PERU: Andes to Amazon ~ Day 3-Manu Road

The narrow Manu Road is often blocked by livestock at the higher elevations. Here at 10,000 feet our stop included some wonderful birding. Higher up we had great views of Mountain Caracara, but few ventured far from the bus for fear of altitude sickness. But here, slightly lower, we all scurried to get great looks at several species of Mountain Finch, including the endemic Peruvian. Golden-billed Saltators and Mustached Flowerpiercers were also present, offering great looks.

A prize to all were a very cooperative pair of Andean Flickers calling and feeding and posing for cameras.

A little lower down, with horrible road conditions ahead, we walked a bit more as the bus bounced without us. This White-winged Black Tyrant sat for many minutes as we split views between him and two species of hummingbirds bussing about — Tyrian Metaltail and Violet-throated Starfrontlet.

Lower down, surrounded by the lush cloud forest, our guide Silverio Duri found an Andean Potoo which we enjoyed through the scope for quite a while.

It took some time to find a good hole through which to do a digiscoped image of the Andean Potoo.

A Chestnut-crested Cotinga posed for a few digiscope images after everyone got great scope views.

Shortly before dark at about 5000 feet elevation, as we neared our destination of Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, we found this wonderful Lyre-tailed Nightjar on a rock face above the road.

As we arrived at the lodge, just after dark, a Rufescent Screech Owl sang. By the time we got down the path it had moved further into the forest, with vegetation too dense to find a view… that’s okay. So much more to see in the morning and food and rest is much needed!