Northern Peru (28 June-20 July 2018)

Almost a year ago Mike Catsis was planning a return trip to Northern Peru with a long time friend and Peruvian bird guide Juvenal CCahuana Mirano and asked me if I'd be interested in joining them. It was a destination I was thinking seriously about visiting anyway and so had no hesitation in agreeing. Nick Preston took little persuading to come, likewise Chris Gooddie. The trip went very smoothly due in no small part to Juve's excellent organisation and guiding. His intimate knowledge of the birds and sites enabled virtually all of our target species to be seen. I was a bit slow off the mark at times and didn't always have the views or take the photos I'd hoped for but it was nevertheless a very enjoyable trip. Best birds for me included Long-whiskered Owlet, Marvelous Spatuletail, Rufous-capped Nunlet, Scarlet-banded Barbet, White-masked, Lunulated & Plataforma Antbirds, Pale-billed, Rusty-tinged & Ochre-fronted Antpittas, Maranon & Elegant Crescentchests, Lulu's Tody-Flycatcher, Tumbes Tyrant, Peruvian Plantcutter, Fiery-throated & Scarlet-breasted Fruiteaters, Bar-winged Wood-Wren, Maranon Thrush and after 34 years of wanting White-capped Tanager. 

male Ochre-fronted Antpitta Alto Nieva 04 July 2018

Scarlet-banded Barbet Plataforma 11 July 2018

me, Nick, Juve, Chris & Mike at Yurimaguas Airport 14 July 2018

A full write up will appear here in due course ...