Celendin.
White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant, Cruz Conga June 2008.
26 June.
We left Celendin early this morning, arriving at our first birding site of the day near Cruz Conga as the sun started to warm the air. Sword-billed Hummingbird (our 5th of the trip) perched against the morning blue sky was a nice start but attention switched quickly to the fine White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant perched on top of one of the pines. One target bird down our thoughts turned to the Black-crested Tit-Tyrants, Peruvian Sierra-Finches, Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetails and Red-crested Cotingas (below) foraging in the undergrowth nearby.
Red-crested Cotinga.
A quick look at the Paramo produced the hoped-for Striated Earthcreeper (above) and as we progressed towards Cajamarca (our last port of call on the circuit) we notched up Rufous-webbed Tyrants, White-browed Ground-Tyrants and Black Metaltail before reaching the city.
The 'Comet Gulley' near Cajamarca.
Thanks to Aero Condor cancelling our flight from Cajamarca to Lima we had to squeeze in an extra site today. Fortunately we had made good progress and reached Cajamaca early enough to arrive in the Chonta Valley and look for the Grey-bellied Comet this afternoon. A short(ish) wait watching White-winged Cinclodes and Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant ended with good viws of the comet. Still faithful to his gulley ...... phew!
