Survey of Trip Reports
REPORT 2 - Tambopata Research Center (TRC)
Bird watching at Tambopata Research Center (info given by Rainforest Expeditions, owner of TRC and Posada Amazonas)
From a bird lovers point of view, Tambopata Research Center's location is not only priviliged because of its proximity to the macaw clay lick, but also because it is within a half hour walking distance from seven distinct rain forest habitats with their respective transitions. Thus within an area of less then five square kilometers we have well-studied samples of 3 types of terraced floodplain forest, terra firme forest, bamboo forest, palm swamps, and the TRC clearing. Additionally, less than five minutes by boat, we have trails around a drying oxbow lake and a canoe to paddle up a tranquil stream. Each of these habitats have distinct vegetation compositions, which in turn harbor finely adapted bird, insect, mammal, reptile and ampibian communities. Many of the bird species registered around TRC can only be found in one or two of these habitats. Our 25 kilometer trail system, covers all of these habitats thus producing a bird list of more than 480 species for the trails alone (this list does not include the birds seen along the Tambopata River or the large oxbow lakes in the Tambopata area).
The bamboo forests along TRC's Bamboo Trail are home to 21 species of bamboo specialists, including the Manu Antbird, the White- lined Antbird,the Rufous-fronted Antthrush, the Ornate Antwren and others. Among the beautiful or spectacular bird species frequently found in these forests are the Razor-billed Currasow, Blue-crowned Motmot, Laughing Falcon, Spix's Guan and Common Piping-Guan. Finally, among the birds frequently seen from the overlooks on this trail are tanagers, jacamars, Swallow-winged Puffbird, Long-tailed Tyrant, and others.
The Ocelot Trail, covering a 300 hundred year old sample of floodplain forest, your stereotypical "rain forest", is a good birding trail for forest birds and some wading and lakeside birds which live close to the small freshwater ponds. On the trails in this forest it is possible to find: Semicollared Puffbird, Royal Flycatcher, White-fronted Nunbird, Pale-rumped Trumpeteer, Lawrence's Thrush, Red-crowned Ant-tanager, Thrush-like Antpitta, Gilded Barbet, Black-capped and Pink-throated Becard, Black-bellied Cuckoo, Broad- billed Motmot, Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin and Buff-rumped Warbler. The small freshwater ponds on this trail attract Hoatzin, Rufescent Tiger Heron, Band-tailed, Silvered and Plumbeous Antbirds, Green-and-rufous and Pygmy Kingfishers and Solitary Black Cacique. Notable are several species of trogons.
Also present but difficult to see is the Amazonian Antpitta, endemic to southeastern Peru. This bird is extremely shy and its preference for overgrown, bushy habitats makes it difficult to spot even when it is singing a few feet in front. The hilly, terraced forests to the west of TRC present the opportunity to encounter certain species of birds that are present less frequently on the other trails of the system. This is truest for the Round-tailed Manakin, which can frequently be encountered at its lek at the edge of the palm swamp.
Other interesting birds found on the hills of the Toucan Trail are the White-crested Spadebill, White-eyed Tody Tyrant, Collared Puffbird and the Golden-collared Toucanet. Finally the palm swamp at the edge of these hills houses a few species that are hard or impossible to find in other habitats, principally Striped Woodcreeper, Dull-rumped Attila and the Point-tailed Palmcreeper, an elegant ovenbird which is rarely found outside palm swamps. It is also great for spotting hermits and other hummingbirds, in addition to being the home of nesting Blue- and- gold and Red-bellied macaws in the November to April rainy season
Quiet afternoons from the TRC porch will sometimes reveal some of the birds that have included the clearing and the forest's edges within their territories. Amongst these are the Blue-crowned Motmot, Blue-crowned Trogon, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Black-fronted Nunbird, Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper, Long-billed Woodcreeper, Silver-beaked Tanager and the Lemon-throated Barbet. Larger birds perch in the canopy around the lodge with frequencies that depend on the season: Great Horned Owl, Common Piping Guan, Spix's Guan, and Cuvier's Toucan. The succesional strip of forest between TRC and the Tambopata river beach corresponds to what is known as lower floodplain forest or zabolo houses Dark Crested and Plain-crowned Spinetails, Starred Wood-Quail, Speckled Chachalaca, Ladder-Tailed Nightjar, Yellow-browed Tyrant, and Orange-headed Tanager. The porch and the trees surrounding TRC are, of course, the Chicos (our flock of rescued, hand-reared, semi-wild macaws) favorite playground.
Among the birds seen in the vicinity of the drying oxbow lake five minutes by boat from TRC are: Hoatzin, Muscovy Duck, Green Ibis, Greater Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Black-tailed Tityra, Green Kingfisher, Ringed Woodpecker, Speckled Chachalaca, Dusky-headed and White-eyed Parakeets, and Red-Capped Cardinal. Although you can find them year round, in the dry season you can see Yellow-tufted Woodpeckers,Yellow-rumped Caciques and Crested and Green Oropendolas nesting on the trees which grow on the strip of land that juts out into the lake.
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REPORT 3 - Sandoval Lake Lodge, Sept. 18-21, 2000
Sandoval Lake Lodge is situated in the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve, from Puerto Maldonado by boat 40 minutes downstream the Madre de Dios river. An attractive lodge on the border of a beautiful oxbow-lake.
The weather was good or perhaps too good. No rain, hot weather and in the forest the bird activity dropped down already after 9 a.m. On the lake and in the Mauritia palm swamp you could see nice things during the whole day. Sitting in front of the lodge produced birds like Masked Tityra, different Hummingbirds, a beautiful Violaceous Trogon and a big surprise: a Harpy Eagle flying over at a distance of 200 m.
In the palm swamp you see lots of Red-bellied Macaws, Long-billed Woodcreeper and with some luck Point-tailed Palmcreeper. Except the birds related to the lake, the area was remarkable good for toucans/aracari´s, for parrots/parakeets and for raptors.
Except the Harpy Eagle there were other highlights: a huge Spectacled Owl at day-time on a very short distance, Black-faced Cotinga, Laughing Falcon and Pheasant Cuckoo.
Despite the fact that the forest was quiet, I saw 176 species in four days, visiting this lodge for the first time.
every day: Striated Heron, Red-throated Caracara, Plumbeous Kite, Osprey, Greater Yellow-headed - and Black Vultures, Speckled Chacalaca, Grey-necked Woodrail, Grey-fronted Dove, Pale-vented and Plumbeous Pigeons, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Red-bellied Macaw, Cobalt-winged - and Dusky-headed Parakeets, Mealy- and White-bellied Parrots, Smooth-billed Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo, Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl, Fork-tailed Palmswift, Amazon Kingfisher, Ringed Kingfisher, Blue-crowned Motmot, Black-tailed Trogon, Black-fronted Nunbird, Cuvier´s Toucan, Buff-throated Woodcreeper, White-eyed Attila, Great Kiskadee, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Southern Roughwing - and White-winged Swallows, Thrush-like Wren, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Giant Cowbird, Russet-backed Oropendola, Palm - and Silver-beaked Tanagers, Red-capped Cardinal, Buff-throated Saltator. |
more than once: Cinereous -, Little and Undulated Tinamous, Anhinga, Neotropic Cormorant, White-necked Heron, Green Ibis, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Roadside Hawk, Spix´s Guan, Large-billed- and Yellow-billed Terns, Chestnut-fronted -, Scarlet and Red-and-green Macaws, Blue-headed Parrot, Greater Ani, Common Pauraque, Short-tailed Swift, Needle-billed Hermit, Blue-crowned Trogon, Black-spotted Barbet, White-fronted Nunbird, Swallow-wing, Yellow-ridged Toucan, Golden-collared Toucanet, Crimson-crested -, Lineated- and Yellow-tufted Woodpeckers, Long-billed- and Spix´s Woodcreepers, Black-throated -, Chestnut-tailed-, Grey -, Silvered- and White-browed Antbirds, Great - and Plain-winged Antshrikes, Black-faced Antthrush, Ringed Antpipit, Boat-billed-,Grey-crowned -, Streaked and Social Flycatchers, Tropical Kingbird, Lesser Kiskadee, Greyish Mourner, Drab Water-Tyrant, Masked Tityra, Screaming Piha, White-banded Swallow, Violaceous Jay, Black-capped Donacobius, House- and Moustached Wren, Southern Nightingale Wren, Crested Oropendola, Red-eyed Vireo, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager, Greyish Saltator, Yellow-browed Sparrow. |
once: Muscovy Duck, Snowy Egret, Agami Heron, Harpy Eagle, Laughing Falcon, Slate-coloured Hawk, Limpkin, Black Skimmer, Ruddy Pigeon, Red-shouldered Macaw, Painted Parakeet, Pheasant Cuckoo, Band-bellied- and Spectacled Owls, Grey- and Great Potoos, Grey-rumped Swift, Reddish Hermit, White-necked Jacobin, Black-throated Mango, White-chinned Sapphire, Long-billed Starthroat, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Green Kingfisher, Green-and-Rufous Kingfisher, Broad-billed Motmot, Violaceous Trogon, Chestnut-capped - and White-necked Puffbirds, Brown-mandible-, Curl-crested- and Lettered Aracari´s, Chestnut Woodpecker, Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper, Buff-throated - and Rufous-tailed Foliagegleaners, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Striped Woodhaunter, Black-faced- and Scale-backed Antbirds , Amazonian Antpitta, Bluish-slate- and White-shouldered Antshrikes, Long-winged Antwren, Black-spotted Bare-eye, Rusty-belted Tapaculo, Black-faced Cotinga, Bright-rumped Attila, Dusky-tailed Flatbill, Large-headed Flatbill, Euler´s-, Piratic-, Short-crested-, Sulphury-, Swainson´s- and Vermillioen Flycatchers, Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant, Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher, Johannes- and White-bellied Tody-Tyrants, Varzea Mourner, Band-tailed Manakin, Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin, Buff-breasted Wren, Creamy-bellied- and White-necked Thrushes, Olive Oropendola, Magpie Tanager, Blue-black Grassquit, Blue-black Grosbeak, Double-collared Seedeater. |
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TANAGER TOURS | |
| La Estrella F-9 | ||
| J.L. Bustamante y Rivero | ||
| Trujillo - Perú | ||
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