North
Peru Nov 30-Dec 19, 2002
Trip
report by John Penhallurick
With
Gunnar Engblom of Kolibri Expeditions
30/11
flew Lima to Cajamarca 6.15am. Drove to Sangal Valley for Grey-bellied Comet,
then drove Cajamarca to Celendin with stops en route
1/12
Celendin to El Limon for Grey-winged Inca-Finch and Chestnut-backed Thornbird
then back to Cajamarca with stops en route
2/12
Cajamarca through Andes to coast,then north with stop at Rafan, then to Chiclayo
and Bataan Grande (Bosque de Pomac) then to Olmos
3/12
to El Limon (White-winged Guan site) then to Tumbes with stop in 2nd valley
before Mancora (Tumbes Tyrant and Sulphur-throated Finch)
4/12
early stop behind Pampas de Hospital north of Tumbes then drove to east entrance
to Tumbes National Reserve. Walked in to start of hill up to El Caucho.
5/12
Walked to El Caucho then walked up track behind camping area
6/12
Walked back to El Caucho, then along old road in, which is currently impassable,
and down to vehicles. Return to Tumbes and Talara.
7/12
Drove Talara to Piura then Piura to Canchaque stopping for Elegant Crescent-chest
in valley on right shortly after turnoff to Canchaque
8/12
Drove from Canchaque to Cruz Blanca then down track to Canchaque. Told it would
take three hours but took eight! Fog and rain and very slippery path. Everyone
fell at least once. Nightmarish, but it did give us Grey-headed Antbird and
the newly split Piura Hemispingus.
9/12
Drove Canchaque to Huancabamba with good birding stop not far above Canchaque.
Wasted time looking for Bay-crowned Brush-Finch in wrong habitat, and thus did
not have time to drive to Sapalache Pass for Neblina Metaltail.
10/12
drove Huancabamba along Tabaconas Road to pass. Stops on way up and along road.Then
down to end of Forest. Road up and along flat not too bad. Road down eroded
sandstone. Hair-raising. This road is not for the fainthearted. Could see large
holes under road which could give way at any time..Overnight on floor of "restaurant".
11/12
early down the road below the pass, later on flat road above pass. Afternoon
drove down lower reaches of road, incredibly rough. Overnight primitive quarters
in Tamborapa.
12/12
Drove from Tamborapa to Jaen with stop for Maranon Spinetail, and at hill at
junction with Jaen road for Maranon Crescent-chest.
13/12
early am near Jaen for Chinchipe Spinetail, then drove to Imazita
with occasional stops. NB: Police escort because of hold-ups on Muya Road.
14/12
boat (30 minute trip) to Nuevo Salem (Indian Village), then up ridge for Wetmorethraupis.
This is a very promising site, and birders are encouraged to visit. The
visit needs to be arranged through a westernized Awaruna who lives in a village
on the way to Imazita.
Gunnar Engblom has contact details at
kolibri@telefonica.net.pe . It contains INTACT lowland and mid-montane
forest between 300m and 1300m. The traditional site for Orange-throated
Tanager, Pena Blanca, is now out of bounds because of dispute between two Awaruna
villages. Only one village was benefiting and the other village was annoyed
and thus have threatened to kill any
birder who wander on to their territory. Night in Nuevo Salem.
15/12
Boat back to Imataza, then drive back to Bagua Chica, again with police escort.
16/12
from Bagua Chica with stop outisde town (Little Inca Finch), then stop at Liposanquan
just before bridge of Suyubamba (Little Woodstar), then stop near El Chido bridge
(Marvellous Spatuletail, Chestnut-crested Cotinga), then over Abra Patricia
Pass with stops on way down to La Rioja.
17/12
4.30 am start for Abra Patricia. Birded from pass down to below Afluentes. Night
in empty house near pass.
18/12
as for 17/12.
19/12
birded lower road from 6 am to 9 am, then Dave Sergeant and I drove to Taropato
for flight to Lima |