"Polilepys birds specialist", those are birds you see on this type of forest that you may not see again elsewhere.
This was a great thing about our full day birding trip and also one of the aspects. Which makes it both a challenge and gaining experience and also the need to be adding more and new birds species to our personal list.
The decision became after we had been planning to go birding for a weekend and also concerning that our birding experience at the polilepys forest in Lampa - Puno, and Huanuco, it was something remarkable for us.
This time we have been encouraged to see what else may be possible to find at Yanacocha known by its polilepys forest and its beautiful landscapes, this nice forest patch is located in the mountains of the Sacred Valley region.
Yanacocha is located way up and beyond the village known as Huayoccari on 9'776 ft / 2'984 m and the lakes Yanacocha – Quellococha both respectively above 13'800 ft/ 4'200 m.
Our group met around 3:00 am at one point in Cusco. We had driven more than 30 km beyond Cusco towards Sacred Valley route, getting to the village where we supposed to be out of the car at sunrise, somehow it was a little cold at the beginning of the hike.
 |
|
The first birds seen after getting out of the van were Mitred parakeet a good number flying and perching on the orange flowers (Fabaceae) still in the vicinity of the farming plots and within minutes we had added some hummingbird species despite there was not much abundant light to see them.
 |
| Manu Guides |
We were very happy with the start then, moving through the flat path yet, the track leads us through the lands of eucalyptus.
We had been sure to spot the nectar loving black, tailed trainbearer (male and female) many Tyrian metal tails. We stopped at the edge of the path for a picnic breakfast, where we were able to pick up more birds, black-backed grosbeak, spot winged pigeon, house wren, white-browed chat tyrant, cinereous conebill, blue and yellow tanager.
The endemic chestnut breasted mountain finch a couple of minutes later, though the nearby bushes and giving everyone great views.
 |
| sacred Valley view from the yanacocha trail |
 |
| ascending the mountains |
Having seen our first endemic bird. We followed the trail up, this beautiful and historically significant route is popular with student walkers, and we just met with some students from Cusco University.
As soon as the temperature was warming up we made many stops for a while for our targets birds such as creamy crested spinetail, this is another endemic bird we had seen before to reached the polilepys forest.
Apart from other birds; rust and yellow tanager, rufous breasted chat tyrant, Andean flicker, mountain caracara, black-throated flower piercer, red-crested cotinga and many shining sunbeams providing to us good chances for pictures.
As we were ascending to the polilepys forest we passed by massive rocks that granted the spectacular and panoramic views of the sacred valley.
 |
| Yanacocha lagoon - Cusco |
 |
| Wildflowers and ancient paintings underneath |
Our initial destination of the day was Yanacocha (where have seen some; silvery grebe, Andean gull, some bar winged Cinclodes at the edge of the lake)
We carried on walking up, one more hour towards Quellococha almost reaching the top of the mountains, where we would be searching for perhaps the most beautiful endemic white tufted sunbeam.
 |
| Quello cocha - surrounded by polilepys bushes |
Our day was far from over though, once at Quellococha lagoon and having lunch, we had chosen to lay down on the grass shaded by the polilepys trees where we could enjoy the peace and tranquility of the mountains.
After that, we were on our way down to Yanacocha so we started descending through the polilepys forest, its granted good views of tufted tit-tyrant.
In fact, the best birding spot is a nature trail through the “bog”, just in front of the lagoon, we saw another endemic; White-browed tit-spinetail, then we encountered a mixed-species flock with; tit-like Dacnis, many black-throated flower piercers, and white-browed conebill. By the time some red-rumped bush tyrant has been perching on the trees on the sides of the valley.
 |
| some polilepys trees could survive over time, to the uncontrolled fires in the area |
 |
Manu Guides
We walked down carefully and suddenly pointed to the left. there was a big flock of maybe 20 Andean parakeets flying and perching on the bushes down slopes, Few meters down we heard many times the endemic rusty fronted canastero this opportunity we had not been using playback at all.
We returned to the village just before dark. We were lucky to have seen most of the birds we needed, we packed up the van and got on our way towards Cusco, making possible to enlarge our bird's list.
|
Comments
Post a Comment