Today was our first full day in the Huascaran National Park, a destination I had been very much looking forward to for the duration of our entire trip. The outstanding scenery and potential birds on offer made it a very exciting destination. Our journey to the park in the morning started off a little bumpy, with the road being far from what we had expected, and hoped, for, but we managed to arrive at the entrance gate at 07:30. Once we had paid the 30 soles per person entry fee, we made our way through the stunning glacial valley, filled with stunning blue lakes and polyepis woodland.
We spent the morning birding the area around the campsite, to the east end of Lagunas Llanganuco, the largest of the parks lakes. We explored the scrub and vegetation to the sides of the lakes, and were rewarded quickly with many of the birds we wanted to see. Giant Conebill and Tit-Like Dacnis were both common, and we heard and had brief views of at least three Stripe-headed Antpittas. The grazed fields around the car park had both Taczanowskis and Rufous-naped Ground Tyrants feeding on them, as well as other common Andean species.
As we explored we soon found others of the more tricky target species. Gray found a spot where a group of up to five Plain-tailed Warbling-Finches kept returning, allowing for us all to see them, showing well in the tops of the trees. And then early in the afternoon Bill found a hillside full of bromeliads which were being visited by a pair of Green-headed Hillstars. Although the Hillstars did not come down close, we still had excellent views of them flashing their white tails as they moved between flowers.
Of course, for me, the main target bird in the park was the Ancash Tapaculo. We quickly found a bird but it did not show and also did not respond to playback. Fortunately not long after, while climbing the cliff face to approach a singing Antpitta, I spotted a bird creeping between the rocks. With a little fieldcraft and playback, I managed to get absolutely brilliant views of the bird at extremely close quarters, allowing for the best Tapaculo photo I have ever taken. It was one of the most confiding Scytalopus I have ever had the privilege of encountering. We saw a couple more during the day, but none showed quite like that.
Mid-afternoon we headed to the park information centre, where there was a small food stall where we were able to grab a bite to eat. While we ate, we were joined by a very confiding Ash-breasted Sierra Finch and a pair of Cream-winged Cinclodes. While they did not take food from our hands, they still ran between our legs and under our tables, while we threw scraps out for them.
For the rest of the afternoon we birded the woodland around this area, but it was generally quiet. A Mountain Viscatcha was nice, and on the bird front there were trip ticks of Black-crested Warbler and Rainbow Starfrontlet, as well as another Green-headed Hillstar, but generally activity was low. The Rufous-eared Brushfinch, that we first saw yesterday, was also more common in this area of the park.
We waited around until dark in order to try and find the normal subspecies of Koepckes Screech Owl, after seeing the Apurimac subspecies earlier in the trip. With the cold, and mosquitoes, setting in, we hoped it would not take long. And we were absolutely in luck. We had decided to try in the open area near the information centre, and before it was even really dark at 18:40 we managed to have brilliant views of a singing bird at reasonably close quarters. After enjoy this, we made the hour-long drive back to our digs in Yunguy.
And that wraps up a fabulous first day in the National Park. The scenery was phenomenal and the birding brilliant. The only downside being we no longer have any targets to see there, so will not be spending a full day in the park tomorrow, only potentially returning for a few photo opportunities and to track down a couple of species that the other guys want to see.
Huascarán National Park: Andean Goose, Crested Duck, Torrent Duck, Yellow-billed Teal, Andean Duck, Green-headed Hillstar, Black Metaltail, Shining Sunbeam, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Giant Hummingbird, Andean Coot, Andean Lapwing, Andean Gull, Black-crowned Night Heron, Puna Ibis, Koepcke's Screech Owl, Andean Flicker, Mountain Caracara, Stripe-headed Antpitta, Ancash Tapaculo, Striated Earthcreeper, Cream-winged Cinclodes, Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail, Streak-throated Canastero, Line-cheeked Spinetail, White-cheeked Cotinga, Red-crested Cotinga, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, Taczanowski's Ground Tyrant, Rufous-naped Ground Tyrant, Rufous-webbed Bush Tyrant, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, D'Orbigny's Chat-Tyrant, White-browed Chat-Tyrant, House Wren, Great Thrush, Chiguanco Thrush, Hooded Siskin, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Rufous-eared Brushfinch, Black-crested Warbler, Plain-tailed Warbling Finch, Giant Conebill, Cinereous Conebill, Black-throated Flowerpiercer, Peruvian Sierra Finch, Tit-like Dacnis, Plumbeous Sierra Finch, Ash-breasted Sierra Finch, Bright-rumped Yellow Finch,
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