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Relatos Viaje Espíritu Pampa - Travel Story

No importa los riesgos. Llegaras ahí y encontraras lo que andas buscando y quizá algo más, lo más importante es dar el primer paso! Escribo este relato luego de enterarme de la triste desaparición de un gran estudioso de los peces en Colombia, el trágico día donde su embarcación naufrago en uno de los afluentes del rio Amazonas y de todos los ocupantes que lograron llegar a la orilla solo faltaba Javier A. Maldonado. Con sentimientos encontrados acabo de leer parte de sus relatos, antes no conocía nada de él, al explorar cada línea de sus escritos voy idealizando quien fue, su filosofía, es increíble saber cuánto conocimiento envolvía a este hombre y las ganas de querer transmitir  de una  forma tan sencilla, fuera y dentro de las aulas,  sus experiencias resumidas en algo tan intenso como su pasión “Peces de Agua Dulce”. Nunca se dio la oportunidad de estrecharle la mano. Desafortunadamente creo que no se hubiera dado, estamos enrumbados de forma difere...

Where to Watch Birds in Peru - Manu Guides - Camping and Birding !

Welcome back to my blog.

At present Peru is recognized as the second most diverse country in the world in its variety of birds, more than 1800 species inhabit the different ecosystem of our country, which represents 15% of all the species on the planet.

Without a doubt, trying to understand why Peru is a “Premier Birding Destination “We had accomplished a great Birdwatching adventure in Peru, under the guidance of a well - known book “Where to Watch Birds in Peru” wrote by Thomas Valqui and accompanied by updated information provided by some Local guides and fieldwork discussion by the participants.

Much of the knowledge we got about the birds spotting that occurs at places mentioned comes from this book.

In the early February 2012 willing to discover most of the  Peru Avian fauna  throughout  a Birding & Camping Trip, starting in Cusco and passing by different regions; south Andes, Titicaca lake  region, south coast, central region, north coast, central and north tropicals regions, some were  popular birding spots  and some really remote  areas where probably any birding adept  have been there.

This blog has some information about birds report in each place we have been and also its show pictures about the routes and covered areas for a period of 34 days of camping in almost all the sites that we stayed, from urban sites to very isolated places and enjoying and experiencing almost all weather conditions.

We are hoping to continue the research and exploration that has made Peru, the number one birdwatching destination in the world.

I think that birds are one of the best things to communicate about. They are an incredibly important part of the environment, and they are really cool and they have so much diversity!

Finally, I appreciate the effort of Abraham Huaman who engaged the facilities concerning this trip, allowing us to witness the precious culture and valuable natural resources of our country.


Polilepys forest Lampa - Puno
After the first night we spent  around a  Polilepys forest in Lampa – Puno, this area and its forest around produce our  first list; (creamy breasted canastero, streaked tit-tyrant, Andean hill star, tufted tit-tyrant, bar winged cinclodes, rufous webbed bush-tyrant, rufous naped ground-tyrant, plain colored seedeater, spotted winged pigeon, d'orbigny´s chat-tyrant) and many more, finally we had seen the small  Darwin´s Nothura running across this field few times. 

Aguada Blanca - Arequipa
The Aguada Blanca is a preserved area on the flat  elevations of Arequipa region, it has been a wonderful place for spotting the high elevations birds (spot-billed ground-tyrant,  Andean lapwings, cordilleran canastero, ochre naped ground-tyrant, variable hawk, grey breasted seedsnipe, puna ground-tyrant)

Aguada Blanca - Arequipa
This was overnight camping, we did not realize the proximity to the Glaciers. 
Glaciers at Arequipa
birding on elevations above 5.000 masl, surrounded by inactive volcanoes landscapes.  

Andean Geese
 Chivay
We start descending to Colca Valley, along the way down we saw interesting species such as; mountain parakeet and the endemic black-necked woodpecker, a close-up view of Andean Hillstar and also creamy bellied canastero.

We saw this species close associated and nesting in the cactus, so we expected to find cactus canastero instead Creamy bellied again, it had taken our time for a while to identify with accuracy, finally, we could clarify our doubts. 

Mirador Cruz del Condor
Colca Canyon - juvenile Condor
As we camped in the vicinity of the Cruz del Condor, We have been the first comers at the lookout, we saw successfully this juvenile flying around and above the clouds in the early morning.
Cruz del Condor - Colca Canyon
by 8.00 am when more Tourists arrived at the Lookout, it seemed to be too late because the Condors did not show up again.

So we avoid the crowd and we went for birding finding interesting species; canyon canastero around the lookout, rufous naped ground-tyrant, Andean hill star, greenish yellow-finch, white-tailed shrike-tyrant.

We were heading to Arequipa we passed by wetlands so it was possible to see more species such as; puna ground-tyrant, white-winged cinclodes, grey breasted seedsnipe, puna yellow-finch, Andean negrito, puna ground-tyrant and finally white-throated earthcreeper in dry and sandy habitat.

Lagunas de Mejia
Our birding time at the Wetlands of  Laguna de Mejia declared as a RAMSAR SITE was short, however, his approach to the coastal region was for several days.

Travelling  from the south along the coast  toward Lima (Pantanos Villa) in those days we spotted many coastal birds and lake residents;  sanderling, American oystercatcher, franklin's gull, snowy egret, grey gull, Peruvian pelican, Peruvian Meadowlark, pied-billed grebe, Peruvian thick-knee, yellowish pipit, white-cheeked pintail, tricolored heron, barn swallow, grebe grebe, burrowing owl, great hooded gull, house sparrow, oasis hummingbird, black and white seedeater, croaking ground dove, west Peruvian dove, peregrine falcon, Raymond's yellow-finch, Chesnut throated seedeater.




Peruvian Coast
Peruvian pelican
Penguin
Peruvian Booby
Guanay Cormorant
Our birding morning at Islas Ballestas had been one of the highlights of our trip, (Inca tern, Peruvian booby, guanay cormorant, red-legged cormorants, Peruvian pelican, ruddy turn-stone, whimbrel, grey hooded gull, black-bellied plover, snowy plover, western sandpiper, semipalmated sandpiper, least sandpiper, elegant sandpiper, surf cinclodes, surfbird, Peruvian tern, royal tern, sandwich tern,  among others).

We had been planning to stop briefly at Pantano's de Villa, certainly, we stopped there just for a while without focussing that much on Birding it was just quickly cross of the capital



Lomas de Lachay - Catus Dry Forest
Lomas de Lachay - Lima
Once we had been at Lomas de Lachay we started looking for specialties; purple collared woodstar, oasis hummingbird, black chested buzzard-eagle, peregrine falcon, coastal miner, collared warbling-finch, band-tailed sierra-finch, lesser nightjar and finally after many attempts cactus canastero.

Luis the park ranger-led us to the right side of the mountain to find it, this day we got a nice and friendly welcome by the guards and also facilities to stay at the ranger station and guidance too.

Black Chested - Buzzard Eagle
Lomas de Lachay
Few flowers are attracting some hummingbirds in the dry season (purple collared woodstar, oasis hummingbird) we got a nice view of the endemic; thick-billed miner.

Valle del Supe - Caral
Valle del Supe (caral) this was a remarkable  birding  area along the coastal valleys so far , we listed few  new  species of birds for the whole group, masked yellow-throated, drab seedeater, dull-colored grassquit, parrot billed seedeater, Peruvian sheartail, dark billed cuckoo, tawny crowned pigmy-tyrant, blue-black grassquit, coastal miner, blue and white swallow, hepatic tanager, among others..


Gramadal - North of Lima
This place is called  Gramadal (not mentioned in the book) just a very short walk from road and looking the top of shrubbery vegetation makes possible to see the endemic Peruvian plantcutter without much effort and also it was our first opportunity to observe  the  Peruvian Sheartails an active couple flying gracefully, in addition, some scrub black-birds.
Sinsicap - Mountains
In the next couple of days, we left the coastal region to explore the highland area known as Sinsicap.
 We drove in the afternoon from Trujillo to Simbal in the hope to arrive to its neighboring villages on time but the muddy stretch road and also considering that was raining it took little bit longer to get there.

The next day we explored Sinsicap, firstly we have seen, Speckled Hummingbird,  without any noticeable plumage introgression. walking  up the mountains also aimed at seeing Unicolored Tapaculo. By the time We  had arrived at the stream crossings on foot and seeing more birds; rufous chested tanager, golden bellied grosbeak, streaked throated bush-finch, purple collared WordStar, citrine warbler, bay crowned bush-finch, white-tipped dove, scrub blackbird, sparkling violetear, hepatic tanager, fasciated wren, elegant crescent-chest, Andean pigmy-owl, pacific parrotlet.

By midday, we headed to the area known as Simbal and camping there. The following morning we headed towards Chiclayo,  Other regional endemics found here included the lovely Elegant Crescentchest once again, scarlet fronted parakeet, pacific parrotlet, saffron finch, collared antshrike, mouse-colored Tyrannulet, white-browed blackbird, south beardless Tyrannulet, black and white tanager, streaked saltator.


Chaparri  Reserve road
 We felt so  motivated because we knew that going to a promising place in terms of  birds endemism and diversity, the previous rainy days to our arrival to Chaparrí,  it eroded the road and we have been forced to pull the van up so many times, despite the road shape that day, we made our way in and back to Chaparri by  foot.

The full-day birding  experience at this spot was so regarding, in my personal opinion "Chaparri" was one of the best places for easy birding and wildlife viewing, thanks to Rob Williams who helped us with the arrangements to visit this Private Reserve.

Peruvian Pygmy-Owl granted good scope views at Chaparri.
White-winged Guan
The avian diversity of this corner of Peru, cannot be underestimated Obviously some of the major highlights were the endemics classified as endangered White-winged Guan is not being bred in captivity however has been reintroduced to several other reserves, Chaparri is one of the unique stronghold for this species. 

Thanks to the Field assistance of  Tomas Salazar & Juan we saw successfully the Tumbesian endemics and regional specialties such as; tropical gnatcatcher, Baird's Flycatcher, black and white tanager, comb duck, necklaced spinetail, superciliary wren.

White and grey Tyrannulet, burrowing owl, scarlet backed woodpecker, grey breasted martin, Tumbes chat-tyrant, Tumbes Hummingbird, harris hawk, sulfury throated finch, cinereous finch, white edge oriole, white-tailed jay, short-tailed woodstar, Peruvian pigmy owl, savanna hawk. 

Bosque de Pomac
Presentacion TV Nacional
The next morning we made our way to Olmos - Santuario Pomac, We experienced first hand the dry bushy vegetation walking the main interpretative trail and  spotting some interesting birds; rufous flycatcher, superciliary wren, peregrine falcon and finally the arid habitats in the hope to find Tumbes swallow.


Abra Porculla - Limon
 Bay headed bush-finch , Amazilia Hummingbird, White-winged bush-finch, White edged oriole, Southern beardless Tyrannulet, Elegant crescent-chest, Ecuadorian piculet, Grey chinned hermit, Rufuos chested tanager, Henna hooded foliage-gleaner, Rufous-necked foliage-gleaner, Line checked spinetail, Chapman´s Ant-shrike, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Slate-throated Redstar, Piura chat-tyrant, Hepatic Tanger, Black cowled Saltator.

Smoky browned Woodpecker, Golden-bellied Grosbeak, Amazilia Hummingbird, Black-chested Buzzard Eagle.

Gotas de Agua - Bagua
Rufous Fronted Thornbird,  Marañon Crescent-chest, Black and White Becard, Yellow-tailed Oriole, Tataupa Tinamou, Northern Slaty Antshrike, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Sooty Crowned Flycatcher, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Little Inca-finch.



White-lined Tanager, Red-eyed Vireo, Pale edged Flycatcher, Marañon Thrush, Andean Emerald, Marañon Crescent-chest.
 
Marvellous Spatuletail Hummingbird - Huambo
 Chesnut breasted Coronet, Marvellous spatuletail, Little Woodstar, White-bellied Woodstar, Bronzy Inca, Canada Warbler.

Abra Patricia



Saffron fronted Tanager, Flame crested Tanager, Blue and black Tanager, Beryl spangled Tanager, Oleaginous hemispingus, Bluish flowerpiercer, Masked Flowerpiercer, Mountain Wren, Short-billed Bush-tanager, Spectacled Redstar, Green, and Black Fruiteater, Rufous-vented Tapaculo, Golden faced Tyrannulet, Mottled cheeked Tyrannulet, Lesser Elaenia, Long-tailed Antbird, Green Jay, Collared Inca, Chesnut breasted Coronet, Emerald bellied Puffleg, White-bellied Woodstar, Johnson´s Tody-tyrant, Barred Becard, Smoky Brown Woodpecker.
Abra Patricia
 White-faced Nunbird, White-Sided Flowerpiercer, Sierran Elaenia, Streaked Xenops, Blue-winged Mountain-tanager, Smoky brown Woodpecker, Rusty winged Barbtail, Royal Sunangel, Golden faced Tyrannulet, Olive-backed Woodcreeper, Long-tailed Sylph, Blue Dacnis, Streaked tuftedcheek, Bronzy Inca.



Speckled chested Piculet, Black bellied Tanager, Rufous chested Tanager, Red ruffed Fruitcrow, White-capped Tanager, Inca Flycatcher, Golden faced Tanager, Three-striped Warbler, Flame faced Tanger, Saffron crowned Tanager, Common bush-Tanager, Wattled Guan, Booted racket tail, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Bronze green Euphonia, Versicolored Barbet, Smoke colored Pewee, White-tipped Swift, Oleaginous hemispingus.



Wakanky Jardin de Picafllores
Rufous crested Coquette, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Long-tailed Hermit, Saphire spangled Emerald, White-chinned Saphire, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Napo Sabrewing, Grey-breasted Sabrewing,  Black throated Mango, Emerald bellied  Puffleg, Black-faced Tanager, Black bellied Tanager, Rufous-fronted Thornbird.


" La Bella Durmiente" - Tingo Maria
 
Cueva de las Lechuzas - Tingo Maria
Oilbird, Sepia capped Flycatcher, Plain winged Antshrike, Blue backed Grosbeak, White browed Antbird, Cliff Flycatcher, White-eyed Parakeet.

Carpish
Golden plummed Parakeet, Rufous chested Tanager, Grey-capped Bush-tanager, Capped Conebill, Lagrimose Mountain-tanager, Hooded Mountain-tanager, Superciliaried Hemispingus, Black-capped Hemispingus, Bar bellied Woodpecker, Rufous Spinetail, Slaty Bush-finch, Mountain Velvetbreast.

Huanuco

Ruta a bosque de Unchog


Ascenso bosque de Unchog
 
Bosque de Unchog
 

Ascenso Bosque de Unchog

Abra Bosque de Unchog
Chesnut bellied Mountain-tanager, White throated Tyrannulet, Undulated Antpitta, Line fronted Canastero, Paramo Pipit, Golden-bellied Mountain-tanager, Rufous-browed Hemispingus, Ochraceous breasted Flycatcher, Scarlet bellied Mountain-tanager, Moustached Flowerpiercer, Bay vented Cotinga, Golden-collared Tanager, Coppery Metaltail, Andean Lapwing, Line cheeked Spinetail, Bay crowned Bush-finch.

La Quinua - Huanuco
Stripe-headed Antpitta, Giant Conebill, Thick-billed Siskin, Striated Earth-creeper, Rusty crowned Tit-spinetail, Line cheeked Spinetail.

Lago de Junin

Lago de Junin
Brown bellied Swallow, Bar-winged Cinclodes, Plain colored Seedeater, Bright rumped Yellow finch, American golden Plover, Pectoral Sandpiper, Black-breasted Hillstar. 

La Huerta Vieja - Ayacucho
 Crested becard, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Sparkling Violetear, Creamy crested Spinetail, White-bellied Hummingbird, Scrub Blackbird.

Bosque de Ampay -  Abancay
White-eared Puffbird  White-winged Black-tyrant, Apurimac Spinetail, Apurimac Bush-finch, Shiny Sunbeam, Tyrian Metaltail, Mountain Velvetbreast, Broad-winged Hawk, Streak-throated Bush-tyrant, Rufous-breasted Chat-tyrant, Brown bellied Swallow.

 

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