Day 1. Arrival to Puerto Maldonado with early flight from Cusco or Lima. We shall immediately visit localities in striking range of Puerto Maldonado that holds a number of of good birds, that may be difficult at Explorer´s Inn such as Small–billed Tinamou, Brazlian Teal, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Zig Zag Heron, Southern Lapwing, Black-banded and Grey-breasted Crakes, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Crested Caracara, White-throated and Purus Jacamar, Pheasant Cuckoo, Barred Antshrike, Peruvian Recurvebill, Rusty-margined and Sulphury Flycatchers, Grassland Sparrow, Black-faced Tanager and Red-breasted Blackbird. It may prove that spending the afternoon near Puerto Maldonado on the record attempt may boost the list with the necessary number to set a world record. At night we shall search for Little, Spot-tailed and Rufous Nightjar that may well be present near Puerto Maldonado. Night in Puerto Maldonado. Class: Tinamous, larger birds such as Herons, Cracids, Doves, Trumpetors, Crakes and Rails, Sunbittern
Day 2. Additional morning birding near Puerto Maldonado before we leave for Explorer's Inn. On the way there we shall stop at the bamboo patch at Tres Chimbadas lake and make a short trip on the lake, where recently Unicolored Blackbird has been found (and an addition to the Peruvian list). Class: Antpittas, Gnateaters, Tapaculos, Trogons, Puffbirds, Woodpeckers
Day 3. We continue searching for birds on Explorers Inn 50 km of trail. Class: Antbirds, Antshrikes and Antwrens.
Day 4. One of the days we shall visit Cocococha some 6 km away from the Lodge, which holds a resident family of Giant Otters Hoatzin, Green Heron, Sungrebe and Capped Heron . The swamps on the way are good for Point-tailed Palmcreeper. Class: Cuckoos, Owls and Nightjars, Hummingbirds,
Day 5. Explorer's Inn was recently equipped with a 40m tall canopy tower, which makes excellent birding in the early morning or late afternoon. Class: Woodcreepers and Furnarids
Day 6. On the way to Katicocha there is good terra firme. Class: Icterides, Wrens, Thrushes, vireos, greenlets
Day 7. Another day exploring the trails and dotting down specific good birds on the overall gigantic trailmap which will be used for the BIig Day attempt on Day 10. Class: Tyrannidae and Cotingids, Becards, Mourners. Squeeks and whistles - how to seperate them.
Day 8. Additional day searching for birds. Class: Seedeaters, Tanagers , sparrows, finches. Can you identify flocks of Tanagers by the calls?
Day 9. Easier day trying to go over strategies and make sure everyone is rested. Selection of teams. One leader per group. Class: Overflying birds such as Parrots, Swifts, Swallows, waders and raptors. Most of these can be ID:ed by calls, some are more difficult than others.
Day 10. BIG DAY - first attempt.
This will be a very exciting day. Most teams should be able to get over 300 or at least very near. Different strategies will be tested. Is it for example worthwhile to start the morning in the canopy tower?
Day 11. We shall surely be quite tired after the big day the previous day, and we shall need some rest. But it shall be a good idea to check out some of the best records from the previous day. Maybe we can add some new species to be SEEN after concentrating so much on vocalizations. We shall also go through strategies to use for the BIGGEST DAY attempt the next day and the US-Peru challange. The clients meanwhile will form teams on their own. Or plan to visit some additional sites.
Day 12. The leaders will form two teams and compete for the BIGGEST DAY and hopefully break the world record of 342 species. Meanwhile, you will be birding in the area testing your skills acquired during the workshop. You can team up with the other participants and try for different quests. For example make a big day without using any type of motorized vehicle or perhaps most birds SEEN in 24hours or most birds photographed in 24h.
Day 13. Picking up new species recorded on the biggest day, return to Puerto Maldonado in the afternoon. Some additional birding in PM for species yet not seen. Party! Hotel in Puerto Maldonado.
Day 14. We should be able to add some additional birding near Puerto Maldonado for species yet not seen, before our midday flights to Lima or Cusco.