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Peru: August 2 to 16, 2009 with Machu Picchu Extension to August 21 Harry Fuller, as Host, to a Covey of Adults and Lelis Navarrete as Bird Guide Though Lelis is the premiere guide for Ecuador, he also leads successful trips to other parts of South America.   His last several trips to Peru have found well over 500 species in two weeks and as many as 670 species in three weeks.   Harry Fuller will be the trip host.  Harry has lead trips to Greece, around the United Kingdom and in northern California.  This will be Harry's second trip with Lelis.  Together they will assure excellent communication between trip participants and assure everyone enjoys the trip thoroughly. Besides a two week itinerary with the potential for to see over 500 bird species, the trip will have a one week extension to Machu Picchu to enjoy this high mountain area and including the opportunity to extend the trip list to 620 and perhaps 670 species. A full itinerary is available upon request and but can also be found on this web page below.

Brief Itinerary August 2, 2009:  Flights from Lima to Cuzco   August 3:   Cuzco area birding, including Huacarpay Lake August 4:  Birding at Pillahuata and on way to Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge August 5 and August 6: Manu Cloud Forest and Cock-of-the-Rock  Area August 7: Birding on way to Amazonian Lodge, including Madre de Dios river, and the road to Atalaya August 8 to August 10: Amazonia Lodge and Manu Biosphere Reserve August 11: Birding from Amazonia Lodge in morning and then from canoe to   Manu Wildlife Center August 12 to August 15: Manu Wildlife Center, including Macaw clay leek, the Camungo lake, Camungo tower and trails, the Blanco Lake, and the Cocha Nuevo bamboo trails August 16:  Manu to Cuzco and Transition Day If returning home, flight from Manu to Cuzco.  Then flights Cuzco to Lima.  Then return flight home that day in some cases depending upon flight schedules. Machu Picchu Extension Group:  After flight from Manu, some time will be available to relax and/or explore and enjoy Cuzco briefly before heading towards Ollantaytambo.   Extension:  Machu Picchu and More Excellent Bird Watching Monday, August 17: Birding on train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu.  See ruins and birding at Machu Picchu. August 18:  Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu:  Birding and ruins. August 19 and 20:  Road to Abra Malaga and Ollantaytambo Area.  Birding primarily for two days. August 21:  Return to Cusco and Lima A more detailed itinerary can be starting to the left.

Nestling Tour's Covey of Adults Itinerary for Peru in 2009 Flights In:  Flights into Lima and then Cuzco by August 2, 2009 After your flight comes into Lima, you may be able to arrange a flight to Cuzco that day.  Some travellers will have to fly to Cuzco the next day. Other participants may choose to fly to Lima or Cuzco for a few days to enjoy these beautiful cities and to adjust to higher altitudes.   Arrange your flight (or contact us to arrange your flight or to get flight advice) so that you are in Cuzco on August 2.  We will start the trip with lodging that evening and hope to meet many participants for dinner that evening. Monday, August 3:  Huacapay Lakes and Cuzco Area After breakfast,  we will drive to the Huacarpay Lake for birding there and in the surrounding dry scrubby habitat. The surrounding habitat is good to find the endemic Rusty-fronted Canastero and Bearded Mountaineer. Other target species amid a number of others species include Speckled Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Puna Teal, Andean Duck, Puna Ibis, Cinereous Harrier, Plumbeous Rail, Andean Lapwing, Andean Gull, Wren-like Rushbird, Rufous-naped Ground- Tyrant, Many-colored Rush-Tyrant and Andean Negrito.  After lunch, we will continue birding in the Cuzco area for a part of the afternoon.   Some participants may choose to take parts of the day to rest and relax and adjust to the higher altitude. Tuesday, August 4:  Pillahuata and Route to Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge After breakfast, we will start bird watching towards Pillahuata along the road to Atalaya.  This location is just below the pass at the gateway of the Manu Biosphere reserve. Some of the target species during this second day of birding will be a number of endemic species, including Rusty-fronted Canastero, Bearded Mountaineer, Creamy-crested Spinetail, Chestnut- breasted Mountain-Finch, Cusco Brush-Finch, Dark-faced Brush- Finch.  We will also try for Andean Ibis, Trilling Tapaculo, Bolivian Tapaculo, and Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher along with a number of  other species particularly restricted to these high elevation habitats. We will continue our trip to the Cock-of-the-Rock lodge in the afternoon. Wednesday, August 5 and Thursday August 6: Manu Cloud Forest and Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge Area We will spend two days in the San Pedro area at the superb Cock- of-the-Rock Lodge, enjoying access to a number of excellent bird watching locations in the area and the lodge’s excellent hummingbird and fruit feeders.  Birding at and near the lodge is excellent. The lodge’s location will allow us reasonably quick access or birds to higher and lower elevations, with a broad gamma of species.   Endemics include Peruvian Piedtail, Rufous-webbed Brilliant, Buff- thighed Puffleg, Cerulean-capped Manakin, Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulet, and Fulvous Wren. We will also have a chance to see the spectacular Paradise Tanager, and other difficult to find species such as the Brown Tinamou, Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Stripe-faced Wood-Quail, Rufescent Screech-Owl, Subtropical Pygmy-Owl, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, and Lyre-tailed Nightjar. Great hummingbirds can be found such as Wire-crested Thorntail, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Gould's Inca, and Violet-throated Starfrontlet. Other beautiful birds in the area include Highland Motmot, Versicolored Barbet, and Blue-banded Toucanet.  Other species include Ash-browed Spinetail, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Upland Antshrike, and Foothill Antwren. One real rarity in the area is Yellow-rumped Antwren, and we should see Rufous-breasted Antthrush, Slaty Gnateater, Scaled Fruiteater, Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Yungas Manakin, Blue-rumped Manakin, Bolivian Tyrannulet, Fulvous-breasted Flatbill, Olive-tufted Flycatcher, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Olivaceous Siskin, Oleaginous Hemispingus, Slaty Tanager, Blue- naped Chlorophonia, Spotted Tanager, Golden-collared Honeycreeper and Plush-capped Finch and many more. Nestlings Itinerary for Peru in 2009 Continued below.

Nestling Tour's Itinerary for Peru in 2009 Continued Friday, August 7: Birding on way to Amazonian Lodge, including Madre de Dios river, and the road to Atalaya After an early morning breakfast and birding in the Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge area, we will start our descent towards the Madre de Dios river.  By bringing a box lunch along, we will have the opportunity to take our time and spend most of the day birding along the road before getting to Atalaya. On the way from Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge to Amazonia, we will be looking for the endemics like White-browed Hermit, Peruvian Piedtail, Fine-barred Piculet, and Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher.   Other species we have seen along this route include Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Torrent Duck, Plain-breasted Hawk, the rare and local Blue-headed Macaw, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Lanceolated Monklet, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Scarlet-hooded Barbet, Bamboo Antshrike, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Stripe-chested Antwren, Scaly-breasted Wren, and Deep-blue Flowerpiercer.  A few rarities which we may find include Red-billed Tyrannulet and Blue-headed Macaw. At Atalaya, we will meet an Amazonia Lodge representative who will transfer us across the river to the nearby Amazonia lodge. Saturday, August 8 to Monday, August 10: Amazonia Lodge and Manu Biosphere Reserve We will spend three more days visiting the famous Amazonia Lodge in the Peruvian Amazonian Rain Forest.  This lodge has one of the richest bird lists of any given site within the Amazon region and is home to a number of sought after species.  Almost 600 species   have been recorded in this one place. The endemics here include Koepcke's Hermit, Scarlet-hooded Barbet, White-lined Antbird,  Black-capped Tinamou, Black-and- white Hawk-Eagle, Orange-breasted Falcon, Blackish Rail, Blue- headed Macaw, Pavonine Cuckoo, Buff-tailed Sicklebill, Gould's Jewelfront, Brown-mandibled Aracari, Bar-breasted Piculet, Cabanis’ Spinetail, Bamboo Antshrike, Goeldi's Antbird, McConnell's Flycatcher, Johannes' Tody-Tyrant, Golden-bellied Warbler, and Olive (Carmiol’s) Tanager. One of these days, we will head back across the Madre de Dios river in search of several birds of special interest, including endemics like White-browed Hermit, Peruvian Piedtail, Fine-barred Piculet, and Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher.  Other interesting species at this location include Bamboo Antshrike, Scarlet-hooded Barbet, and Blue-headed Macaw. These and other locations at and near the lodge will make this some of the most productive birding on the trip. Nestlings Itinerary for Peru in 2009 continued to the right and at the top of the page below the Chestnut- breasted Mountain-Finch.

Nestling Tour's Itinerary for Peru in 2009 Continued Tuesday, August 11: Birding from Amazonia Lodge in morning and then from canoe to Manu Wildlife Center After an early morning bird watching at the Amazonia lodge, we will take our dugout canoe ride to the Manu Wildlife Center some 4 hours downstream.   This will be our best chance at a number of birds more likely to be found in riparian areas. Wednesday, August 12 to Saturday, August 15: Manu Wildlife Center The Manu Wildlife Center will provide a comfortable lodge as a base while we visit different habitats around the area.  We will have access to a number of good locations just outside the Manu Biosphere Reserve, and most of these areas bordering the reserve are very pristine.  Some of the sites we will be visiting are the spectacular Macaw clay lick, the Camungo Lake, Camungo Tower and its grid of trails, the Blanco Lake and the Cocha Nuevo Bamboo trails.  These and other sites will allow the group an often once in a lifetime opportunity to find rare, local, hard-to-find endemics and other beautiful birds that inhabit these forested areas. Some of the birds worth looking for here include Orinoco Goose, White-browed Hawk, Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon, Starred Wood-Quail, Pheasant Cuckoo, Amazonian Pygmy-Owl, Crested Owl, Sand-colored Nighthawk, Ocellated Poorwill, Silky-tailed Nightjar, Pavonine Quetzal, Purus Jacamar, White-throated Jacamar, Paradise Jacamar, Semicollared Puffbird, Brown-mandibled Araçari, Curl-crested Araçari, Ringed Woodpecker, Bar-bellied Woodcreeper, Cinnamon- rumped Foliage-gleaner, Bluish-slate Antshrike, Sclater's Antwren, Banded Antbird, Band-tailed Antbird, White-lined Antbird, the endemic Rufous-fronted Antthrush, Amazonian Antpitta, Fiery-capped Manakin, Musician Wren, Red-billed Pied Tanager, Yellow-backed Tanager, White-winged Shrike-Tanager and Yellow-crested Tanager. We will visit the clay lick which can be filled with hundreds of Macaws, Parakeets and Parrots.  Our visit might (and likely will) produce good looks at Red-and- green Macaw, White-eyed Parakeet, Tui Parakeet, White-bellied Parrot, Orange- cheeked Parrot, Blue-headed Parrot, Yellow-crowned Parrot, and Mealy Parrot. One day we will dedicate most of our time and effort to look for some of the Bamboo specialists.  We will look for Rufous-breasted Piculet, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Peruvian Recurvebill, Brown-rumped Foliage-gleaner, Red-billed Scythebill, Ihering's Antwren, Striated Antbird, Manu Antbird, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, and Slate-colored Seedeater.  The handsome endemic, White- cheeked Tody-Tyrant, would be a fine highlight for the day. Sunday, August 16:  Manu to Cuzco and Transition Day After breakfast, we will start our way back to Cuzco with boat ride to Boca Manu airstrip.  From here, we catch our flight to Cuzco. Returning Home:  Cuzco to Lima flights are in the afternoon at 3:10 PM (as scheduled at this time).  Some participants, who are returning home, may be able to get of Lima that evening.   Contact us to arrange additional lodging or to discuss flight plans. Machu Picchu Extension Group:  After lunch and leaving our friends who are returning home, the extension group will head to Ollantaytambo.  Ssee details below. See Extension Trip Itinerary below.

Post-Trip Extension to Machu Picchu and More Bird Watching Monday, August 17:  Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu After breakfast, we leave to the Ollantaytambo train station.  Shortly after we begin the beautiful journey by train towards Machu Picchu.  The ride will be very relaxing and enjoyable with awesome landscape.  We should get some looks at the handsome and daring Torrent Duck and an occasional White-capped Dipper.   Upon arrival, we will check into a local hotel and take an immediate bus ride to the Machu Picchu ruins. Tuesday, August 18:  Machu Picchu and back to Ollaitaitambo After an early breakfast, we will have a 6:00 AM bus ride back up to the entrance gate of the Machu Picchu ruins.  We will again visit the ruins; however, our return plans will include much more bird watching, as we will start walking down the road towards Aguas Calientes. After visiting the ruins, we will spend the rest of this morning leisurely walking down this road while birding and looking for four main target species and endemics:   Green-and-white Hummingbird, Inca Flycatcher, Masked Fruiteater and  Inca Wren.   Other terrific species we have found include Torrent Duck, White-tipped Swift, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Variable Antshrike, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, Sclater's Tyrannulet, Highland Elaenia, White-eared Solitaire, Capped Conebill, Rust-and- yellow Tanager, Silver-backed Tanager and Tricolored Brush-Finch and many others. After getting back to Aguas Calientes, we will have lunch and get organized to take our train back to the Ollantaytambo Valley. Wednesday,  August 19 and Thursday, August 20:  Road to Abra Malaga For one day and the following morning, we will be visiting a number of birding stops along the road to Abra Malaga.  This really high elevation pass includes a number of habitats, including highland grassland, polylepis forest, elfin forest, temperate forest, and cloud forest on the eastern flank of the Andes.  We should also find some good birds in the dry scrubby habitat close to Ollantaytambo. Some of the endemics here include White-tufted Sunbeam, Buff-thighed Puffleg, White-browed Tit-Spinetail, Marcapata Spinetail, Red-and-white Antpitta, Inca Flycatcher, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Peruvian Chat-Tyrant, Inca Wren, Parodi's Hemispingus, Cusco Brush-Finch, and Dark-faced Brush-Finch aswell as Andean Guan, Imperial Snipe, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Purple-backed Thornbill, the extremely rare and local Royal Cinclodes, Streak-throated Canastero, Line-fronted Canastero, Stripe-headed Antpitta, the very rare and localized Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher, Maroon-chested Chat-Tyrant, White-eared Solitaire, White-collared Jay, Orange-browed Hemispingus, Drab Hemispingus, Three-striped Hemispingus, Golden-collared Tanager and Thick-billed Siskin to mention a few. Friday, August 21:  Cuzco to Lima and International Flights Back Home After a morning walk and a little more bird watching likely close to Ollantaytambo, we well have breakfast before starting back to Cuzco.  We will allow enough time for you to organize your bags and pack for the return trip home before our drive to Cuzco. We might have some spare time to enjoy the city and to visit the artisan markets, but many participants will want to catch the mid-afternoon flight to Lima. Some participants may want to add a few additional days for exploring Cuzco and Lima before heading back home.