Bolivia Day 5; Samaipata & Saipina

  Having scoped out the site the previous afternoon, we set off early morning to explore the forest above Samaipata. Sadly the weather was absolutely not on our side, with a low fog hanging over the mountains keeping activity dulled and visibility limited. Still, we only had a morning here so we needed to make the best of it. We had a few targets to track down but made hard work of it. The mixed species flocks that we found did have some nice birds, including the endemic Bolivian Brushfinch, Yungas Warbler and Two-banded Warbler, the latter I had seen before in Argentina.

  The main target for us was Black-winged Parrot, which we knew would likely be a flyover and would be difficult in the poor conditions. Still, I did my best to photograph any parrots that flew over, and eventually I managed to grab a blurred photo of one flock which shows the blue underwing of Black-winged Parrot. Combined with the curious shape, pointed tail and the different call, we had our bird. Additionally I needed to get a photo of the Bolivian Tapaculo we had seen the previous day. At one point a Tapaculo showed right out in the open on the road, but it was too quick for me to grab the camera. Other individuals gave fleeting views, but in the end I only managed a single spectacularly out of focus photo of this species.

  In the afternoon we drove further into the Andes, to the town of Saipina, we started to encounter other species along the road. Our first target to fall was Grey-crested Finch, which showed well at the side of the road, along with a smart Chaco Puffbird. Then we had a nice flock of the endemic but unspectacular Bolivian Blackbirds, along with Brown-capped Redstart, White-fronted Woodpecker and another two Grey-crested Finch. Before we arrived at our afternoon birding destination, the Red-fronted Macaw Reserve.

  From the top of the cliffs, we overlooked a desert canyon with multiple species of parrot present; Cliff Parakeet, Mitred Parakeet and Yellow-chevroned Parakeet were all present throughout the evening, but we were made to wait for the main event, until a flock of 17 Red-fronted Macaw came flying in and circled overhead. They were spectacular, much more impressive than I had imagined, and well worth seeing. They were around on and off throughout the evening, and we stayed until the sun dipped below the mountains and covered us in shadow. Additionally, we enjoyed a few nice raptors, namely a very close adult Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle and multiple Andean Condors flying over. A great evening to make up for the struggle in the morning. 

Species List:
Samaipata: Tataupa Tinamou, Andean Guan, Bronzy Inca, Blue-banded Toucanet, Lineated Woodpecker, Black-winged Parrot, Red-billed Parrot, Mitred Parakeet, Variable Antshrike, Slaty Gnateater, Bolivian Tapaculo, Montane Woodcreeper, Pearled Treerunner, Azara's Spinetail, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, White-throated Tyrannulet, Mountain Wren, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Common Chlorospingus, Bolivian Brushfinch, Yungas Warbler, Two-banded Warbler, White-winged Tanager, Black-backed Grosbeak, Fawn-breasted Tanager, Capped Conebill,
Saipina: White-tipped Dove, Squirrel Cuckoo, Andean Condor, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, American Kestrel, White-fronted Woodpecker, Cliff Parakeet, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Red-fronted Macaw, Mitred Parakeet, Variable Antshrike, Cliff Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Masked Gnatcatcher, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Bolivian Blackbird, Brown-capped Whitestart, Grey-crested Finch, Golden-billed Saltator, 

Bolivia Day 4; Santa Cruz & Samaipata

  Today was supposed to be a relaxed day, collecting the hire car mid-morning, then driving three hours into the Andes to spend the afternoon birding and scoping out the site we would then visit the following day. It all sounds so easy. Alas, that is not how it transpired, as arranging the hire car eventually took two hours, since the company wanted a $3000 deposit and the credit cards simply would not work. Eventually we had to phone the bank using my UK SIM card, only to then discover that the problem was not even with the bank on the UK side, but instead it was an issue with Europcar, the hire car company. It was nothing short of an absolute farce, and to top it all off, we then ended up with a smaller car than expected, leaving us grateful we were only a three and not a four.

  The drive was uneventful, I slept for most of it, although Bolivians apparently love speed-bumps. We eventually made it to our planned birding site above the town of Samaipata at around 16:30, but the sky was dull and we saw very little. There was one glowing highlight from the afternoon, we had a Bolivian Tapaculo singing right next to us on the path, and with playback we managed to get glimpses of a small grey body moving through the vegetation, meaning I did now have my Tapaculo number 41, but will try again in the morning. A few Purplish Jays were also flying around, and this was another new species for me.

  The highlight of the day was when we drove out from the airport once we had finally arranged our hire car, to see a group of seven Greater Rheas feeding on the mown grass right by the side of the road. Of all the places to see these wild animals, I was expecting it right there at an international airport, absolutely brilliant. 

Species List:
Santa Cruz: Greater Rhea, Cattle Tyrant, House Sparrow,
Samaipata: Variable Hawk, Bolivian Tapaculo, Purplish Jay, Common Chlorospingus, 

Bolivia Day 3; Riberalta

  This would be our final day in Riberalta, and having seen the Masked Antpitta the previous day, we had more liberty to freely bird the forest without any pressure. The mototaxis we had used the previous evening were waiting for us outside the hotel at 06:30, ready to take us to the forest, so we could begin birding not long after sunrise.

  The open areas before the forest were once again very lively with birds. The first new bird of the day was Ashy-headed Greenlet, which never showed well but we saw on three different occasions. We continued to find multiple species of Seedeater in the grasses, including a new species with Wing-barred Seedeater. Also on the forest edge we had new species for our trip list with Blue Grey Saltator and Bran-coloured Flycatcher, while the Russet-crowned Crakes from the previous morning only gave brief views today, refusing to come out into the open.

  Entering the forest we began to find more species we could consider real targets. First we had a nice pair of Purus Jacamar, a range-restricted species we were pleased to find here. Following on, we added Riparian Antbird to our list with a vocal and showy pair, with Plain Inezia and the incredibly diminutive Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant added on our way back. The birding remained good throughout, and we enjoyed many other species for our trip list, including Black-tailed Titya, Palm Tanager and a tick for me, but a common Amazonian species, with Little Cuckoo.

  The group of Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys from the previous evening were still around, and I was able to improve a bit on the photos I had taken, although it was not hard to do. The squirrels we had been seeing I was also able to finally clinch today, meaning both diurnal mammals we had seen had now been properly documented.

  At around 11:00 we left the forest, took the mototaxi back to the hotel where we had lunch and freshened up before leaving Riberalta at 14:40. It had been a phenomenally successful couple of days birding, with more targets seen than we could have hoped for, plus generally a very pleasant environment. 

Species List:
Riberalta: Undulated Tinamou, Horned Screamer, Feral Pigeon, Scaled Pigeon, Ruddy Ground Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, Little Cuckoo, Squirrel Cuckoo, Russet-crowned Crake, Black Vulture, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Roadside Hawk, Green-backed Trogon, Blue-crowned Trogon, Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Black-fronted Nunbird, Purus Jacamar, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, White-wedged Piculet, Little Woodpecker, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker, Crested Caracara, Tui Parakeet, Blue-headed Parrot, Dusky-headed Parakeet, Red-bellied Macaw, Great Antshrike, Barred Antshrike, Riparian Antbird, Black-throated Antbird, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Black-tailed Tityra, White-winged Becard, Short-tailed Pygmy Tyrant, Johannes's Tody-Tyrant, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Plain Inezia, Bran-colored Flycatcher, Scarlet Flycatcher, Short-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Thrush-like Wren, Moustached Wren, Fawn-breasted Wren, Creamy-bellied Thrush, Black-billed Thrush, White-browed Meadowlark, Shiny Cowbird, Hooded Tanager, Silver-beaked Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager, Palm Tanager, Turquoise Tanager, Chestnut-vented Conebill, Blue-black Grassquit, White-bellied Seedeater, Chestnut-bellied Seed Finch, Wing-barred Seedeater, Double-collared Seedeater, Bluish-grey Saltator, 

Bolivia Day 2; Riberalta

  The previous evening we had been stung by our taxi driver, so decided to wing-it and hope that we could arrange something cheaper to get to the forest this morning. As luck would have it, right outside our hotel, was the town mototaxi station and so we were able to flag down a couple of riders, finding ourselves in the forest around 07:00 in the morning, ready to start birding.

  First we passed through an area of disturbed habitat with a few Double-collared and White-bellied Seedeaters, followed by other common species of open areas. The open area allowed us to get good views of parrots passing by, and so I got my first new species of the day with Dusky-headed Parakeet, with a large flock that flew overhead. Following on, we were able to lure out a pair of Russet-crowned Crakes, but they were not super showy, before we entered the forest.

  Along the forest border the lively start to the day continued, with a pair of Chestnut-crowned Puffbirds being new for me, as well as other species I was more familiar with. The birding was very pleasant, and we were constantly picking up new species. That was until we took a turn off the main track and into the forest trails, at which point activity all but stopped. We managed to find a few antbirds, which were new for me; Black-throated Antbird and Amazonian Antshrike as well as Peruvian Warbling Antbird, but this was a lively moment after an otherwise quiet turn of events.

  Of course our main target for the day continued to be the Masked Antpitta, and it proved very difficult. The bird we heard the previous day gave us nothing, before we were twice confused by the song of the Amazonian Antshrike. But, at around 09:30, we finally had a break when we heard an individual singing. However, with playback the bird shut up immediately, leaving us confused and frustrated. Once it started singing again, we tried to find it without a tape, and after some searching Gray picked it up in the thick vegetation. After this the bird continued to show throughout, at times very well singing in an open area, bobbing its body from side to side. After so much effort, this really was worth it. A truly fantastic bird to look at, and we had seen it very well.

  Buoyed by this brilliant encounter, we followed it up immediately with a Dull-capped Attila, another tick for me, before we continued our walk. The trail we were on led out of the forest, back to a different road and eventually back to town, so that was what we decided to do. The birding understandably dried up in the heat, although a pair of Black-fronted Nunbirds were appreciated, and once we hit the dirt road it was made all the more difficult thanks to copious amounts of dust. Still, we had two very nice raptors with Black-and-white and Black Hawk-Eagle, and in the treetops we spotted a pair of displaying Horned Screamers. An absolutely brilliant morning birding. 

  In the afternoon we went a little later so we could stay out and look for owls after dark. The afternoon birding was still quite productive, with Black-crowned Bare-Eye being a new species for me, but frustratingly seen when the light had almost gone. Otherwise the highlights were a nice breeding colony of Dusky-headed Parakeets in an old rotting trunk, but perhaps best of all was a troop of Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys, which were distantly moving through the canopy behind the immediate foliage, allowing us occasional but often obscured views.

  After dark we tried for an hour to find some owls, and succeeded, with a nice showy Tawny-bellied Screech Owl being new for me, the third one that we heard during the evening. Additionally we also had brief views of Tropical Screech Owl, with another heard and finally a heard only Ferruginous Pygmy Owl. There were a couple of brief mammal encounters but both were too quick to get anything notable on them.

Species List:
Riberalta: Undulated Tinamou, Horned Screamer, Feral Pigeon, Ruddy Ground Dove, Grey-fronted Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, Striped Cuckoo, Squirrel Cuckoo, Dark-billed Cuckoo, Fork-tailed Palm Swift, Reddish Hermit, Russet-crowned Crake, Southern Lapwing, Wood Stork, Rufescent Tiger Heron, Black Vulture, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Black Hawk-Eagle, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Roadside Hawk, Tropical Screech Owl, Tawny-bellied Screech Owl, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Blue-crowned Trogon, Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Black-fronted Nunbird, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Lettered Aracari, Little Woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker, Laughing Falcon, Crested Caracara, Aplomado Falcon, Tui Parakeet, Blue-headed Parrot, Dusky-headed Parakeet, Red-bellied Macaw, White-eyed Parakeet, Great Antshrike, Barred Antshrike, Amazonian Antshrike, Peruvian Warbling Antbird, Black-throated Antbird, Black-spotted Bare-eye, Masked Antpitta, Buff-throated Woodcreeper, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, White-winged Becard, Johannes's Tody-Tyrant, Yellow-olive Flatbill, Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Scarlet Flycatcher, White-eyed Attila, Rufous Casiornis, Great Kiskadee, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Streaked Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Chivi Vireo, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, House Wren, Thrush-like Wren, Moustached Wren, Fawn-breasted Wren, House Sparrow, Purple-throated Euphonia, White-browed Meadowlark, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Shiny Cowbird, White-shouldered Tanager, Silver-beaked Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager, White-bellied Seedeater, Chestnut-bellied Seed Finch, Double-collared Seedeater,