Anne Belton Photography
In 2019 I went to Peru with a group from Calgary. We flew into Cusco, spent a few days around Ollantaytambo, then went south to the Madre de Dios River and Manu region.
Our last day was spent on the pacific coast south of Lima.
One of my target birds was the Inca Tern, and we saw many of them on the last day when we went to the coast.
Plumbeous Rail and chick
Puna Teal above, Yellow-billed Pintail below
Many-coloured Rush Tyrant
Band-tailed Sierra-Finch
Eared Dove
1st stop was a wetland near Cusco where these birds were found.
Andean Teal
In the afternoon we went to a private property where the owner had set up several feeders.
House Wren
Shining Sunbeam
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Golden-billed Saltator
Bearded Mountaineer
Great Sapphirewing
Day 2 - drove to Ollantaytambo, and then up the Malaga Pass. Small market in town, many switchbacks on the road. Almost all houses had this decoration on the roof - good luck??
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Great Sapphirewing
Spot-winged Pigeon
White-bellied Hummingbird
White-tufted Sunbeam
Rufous breasted Chat-Tyrant
Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager
Andean Geese
Puna Ibis
Woman guarding her flock of sheep followed closely by a puppy.
Andean Lapwing
Plumbeous Sierra Finch
Bright-rumped Yellow Finch
White-winged Cinclodes
Day 3 was a long hike,(7 1/2 hours) starting at 4,400m and walking over rough terrain over a ridge then down a valley.
Bull fighting ring
Police directing traffic
Farmyard in the distance, we eventually walked through this yard.
Tiny flowers along the way.
Black-throated Flower Piercer
Cinereous Conebill
Alpomado Falcon
Blue-mantled Thornbill - the only Hummingbird that walks on the ground as the flowers are so small in this area.
Chiguano Thrush
Andean Flicker
Taczanowski's Ground-Tyrant
Tawny-Tit Spinetail
Day 4 - we drove out of the mountains - destination Pargue National del Manu
Torrent Tyrannulet
Hooded Siskin
Great Hummingbird
Bearded Mountaineer
Spotted Sandpiper
Moustached Flowerpiercer
Hooded Mountain Tanager
Plain-coloured Seedeater
Scaled Metaltail
Black-faced Brush-Finch
Amethyst-throated Sunangel
Wire-crested Thorntail
Masked Flowerpiercer
White-banded Tyrannulet
Day 5 - we drove a narrow road along the side of a mountain - when meeting another vehicle, one had to back up to a slightly wider part of the road. At this point there was an argument about who should back up!
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Lots of butterflies and beautiful flowers along the road.
Great Thrush
Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager
Hooded Mountain Tanager
Sierran Elaenia
Glossy Black Thrush
Marcapata Spinetail
Montane Woodcreeper
Barred Fruiteater
White-collared Jay
Mountain Wren
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker
Cinnamon Flycatcher
Masked Flowerpiercer
Lots of birds but so often difficult to find in the dense brush. We would stand forever on the road, hearing a bird and waiting for it to pop out for a brief look.
Blue-crowned Trogon
Golden-headed Quetzal
Blue-banded Toucanet
Speckled Hummingbird
Day 6 - we were at the Cock of the Rock Lodge. In the morning we watched the many feeders which attracted lots of hummingbirds, tanagers and others as well as the odd Capuchin.
In the afternoon we went to the Cock of the Rock Lek - this is where the males come everyday to establish hierarchy - so amazing to be there to watch this even in the pouring rain!
Booted Rackettail
Silver-beaked Tanager
Sparkling Violetear
White-bellied Woodstar
Tropical Kingbirds
Blue-gray Tanager
Versicoloured Barbet (male and female)
Blue-necked Tanager
Lyre-tailed Nightjar
Crested Quetzal
Saffron-crested Tanager
Andean Cock of the Rock - one of the oddist looking birds I have seen - females are a solid dark cinnamon colour.
Andean Motmot - had a nest under the ledge we were standing on - seems to be a good provider!
Capabara
Capuchin
Day 7 - around the Cock of the Rock Lodge
Yellow-browed Sparrow
Blue-banded Toucanet
Dusky-green Oropendula
Crimson-eared Tanager
Slaty-capped Flycatcher
It has been a long day!
Black-streaked Puffbird
Little Woodpecker
Lyre-tailed Nightjar - so well camouflaged on this rock face!
Black Pheobe
Golden Tanager - one of my favorite birds of the trip
Hooded Siskin
Day 8 - driving to next lodge, stops on the way as well a walk around the lodge - marsh area
White-eyed Parakeet
Silver-beaked Tanager
Paradise Tanager
Speckled Chachalaca
Blue-fronted Lancebill
Bamboo Antshrike
Sparkling Violetear
Ornate Flycatcher
Orange-bellied Euphonia
Dot-winged Antshrike
Dusky-cheeked Foliage Gleaner
Sulphur-bellied flycatcher
Rufous-crested Coquette
White-necked Jacobin
Bluish-slate Antshrike
Masked Tanager
Hoatzin
White-bellied Woodstar
Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher
Emerald Toucanet
Buff-cheeked Woodcreeper
Russet-backed Oropendola
Day 9 - The group in front of a huge bamboo.
Day spent on the grounds of the lodge and driving roads nearby.
Purplish Jay
Chestnut-bellied Macaw
Squirrel Cuckoo
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Chestnut-capped Puffbird
Black-tailed Trogon
Blue-headed Piping Guan
Red-capped Cardinal
White-Lined Antshrike
Mottle-backed Eleania
Chestnut-eared Aricari
Spotted Tody-Flycatcher
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker
Streaked Flycatcher
Long-billed Starthroat
Swallow Tanager
Blue-crowned Trogon
Bluish-fronted Jacamar
Rufescent Tiger-Heron
Smooth-billed Ani
Yellow-cowed Wood Rail
Crimson-crested Woodpecker
Dusky-headed Parakeet
Pale-legged Hornero
Black-capped Tinamou
Lemon-throated Barbet
Day 10 - at Atalaya where we boarded a river boat and spent the day going down the Madre de Dios river to our next lodge.
The Madre de Dios river is a tributary of the Amazon.
Our driver, Percy and our guide, Percy
Giant Cowbird
Scarlet Macaw
Black Skimmer
Roadside Hawk
Burrowing Owl
Yellow-billed Tern
Sand-coloured Nightjar
Day 11 - Manu Lodge - lodge is on a tributary of the Madre de Dios, very isolated - the only way to get there is by boat. We stayed there 4 nights, birded the surrounding forest as well as several day trips to other parts of the river.
The 1st morning we were taken by boat to the Macaw Clay Lick - we hiked for 30 minutes then arrived at this wonderful blind that was facing a clay cliff. Every morning macaws, parrots, parakeets come here to ingest some clay. There is an order in which they arrive, the Macaws coming in last and only if is deemed to be safe.
In the blind we were served a hot breakfast we could eat while watching for the birds - definitely a great birding experience!
Blue-headed Parrot
Mealy Parrots
Tui Parakeets
Mealy and Orange-cheeked Parrots
Yellow and Blue Macaw
Red and Blue Macaws
Turkey Vulture
Cocoi Heron
Cocoi Heron
Lineated Woodpecker
Black-fronted Nunbird
Blue Heron
White-chinned Sapphire
Capped Heron
Turquoise Tanager
Festive Coquette
Bluish Jacamar
Orange-backed Troupial
Long-billed Woodcreeper
Masked-crimson Tanager
Gould's Jewelfront
Plumbeous Kite
Day 12 we went to Oxbow Lake where we had a ride on the "catamarin". No engine, just long poles used to move us around the lake. This lake is home to a family of Great Otters - the largest otters in the world. They were curious, but did not come close.
Sungrebe
Horned Screamer
Black-capped Donacobius
Wattled Jacana and chick below
Horned Screamer
Neotropic Cormorant
Lesser Kiskadee
Limpkin
Hoatzin on a nest
Blue and Yellow Macaw
Pale-vented Pigeon
Roadside Hawk
Anhinga
Greater Ani
Red-capped Cardinal
Blue and White Swallow
Black-capped Donacobius
Horned Screamer with 2 chicks
Cream-coloured Woodpecker
Gilded Barbet
White-bellied Parrot
Masked Tityra
Yellow-rumped Cacique
Bare-necked Fruitcrow
Day 13 - another boat trip to a small tributary - lots of Herons and Kingfishers here. But first a few hawks around the camp
Plumbeous Kite and juvenile
Roadside hawk
Snowy Egret
Capped Heron
Ringed Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher
Cocoi Heron
White-banded Swallow
Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Anhinga
White-throated Toucan
White-fronted Nunbird
Vauxhall's Thrush
Vauxhall's nest
Razor-billed Currasow
Day 14 - we left the Manu Lodge and headed down river to Puerto Maldonado, from where we flew back to Lima.
Jabiru
Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Day 15 - we did a day trip out of Lima. The morning was in Puerto Pucusana. A small boat took us around the island.
Inca Tern
Surfbird
Peruvian Pelican
Neotropic Coprmorant
Red-legged Cormorant
Humboldt Penguins
Seal in defense position - throwing his head back and sticking whiskers straight up is a warning to us to leave
Peruvian Pelican
Red-legged Cormorant feeding young
Blue-footed Booby
Peruvian Booby
Red-legged Cormorant feeding you and Belcher's Gull trying to steal some of the food
Peruvian Pelican
Blue-footed Booby
Black Oystercatcher
Belcher's Gull
Inca Tern
Black Oystercatcher
Surf Cinclodes
Surf Cinclodes
Spotted Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Cattle Egret and Snowy Egret
In the afternoon we went to a pathway beside a drainage ditch where some big company was spilling out waste... smelled terrible but there were lots of birds.
Later in the afternoon we went to a beach area.
Eared Dove
Groove-billed Ani
Blue-Black Grassquit
Chestnut - throated Seedeater
Bran-coloured Flycatcher
Vermillion Flycatcher
Cinerous Conebill
Chestnut-throated Seedeater
Amazillia Hummingbird
Croaking Ground-Dove
Species seen - 428
Lifers - 287