Peru Day 11; Satipo Road

  Having cleaned up on all our target birds in the area the previous day, today was more of a day in transit than a quest to track down anything specific. We said farewell to our rustic lodging from the last few days, and headed northeast down the Satipo valley towards the town of Satipo itself, as we would slowly bird our way back down to civilization.

  This valley is still very well forested, with ample woodland flanking the steep valley sides. Because of that, we were able to encounter many mixed flocks during the morning as we slowly drove down the valley. The beauty of this was that as we descended in altitude, the species composition also gradually changed, with many of the species we had become familiar with seeing over the past few days becoming less common, with other species replacing them.

  While the flocks were excellent, with a wide variety of species, there were a number of birds that really stood out from the rest. Picking up an Amazonian Umbrellabird from the car was nice, as was a stunning male Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, also perched on the roadside. But the absolute highlight of the day was first a single, but then a pair, of Sunbittern on the river below us. We were alerted to a potentially interesting bird by a high-pitched two-note whistle, but did not expect to then see the crazy butterfly wings of Sunbittern as it flew upriver. Fortunately, it only flew a short distance and we were then able to watch it jumping around the rocks on the river. Absolutely brilliant birding.

  There were a few new birds in the mixed species flocks, and while they were nothing spectacular, they were still nice to see. Olivaceous Siskin and Short-billed Chlorophonia (Yellow-whiskered Bush-Tanager) were both challenging IDs to sort out, while Blue-chinned Barbet gave us the run around for a while before it eventually showed itself. Thankfully Lemon-browed Flycatcher showed nicely on a couple of occasions. Sadly there were no Antpittas or Tapaculos on the agenda today, but in the following days, more will come.

  In the afternoon and evening, we booked into a hotel and sorted out the car again, now that we had finally left the dusty Andean roads behind us. After three nights in a shack with no washing facilities, it was nice to finally get to have a proper wash.  

-Sunbittern

-Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

-Amazonian Umbrellabird

-Yellow-whiskered Bush-Tanager

-White-capped Dipper

-Lemon-browed Flycatcher

Species List:
Satipo Road: Torrent Duck, Speckled Chachalaca, Squirrel Cuckoo, White-collared Swift, Fork-tailed Palm Swift, Sparkling Violetear, Speckled Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Sunbittern, Andean Motmot, Versicolored Barbet, Ocellated Piculet, Rufous-rumped Antwren, Montane Woodcreeper, Montane Foliage-gleaner, Spotted Barbtail, Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Streak-necked Flycatcher, Olive-striped Flycatcher, Slaty-capped Flycatcher, Inca Flycatcher, Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant, Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Smoke-colored Pewee, Black Phoebe, Rufous-tailed Tyrant, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Golden-crowned Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Brown-capped Vireo, White-collared Jay, Inca Jay, Blue-and-white Swallow, House Wren, Mountain Wren, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, White-capped Dipper, Andean Solitaire, Olivaceous Siskin, Yellow-whiskered Bush Tanager, Common Bush Tanager, Yellow-browed Sparrow, Russet-backed Oropendola, Dusky-green Oropendola, Crested Oropendola, Three-striped Warbler, Buff-rumped Warbler, Russet-crowned Warbler, Slate-throated Whitestart, Spectacled Whitestart, Magpie Tanager, Black-eared Hemispingus, Silver-beaked Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, Yellow-throated Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Golden Tanager, Golden-eyed Flowerpiercer, 

Peru Day 10; Satipo Road & Valle Andamarca

  Having managed to clean up on a number of our targets the previous day, today was an opportunity to search for our few remaining targets with renewed focus. We would then take the road over the mountain into the Andamarca valley to try for a few outstanding species that we had missed on the Parihuanca Road earlier in the itinerary.

  The morning was spent birding the lower part of the road between Calabeza and the Andamarca pass. Here there was some good-quality forest, although it was noticeably more fragmented than the satellite image suggested. Still, we had some steady birding with both of our outstanding targets easily found. The first was of course the Junin Tapaculo, which was easier on this road than other areas. We found a bird early in the morning which showed nicely but in obviously low light. Later in the morning we found another bird which showed very well in the open at first, but later became much more elusive. Fortunately both birds were very vocal. There was also a nice show from the Vilcambamba form of the Marcaparta Spinetail, a local species which was much appreciated.

  Having cleared up on our remaining targets for this area, we decided to head over the mountain pass and into the Andamarca valley by the end of the morning, arriving early in the afternoon. Here we hoped to catch up with the as-yet undescribed split of Azaras Spinetail, hopefully, get better views of the as-yet-undescribed Mantaro Thornbird and then stick around until the evening to see the local subspecies of Koepckes Screech Owl.

  The first two targets we eventually managed to find mid-afternoon, in a shady patch of habitat near a river. Both showed well, and there were a couple of other trip ticks as well in Rust-and-yellow Tanager and White-bellied Hummingbird. We spent the rest of the afternoon trying to locate some day-roosting Screech Owls in a Eucalyptus plantation near the village school, but we failed to do so. This was as an endeavor to save time on our three-hour return drive in the dark, but alas it was all in vain.

  Fortunately, it was not even fully dark when we heard the first Koepckes Screech Owl at night, and with some playback, the bird readily came to the edge of the Eucalyptus plantation for excellent views. Having got what we wanted so quickly, we were able to make good progress on our return drive back to Calabeza in the dark, and managed it in just over two hours, including brief stops of Band-winged Nightjar and White-tailed Opossum. Another brilliant day was thus concluded, continuing our fine form for finding birds on this trip. Long may it continue.

-Junin Tapaculo

-[Vilcabamba] Marcapata Spinetail

-Rufous Spinetail

-Mantaro Thornbird (undescribed form)

-Mantaro Spinetail (undescribed form)

-[Apurimac] Koepcke's Screech Owl

-Band-winged Nightjar

Species List:
Calabaza: Andean Guan, White-tipped Dove, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Long-tailed Sylph, Purple-backed Thornbill, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Puna Ibis, Roadside Hawk, Variable Hawk, Junin Tapaculo, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Marcapata Spinetail, Rufous Spinetail, Streak-necked Flycatcher, Black-throated Tody-Tyrant, White-banded Tyrannulet, Sierran Elaenia, Smoky Bush Tyrant, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Blue-and-white Swallow, House Wren, Mountain Wren, Great Thrush, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Slaty Brushfinch, Blue-capped Tanager, Lacrimose Mountain Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Blue-and-black Tanager, Moustached Flowerpiercer,
Valle Andamarca: White-tipped Dove, White-bellied Hummingbird, Koepcke's Screech Owl, American Kestrel, Mantaro Thornbird (undescribed form), Creamy-crested Spinetail, Mantaro Spinetail (undescribed form), Smoke-colored Pewee, Black Phoebe, White-winged Black Tyrant, House Wren, Great Thrush, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Spectacled Whitestart, Black-backed Grosbeak, Rust-and-yellow Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager, Golden-billed Saltator,

Peru Day 9; Satipo Road

  We awoke naturally with the morning light, leaving our shack and heading to a nice breakfast of eggs and rice at around 06:00. Once breakfast was done, we concentrated our days birding on the main Satipo Road from our village residence of Calabaza back up the valley to the Puente Carrizales. This was an area of extensive forest, but with varying types of habitat, ranging from presumably primary forest, to disturbed secondary forest, with an area of open Polyepis woodland near the bridge itself. 

  Our plan was to slowly bird up the road in the car, and see what we managed to find. However, we routinely encountered flocks from the car, throughout the day and this meant we were regularly stopping in order to check through the species on offer. And there was a simply incredible selection of different birds in the flocks. The bulk of the birds were common mountain tanagers and Spectacled Whitestarts, but there was also new birds such as Blue-banded Toucanet, Band-tailed Fruiteater, Maroon-belted Chat-Tyrant, Yellow-scarfed Tanager and Chestnut-bellied Mountain-Tanager. There were also brilliant bonus birds such as Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Andean Motmot and Golden-headed Quetzal.

  While in addition to the flocks we encountered, we also searched extensively for the Antpittas and Tapaculos that inhabit the wooded valleys. Having heard all three Antpitta species the previous day, we were optimistic we would find them, but getting all three in the first day would have been exceptional. We first caught up with Bay Antpitta mid-morning, but the bird was difficult and we were not able to get clear views. It took three attempts to get the bird into an area of undergrowth open enough for us to see it. Despite this, it was the most vocal of the three Antpitta species we encountered during the day.

  Next we had a brilliant Oxapampa Antpitta, a recent split from Chestnut Antpitta. We had just stopped off to investigate a flock, when the Antpitta in question burst into song next to us. However, this song session did not last long and we were left to try and coax the bird out. This was not too much of a hassle however, as an almost too convenient cutting through the vegetation provided a perfect place to nestle a speaker. However, after some effort, it began to look like the bird might not come out, as there was no vocal response to our tapes. It rather caught us off guard when it suddenly appeared in the open area, perching stoically in the near darkness, allowing for fantastic views. We were able to watch the bird jumping around for a good ten minutes in the end.

  Our final Antpitta of the day was much further up the valley, in the degraded habitat around the Puente Carrizales at the top of the valley. Here the previous day we had heard distantly the Junin Antpitta, but had not the chance to locate it. The bird had sounded distant, but since we now had more time, we were optimistic we would be able to find it. And find it we did! It was the showiest of the three birds we saw, perching out with the bamboo patch that it had chosen to endure in the otherwise ravaged environment. In the end we had walkaway views and photos.

  The end of the afternoon saw the cloud and fog begin to roll in. The cooler temperatures seemed to dull activity right down, but this worked out well as we made it back to Calabaza just as darkness fell. It was an absolutely fantastic days birding, with three Antpittas in total and a boatload of other birds picked out from the flocks. Without doubt, the best day of the trip thus far. 

  And to cap it all off, when we got back and were having a dinner of rice, egg and fried plantain, one of the other villagers came to fetch us, in order to point out a Lyre-tailed Nightjar perched on the walls of one of the village houses. We had absolutely brilliant views of the bird, completely unperturbed by our presence.

-Junin Antpitta

-Oxapampa Antpitta

-Bay Antpitta

-Yungas Pygmy Owl

-Lyre-tailed Nightjar

-Band-tailed Fruiteater

-Golden-headed Quetzal

-Andean Motmot

-White-collared Jay

-Dusky-green Oropendola

-Blue-banded Toucanet

-Masked Trogon

-Drab Hemispingus

-Blue-backed Conebill

-White-banded Tyrannulet

-White-browed Hemispingus

-

-Andean Solitaire

-Maroon-belted Chat-Tyrant

-Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant

Species List:
Satipo Road: Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Speckled Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Fiery-throated Metaltail, Collared Inca, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Yungas Pygmy Owl, Golden-headed Quetzal, Masked Trogon, Andean Motmot, Blue-banded Toucanet, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Bay Antpitta, Oxapampa Antpitta, Junin Antpitta, Jalca Tapaculo, Montane Woodcreeper, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Eye-ringed Thistletail, Band-tailed Fruiteater, Barred Becard, Streak-necked Flycatcher, Cinnamon Flycatcher, White-banded Tyrannulet, White-throated Tyrannulet, Sierran Elaenia, Smoke-colored Pewee, Maroon-belted Chat-Tyrant, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, White-collared Jay, Blue-and-white Swallow, Brown-bellied Swallow, Mountain Wren, Peruvian Wren, White-capped Dipper, Andean Solitaire, Great Thrush, Common Bush Tanager, Grey-browed Brushfinch, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Tricolored Brushfinch, Slaty Brushfinch, Dusky-green Oropendola, Northern Mountain Cacique, Citrine Warbler, Spectacled Whitestart, White-browed Hemispingus, Superciliaried Hemispingus, Hooded Mountain Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, Lacrimose Mountain Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Buff-breasted Mountain Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Mountain Tanager, Yellow-scarfed Tanager, Blue-and-black Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Flame-faced Tanager, Blue-backed Conebill, Capped Conebill, Moustached Flowerpiercer, Masked Flowerpiercer, Drab Hemispingus, Grey-hooded Bush Tanager,