Peru Birding Trip Day 2 - July 9, 2018

If you want to catch up on previous posts about this trip, go to the following links:

Peru Trip Day 1

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Our first full day of birding started with another attempt to bird the Cordillera Escalera road, and near the tunnel, on the way to the Koepcke's Hermit feeding station, but this time without the rain. It was a warm, but dry morning with clouds around, but no rain.

Cordillera Escalera, Taraboto, Peru

Cordillera Escalera, Taraboto, Peru

Cordillera Escalera, Taraboto, Peru

One of the first birds we saw near the tunnel, on a cliff face, was a pair of Cliff Flycatchers. After a few minutes of observation, it was clear that they were feeding one young on a nest built right on the cliff. For once, a well-named bird!

Cliff Flycatcher

Cliff Flycatcher

Cliff Flycatchers at nest

Cliff Flycatcher at nest

Cliff Flycatcher at nest

Cliff Flycatcher at nest

A small tanager flock had some interesting species, including Green Honeycreeper, Silver-beaked Tanager, and Yellow-backed Tanager.

Green Honeycreeper, male

Green Honeycreeper, female

Silver-beaked Tanager

Silver-backed Tanager

Yellow-backed Tanager

The birding started getting a little slow, so I turned my attention to the butterflies and orchids that were along the roadside. One butterfly looked a lot like our Spring Azure in the eastern U.S., and is surely a relative.

Lycaenidae (Azure sp?)

A caterpillar that was walking along the curb of the road looked a bit like a fritillary, but could have been almost anything, even a moth. It is almost certain that the protrusions and hairs would not have been pleasant to touch.

Caterpillar (Fritillary?)

The orchid was a terrestrial species that looked like one in the genus Habenaria that I've seen in the Andes before.

Habenaria (?) sp.

Habenaria (?) sp.

Then, our guide Fernando, heard a very distinctive sound, a group of displaying Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. They were a long ways down the hillside, and he played tape to draw them in. They did come closer, but did not come out into view. Then, one did come into view, much closer but still far away, giving us good views in the scope.

Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

A Short-tailed Hawk soaring overhead indicated that it was getting warmer, so a good time to head to the shaded observation tower at the Koepcke's Hermit feeding station.

Short-tailed Hawk

This time, I remembered to take a photo of the tower since it wasn't raining...yet.

Koepcke's Hermit feeding station observation tower

This morning, I climbed up to the top level and was rewarded with a much better view (and photo) of a male Black-throated Mango.

Black-throated Mango

Black-throated Mango

Black-throated Mango

One hummingbird species that I missed yesterday, which was a life bird, was the Blue-fronted Lancebill. So I was happy that one made repeated visits to the feeders today, allowing me to get some record shots at least.

Blue-fronted Lancebill

Blue-fronted Lancebill

Blue-fronted Lancebill

The better light this morning allowed us to work on getting better photos of some of the common species, but oddly, the Koepcke's Hermit never made an appearance today. Good thing we saw them yesterday!

White-necked Jacobin

Fork-tailed Woodnymph

Fork-tailed Woodnymph

There were a couple bouts of rain during the morning, during which I attempted to use some new flash equipment, and a flash extender. But since I had not been able to practice using it before the trip, none of these photos turned out well, and I deleted nearly all of them. During one pause in the rain, the owner of the station took a couple of us up a trail a ways to see a frog...as it turned out the only frog seen on the entire trip, though others were heard. I have no idea what species this is, as it is not in any reference that I have in my personal library. It has the look of a poison-arrow frog, but was about 3-inches long, so probably too big for one of those.

Frog sp.

Frog sp.

A bit farther up the trail, we encountered a single male Golden-headed Manakin. Apparently there was a lek a good hike up the hill, but nobody was interested in going up there with more rain likely, and the trail already fairly muddy.

Golden-headed Manakin

Back at the observation tower, I got another crack at the swallowtail butterfly from yesterday, and also encountered an interesting small mantis.

Papilionidae (Swallowtail) sp.

Mantis sp.

Some of the plants in the area included a large epiphytic orchid that looked familar, probably seen before on a previous trip in the Andes, and a small species of heliconia, which the hermits prefer to feed on.

Orchid sp.

Heliconia sp.

We then headed back to Taraboto for lunch, and began a long, long drive to our next destination, Waqanki Lodge near Moyobamba. On the way, we stopped at Quiscarrumi Canyon where there was a protected nesting colony of Oilbirds.

Sign for Oilbird nesting colony near Quiscarrumi

The "canyon" was basically a crack in the rock about 20 feet wide and more than 100 feet deep, with small waterfalls near the bottom. Photography was very challenging with near-darkness where the birds were roosting. I did have some success getting photos by setting the ISO on my camera to 48,000 (normally I use 200 to 800).

Quiscarrumi Canyon

It was a very odd angle to view the birds...from the top, and in most cases only parts of birds were visible protruding out from under rocky overhangs, but I am pretty happy with these photos. For the protection of the birds, flash photography is not permitted, as this has caused site abandonment in other areas.

Oilbirds

Oilbirds

Oilbirds

Oilbirds

Oilbirds

Oilbirds

Only a few other birds were around this area, including a very large, noisy flock of White-eyed Parakeets. They are quite variable in the amount of red on their cheeks and throat, but never have red on the crown.

White-eyed Parakeets

White-eyed Parakeet

White-eyed Parakeet

White-eyed Parakeet

And there was a small nesting colony of Russet-backed Oropendolas, easily recognized by their long, pendulous nests.

Russet-backed Oropendola nests.

Russet-backed Oropendola

We then continued on to our next destination for the next few days, Waqanki Lodge, arriving around dinner time.

Waqanki Lodge pillow

Waqanki room key (Waqan-key)

The only things I was able to photograph were the numerous moths on the walls outside our rooms. It could take me quite some time to identify them, if I ever can...

Moth sp.

Moth sp.

Moth sp.

Moth sp.

The next entry, for the third day of the trip, may take a while for me to put together as I have over 1000 photos taken that day to go through. But, stay tuned!