Day 1. Bosque Pomac and Quebrada El Limon. Peruvian Plantcutter and Tumbes Tyrant
Early arrival to Chiclayo with comfortable nightbus. Visit Bosque Pomac for the special birds Peruvian Plantcutter,Tumbes Swallow and Rufous Flycatcher and common birds such as Necklaced Spinetail, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Superciliaried Wren. En route to Olmos we search for Tumbes Tyrant. Afternoon at Quebrada El Limon for White-winged Guan, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Pacific Elaenia and many more. Night in Olmos.
Day 2. Porculla pass and Jaen. Marañon Crescentchest and Black-cowled Saltator
In the morning we shall be birding near Abra Porculla for Black-cowled Saltator, Elegant Crescentchest, Chapman's Antshrike, Henna-hooded and Rufous-necked Foliagegleaner, etc. In the afternoon we shall be birding near for Chinchipe Spinetail, Marañon Crescentchest, Marañon (Northern) Slaty Antshrike etc. Night in Jaen.
Day 3. Jaen to Pomacochas. Little Inca-Finch and Marvelous Spatuletail.
Early search for Little Inca-Finch and departure to Pomacochas. Afternoon birding at Centro de interpretacion where there are feeders to which Marvelous Spatuletail comes into. Other hummingbirds include Little Woodstar and Emerald-bellied Puffleg. (Charge for feeders: $10 is paid at the site). We continue to Venceremos beyond Abra Patricia. UPDATE 2012: If there are still no lodging opportunities at Venceremos, we shall stay in Pomacochas.
Day 4. LSU trail. Ochre-fronted Antpitta and Long-whiskered Owlet.
Gunnar recently explored the LSU trail and Long-whiskered Owlet was heard here. Read Gunnar's blogpost about the Long-whiskered Owlet. The local guides and the NGO INIBICO are currently staking out the Owlet - and we hope to have it available by November. Still the area is very good for birding and both Cinnamon Screech-Owl and Ochre-fronted Antpitta were easily seen in August 2010.
In the afternoon we will be in position to search for Long-whiskered Owlet.
Update 2012: If no lodging in Venceremos we shall stay at the Owlet Lodge. Surcharge US$80
Day 5. Return to Venceremos. Lulu's Tody-Tyrant and Rusty-tinged Antpitta
We shall be up pre-dawn looking for the owlet. The rest of the morning we shall look for the flocks of Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey and birds such as Rusty-tinged and Ochre-fronted Antpittas, an undescribed form of Bicolored Antvireo (possibly a good species), Grey-tailed Piha, Chesnut Antpitta, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Royal Sunangel, Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant are other possibilities this day.
We plan to do additional birding near Abra Patricia for Lulu's Tody-Tyrant, Bar-winged Wood-Wren and CInnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant. We may stay a second night at the Owlet site - or the INIBICO site at Venceremos where there are beds, showers, and toilets. It is still basic, but has the essentials. It can be wet and rainy, so if you really want the Owlet having two nights is recommended.
Update 2012: If no lodging in Venceremos we shall stay at the Owlet Lodge and make birding there for the same species. Surcharge US$80
Day 6 Abra Patricia and Afluentes. Royal Sunangel and Bar-winged Wood-Wren.
Full day Afluentes/Venceremos/Abra Patricia. We shall start the days birding near Afluentes. Cock of the Rock lek nearby. Tanager flocks, Umbrellabird, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow possibilities. Ecuadorian Piedtail and Napo Sabrewing among the hummers. Black-mandibled Toucan, Equatorial Graytail, Gray-mantled Wren, Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, Foothill Antwren, the endemic Speckle-chested Piculet, Versicolored Barbet and a wide variety of tanagers including the scarce Vermilion Tanager are other possibilities. In the afternoon we shall bird near Abra Patricia. There is a stake-out for the localized Royal Sunangel for example and Lulu's Tody-Tyrant and Bar-winged Wood-Wren. Return to Venceremos for an overnight stay.
Update: If there is no lodging in Venceremos we shall return to Pomacochas for an overnight stay in a hostel with clean rooms and hot showers.
Day 7 Venceremos-Rioja. Buckley's Forest Falcon and Oilbird
Additional birding near Abra Patricia n the morning. In the afternoon we shall drive to Rioja. Near Rioja we shall look for birds in the vecinity of Yacumama, which is good for Buckley’s Forest-Falcon, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Blackish Nightjar, Fiery-capped Manakin, Yellow Tyrannulet, Rufous Casiornis and Great-billed Seed-Finch. In the late afternoon near Rioja we will be looking for Russet-crowned Crake. Night in Rioja
Day 8 Rioja-Tarapoto. Buckley's Forest Falcon and Oilbird
Birding savanna and deciduous forest at Morro de Calzada near Moyobamba. Birds include Tataupa Tinamou, Black-faced Tanager, Mishana Tyrannulet, Cream-colored Woodpecker, Cinererous-breasted Spinetail, Pale-breasted Thrush, Blue-crowned Trogon, Red-legged Honeycreeper, White-chested and White-chinned Swift and many more. Drive to Tarapoto with a stop at the oilbirds at Quiscarumi gorge. Fly to Lima or continue on a 5 day extension to Cajamarca.