Ferruginous Pygmy Owl – Photo by Bernard Dupont
TOUR 1
4D3N – Tarapoto – Mountain Rainforest & Amazon Tropical Dry Forest
DAY 1 – Arrival and night birds
Arrival a.m.: Pick-up in Tarapoto (airport or downtown) and stop at Ricuricocha’s lagoon to see some aquatic and dry forest especies. Transfer to Pumarinri along Mayo and Huallaga rivers by minibus, about forty minute journey,evening-night tour around the lodge.
Possible birds: Comb Duck, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Flammulated, Common and Pearly-vented Pygmy-Tyrants, Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Tropical Screech Owl, Band-bellied & Black-banded Owls.
Arrival p.m: Afternoon or evening pick-up in Tarapoto (airport or downtown). Transfer by minibus to Pumarinri Amazon Lodge, about a forty minute journey, evening-night tour around the lodge.
o/n Pumarinri
Possible birds: Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Tropical Screech Owl, Band-bellied & Black-banded Owls.
DAY 2 – Pumarinri: River and forests
Pumarinri is a quality lodge with comfortable spacious ensuite rooms, set on the slopes of the Huallaga River at c.230 metres altitude. There are trails through the hill forest along the road or by the river. There is good birding and some amazing poison dart frogs around the Lodge. Boat trip upriver in afternoon and trail on south side of river. o/n Pumarinri.
o/n Pumarinri
Possible birds: Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper, Black-fronted Nunbird, Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher, Blue-grey, Palm & Turquoise Tanagers, various parrots, White-winged & White-banded Swallows, Ladder-tailed Nightjar, Hoatzin, Drab Water-Tyrant, Black Phoebe, Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Paradise Tanager, Pale-rumped Swift, Black-faced Dacnis, Plain-winged Antshrike, Olive Oropendola. Also Chestnut-eared Aracari, Peruvian Warbling, Black-faced, Spot-winged and Chestnut-tailed Antbirds, Green-backed Trogon, Black & White Becard, tanagers & euphonias.
DAY 3 – Shapaja & Juan Guerra
Early start, leave Pumarinri area & drive south down main road to Shapaja. There we find some good areas of dry forest. Afternoon birding at Juan Guerra and Puente Colombia to whatch other dry forest species.
o/n Pumarinri
Possible birds: Cobalt-winged Parakeet, White-browed Antbird, Northern Slaty Antshrike, Blue-crowned Trogon, Mishana Tyrannulet, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Comb Duck, Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant, White-bellied Pygmy-Tyrant, Hook-billed Kite, Rufous Casiornis, Chestnut-throated Spinetail. Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Great Antshrike, Green and Violaceous Jays, White-browed Antbird, Northern Slaty Antshrike. Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Lettered Aracari, Chestnut-crowned Puffbird, Grey-capped Flycatcher, Laughing Falcon.
DAY 4 – The Tunnel at Cerro Escalera
Early morning departure with packed lunch north-eastwards from the town to the high forested ridge at Cerro Escalera. We stop at the highest point at the 100 metre ‘Tunnel’ which cuts through the top part of the 900 metre mountain. This is cloud forest habitat with a very different avifauna from the dry forest down below. Rest of the day at various sites at this altitude. End of the tour 1. Transfer to Tarapoto airport or link to Tour 2.
Possible birds: White-tipped Swift, White Hawk, Yellow-crested, Yellow-bellied & Dotted Tanager, Plumbeous Euphonia, Smoky Brown & Red-stained Woodpeckers, Ruddy Foliage-Gleaner, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo, Blackish Pewee, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Dusky-chested and Cliff Flycatchers, Blue-crowned Manakin.
