PERU (AMAZONIAN) REP 12

34 Pages·2013·1.95 MB·English

Wattled (left) and Nocturnal Curassows are both rarely seen Amazonian species featured in the Iquitos area (Matt Denton)

AMAZONIAN PERU

10 – 24 NOVEMBER / 1 DECEMBER 2012

LEADER: MATT DENTON

Once again we were fortunate to see the Nocturnal Curassow during a nighttime excursion near our lodge.
With the addition of Wattled Curassow, this tour now offers two of the continent’s most wanted cracids in one
of Amazonia’s most diverse avifaunas. How diverse? We recorded a total of 647 avian species including the
post-tour extension to the Andes, the latter feeling like a separate tour, so different was the terrain. Some of
the other Amazonian birds seen included Black-banded Crake, Festive and Short-tailed Parrots, Pheasant
Cuckoo, Rufous-necked and Spotted Puffbirds, Blue-necked Jacamar, Pale-billed Hornero, Zimmer’s
Woodcreeper, Pearly Antshrike, Allpahuayo, Amazonas (Jenson’s) and Spot-winged Antbirds, White-plumed
Antbird, the enigmatic Black Bushbird, Zimmer’s Tody-Tyrant, Orange-eyed Flycatcher, Riverside Tyrant,
Amazonian Umbrellabird, Wire-tailed Manakin, Velvet-fronted Grackle and Band-tailed Oropendola. The
headliner of the post-tour extension was certainly the critically endangered Royal Cinclodes. Some of the
other highlights from our Andean birding included Marcapata Spinetail, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan,
Black-streaked Puffbird, Junin Canastero, Undulated Antpitta (for some), Diademed Tapaculo, Ash-breasted
Tit-Tyrant, Masked Fruiteater, Inca Wren, Parodi’s Hemispingus and Giant Conebill. We also enjoyed an
excursion to the rugged coastline and the avian spectacle of the Pacific’s Humboldt Current where
thousands of Inca Terns and Peruvian Booby was more than impressive. Lastly there was yet another eco-
system to visit in the mist-fed coastal hills of Lomas de Lachay where we saw the nomadic Raimondi’s
Yellow-Finch as well as Thick-billed and Grayish Miners and Cactus Canastero.

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After all meeting up in Lima, we spent a very short night at a nearby hotel before once again returning to the
airport to board a Lan Airbus for Iquitos. The rainforests of the immense department of Loreto spanned for
miles below us and then stepping off of the plane it was immediately apparent that many new birds awaited
us in this tropical biome. However, first we would have to make our way through what is widely recognized
as the world’s largest continental city unreachable by car. Soon we were seeing Lesser Yellow-headed
Vulture, Spotted Tody-Flycatcher and Orange-headed and Blue-gray Tanagers at the Itaya river port as we
loaded onto our speedboat for Muyuna Lodge. We made our way south (upriver) on the Amazon to the Rio
Yanayacu, a small tributary which was very birdy. Birds seen during the boat journey included Cocoi Herons
and many Great Egrets, large flocks of Neotropic Cormorants, Large-billed and Yellow-billed Terns, Black-
collared Hawk, many Yellow-headed Caracaras, Bat Falcon, Sungrebe, Wattled Jacana, Ringed Kingfisher,
Ruddy Ground-Dove, White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Lesser Kiskadee, Tropical
Kingbird, Southern Rough-winged, White-winged, Barn and Bank Swallows, Grey-breasted and Brown-
chested Martins, Red-capped Cardinal, Black-capped Donacobius and Oriole, Yellow-hooded and Red-
breasted Blackbirds. The lodge’s river dock was as good of place as any to start birding with American
Pygmy Kingfisher and Black-tailed Tityra. One of the fascinating aspects of birding the Amazon is that many
of the major rivers act as barriers for bird dispersal and thus have had a major impact on bird evolution. Here
at Muyuna we would have the opportunity to see a handful of south bank species that we would not see
elsewhere. After lunch and a short break we walked in the floodplain forest behind the lodge where we were
pleased to see two of our main targets: Blue-necked Jacamar and Rufous-necked Puffbird. But boy was it
warm! We all sweated gallons, but thankfully the mozzies were not too bad. We were also amazed by a
young Black-banded Owl on a day roost. To end the day we spent around 20 minutes with a family group of
Pygmy Marmosets including two youngsters comfortably resting on their parent’s back. That evening at
dinner we saw a Goliath Tree-Frog (well, it was outside the dining room) and afterwards we enjoyed a
postprandial boat ride on the Rio Yanayacu seeing Great and Common Potoos as well as several Boat-billed
Herons. However, probably the most impressive creatures of the night were the incredibly large Bulldog
Fishing-Bats swooping past our boat. We were also treated to a juvenile tree boa.

Rufous-necked Puffbird and Blue-necked (or Blue-cheeked) Jacamar were readily found at Muyuna (Matt Denton)

The next morning we set off by boat before first light to an area known to hold the rare and localized Wattled
Curassow. The local community has been protecting this endangered bird for nearly 8 years now and thanks
to the hunting ban this bird is now making a comeback in this corner of Peru, one of only a handful of sites
where one can hope to see this impressive looking cracid. Leaving the boat behind we walked at a steady
pace for around 15 minutes into “the curassow zone.” Rather quickly we encountered two different
curassows both by sight and sound, but as is somewhat frustratingly normal in tropical birding, not everyone

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was able to see one these first birds. Obviously the birds are still shy of humans despite the hunting ban. We
continued our search diligently waiting for a third bird to come out of hiding in a distant canopy, when
suddenly Moises motioned for us to follow him to a perched bird he had found deeper into the varzea, but we
had to be careful as the bird was perched on a big horizontal limb fairly close. Easing into position we quickly
had the scopes aimed at this female bird which allowed us many excellent views as she gradually became
accustomed to our presence, choosing not to fly. This allowed us many chances to study her every detail
including the waxy crest and black thighs. Now we could breath a sigh of relief having found this rarely seen
bird by mid-morning. Our walk then continued through this varzea habitat, where thankfully the mozzies were
bearable, seeing many other birds including Muscovy Duck, Green Ibis, Slate-coloured Hawk, Osprey,
Hoatzin, White-eared and Bluish-fronted Jacamars, Black-fronted Nunbird, Scarlet-crowned Barbet, Long-
billed, Straight-billed, Striped, Plain-brown, Zimmer’s and Lafresnaye’s Woodcreepers, Grey Antwren,
Plumbeous and Black-tailed Antbirds (the latter being a bird of interest with rather specific habitat
preferences), Yellow-crowned Elaenia and Thrush-like and Buff-breasted Wrens. With some persistence we
managed to catch up with a Spectacled Owl on a perch where it allowed us walk-away views. In the
afternoon we continued our exploration of the forest behind the lodge, specifically to find Saturnine
Antshrike, a south bank denizen, and in the process saw quite a few other birds, including a spectacular
showing by colourful male Wire-tailed Manakins. There was also Long-billed Starthroat, Blue-chinned
Sapphire, Plain-winged Antshrike, Plain-throated and White-flanked Antwrens, Sulphury Flycatcher, White-
vented Euphonia, Purple Honeycreeper, Green-and-gold Tanager, Blue Dacnis, and Silver-beaked, Blue-
grey and Palm Tanagers. Besides seeing the family of Pygmy Marmosets again at their tree, we also saw a
Yellow-crowned Tree Rat resting in its cavity, which for many was one of the top mammals of the trip.

A juvenile Black-banded (left) and this adult Spectacled Owl were day-roosting owls that featured at Muyuna Lodge

The following morning we enjoyed birding by boat along the Rio Yanayacu and thankfully for this mode of
birding the skies remained cloudy for most of the morning. We were off to a good start straight out of the
gate with a Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, and our timing could not have been better for the early morning
parrot flights (parrots often have a long morning commute too). As luck would have it our views of Festive
Amazons perched for ages were particularly memorable and other good birds included Crane Hawk,
Slender-billed Kite, Ruddy Pigeon, White-eyed and Dusky-headed Parakeet, Yellow-crowned, Orange-
winged and Mealy Amazons, Black-tailed and Amazonian Trogons, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Barred
Antshrike, Silvered and Band-tailed Antbirds, Masked Tityra, Orange-backed Troupial and Purple-throated
Fruitcrow. We also birded a median aged island seeing such island specialites as Plain-breasted Piculet,
Castelnau’s Antshrike, Leaden Antwren and Ash-breasted Antbird as well as more widespread species such
as Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Bicolored Conebill and Hooded Tanager. After lunch we returned to
Iquitos where we arrived in the late afternoon to relax at our five star hotel on the plaza.

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After breakfast at our hotel we took our first ride in our ground agent’s modified-for-the-tropics school bus. Its
all wooden frame and sliding windows allowed for plenty of air to circulate, a design well suited for this
tropical climate. Our first of two full days at the Allpahuayo-Mishana went fairly well but the birding was not
easy. This white-sand forest reserve is famous for the fairly recent discovery of several species previously
unknown to science. However, the birds were fairly quiet during our visit, keeping in mind that this is one of
the few tropical rainforests you will bird where the dawn-chorus is silent. It should be said that birding here
requires one to walk through the forest off of trails just as an indigene might do. We had done a bit of this
already at Muyuna but at Allpahuayo-Mishana, on the rare occasion that you hear your target bird, you must
go into the forest for it. Not to fear as we eventually return to a trail, and in the process your perception of the
forest is enhanced (and you realize how useless your navigation skills are and how good your guides’ are).
The first part of the morning saw us lose completely to an Allpahuayo Antbird before finally succeeding with
a male Allpahuayo on a second territory. However, this hard-earned and much-wanted antbird was soon
surpassed when further down the trail we stood standing expectantly and suddenly a gorgeous male
Zimmer’s Antbird hopped into view as if it was all perfectly scripted (which up until now had not been the
case). Another species which had already eluded us this morning only for us to win redemption. Certainly
some of the birds came easier this morning and some were real sandy soil forest treasures including the
attractive Pearly Antshrike, the recently described Ancient Antwren, a surprisingly active Zimmer’s Tody-
Tyrant, as well as Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin and Orange-crowned Manakin. Out in the clearing we had
rain at midday but there were still birds such as Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Olive-faced
and Short-crested Flycatchers and Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch about. In the afternoon we paced back and
forth to no avail through an area known for the critically endangered Iquitos Gnatcatcher when suddenly a
sharp alarm snapped us to attention. A whir of fingers on the controls and a soft phrase of playback and
suddenly there was a male Black-necked Red-Cotinga giving us the evil eye…who dare go there? This
result lifted the spirits of all who shared in seeing this often elusive gem. By the end of the day we had seen
a good selection of birds including Brown-banded Puffbird (but only for some), Double-banded Pygmy-
Tyrant, Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher, Greyish Mourner, Cinereous and Black-capped Becards, Dusky-capped
Greenlet, Black-faced Dacnis, Red-legged Honeycreeper and Rufous-bellied Euphonia. The following day
saw more rain and some fairly slow birding at times but as usual in such a unique place there will be
highlights. Some of the key sandy soil birds just did not seem to be present or would otherwise not
cooperate. Nonetheless we did connect with one of the key birds of the reserve in Mishana Tyrannulet, the
lowland form of a species that was only recently described. Today we also enjoyed the dust-bathing antics of
the Yellow-billed Nunbirds; a King Vulture perched quite close in the subcanopy; a Straight-billed Hermit
paused at close-focus range; and a pair of Amazonian Motmots perched over the trail. We paced up and
down the gnatcatcher track but there was little flock movement this morning. However, there were some
interesting birds such as Red-stained, Scale-breasted and Chestnut Woodpeckers and Buff-throated
Foliage-gleaner. Just as we returned for lunch a nearly tame White-necked Puffbird perched directly over the
track; closer than anyone could ever hope for. After lunch and some heavy rain showers, we were treated to
our antbird fix of the day provided by a Yellow-browed Antbird. The rain continued but we persisted, standing
quietly under our umbrellas inside the quiet (well, drippy) forest hoping to encounter something new. In the
end there was only a Rufous-capped Antthrush present, which we enticed into view, before returning to the
road and civilization and a ride in the wonderfully breezy bus to air-conditioned luxury, showers and pisco
sours.

This morning we started off at a nearby park, which historically has hosted Amazonian Parrotlet, but sadly
there was no sign of the birds today. As we waited for the parrotlet we saw a good mix of other parrots
including over 100 Canary-winged Parakeets and a pair of Red-bellied Macaw, as well as open country birds
such as Lineated Woodpecker, Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet, Yellow-green Vireo and Chestnut-bellied
Seedeater. A troop of naval cadets led by their sargeant jogged into the park singing in cadence at the top of
their lungs in their bleached white kit to practice their plyometrics. The weather was off and on rain again
which sent us on our way to the comfortable Explorama river port for our transfer to the lodge. We arrived in
good time at Yanamono creek, home of Explorama Lodge, where we were greeted by a pair of Blue-winged
Parrotlets at a nest cavity; but the top bird of the morning by far was a pair of Orange-eyed Flycatchers, one
of the Loreto specialties. During lunch we experienced an impressive tropical deluge, which stopped right on

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time for our scheduled afternoon excursion. It took some patience but we finally found the sweet spot for a
very cooperative Black-banded Crake to show remarkably well. Moments later we were gifted the other bird
of the afternoon when a very responsive Pheasant Cuckoo flew in on three occasions. We rounded out the
day with Varzea Thrush hopping on the track; a perched Orange-winged Amazon; and a pair of impressive
Crimson-crested Woodpeckers. That evening the caiparinas tasted quite good, and thankfully there was no
shortage of juicy, tart limes in Loreto. The lodge at Explorama has a high thatch roof in the typical style of the
region, which that night was home to the resident pair of Tropical Screech-Owls perched calling on the
wooden beams over our rooms. A few of us just had to peak our heads out of our mosquito nets and there
was an owl looking down on us. A few hours after the owl, we took early breakfast, and a short boat ride, to
begin our morning birding on Yanamono Island. We walked up a seasonally flooded channel which served
as a perfect vantage point for scanning the cecropia woodland edge on either side of us. Here we had very
good success seeing an Amazonian Umbrellabird in flight directly overhead, and then a second male bird
perched. A brilliant blue male Plum-throated Cotinga was lovely; a Red-and-white Spinetail gave us many
good views; and a Yellow-billed Tern quartered low over the canal. A close perched Hook-billed Kite obliged
long enough for some, and then we once again boarded our boat birding the canal and seeing Little Blue
Heron and Striped and Little Cuckoos. After obtaining permission, a short walk took us to the edge of an
obliging farmer’s field (amazing how simply our fellow man can live) where we saw our remaining targets:
Brownish Elaenia, and Lesson’s and Caqueta Seedeaters. Our boat journey then continued down the
Amazon River and then turning up the Rio Napo at its confluence with the Amazon. The Napo is a large
Amazonian river which starts in the wilderness of the Ecuadorian Amazon near Ecuador’s Yasuni National
Park (one of the world’s last wild places, this park is sadly endangered by the Ecuadorian government for
new roads for petrochemical drilling). Then after travelling up the Napo we turned up the much smaller Rio
Sucusari to Explornapo Lodge for lunch. The afternoon was pretty much a wash-out in heavy, heavy rain,
but the lodge’s habituated Grey-winged Trumpeters kept us entertained while we waited out the rain for our
walk to the ACTS station. Starting off we were all impressed by the strength and humility of the lodge staff
carrying our luggage. Yes, we were in good hands. The walk started out well with Western Striped Manakin
at a lek but there was very little activity due to the continued wet through-fall. We did manage quite good
views of Chestnut-belted Gnateater perching on lianas in the understorey and some of us managed to grind
out a view of a recalcitrant Slate-coloured Antbird. As dusk fell the haunting sound of a Bartlett’s Tinamou
echoed from near the trail but it remained hidden in the forest. Fizzy drinks and cold beer from the gas-
powered fridge, abundant water in the showers, and electric fans in the dining hall, made it easy to settle into
ACTS. It was a quiet place surrounded by forest we would have all to ourselves for three nights.

The next morning after breakfast we set off at first light for the short walk to the canopy walkway. Rather
quickly and without much effort the walkway’s spanning bridges have you standing in wonder at the beautiful
shapes and delicate nature of unimaginably old trees. Looking out over the varied relief of a diverse terra
firme rainforest is not a sight our urban eyes are accustomed to. Eventually we had all traversed a series of
secure hanging bridges, cordoned off on each side with rope mesh, to arrive at the two-tiered platform where
we would conduct our canopy session. Right away our scopes picked out a Spix’s Guan at rest but that
paled in comparison to the sight of a pair of Black-faced Hawk serenely preening and resting. These
exquisitely pied-patterned raptors were merely resting, but what their plans were we do not know. Maybe
something similar happens most days, but it is an event that not many humans are fortunate to witness as
this medium-sized raptor largely remains hidden in the subcanopy. The guides could not believe how
mundanely these raptors watched the world go by. There were other raptors perched in the canopy including
Double-toothed Kite and a Tiny Hawk was seen by some. The sight of King Vultures soaring and Scarlet
Macaws against the green backdrop of forest only added to the feeling of wilderness. There was a pair of
White-browed Purpletufts about for most of our session, small fluffy cotingids as cute as their name sounds,
and a Spangled Cotinga male perched at eye-level next to our tree. A Black-bellied Cuckoo made a good
showing; White-necked Jacobin and Gould’s Jewelfront danced in flight; and Black-headed Parrots and
White-throated Toucans filled the time. Passerines were few but Moustached and Dugand’s Antwrens, and
Zimmer’s Flycatcher came in for excellent views, and a pair of Flame-crested Tanagers paused to sing from
a nearby tree. Descending from the walkway we took in a lek of Golden-headed Manakins displaying; a
calling Grey Antbird in the subcanopy; but a Great Jacamar was less than cooperative. Birding by foot in the
forest understorey was of course slow at times but there were some definite high points with birds like Red-

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necked Woodpecker, Yellow-billed Jacamar and good views of an adult White-plumed Antbird. Some of the
other birds seen today included Spot-winged and Cinereous Antshrikes, the jensoni form of Amazonas
(Black-headed) Antbird, Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin and Blue-crowned Manakin. After dinner we left for a night
walk under clear skies and just enough moon for the task at hand. We stopped for Northern Tawny-bellied
Screech-Owl which was seen by some and blocked from view for others. Sometime later the spine-tingling
sound of several Nocturnal Curassows echoing through the forest had us in pursuit of the closest sounding
bird. It was game-on! We had sent out a team of bushmen ahead of us to locate the birds, and now our hope
was that they had chosen the same birds that we had. Carefully we left the trail to locate the curassows and
soon enough we saw the lights of our companions deep in the ravine below. We had been fortunate to hear
the curassows, which is often as close as some birders come, but would we see one? Locating their song
perch high up in the canopy can be a roll of the dice. It was hilly terrain which required care under foot, and
with the birds having gone quiet it seemed as though we would be unable to get a result. However with slow
and careful persistence on the part of everyone involved, suddenly we had a male Nocturnal Curassow in
the spotlight. We all had superb views in the scope and several images were taken. Most folks felt much
better once we were safely back on the trail, as nighttime navigation through the jungle is not something you
learn overnight. Sleep came easy knowing we had made a fine achievement.

A male Spangled Cotinga displayed at breathtakingly close range during our time on the ACTS canopy walkway (Matt Denton)

Over the next day and a half we birded the network of trails surrounding ACTS in addition to having a
second morning session on the canopy walkway. Our sighting of a Lined Forest-Falcon was huge, and also
memorable was a Banded Antbird creeping along the forest floor. Forest flocks had Red-crowned Ant-
Tanager, Lafresnaye’s and Ocellated Woodcreepers, Olive-backed Foliage-gleaner and Mouse-coloured,
Dusky-throated and Cinereous Antshrikes. A rainy afternoon did not leave us much, but a perched Chestnut-
winged Hookbill in the scope was good, and several of us managed to see a difficult Thrush-like Antpitta.
Our second morning on the walkway featured Ivory-billed Aracari, White-fronted Nunbird, Golden-tailed
Sapphire, Mealy Amazon and Orange-cheeked Parrot. A family group of Many-banded Aracaris strewn
along an exposed snag made for good scope viewing, and a tiny Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher came in
and perched just over our heads. Some folks caught up with Gould’s Jewelfront, and we were all amazed to
follow the coming and going of the poison arrow frogs nearly 40 metres up in our canopy tree, which no
doubt had lived there for god know's how many generations on this single tree. We also had side-by-side

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comparisons between Opal-rumped and Opal-crowned Tanagers before descending once again to the forest
floor for our return walk to Explornapo. Along the way we encountered a responsive Collared Gnatwren but
the highlight for some was experiencing the very surprising display of aggression by a Brownish Twistwing
making several loud vibrating display flights above the understorey. Each time the bird made a startling
mechanical noise using its flight feathers for nearly 15 metres in distance. Back at Explornapo we had lunch,
and in the afternoon we ventured out to the Rio Napo by boat to a nearby tributary where we saw Black-
tailed Trogon and Green-and-rufous Kingfisher and a most odd conglomeration of nearly 100 Greater Anis
went floating phantom-like through the air to disappear into the river-edge greenery. Most importantly we
saw the bird we had set off for, the uncommon and local Band-tailed Oropendola, which showed brilliantly.
The rest of the afternoon was spent along the Sucusari where we saw Ladder-tailed Nightjar, Black-chinned
Antbird and many Speckled Chachalacas making a terrible racket. We also had to notch the first round for
the vocalizing Spotted Puffbird that would not show.

Band-tailed Oropendola (both) is an often tricky-to-find bird of western Amazonia (Matt Denton)

The next morning we had planned to spend a few hours on the young Napo island where we got off to a
good start with the likes of Little Woodpecker, White-bellied and Parker’s Spinetails, Castelnau’s Antshrike,
Black-and-white Antbird, Olive-spotted Hummingbird and Bicoloured and Pearly-breasted Conebills. We
located a Riverside Tyrant by voice but the bird gave us the slip, and our morning session had to be
extended once the rain started. We waited out the rain, but still no tyrant, when at the eleventh hour Sue
made a miraculous spot of a bird perched inconspicuously at the bottom of a bush. Out on the beach there
were loads of seedeaters including Caqueta, Lined, Chestnut-bellied and even a Double-collared, and some
of us spotted a River Tyrannulet as well. There was not much time left before lunch other than for us to dip
on yet another calling Spotted Puffbird. In the afternoon we went a considerable distance by boat up the
Sucusari beyond all of the villagers where we enjoyed amazingly good views of Black Caracara and
Rufescent Tiger-Heron. There was a Lettered Aracari and noisy Coraya Wrens, but it was not until late in the
day when a small party of Velvet-fronted Grackles flushed from the river edge. Thankfully one of the grackles
returned, but we all watched it with baited breath until it sang, and then we cheered. I should also mention
that we managed to dip on yet a different Spotted Puffbird, but we were not about to give up trying.

Today we started out in the varzea on the Shimigay trail seeing Dot-backed Antbird, but sadly the Spotted
Antpitta that is occasionally seen here was quiet and all the rain the day before had filled the canal with
water. Upon coming to a very questionable looking bridge it quickly became apparent that the rest of our
morning’s birding was to be done elsewhere. On our return we encountered a couple with their hand-woven
baskets for harvesting yucca accompanied by their lean, wiry hunting dogs. It is always fascinating to see
how some can manage to make a living in the bush, but sad as well to see more forest felled because of it.
Our next stop was the island of Yarina where some loud squawking of parrots led us to a perched group of
Short-tailed Parrot, which allowed us some excellent studies of these beautiful creatures, including their
golden edged flight feathers and their blue cheeks. We also had our second encounter with Zimmer’s
Woodcreeper this trip with a bird that gave good views. Next up was the varzea forest along the Rio
Sucusari where a couple of productive stops produced a very entertaining White-chinned Jacamar popping

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back a large bee, followed by the much wanted Spotted Puffbird. After hearing a bird softly calling, we
suddenly realized that in fact the Spotted Puffbird was perched directly over our heads. Finally, we had
achieved an excellent sighting of a bird that had consumed us for the last couple of days. At last! A Slate-
coloured Grosbeak showed wonderfully here and some of us were also able to see the bizarre Golden-
collared Toucanet belching away in the canopy. Next we moved to the forests of Explornapo with skepticism
running high within the group after the last few days of slow activity. Suddenly however the soft scold note of
a Schistocichla antbird came from across a promising looking thicket-lined stream. Before long we were
experiencing incredible close-ups of a Spot-winged Antbird which left us all on a seemingly satisfactory
thamnophilid high. Little did we know that our thamnophilid trip would suddenly be taken to a higher level
quite spontaneously. Somehow we had awakened a Black Bushbird into calling on just the other side of the
same creek. We moved carefully through a tangle of lianas to successfully get into position, and now all we
had to do was spot the bird, which Dave managed to do after a few tense moments. Everyone did well to get
each other on the bushbird in hushed whispers as the male bushbird kept on singing. Upon seeing this rare
bird, all agreed this was our best overall morning in the lowlands and a great way to end our Explornapo
birding. After lunch we had some time to kill, and to help a displaying Sunbittern walking along the roof of the
lodge walkway was most entertaining. Our boat transfer to Cumaceba Lodge was rather uneventful but the
weather was nice and it felt great to be out on the water. Probably the most memorable birds at Cumaceba
that afternoon were the hundreds of swallows skimming across the water most of which were Barn
Swallows.

White-eared Jacamars are prominent along the entrance track to Cumaceba Lodge (Matt
Denton)

We had an entire morning to bird the varzea at Cumaceba Lodge. We began with the shy Pale-billed

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Hornero, which required that we go inside its dense varzea habitat to see. We did not have the same sort of
luck with a Johannes's Tody-Tyrant, which went quiet all too quickly once a big group of Russians arrived.
Two south bank species that we picked up here were Bluish-slate Antshrike and Moustached Wren. We had
an Amazonian Umbrellabird pass by overhead, and some of our other sightings included Hook-billed and
Slender-billed Kites, Crane Hawk, Reddish and White-bearded Hermits, nearly tame White-eared Jacamars,
Scarlet-crowned Barbet, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Long-billed, Cinnamon-
throated, Olivaceous and Wedge-billed Woodcreepers, Great Antshrike, Cinnamon-rumped Foliage-gleaner,
Black-throated Antbird, Pygmy and Grey Antwrens, Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Grey-crowned
Flycatcher and Black-billed Thrush. One of the highlights of our visit was watching the antics of a nesting
colony of Yellow-rumped Caciques and Russet-backed Oropendolas in a big tree over the dining hall. In the
afternoon we took the short boat ride back to Iquitos where we had some down-time at our comfortable hotel
before taking a ride to the busy, and colourful port on the Rio Nanay, a blackwater river where we hoped to
see Black-crested Antshrike and Band-tailed Nighthawk. No time was wasted as we boarded our pre-
arranged boat and made our way to the nearby habitat. However, the weather had different plans for us.
What was intended as an easy pre-dinner loll was given a dose of sopping wet realism from Mother Nature.
Our boat's palm thatch roof had plastic sheets to keep the rain from coming through the sides but many of us
had our brollies out anyway, and then we nearly sank the boat from all sitting on one side to avoid the rain.
We had to wait till nearly dark for the rain to stop before we could finally make our way back to port to drive
back to our hotel. No birds, but it made for a good laugh later that night at a nearby Belgian eatery where we
all enjoyed a tasty meal. They had imported Chimay at $40 but why bother? We drank so many pisco sours
and caipirinhas that the bar had to start rationing their limes.

Guanay Cormorant surrounded by Inca Terns at Pucusana, one of the best sites for bird photography in South America (Matt
Denton)

The next morning we had what could almost be called a lie-in before transferring to the Iquitos airport. Our
flight to Lima arrived on schedule and we were quickly on our way south along the Costa Verde through the
pretty districts of Miraflores and Chorillos to the Panamerican highway. Our destination was the typical
fishing village of Pucusana where a boat waited our arrival to take us around the impressive sea cliffs home

9 BirdQuest Tour Report: Amazonian Peru 2012 www.birdquest-tours.com
to a rich assembly of Humboldt Current birds. An abundant birdlife included hundreds of Peruvian Pelican,
thousands of Peruvian Booby and Inca Terns, nearly 100 Red-legged and Guanay Cormorant, and two
much-appreciated Humboldt Penguins resting on the cliffs. South American Sea Lions lazed about while
Surf Cinclodes and Blackish Oystercatchers nervously dashed in and out of the cold spray. Amongst all of
the Ruddy Turnstones we found a good-sized group of Surfbirds, a Nearctic species on its wintering grounds
here amidst the summer homes of Lima's upper-middle class. After a lunch of fresh fish and seafood we
made our way back to Lima making a couple of stops along the way. Our first yielded a pair of hoped-for
Peruvian Thick-knees, and also here were Pacific Parrotlet (feral), Croaking Ground-Dove, Eared Dove,
Vermillion Flycatcher, Long-tailed Mockingbird and Scrub Blackbird. Next we drove to the beach area of
Pantanos de Villa, one of the few RAMSAR designated wetlands within the city limits of a capital city (of 10
million inhabitants). Everyone was very impressed to step out of the car to see a roost of around 5000
Franklin's Gulls. Here we spent the rest of our afternoon scoping a variety of waterbirds including White-
cheeked Pintail, Cinnamon Teal, Ruddy (Andean) Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron,
Puna Ibis, Osprey, Killdeer, American Oystercatcher, Black-necked Stilt, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Spotted and
Least Sandpipers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Slate-colored Coot, Gray-hooded Gull, Franklin’s Gull,
Belcher’s Gull, Elegant Tern and Black Skimmer.

The incredible stonework at Sacsayhuaman. A Giant Hummingbird dusted in yellow pollen at Ollantaytambo (Matt Denton)

The following morning saw us departing our Miraflores hotel just after 3AM for our flight to Cusco. It felt good
to be in the highlands once we arrived, and thus began the post-tour extension, amidst completely different
scenery. Cusco is the former capital of the once-great Incan empire, thus our first stop was a cultural one.
Pizarro’s Spaniards destroyed much of the fortress and ceremonial area of Sacsayhuaman taking many of
the stones for their own building projects. However much of the original stonework remains today, including
some stones estimated to weigh nearly 200 tonnes. The precision of the stonework is unmatched in the
Americas. Next we drove south of Cusco to the well-known site of Lake Huacarpay surrounded by
picturesque mountains and ancient terraces. Our arrival happened to coincide with an Aplomado Falcon
striking a dove just as we stepped off the bus. Continued development around the lake seems to be taking
its toll on the dry scrubland birds which were very few, but some of us managed to see the endemic Rusty-
fronted Canastero, and other birds from the arid scrub included Bare-faced Ground-Dove, Greenish Yellow-
Finch and Band-tailed Seedeater. In the extensive marsh surrounding the lake we saw Puna and Yellow-
billed Teals, Ruddy Duck, Andean Gull, Plumbeous Rail, Wren-like Rushbird and Many-colored Rush-Tyrant.
Our picnic lunch was enjoyed before the afternoon showers began. Then we made our drive down into the
Sacred Valley through quiet Andean villages allowing us to glimpse the agrarian way of life here. Arriving at
our hotel in Ollantaytambo, everyone was pleasantly surprised what a wonderful place it was. In the gardens
surrounding our rooms (and even visible from our room windows) were numerous flowers attracting the likes
of Sparkling Violetear, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Bearded Mountaineer, Giant Hummingbird and Green-and-
white Hummingbird. Some of the other birds here in our hotel garden included Spot-winged Pigeon, White-
browed Chat-Tyrant, Rusty and Black-throated Flowerpiercers and Black-backed Grosbeak.

10 BirdQuest Tour Report: Amazonian Peru 2012 www.birdquest-tours.com