Trip Reports - La Montañita

Trip Report - La Montañita and other areas in Nothern Perú - August 2003
by Wim ten Have

During a trip in Northern Perú with some British customers, Tanager Tours visited La Montañita for the first time, an area near the reserve of Río Abiseo in the department of San Martin. In this report I will describe our observations in this relatively unknown area in more detail. In the second part I will give only a short survey of the other, better-known, areas visited during this trip.

PART I: LA MONTAÑITA

Followed route

August 26: After driving from Jaquabamba (between Retama and Buldibuyo) to the turn off to La Montañita, we birded for a short time in the dry scrub at the start of the access road. We then ascended into the Elfin Forest, passing a big artificial lake and 2 smaller lakes, birding along the way. After a short climb to the pass (3800 m.) we descended to the point where you can see already the Blue Truck (=BT) lower down. From here we started birding and walking to the Blue Truck (3500 m.). Around midday, we passed the Blue Truck by car. After a couple of kilometers, we found the road blocked by a small but impassable landslide. By foot, we went 2 km further down though Temperate Forest with big patches of Chusqea bamboo, until we could see the Two-story house (3300 m.), some km further. We then returned back to the landslide and camped there.
August 27: We walked 1 km down from the campsite before returning and walking up till the Blue Truck. In the afternoon, we birded aroundBT, covering an area 1 km either side of it. This area is the transition zone between Elfin and Temperate Forest. We camped at Blue Truck site.
August 28: We spent the morning in same area yesterday’s afternoon, breaking up the camp at midday and going out by car. Around 4 p.m. we were back on the main road and going on to Buldibuyo.

The Birds

August 26
A first short stop in the dry scrub revealed Blue-mantled Thornbill (4), while a second stop where the first patches of Elfin Forest started was more productive with Shining Sunbeam (common), Coppery Metaltail (fairly common), Baron´s Spinetail (3), Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail (1), Tawny Antpitta (1). After our breakfast, Juvenal (our excellent driver and birdwatcher) discovered 2 White-cheeked Cotingas perched in the top of one of the higher trees. We did not see more than some small bushes of polylepis nearby.
As far as we know, this is the first time that this species has been recorded here. The nearest record is an observation near Tayabamba, 30 km south. Rather excited about this record, we stayed a longer time and saw the birds actively flying around. Once I saw the birds at a distance of 15 m. Juve took some photos, but the result was not very splendid.
In and around the 2 smaller lakes we saw Speckled Teal, Crested Duck, Yellow-billed Pintail, Striated Earthcreeper (1) and Many-striped Canastero (2).
Going over the pass and entering the valley of la Montañita, Juvenal (again!) was the first to discover 4 Golden-backed Mountain-Tanagers flying in. Actually the birds usually frequented the same area, as we discovered next day: an area just above the Blue Truck.
Our first flock we encountered near the BT, at least 8 Pardusco´s forming the main part of the flock with Moustached Flowerpiercer, Chestnut-bellied Mountain-Tanager and Blue-backed Conebill amongst others.
Because it was impossible to go by car, we used the afternoon to walk down, but did not reach as far as the two-story house. It was a rather quiet afternoon without remarkable flocks. However, my first Rufous-browed Hemispingus, low in the understory of a patch of Chusquea bamboo was a real highlight.
The most common birds were Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager and Pearled Treehunter. More interesting were White-chinned Thistletail (2) and heard-only Rufous-vented and Tschudi’s Tapaculo´s.

August 27
The people decided to bird on their own way (it was not a guided tour) so not surprisingly we saw different species. While the others went up, I went back and had good looks at White-chinned Thistletails and a Large-footed Tapaculo. Just busy with a flock, again including Pardusco, Juvenal called me to show me a Rufous-banded Owl. The bird was very cooperative and gave us the chance to take a series of pictures.

Rufous-banded Owl

Walking up from our camping place to the Blue Truck (a walk of not more than 2-3 km) I had a wonderful morning with good weather and a lot of activity. New experience for me that the Pearled Treerunners were often together in group of 4-6. Other common birds (from 3300 till 3500 m.) were Citrine Warbler, Spectacled Redstart and Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant. Best birds: Purple-backed Thornbill (female), Russet-mantled Softtail (2-3), wonderful looks of a Rufous Antpitta (ssp. obscura), a noisy group of Sharpe’s Wrens, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager (2) and a Rufous-eared Brush-Finch.

The result of operating alone is of course that you miss birds that others have seen and vice versa, so after lunch at the Blue Truck some went down again and others went up, hoping to find the dips. I encountered a big flock above the Blue Truck and discovered accidently that they were attracted by the sound of Chestnut-naped Antpitta ( a species probable not occurring here). Especially the Parduscos (8+) came very close, but also Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher (2), White-throated Tyrannulet, Citrine Warbler, Drab Heminspingus (4), Scarlet-bellied Mountain- and Golden-collared Tanagers kept active around me during 15 minutes. I presume that the sound of the antpitta caused the same attention as pishing, but it was in this case more effective. I saw also Collared Inca, Great Sapphirewing, Coppery Metaltail (on this site of the pass still common), Peruvian Chat-Tyrant (*), Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant (3) and Stripe-headed Brush-Finch (2) while others found Sword-billed Hummingbird, White-browed Spinetail, more Rufous-browed Hemispingus, Rufous-chested Tanager and Yellow-scarfed Tanager. The British spent a lot of time hoping to see the ever calling Undulated Antpitta.
Setting up camp at the Blue Truck site, Andean Snipe started calling at dusk and we had some poor looks against the sky of a displaying bird.

(*) In retrospect I am not sure about the right identification of this bird; I cannot exclude Crowned Chat-Tyrant or even Jelski´s Chat-Tyrant. If someone knows the right species, please contact me.

August 28
Today we had less luck with the weaher: after a night of rain, the sky didn’t clear up. The whole morning kept on raining/drizzling, but despite that fact we found a little lower down from the BT our biggest flock till now. Most of the birds we had seen before, new was only a Plush-capped Finch. But also seen were Citrine Warblers, Sharpe’s Wrens, Black-capped Hemispingus, Stripe-headed Brush-Finches and so on, and happily also Rufous-browed Hemispingus (2), a species that one of customers still needed.
At midday we broke off the camp and went by car higher up. The search for Line-fronted Canastero resulted in seeing 2 birds, but much better were 2 pairs of Bay-vented Cotinga.

Bay-vented Cotinga

In the same area also Red-crested Cotinga (2) and Black-throated Flowerpiercer. Going back we checked the White-cheeked Cotinga place, but as expected around 2-3 p.m., there was no sign of the birds. We did find two new species for the trip: Maroon-chested Chat-Tyrant and Paramo Seedeater.

Other species not mentioned in the text before: Variable Hawk, Mountain Caracara, Andean Guan, Band-tailed Pigeon, Scaly-naped Parrot, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Tyrian Metaltail, Golden-headed Quetzal(H), Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucan (H), Bar-winged Cinclodes, Trilling Tapaculo, Barred Fruiteater, White-banded Tyrannulet, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Cinnamon Flycatcher, White-browed Chat-Tyrant, Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant, Blue-and-white Swallow, Brown-bellied Swallow, Great Thrush, Mountain Wren, Superciliaried Wren (ssp insignis), Cinereous Conebill, Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch, Rufous-collared Sparrow.

PART II: THE OTHER AREAS

Not included in this survey are the most common species in general and species if we saw them for the 2nd or 3rd time on places before. H = Heard only

Batan Grande near Chiclayo – August 15
Harris’ Hawk (2), Pacific Parrotlet (20), Peruvian Pygmy-Owl (2), Peruvian Sheartail (1), Short-tailed Woodstar (3), Scarlet-backed Woodpecker (4), Necklaced Spinetail (25), Streak-headed Woodcreeper (2), Collared Antshrike (10), Peruvian Plantcutter (6), Grey-and-white Tyrannulet (10), Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant (3), Common Tody-Flycatcher (2), Short-tailed Field-Tyrant (1), Rufous Flycatcher (5), Baird´s Flycatcher (4), Masked Yellowthroat (1), Cinereous Finch (10).

Camping in Quebrada Limon

Quebrada Limon near Olmos – August 16
White-winged Guan (4), Red-masked Parakeet (10), Long-billed Starthroat (1), Blue-crowned Motmot (2), Ecuadorian Piculet (4), Guayaquil Woodpecker (H,2), Elegant Crescentchest (3), Pacific Elaenia, Tropical Pewee (10), Sooty-crowned Flycatcher (1), Speckle-breasted Wren (2), Plumbeous-backed Thrush (2), White-tailed Jay (4), Hepatic Tanager (6), White-winged Brush-Finch (2), White-headed Brush-Finch (4).
On the way to the Quebrada : Chestnut-collared Swallow and Tumbes Sparrow.

Abra Porculla near Olmos , August 17
Ochre-bellied Dove , Grey-chinned Hermit (2-4), Purple-collared Woodstar (4+), Smoky-brown Woodpecker (2), Azara´s Spinetail (ssp. ochracea), Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaner (2), Henna-hooded Foliagegleaner (2), Line-cheeked Spinetail (4+), Chapman´s Antshrike (4), Watkin´s Antpitta , Rufous Antpitta (H), Elegant Crescentchest (4), Piura Chat-Tyrant , Lesser Goldfinch (3), Grey-and-gold Warbler (4), Three-banded Warbler (10), Bay-crowned Brush-Finch (10), White-winged Brush-Finch, White-headed Brush-Finch (1), Black-cowled Saltator (3).

Tamborapa near Jaen, August 18
Military Macaw (30), Marañon Spinetail (2), Chinchipe Spintail (8), Common Thornbird (10+), Streaked Xenops (1), Marañon Slaty-Antshrike (2), Marañon Crescentchest (1), Yellow-cheeked Becard (1), Buff-bellied Tanager (1), Black-capped Sparrow

Pomacochas near Pedro Ruiz, August 18
Marvellous Spatuletail (3), Long-tailed Sylph (2), Speckle-faced/White-capped Parrot

Abra Patricia, August 19-21
Bicoloured Hawk, Solitary Eagle, Red-billed Parrot (6), Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, Green Hermit (2), Ecuadorian Piedtail (2), Royal Sunangel (2), Versicoloured Barbet, Speckle-chested Piculet, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Crimson-bellied Woodpecker, Tyrannine Woodcreeper (H), Uniform & Variable & Lined Antshrikes, Plain Antvireo (2+), Long-tailed Antbird (2+), Barred Antthrush (H), Rusty-tinged Antpitta (H), Rusty-breasted Antpitta (H), Green-and-black Fruiteater (2+), Andean Cock-of-the Rock (3+), Golden-winged Manakin (4), Golden-faced Tyrannulet (10+), Olive-chested Flycatcher, Rufous-tailed Tyrant, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Rufous-crested & Huallaga & Yellow-scarfed & Silver-backed Tanagers, White-sided Flowerpiercer and many, many more.

Abra Barro Negro above Leimebamba, August 22
Rainbow Starfronlet (2), Sword-billed Hummingbird, Purple-throated Sunangel, Coppery Metaltail, Baron´s Spinetail.

The descent to Balsas, including Balsas, August 22
Rufous Spinetail, Buff-bridled Inca-Finch, Yellow-faced Parrotlet (2), Marañon Thrush (4)

El Limon, August 23
Chestnut-backed Thornbird (4), Grey-winged Inca-Finch (3), Andean Emerald (3)

Pass after Celendin, August 23
Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant (4+), White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant , Black-crested Warbler.

Rio Chonta near Cajamarca, August 24
Grey-bellied Comet , Black-winged Ground-Dove, White-winged cinclodes (4)

The descent from El Molino till Chagual, August 25
Purple-backed Sunbeam (2), Great Spinetail (3), Tropical (Marañon) Gnatcatcher, Yellow-tailed Oriole (2), Peruvian Pigeon.

San Damian, August 31
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet (40+), Oasis Hummingbird, Peruvian Sheartail, Black-necked Woodpecker, Russet-bellied Spinetail (3), Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant, Piura Chat-Tyrant (2), Peruvian Martin (2), Bay-crowned Brush-Finch (4), Scrub Blackbird.

Lomas de Lachay, Sept. 1
Least Seedsnipe (40+), Coastal Miner, Greyish Miner, Thick-billed Miner (2), Cactus Canastero (2), Raimondi´s Yellow-Finch (100+).

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