Up very early to drive up the Abra Malaga pass to 4200m and continue to the north side of the pass and the wet temperate forest at Canchayoc. Here we may see many Peru endemics and other rare birds such as Diademed Tapaculo, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Golden-collared Tanager, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Parodi's Hemispingus, Marcapata Spinetail, Tit-like Dacnis, Cusco Brush-Finch, Rufous-bellied Bush-Tyrant, Imperial Snipe and many others. Rusty-breasted (Leimebamba), Red-and-White, Rufous (occabambae race) and Undulated Antpitta are often heard and with some luck we may be able to lure some of them into view with play-back.
Returning to the pass around midday we will do a short, but quite strenuous walk to the quite disturbed Polylepis woodland on the ridge beside us. This is the most accessible high Polylepis woodland that holds the very rare Royal Cinclodes, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrantand White-browed Tit-Spinetail. Among other specialties are Giant Conebill, Line-fronted and Junin Canstero, Puna Tapaculo, Stripe-headed Antpitta, Thick-billed Siskin, Tawny Tit-Spinetail, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant and various species of Ground-Tyrants.
At the bottom of this valley, we have a good chance of seeing Andean Parakeet and Tit-like Dacnis. Back on the main road in the roadside scrub we often find Junin Canastero, Creamy-crested Spinetail, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch and Golden-billed Saltator.
