) island of arid conditions. These arid and semi-arid habitats are quite varied for a relatively small area, and the distribution of some species within the Maranon Valley is quite local. North of Jaen, in the valley of the Rio Chinchipe, is a more mesic woodland with greater similarity to the Tumbesian forests; toward Bagua Grande is a more arid scrubland; and further south, above Balsas, is a similar-looking arid scrub with yet more distinctive birds. Yellow-faced Parrotlet (which we finally found in 1998 and have seen well on most tours since) has gone from common to endangered in the last twenty-five years, but now appears to be making a slight comeback. Other Maranon specialties include Peruvian Pigeon, Koepckeʼs Screech-Owl (with luck at a day roost!), Spotthroated Hummingbird (we will almost guarantee this one!), Maranon Spinetail (Synallaxis [gujanensis] maranonica), Chinchipe Spinetail ("Synallaxis" [stictothorax] chinchipensis, now relumped with Necklaced Spinetail by some, including Clements and HANDBOOK OF BIRDS OF THE WORLD), Chestnut-backed Thornbird, Maranon Slaty-Antshrike (Thamnophilus punctatus leucogaster, now generally considered a subspecies of Northern Slaty-Antshrike), Maranon Crescentchest (Melanopareia [elegans] maranonica), Maranon Thrush, Buff-bellied Tanager, and three fabulous incafinches (Little, Gray-winged, and Buff-bridled). Many other species are represented by endemic races. Forests of the Eastern Andes Our route takes us over the eastern cordillera near its northern end, cresting at Abra Patricia at the relatively low elevation of 7500 feet. While large areas along the road have been deforested, sizable areas of forest do remain adjacent to the road, while untouched slopes and valleys extend for miles in some areas, including the new Abra Patricia-Alto Nieva Reserve. From our Pomacochas base (2 nights) and by staying right inside the reserve (4 consecutive nights), weʼll sample the upper-elevation forests and the lower sections of lovely forest between 3300-4800 feet. We will first look for Marvelous Spatuletail, which occurs in small patches of disturbed forest near Florida de Pomacochas (the same general area as described in Ted Parkerʼs May 1976 insert in Birding). At first it is hard to believe that the rackets are all part of one bird, but then the happy reality sets in. Warning: Adult male spatuletails are a distinct minority (2 out of 35 sightings in one survey, although our ratio has been higher). We have seen adult males on twelve out of thirteen trips to the area; so we are confident. And a newly protected site (the Centro de Interpretacion Colibri Maravillosa) has increased the odds that an adult male will be feeding at one of our various sites for them. We will put whatever effort is necessary into seeing an adult male. (And if we fail on our first attempt, we will have another opportunity near Leymebamba.) Although the forest is degraded and remnant, there are some other nice birds in the area, such as Purple-throated Sunangel, Booted Rackettail, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Emerald (Black-throated) Toucanet, Speckle-chested Piculet, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Silvery and Buff-bellied tanagers, and (sporadically) White-capped Tanager. 5
Yellow-throated Tanager is just one of the many colorful tanager species we might see. Photo by Richard Webster. The most distinctive habitat is the stunted cloud forest along knifelike ridges on the east slope. This is the home of relatively few species, but these include Cinnamon Screech-Owl (weʼve had great looks a few times), Royal Sunangel (our sighting in January 1996 was perhaps the first from here, making it the fourth known spot for the species; weʼve seen it again on each trip since), the Bicolored Antvireo, collected by LSU researchers in August of 2002 (we heard it once in 2005); Ochre-fronted Antpitta (weʼve seen it well now on three tours; we are optimistic, having good tape to fish with, but overall they have proven unpredictable), Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant (these guys are usually really tough!), and Barwinged Wood-Wren (this one is usually relatively easy). Upslope, in taller forest, specialties include the recently described Johnsonʼs Tody-Tyrant, Yellow-scarfed Tanager (tough near the road now, but regular on some of the new reserve trails), and three additional antpittas: Rusty-tinged (extra difficult recently), Chestnut (weʼve seen it on most recent tours, but itʼs one of those species one needs to be inside good forest to have a fighting chance at; the new Abra Patricia trails through its habitat have made this species much easier to see if itʼs singing), and Rusty-breasted (of the race leymebambae, disjunct and quite distinctive by voice from the nominate population). Speckle-chested Piculet and Inca Flycatcher occur over a wider range of elevation, while the rare Chestnut-crowned Gnateater has been seen on several tours. Trilling, Rufous-vented, and White-crowned tapaculos and Chestnut-breasted Wrens call from the dense understory, challenging us to lure them out. Ash-throated Antwren, Herpsilochmus parkeri, weʼve seen on five of the last ten tours (and heard on others!), in a narrow elevational band (4700 to 5200 feet) along the humid east slope. Black-bellied (Huallaga) Tanager is spreading into the foothills and occurs right along the road near Afluente and Aguas Verdes, where we have also seen Yellow-crested Tanager. We have also seen a distinctive-sounding ( foothill type ) Long-tailed Woodcreeper, which is likely to be elevated to full-species status. While we will have our minds on the above species, we will be spending much time simply birding in beautiful forest habitat. Some of the species we have seen here over our cumulative trips include Torrent Duck, Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Solitary Eagle, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Orange-breasted Falcon, Andean Guan, Sickle-winged Guan, White-throated Screech-Owl, Rufous-banded Owl, Andean Potoo, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Wire-crested Thorntail, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Amethyst Woodstar, Versicolored Barbet, Chestnut-tipped Toucanet, Blackmandibled Toucan, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Lanceolated Monklet, Striolated Puffbird, Rufous-capped Nunlet, White-faced Nunbird, Crimson-bellied Woodpecker, Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Black-and-white, Black-throated, and Buff-throated tody-tyrants, Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, Olive-chested Flycatcher, Rufous-tailed Tyrant, Greenbacked (Yellow-cheeked) Becard, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater, Scaled Fruiteater, Golden-winged Manakin, Yellowbreasted and Rufous-rumped antwrens, Equatorial Graytail, Black-billed Treehunter, Gray-mantled Wren, White-eared Solitaire, Pale-eyed and Glossy-black thrushes, Chestnutbreasted and Blue-naped chlorophonias, Drab Hemispingus, White-capped, Red-hooded, Vermilion, Golden-eared, Bluebrowed, Metallic-green, and Yellow-throated tanagers, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Slaty Finch, and Mountain Cacique. We wonʼt see them all on any one trip; one could spend weeks in this area, seeing new birds. We have selected an amount of time that we believe gives us a good chance of seeing many terrific birds. Our route takes us over Abra Barro Negro ( Black Mud Pass ), at the crest of a ridge between the Maranon and Utcubamba basins. Near tree line here we will bird some lovely humid temperate forest for such little-known specialties as Coppery Metaltail (endemic), Sapphire-vented ( Coppery-naped ) Puffleg (endemic subspecies), Russet-mantled Softtail (endemic), White-chinned Thistletail, Buff-throated Treehunter (slim chance), a little-known tapaculo that is now considered to be Blackish Tapaculo of the race intermedius, and Yellow-scarfed Tanager (endemic). With an early start, we could be in good habitat in time to try for Swallow-tailed Nightjar and Rufous-banded Owl, both of which weʼve seen well here pre-dawn. Other species of interest in these high forests and grasslands are Curve-billed Tinamou, Andean Condor, Golden-plumed Parakeet (erratic), Andean Parakeet, Speckle-faced Parrot, Violet-throated Starfrontlet (at the 6
northern extent of its range), Rainbow Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Great Sapphirewing, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Andean Flicker, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Rufous Antpitta of the race obscura (with very distinctive vocalizations), Undulated and Chestnut-crowned antpittas (usually heard anyway), Barred Fruiteater, White-collared Jay, Moustached Flowerpiercer, Drab Hemispingus, Superciliaried Hemispingus (of the gray, leucogaster group), and Plushcap. 7 A view to Abra Barro Negro photographed by Richard Webster. The Western Andes On our recrossing of the western cordillera, we will cross one high, moist ridge with remnant patches of Polylepis woodland. Although depauperate in comparison with some areas, the region is still birdy, and some of the species are quite interesting. We will look particularly for Black Metaltail (endemic), Baronʼs (Southern Linecheeked) Spinetail, Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail (of the race cajabambae; endemic), Striated Earthcreeper (endemic; at the northern limit of its range), Rufous Antpitta (Grallaria rufula cajamarcae, with a song quite distinct from those of other so-called Rufous Antpittas ), Black-crested (Maranon) Tit-Tyrant (one of three tit-tyrants on this route), Jelskiʼs Chat- Tyrant (a tough skulker), and White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant (until recently thought to be a very scarce bird until we learned that its preferred habitat is open, brushy slopes at fairly high elevations; itʼs not a rare bird here). Some other interesting birds in this area are Andean Tinamou, Plumbeous Rail, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Great Sapphirewing, Giant Hummingbird, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Rufous-webbed Bush-Tyrant, Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet, Tit-like Dacnis, Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch (Atlapetes latinuchus baroni), and Golden-billed Saltator. We will go through some high puna areas, where we could see a few birds of that habitat, such as Mountain Caracara, Andean Flicker, and Many-striped Canastero. Here too weʼll make a special effort to see the endemic stolzmanni race of Andean Hillstar (intermittently elevated to full-species status and called Green-headed Hillstar). On our way to Cajamarca weʼll search a riparian valley for two more endemics, both at the northern end of their ranges: Rufous-eared Brush-Finch (rare) and Plain-tailed Warbling-Finch (seen in three of the last five years). The arid mountains near Cajamarca have proven to be home to two recently rediscovered endemics: Great Spinetail, of the monotypic genus Siptornopsis, which builds its large stick nests in acacias and spreading cordon cacti on the arid slopes; and Gray-bellied Comet, which sips nectar from terrestrial bromeliads and from the bright yellow flowers of Tecoma sambucifolia, a shrub that grows in profusion on the steep slopes of the upper Rio Chonta valley. Weʼll spend an early morning to the south of Cajamarca in search of the Great Spinetail and then head northeast of town in search of the Gray-bellied Comet. Other possibilities in these habitats include Bare-faced Ground-Dove, Black Metaltail (endemic), Andean Swift (here at the northern limit of its range), White-winged Cinclodes, White-winged Black-Tyrant, Masked ( Maranon Black-lored ) Yellowthroat), Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Golden-rumped Euphonia, and the beautiful Buff-bridled
Inca-Finch (endemic). The newly paved road from Cajamarca to the south has shortened and made much more comfortable the drive to the Spinetailʼs breeding area, and the Cometʼs breeding area is not far from our hotel. With luck we could finish in time to enjoy the natural hot springs and bathtubs before a delicious dinner at our luxury hotel. Itinerary for Northern Peru: Endemics Galore Note: This day-by-day itinerary is less fixed than normal. Although it is difficult to be flexible with a tour, we will try, where possible, to make changes depending on our birding success, to allow more time where it can be best spent. Thus, we might end up emphasizing one area more than another. Further, the (ever-changing) timing of flights Lima/Chiclayo and Cajamarca/Lima, makes it hard to say what will happen on those travel days. Current flight schedules are such that weʼll likely be flying north to Chiclayo around 4:30 p.m. on Day 2 after birding north of Lima in the morning. Most flights from the US depart in the afternoon and arrive Lima late; if a participant were to arrive 24 hours late, (s)he would likely miss not only our first morning of birding, but our afternoon flight to the north. Your guides would encourage you to come a day early and begin the tour rested. You could visit a museum, explore Miraflores, or simply relax at our very comfortable airport hotel. Our office can help you with guided tours or any extra reservations. Our tour itinerary will likely be close to the following: Day 1, Sun, 3 Nov. Standard group arrival in Lima. If you are not coming a day early, we recommend the earliest flight possible to get you to Lima this evening. Upon arrival in Lima, you will pass through Immigration (where your passport and arrival card are stamped; be sure to keep the little arrival card in your passport for submission to authorities upon leaving the country) and proceed to the baggage claim. Use available carts to retrieve your luggage and guide it through Customs. Then roll your cart or luggage (or get a porter) to the new Hotel Ramada Costa del Sol, which is within easy walking distance on the airport grounds, just across the street toward the parking lot from the terminal. Upon checkin you must surrender your passport for copying (a requirement of most larger hotels in Peru nowadays), and be sure to check at the desk for a message from your guides about the plan for tomorrow. Night at Hotel Ramada Costa del Sol, Lima airport. Day 2, Mon, 4 Nov. Lomas de Lachay; flight to Chiclayo. We expect a 4:30 p.m. flight to Chiclayo, making possible a morning of birding in the coastal dunes and lomas north of Lima. We plan to meet for breakfast at 5:15 a.m. in our hotel restaurant for a buffet breakfast. Right after breakfast weʼll load into a bus and head north to the Lomas de Lachay National Reserve, a 5000-hectare reserve of high sand hills and with weathered granite foothills, looming into the coastal fog, from which condensed moisture greens the land this time of year. Endemic Cactus Canasteros inhabit arid quebradas, the slopes of which are covered with branching candelabra cacti. Hopefully an itinerant group of Grayish Miners will fly overhead or call from the steep rocky slopes of the quebradas. Least Seedsnipe and Coastal Miners nest on (and in) the huge sand hills. And Thick-billed Miners display atop the high granite boulders at the upper elevations of the reserve. Weʼll seek these species and more this morning at the Lomas, but with a limited amount of time we will need some luck, too, to see them all. After a picnic lunch, weʼll return to the airport for our (currently scheduled) 4:30 p.m. flight to Chiclayo, where weʼll meet our bus drivers and camp crew, whoʼll be with us for the entire trip. We should arrive about 6:00 p.m., in time for reorganizing, doing our list, dinner, and a good nightʼs sleep. Night at the Gran Hotel Chiclayo. Day 3, Tue, 5 Nov. Bosque de Pomac and Rio Reque to Chaparri. Weʼll start early, heading north to the Reserva Bosque Pomac, about an hour northeast of Chiclayo, where weʼll have a picnic breakfast near the entrance to the reserve. Youʼll want your sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, a light wrap, your water bottle, and your telescope (if you brought one) today. Weʼll be birding the desert-thorn woodland in a remnant patch of large algarrobos (Prosopis pallidus, the local species of mesquite), habitat for the endangered Peruvian Plantcutter, Rufous Flycatcher, Tumbes Swallow, Cinereous Finch, and for a number of other fascinating birds. Within the reserve are the ruins of Batan Grande, a site of eroded burial pyramids that contained some of the finest pre-colombian gold artifacts found in Peru, including a gold tumi (elaborately decorated ceremonial knife) weighing almost 7 pounds. Apparently an early metallurgy center, Batan Grande was the religious and political center of the Sican theocracy that peaked A.D. 900 to 1100 in northern Peru. The pyramids were heavily eroded by devastating El Nino rains in 1925 and 1980, and the site had been looted extensively (by its ranching land owners) before the establishment of the Bosque de Pomac Reserve in 1991, when archeologists began studying the site. All of which explains why we do not visit the ruins--there is not much to see there! In 2006 excavations uncovered the first tumi to be discovered in situ by archeologists (all others had been recovered from looters). The tumi has become the national symbol of Peru. Studies of metal artifacts have revealed that sophisticated metallurgy techniques were being used here in pre-inca, pre-colombian 8
times. The reserve encompasses at least 300 hectares of Tumbesian desert-thorn woodland and includes a big old algarrobo thought to be almost 1000 years old. As the winds pick up, we will head south to Puerto Eten, on the Pacific shoreline, where possibilities include many of the Humboldt Current species as well as some of our migrant shorebirds returning south. For several years we saw Spotted Rails in the freshwater marshes behind the dunes, and weʼll hope theyʼre indeed resident here, but the last couple of years have been a bust. With further luck (we were most recently lucky in 2012) we could see Peruvian Terns among the throngs of shorebirds and waders near the (ever-changing) mouth of the Rio Reque. Our crew will prepare a picnic lunch in the field. In the late afternoon we will drive inland to a new lodge at the Chaparri (accent on the i ) Reserve. Once we get into our bungalows at Chaparri, weʼll meet for the list, dinner, and some nearby owling (for Peruvian Screech-Owl) right after dinner; youʼll want your headlamp or flashlight. Night at Chaparri Lodge. Day 4, Wed, 6 Nov. Chaparri to guan campsite above Olmos (Quebrada Limon). Chaparri is a private, communityowned reserve of 34,000 hectares, well known for its White-winged Guan population, which has been re-established from captive-bred birds. Like many other cracids, the guans, where completely protected, are easily seen. In addition to the guan, a number of Tumbesian species are found in the arid woodlands or are attracted to the permanent water in the stream. Our breakfast may be interrupted by the arrival of White-tailed Jays, and we will have our first chance to see the lovely Tumbes Tyrant, Pacific Elaenia, and White-headed Brush-Finch, as well as many other Tumbesian species also present at Quebrada Limon. Weʼve been amazed to see large flocks of Sulphur-throated Finches coming to drink in the creek in the morning; we have often missed this species entirely on past tours, but it seems to be reliable here. The stream also attracts several species of hummingbirds to bathe. As it heats up, weʼll head north toward Olmos. We plan select birding stops, including a roadside lunch stop in some good birding habitat. Our campsite in the White-winged Guan area is near a tiny village of locals who know the guan and are hired to help us find it. This Operation Guan was originally designed and coordinated by Gustavo del Solar, who has been largely responsible for the protection of the guans, their captive breeding program, and the education and cooperation of the local people. Part of the deal is camping near the village and using locals to help us find it; their direct financial benefits should help to emphasize that the guans are worth protecting. We hope our contributions will help to further protect this rare bird. The friendly locals share their (public) running water with us, and our camp crew has camped here before and knows the ropes. We could have Scrub Nightjar and/or Peruvian Screech-Owl calling near our campsite, and weʼll work on them if we havenʼt already seen them. Night at guan campsite. Day 5, Thu, 7 Nov. Quebrada Limon. Weʼll start very early and hope to see the guan this morning, while they are most vocal. Having seen the re-established guans at Chaparri, the pressure will be less, particularly for those who are less nimble than in decades past. Itʼs a long hike, but it may be possible to see them without a lot of climbing. However, the guans do move around, and we need to go where they are, which may involve as much as a 1000-1500 foot elevation gain on fairly steep trails; this could take all morning in the warming sun. Be sure to bring your canteen full of water. (Snacks and additional water will be delivered to us in the field.) In addition to Operation White-winged Guan, there will be many other birds to watch, and we will particularly look for Short-tailed ( Tumbes ) Swift, Ecuadorian Trogon, Ecuadorian Piculet, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner, Speckle-chested Wren, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, and Black-capped Sparrow all Tumbesian specialties that we may not have seen at Chaparri. Upon our return to camp, weʼll have a late lunch and then head for Olmos, with time to seek any target species we havenʼt already seen. Once we leave this area, we leave most of the lowland Tumbesian specialties. Tonight we spend in a small hotel that has seen better days (but has hot water!) on the edge of town. Night in Olmos. Day 6, Fri, 8 Nov. Porculla Pass and on to Jaen. With an early start, weʼll head toward the crest of the Western Cordillera at Porculla Pass to bird the subtropical zone for the morning. This morning is our chance for the Piura Chat- Tyrant, which is found west of the pass in about a 1000-foot vertical zone, most of which today is heavily goat-overgrazed. The chat-tyrant may be in trouble, but we found (and taped) one bird on our 2000 tour in a nice patch of remnant forest, and weʼve seen it well each trip since. Plus weʼre sure to see some other neat birds in the process of searching for the chat-tyrant. Possibilities include Ecuadorian Piculet, Henna-hooded and Rufous-necked foliage-gleaners, Line-cheeked Spinetail, Chapmanʼs Antshrike, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Three-banded Warbler, Bay-crowned and White-winged brush-finches, Blue Seedeater (rare in Peru), and Black-cowled Saltator. From the pass itself weʼll have our first view into the enormous Maranon valley. Weʼll spend the balance of the day traveling through it on an amazingly good, paved road down the Maranon tributary valleys of the Huancabamba and the Chamaya, to Jaen. Time permitting, weʼll make some birding stops in beautiful shrub desert with huge cordon-type cacti (Maranon Crescentchest, Maranon Tropical Gnatcatcher, Little Inca-Finch). Our hotel in Jaen is comfortable and 9
quiet, with air conditioning, hot water, and an inviting pool. We spend two nights here, and we can leave laundry to be done while weʼre birding. Night in hotel in Jaen. 10 Day 7, Sat, 9 Nov. Birding near Jaen. This morning weʼll bird north of Jaen starting early for Maranon Spinetail, the chinchipensis race of Necklaced Spinetail (elevated to full-species status by some), the leucogaster race of Northern Slaty-Antshrike, and Maranon Crescentchest. While looking for the endemics we will enjoy some of the worldʼs most beautiful birds (such as Vermilion Flycatcher and Golden-bellied Grosbeak) and some of the dullest (such as Dull-colored Grassquit and Drab Seedeater). Other species of particular note that we have seen here include Tataupa Tinamou (of a disjunct, endemic race), Military Macaw, Gray-chinned Hermit, Speckle-breasted Wren (of the Maranon race sclateri), Black-capped Sparrow (of the disjunct, olive-backed race nigriceps), Buff-bellied Tanager, and Red-crested Finch. In the afternoon we often acknowledge the heat and take a substantial break to recharge our strength for what will be many busy days to come. Night in hotel in Jaen. Day 8, Sun, 10 Nov. Jaen to Marvelous Spatuletail area. This morning weʼll head toward Florida de Pomacochas, making a few birding stops en route. Weʼll cross the Rio Maranon just beyond where the Rio Chamaya enters the river. We plan to have breakfast in Little Inca-Finch habitat in the early morning, and we may decide to check the rice fields southeast of Bagua Grande a bit later. On rare occasions, when the water levels are perfect and the fields allow good visibility down the rows, Paint-billed Crake is an outside possibility; more likely are Yellow-tailed Orioles. The paved road follows the rushing Rio Utcubamba upriver to Pedro Ruiz. This stretch can be good for Fasciated Tiger- Heron, and weʼve occasionally seen Peruvian Pigeons and Maranon Thrush in the taller trees along the river. In addition to the Spatuletail, there are many other gorgeous hummers to be seen, including this Emerald-bellied Puffleg. Photo by Richard Webster. From Pedro Ruiz we veer away from the river and into the (very restricted) range of the Marvelous Spatuletail, in the Rio Utcubamba valley around 7000-8000 feet. Assuming good weather, we plan to spend some time this afternoon watching for (and enjoying) the spatuletail, hopefully finding a full-adult male. We will also have the chance to see the excellent exhibits at the Spatuletail Visitor Center, as well as other hummers attending the feeders. In the afternoon, we will continue to nearby Florida de Pomacochas and our mystery accommodations for the night. We say "mystery" for several reasons; you will see for yourself, but trust us that this hotel has been a great asset to the tour for many years. Night in Florida de Pomacochas. Days 9-13, Mon-Fri, 11-15 Nov. The humid east slope: Abra Patricia, stunted forest, Afluente, and Aguas Verdes. If Pale-billed Antpitta has been seen recently, we will offer an option for a strenuous hike to try to see it. Then from Pomacochas we plan to head for Abra Patricia (7400 feet) for five full days of birding the humid east slope. By basing at the new Abra Patricia lodge, right in the reserve, we cut 50 minutes off the one-way drive time to and from birding localities beyond the reserve and maximize our flexibility to vary our plan with the weather. There is good birding right at our doorsteps, and weʼll plan to bird several of the new trails at the reserve while weʼre here. Weʼll do both roadside birding and interior forest birding along some muddy trails into the subtropical forest. On some mornings weʼll have early breakfast right at the lodge, and on others weʼll have a picnic breakfast in the field as the dawn lights up the lovely forest. Dark, cloudy conditions can be better for flocks along the edge, whereas bright sunshine that persists too late into the morning can be much more productive inside the forest. Exactly how we orchestrate our time here will depend on the weather; but there are many possibilities for productive birding, and we have a nice chunk of time (though never enough!) to devote to the area. On the newly paved road, the stunted forest is only 15 minutes down from our lodge; and one can reach the 5600-foot level (where weʼve had mega-flocks on several trips) quite easily. We will try a trail in the reserve for the much-wanted Long-whiskered Owlet. We plan an early start one morning to bird the stunted ridgetop forests (6400 feet) and down the east slope. After breakfast in the field, weʼll enjoy the early rush of bird activity and seek Royal Sunangel, Speckle-
chested Piculet, Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant, and Bar-winged Wood-Wren. Weʼll continue birding our way down through forested mountains and foothills to the Afluente area, around 4800 feet. Well have at least one entire day to bird the upper tropical (3300 feet) and lower subtropical zones along the road. Possibilities are immense and include numerous mixed-species flocks. All in all, we should have some dynamite birding on the east slope! Weʼll often have early starts, sometimes with a midday break after lunch, other times with a picnic lunch. But weʼll return each evening to our comfortable lodgings, where weʼll offer some optional owling in the evening. Nights of Days 9-12 at Abra Patricia Lodge = Owlet Lodge, Night of Day 13 back at the "mystery" hotel in Florida de Pomacochas. Day 14, Sat, 16 Nov. Abra Patricia to Leymebamba. We plan an early start this morning in order to reach good birding while activity is good. Weʼll retrace our path to Pedro Ruiz (Ingenio) and drive south to Leymebamba, stopping along the spectacular Rio Utcubamba canyon for such possibilities as Torrent Duck, Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Mitred Parakeet, Speckle-chested Piculet, Black-necked Woodpecker, Baronʼs Spinetail, and Maranon Thrush. We will also stop at a small hostal where roosting Koepckeʼs Screech-Owls are sometimes found. The Utcubamba Valley has seen much recent road construction that has replaced some rough road with fast, smooth pavement. Time, birding success, and road conditions permitting, we may decide to take advantage of faster travel times to reach a side canyon above Leymebamba where Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan is a good chance and where Andean Condors sometimes circle in to roost on the cliffs high above the valley floor. In Leymebamba weʼll spend the night in a fairly basic hotel with a few roosters and turkeys on the grounds. Night in Leymebamba. Day 15, Sun, 17 Nov. Birding out of Leymebamba. Weʼll start extremely early this morning (leaving by 4:00 a.m. at the latest) to drive up to the temperate forest patches above Leymebamba. We plan to search for Rufous-banded Owl and Swallow-tailed Nightjar pre-dawn, and for the rare Russet-mantled Softtail right after breakfast in the field. It will be quite chilly until the sun comes out here, at 9700 feet (2900m). Listen for Strong-billed Woodcreeper, the intermedius race of Blackish Tapaculo, and the obscura race of Rufous Antpitta. After birding for several hours between 9700 and 10,500 feet, weʼll ascend a 12,000-foot ridge ( Black Mud Pass ; 3600m) with some nice remnant forest and patches of puna. Weʼll look for Coppery Metaltail, Sapphire-vented ( Coppery-naped ) Puffleg, White-chinned Thistletail (of the form peruviana), and Undulated Antpitta near tree line if the clouds grant us visibility. In the afternoon weʼll head back to the Leymebamba Museum, a fabulous little museum specializing in the Chachapoya culture. After a short tour of the museum, weʼll visit some nearby hummingbird feeders that usually teem with hummers, from Purple-throated Sunangels and Rainbow Starfrontlets to Sword-billed Hummingbird and (at least for three of the last five years) adult male Marvelous Spatuletails! Weʼll return to our hotel in time for a good nightʼs sleep tonight. Night in Leymebamba. Day 16, Mon, 18 Nov. Leymebamba to Balsas. This is a long day, as we drive from Leymebamba to the Rio Maranon at Balsas; it is also one of the most scenic days of the trip. In 2012 we were staggered to find some stretches of pavement in the most remote locations, and signs of preparation for doing most of it! That is generally good news, but construction can be hard on the roadside habitat. Weʼll start in search of anything weʼve missed near Abra Barro Negro, and then weʼll continue, making a couple of other short stops that could produce a variety of upper montane species, ranging from Andean Pygmy-Owl to Smoky and Red-rumped bush-tyrants. From vista points shortly west of Abra Barro Negro (Black Mud Pass), one can see sections of the Maranon itself, 10,000 feet below! We will descend through disturbed habitat and then down through dramatically beautiful desert with natural thorn scrub with large cordon cacti. This is where weʼve had good luck with the Yellow-faced Parrotlet, but luck and work seem to be important elements. Buff-bridled Inca-Finches are regular here along the roadside as well, and watch for the big stick nests of the scarce Chestnut-backed Thornbird. Descending further through irrigated groves of mangos, weʼll cross the Maranon at Balsas and head for our campsite, on an old terrace of the river. We should reach camp in time to get organized in the daylight. This is another warm-weather campsite, but it usually cools off by bedtime. Listen for the Great Horned Owls from our campsite. Night in camp near Balsas. Day 17, Tue, 19 Nov. Balsas to Celendin. Early this morning, while our crew is breaking camp, weʼll bird along the river near Balsas, which is quite birdy, especially for Peruvian Pigeon and Maranon Thrush. On a past tour here weʼve seen Bicolored and Zone-tailed hawks, and Andean Condor has appeared three times (including 2010). If we missed Yellowfaced Parrotlet the day before, we will try, try, try again on this side. Then weʼll climb up the desert slopes (making a stop or two for photos or perhaps another Buff-bridled Inca-Finch) toward an irrigated agricultural district known as Hacienda Limon. The slopes and quebradas around the hacienda are habitat for two very local endemics, Chestnut-backed Thornbird and Gray-winged Inca-Finch, as well as many more widespread species including Andean Tinamou, Little 11
Woodstar, Masked ( Maranon Black-lored ) Yellowthroat, and the endemic Buff-bellied Tanager. Continuing toward Celendin, weʼll bird ever-higher slopes through the arid temperate zone to a high zone of more humid temperate shrub and remnant Polylepis. Here wooded canyons are interspersed with agricultural lands, where we have had good luck with Black-crested (Maranon) Tit-Tyrant and Jelskiʼs Chat-Tyrant, as well as Golden-billed Saltator and the baroni race of Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch. As the sun angles behind the mountains, weʼll cross a pass and descend to the valley of Celendin, where weʼll spend the night in a basic hotel on the Plaza de Armas at 8600 feet. Night in Celendin. Day 18, Wed, 20 Nov. Celendin to Cajamarca. Heading toward Cajamarca, weʼll ascend ever-higher and more arid ridges through mostly agricultural country. Major construction in 2012 had destroyed some of our best roadside birding, and in future years we may need to scramble farther from the road to find equivalent habitat. Weʼll bird patches of forest on the east side of the western cordillera above Celendin, where we will look for various species with hyphens in their names: Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, Rufous-webbed Bush-Tyrant, White-tailed and Black-billed shrike-tyrants, Jelskiʼs Chat-Tyrant, Tawnyrumped Tyrannulet, Tit-like Dacnis, and Peruvian Sierra-Finch. We will also be open to admiring species with less high-falutin' names, including Black Metaltail, Baronʼs (Southern Line-cheeked) Spinetail, Striated Earthcreeper (now in a monotypic genus), and Rufous Antpitta (of the race cajamarcae, with a very different punctuation in its voice, though not in its name). In the puna zone, around 11,600 feet, we plan to walk through Another of the many Peruvian endemics seen on this tour, Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail. Photo by Richard Webster. a grassland to a community of purple-flowered Brachyotum that, if in bloom (i.e., in wet years), concentrates hummingbirds. There are usually some trainbearers (both species possible) and a few Andean Hillstars of the race stolzmanni, sometimes considered a full species ( Green-headed Hillstar ) and another endemic. Paramo Pipits inhabit the bunch grass, and we could flush up a scarce Short-eared Owl as we climb through the puna grassland. After crossing the pass, we plan a stop near Encanada to bird riparian habitat in search of two scarce endemics at the northern end of their ranges: Rufous-eared Brush-Finch and Plain-tailed Warbling-Finch, both of which are tough but have been found the last couple of years. Back in civilization, weʼll spend tonight at a luxury hotel with fine food and hot spring water that can be drawn right into our cabanas! Banos del Inca (named for good reason) is about 9000 feet. Night at Hotel Laguna Seca near Cajamarca. Day 19, Thu, 21 Nov. Cajamarca area. Weʼll start early and devote the first part of the morning to a search for the Great Spinetail. A small breeding population has been found on the arid slopes about seventy kilometers southeast of Cajamarca near San Marcos. Other species that are found in the area include White-winged Black-Tyrant, Masked Yellowthroat, Golden-rumped Euphonia, and Buff-bridled Inca-Finch. Our search will entail a picnic breakfast near the road and then a search of the acacia-cactus habitat for big stick nests and/or vocalizations that will lead us to a pair of Great Spinetails. Depending on our luck, we may spend only a couple of hours here, or we may be here for much of the morning, perhaps climbing up a steep, rocky trail. Once weʼve seen the Spinetail well, weʼll retrace our route, probably making a short stop near a highland lake with a few waterbirds, as well as an occasional Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrant. Then weʼll continue back past Banos del Inca and head directly to the upper Rio Chonta valley, where the Gray-bellied Comet is found. Weʼll have lunch in the field, search for the Comet, Andean Swift, White-winged Cinclodes, Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant, and a few other species that might be new for us. We expect to return to our luxury hotel in time for a proper soaking before a good Thanksgiving dinner at the restaurant. Night at Hotel Laguna Seca near Cajamarca. 12