A good morning for mammals, we enjoyed a troop of Squirrel Monkeys that were offered wonderful photo opportunities. With much chattering, they would move quickly from tree to tree, then stop and look at us for a while.As they posed we could see them eating small fruits, presumably figs. These diminutive primates entertained us probably…

Shy least grebes moved out of the way of our passing watercraft. They never took flight but rather just awkwardly ran on the water while flapping their wings, leaving an odd wake behind. Once at a safe distance, they posed for a few photos. A diminutive grebe, their soft gray colors blended well with the…

This morning we motored down the Madre de Dios a shorter distance and walked about a mile to get to Cocha Blanco, another oxbow lake. Greeted by a very cooperative Hoatzin we were slow to board our boat, but that also allowed for good views of a Green Kingfisher. A similar boat as the previous…

Black Spider Monkeys were quite common along the trails around the Manu Wildlife Center. One of many primate species we saw, spider monkeys are definitely the most comical. Red Howler Monkeys appear a bit lazy in comparison to other primates. They move more deliberately and are most often seen motionless in the forest canopy. Many…

The canopy tower above Cocha Comungo Lake (on which we had spent the morning) offers incredible panoramaic views of the Peruvian Amazon forest. It also offered wonderful vews of many bird species difficult to view from the forest floor. The climb to the top is not for the faint of heart… the steps zig-zag high…

Early morning in the dining room at the Manu Wildlife Center is very inviting. The only light is candles and flashlights. We had another 30 minute boat ride down river, then a 30 minute walk. Shortly after sunrise we found our destination — an oxbow lake waiting to be explored! Our floating platform with two…

After departing the clay lick, we ventured onto the Madre de Dios River to head upstream to the lodge. Cocoi Herons were quite numerous with some looking on as we passed, while others took flight. Large-billed Terns stood facing the breeze on some of the larger islands. Yellow-billed Terns, much smaller than the Large-billed Terns…

Our seventh day we rose very early to board our boat for the 30 minute ride to the Manquillo Clay Lick to see Red-and-Green Macaws (pictured above); Blue-headed, Orange-cheecked and Mealy Parrots; Dusky-headed, Cobalt-winged and Tui Parakeets; and possibly some other less common visitors. A foggy morning quickly turned to a glorious sunrise as we…

The morning of day six was wet and stormy. We made our way along the Manu Road from Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge to the town of Manuel Asenta. Along the drive we did find a very wet Blue-headed Macaw, a target endemic, as well as a few mixed feeding flocks in the trees around the stream photographed…

Cock of the Rock Lodge gets its name from the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek on the property. The lek is actually right off the Manu Road, protected from passing traffic by a bamboo fence. Shortly after daybreak the birds begin to moo and caw while offering a fitful dance, trying to entice the well hidden females.…

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…

Peru is truly a diverse country. The largest city, Lima, lies at sea level along the coast. On day one we landed here and transferred to our hotel around 11pm. A flight delay brought a few others later. Early in the morning of day two we flew to the second largest city, Cusco, which lies…