We had a very successful trip to the Santa Eulalia valley with a number of species including some endemics. We start very early from Lima and drove straight to the first spot where while our crew worked on our breakfast we were already scoring birds such as Anden Parakeet, Bare-faced Ground-Dove, the endemic Great Inca-Finch, Blue-and-Yellow Tanager and others. At some point, when it seemed we were going to leave without the endemic Thick-billed Miner, the bird called and we were able to see it pretty well!
We continued on to the area around the bridge of the Autisha canyon where we had great views of some species like Streaked Tit-Spinetail, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Oasis Hummingbird, and a Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle being chased away by a pair of aggravated
At the switchbacks, we added other birds such as the endemic Black-necked Woodpecker, Golden Grosbeak, Black-winged Ground-Dove, Peruvian Sheartail, Red-crested Cotinga and Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch.
We reach our last point at higher in elevation at the Huachupampa turn off for lunch and while waiting we added other birds more typical of higher elevations such as Mourning, Band-tailed, and Ash-throated Sierra-Finches and Hooded Siskins. Until that point on the trip, there were no signs of the jewel of the crown: the rare and enigmatic Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch, a bird that had eluded me in the past trips but perseverance and patience with the proper knowledge and luck always pays off. After spotting a flock moving, we stopped and tried one more time. After waiting and trying again, a beautiful Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch came out of the bushes and perched out in the open to everybody's surprise and enjoyment……It was just magical!
The icing on the cake came when three Andean Condors soar below us in great view with excellent light….What a way to end the trip!
I want to thank you all for being such a gung-ho crowd. I had a lot of fun birding with you and I hope you will join me again on another trip
Love, light and joy!
Pepe
Anatidae (Ducks & Geese)
Torrent Duck (Merganetta armata) From the bridge, we spotted a pair of females displaying while the males was just watching the show
Columbidae (Pigeons & Doves)
Rock Dove (Columba livia)
West Peruvian Dove (Zenaida meloda) Pretty common around the lower part of the valley.
Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata) Also a common bird during this trip.
Bare-faced Ground Dove (Metriopelia ceciliae) We had great views of this species more than once.
Black-winged Ground Dove (Metriopelia melanoptera) Ditto
Spotted-winged Pigeon (Patagioenas maculosa) This is an unusual and rare bird to occur here but it does. This location is probably the northernmost extension of its range.
Apodidae (Swifts)
White-collared Swift (Streptoprocne zonaris) Linda spotted some swifts flying above a distant ridge which were first thought to be all Andean Swifts, However after some scrutiny, we realized some where this species.
Andean Swift (Aeronautes andecolus) We had our first glimpses around our breakfast spot. Later we had much better views.
Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)
Sparkling Violetear (Colibri coruscans) Despite being very common and everywhere, it was pretty cool to see the males displaying though.
Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas) One of the birds Linda wanted to see. After a while, we did!
Purple-collared Woodstar (Myrtis fanny) We saw mostly females and eclipse males but at some point we scored a male flashing his bluish green gorget.
Oasis Hummingbird (Rhodopis vesper) At the bridge are we saw our first pair sitting in a wire.
Peruvian Sheartail (Thaumastura cora) We scored great views of this species, both, males and females several times.
Cathartidae (New World Vultures and Condor)
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) I had been scanning the skies of the Santa Eulalia valley the whole day while we were birding without success. However, on our drive back Steve spotted a female flying below us, to our surprise, she was followed by to males. It was great and this area is the closest and most accessible in Peru to see these beautiful beasts.
Accipitridae (Hawks, Kites, Eagles & Allies)
Variable Hawk (Geranoaetus polyosoma) I don’t think this species could have a better name due the different morph variations exhibit by males and females. If I recall correctly, at least 27 different plumages have been recognized in adult birds!
Black-chested Buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) We saw our first individual around the bridge been harassed by a pair of American Kestrels.
Strigidae (Typical Owls)
Peruvian Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium peruanum) Heard Only. Despite my efforts to lure this little owl into a view, it did not cooperate.
Picidae (Woodpeckers and Piculets)
Black-necked Woodpecker (Colaptes atricollis) I was “testing the waters” at one of the spots one an individual respond pretty low…it actually was very close to the ground! It turned out to be a female working on an Opuntia sp cactus. ENDEMIC.
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) Pretty common.
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) One of the first raptors we saw on the trip. An individual was spotted around the area were we had the Great Inca Finch.
Psittacidae (Macaws, Parrots, Parakeets and Allies)
Andean Parakeet (Bolborhynchus orbygnesius) We kept hearing these birds but they did not materialized into birds! Finally we saw the flock flying by.
Furnariidae (Earthcreepers, Cinclodes, Canasteros & Allies)
Thick-billed Miner (Geositta crassirostris) We had been trying at one of the spots where it was a regular, which has changed a lot since the last rains last year. The bird didn’t respond and I thought because of the transformation of the landscape it had moved somewhere else. To my surprise, I heard it close to our breakfast spot and Bob spotted for everybody! ENDEMIC
Streaked Tit Spinetail (Leptasthenura striata) These little creatures were spotted first at the bridge area, which is the lowest I’ve seen them. It took me a little while to recognized that these were indeed this species.
Tyrannidae (Flycatchers, Tyrannulets, Elaenias & Allies)
Southern Beardless Tyrannulet (Camptostoma obsoletum) We had excellente views of an individual at the same spot where the tit-spinetails were.
Pied-crested Tit Tyrant (Anairetes reguloides) We saw this species several times displaying the crest pretty nicely.
White-browed Chat Tyrant (Ochthoeca leucophrys) We saw our first at the area where we had lunch.
Streak-throated Bush Tyrant (Myiotheretes striaticollis) One individual was spotted flying and displaying near our breakfast spot. Later we had a pair perched above the bridge area.
Cotingidae (Cotingas)
Red-crested Cotinga (Ampelion rubrocristatus) We had brief looks of an individual at one of the higher spots we reached. Unfortunately, the bird flew away and didn’t show up again
Troglodytidae (Wrens)
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Turdidae (Thrushes)
Great Thrush (Turdus fuscater) One bird was spotted early.
Chiguanco Thrush (Turdus chiguanco) Common.
Mimidae (Mockingbirds)
Long-tailed Mockingbird (Mimus longicaudatus) One was spotted for Linda.
Thraupidae (Tanagers, Flowerpiercers, Sierra-Finches & Allies)
Blue-and-yellow Tanager (Pipraeidea bonariensis)
Male and female were seen pretty well at our first stop.
Cinereous Conebill (Conirostrum cinereum) Another of the common birds of the trip.
Mourning Sierra-Finch (Phrygilus fruticeti) We saw male and females at the right elevation.
Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch (Geospizopsis plebejus) Some individuals were spotted around our lunch area.
Band-tailed Sierra-Finch (Phrygilus alaudinus) Another species that was common at higher elevation.
Great Inca-Finch (Incaspiza pulchra) Great views of several individuals at our first stop. This is one of the 5 species of Inca-Finch all of which are endemic to Peru. This one has a more central distribution within its range. ENDEMIC
Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch (Poospiza rubecula) This was one is of the most sought birds of this trip (or any to this area!) and I cannot tell you how many times people goes back home empty handed. I had been looking for this bird for long time unsuccessfully. At some point I was wondering if it has been some enough changes in the area to affect the bird’s population, but I saw a report in ebird from few weeks ago, which was encouraging! After trying several times at some of the spots I knew, I tried one more time in a new location. While driving back to Lima, I wasn’t happy then I noticed some birds and I had a hunch. We stopped the van and after trying, Steve mentioned that among the birds in the area, he had seen something like the bird was he wasn’t sure. I tried again the tape and……KABOOM!!! A beautiful individual came out from the darkness of the bushes and perched at the open to everybody’s surprise and enjoyment….YES!!! Patience and persistence always pay off. ENDEMIC
Collared Warbling-Finch (Poospiza hispaniolensis) This bird, the cousin of the Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch, also a beautiful bird, and male and female were nicely seen pretty well.
Greenish Yellow-Finch (Sicalis olivascens) A common species we saw at our lunch spot near the turn off to Huachupampa.
Emberizidae (Brushfinches, Sparrows & Allies)
Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) Surprisingly on this trip they weren’t overwhelmingly common as usual.
Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch (Atlapetes nationi) We had great views of this Peruvian endemic at several locations. ENDEMIC
Cardinalidae (Grosbeaks and Tanagers)
Golden Grosbeak (Pheucticus chrysogaster) A common bird around orchards.
Icteridae (Blackbirds, Cowbirds & Allies)
Scrub Blackbird (Dives warczewiczi) There was a pair at the last spot we stopped to look for Peruvian Pygmy-Owls.
Fringillidae (Goldfinch, Siskins & Allies)
Hooded Siskin (Spinus magellanicus) Pretty common at our lunch spot where we saw several birds in different plumages.
Passeridae
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Mammals
Northern Vizcacha (Lagidium peruanum) We saw one individual at our breakfast spot while looking for Great Inca-Finch. This mammal is related with the Chinchillas which has a more southern distribution from Southern Peru to Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.