Red & Green Macaws, Manu 20th October 2006.

For many (not me!) a visit to the Macaw-Lick in Manu is one of the highlights of the trip. Well, they did perform nicely on this occasion - just a shame it took so long for them to come down to the banks! Anyway it was a break from staring into the tangles and thick undergrowth for antbirds for the tour group I suppose.

Lanceolated Monklet, Manu Road 15th October 2006.

I make no apology for posting another pic of this endearing little puffbird (see postings from June / July 2006 N. Peru tour) as they are one of my all-time favourites. This little chap was found just below the "1000 Metre Bridge" and in keeping with puffbird behaviour it sat around long enough for everyone to get great views. I even had enough time to go back to the bus, get my 'scope and set up for digiscoping!

Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Manu Road 14th October 2006.

The sound of a calling Lemon-browed Flycatcher on the lower sections of the Manu Road invariably means there's an interesting flock around. Sure enough we found Versicolored Barbet, Stripe-chested Antwren, White-winged Tanager, Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulet and Bluish-fronted Jacamars in with this species. A nice follow-up to our Amazonian Umbrellabird seen just below the lodge.

Plumbeous Kite, Manu Road 13 October 2006.

A short walk along the Manu Road after our visit to the Cock-of-the-Rock lek revealed a pair of Plumbeoius Kites right next to the road. A nice mixed species flock nearby held Black-eared Brush-finch, Olive-backed and Montane Woodcreepers, Two-banded Warblers and some stunning Orange-eared Tanagers. Back to breakfast at the lodge and watch the Wire-crested Thorntail at the flowering bushes in the clearing!

Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Peru 13 October 2006.

This one was purely "guess-work"! I took this shot in very dark conditions at the lek near Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge on the Manu Road - surely the best place in the Neotropics to see this species? We had several males displaying nearby and the birding was good near the lodge with the usual array of hummingbirds at the feeders and mixed species flocks in the cloud forest.