Bamboo Birding At Manú Biological Station

September 3, 2022 (continued)

Our brief visit to the Wayqecha Cloud Forest Research Station was over too quickly and by the early afternoon, Laura and I were on our way down the mountain. We had booked two nights at another research station run by Amazon Conservation: the Manú Biological Station, formerly known as the Villa Carmen Biological Station. 

The main draw for visiting birders is the extensive groves of spiny Guadua bamboo surrounding the station clearing.  Bamboo stands may have less biodiversity than mature rainforest, but there are a number of bird species that spend most or all of their life in close association with bamboo. While Laura and I were hoping to find a wide array of biodiversity at Manú Biological Station, the bamboo specialist birds were high on our wish lists. 

Guadua sp. - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Laura and I arrived at the station and were thrilled once again to be upgraded to our own cabin, even though we had booked the dormitory option to save money. Bonus!

That afternoon, we checked out a few of the trails which ventured into thick bamboo. We acquainted ourselves with some of the bamboo specialists, many of which were new species for us including Bamboo Antshrike and Goeldi's Antbird. A few Black-capped Tinamous vocalized from very close to the path but remained frustratingly out of sight. 

Goeldi's Antbird - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

One of the highlights at Manú Biological Station was the excellent food. We ate well, especially compared to our "trunk sandwiches" and other fare from earlier in the trip.

Laura and I strung up our moth light and hit the trails after dinner. While snakes were conspicuously absent, we found enough things worth pointing the macro lens at. 

This moth was an unfortunate victim of a Cordyceps attack. This genus of fungi is endoparasitic with different species targeting different hosts. 

It was the caterpillars that really stole the show, including these impressive beasts.

Upon returning from a night-hike, weary and bleary-eyed, a jolt of energy always hits when I remember that I still have the moth sheet to check. What wonders will I behold?

The haul was relatively light but I still spent far too long marvelling at the insects when I should have been sleeping, given the 4:45 AM alarm set for the morning.

September 4, 2022

This would be a crucial day, our only full day at the Manú Biological Station. We were up before dawn, eager to hit the trails in time for the dawn chorus.

Purplish Jay - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

We birded nearly every trail on the near side of the river throughout the day. Though the trail system at the Manú Biological Station is extensive, the trails on the far side of the river receive less regular maintenance and can be quite difficult to traverse. The near trails have been cut through bamboo and secondary forest. 

Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

We found many of the speciality birds over the course of the day. The big prize was the White-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher, a scarce, range-restricted species which we saw well, though my photos are so terrible they don't really even count as record shots.

White-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

That's birding in the rainforest, however. Apart from at feeding stations, bird photography in these forests is extremely challenging given the thick foliage, poor lighting, and difficulty in approaching birds closely. Most of our best birds were documented rather poorly (if at all), even if the views through the binoculars were adequate. 

Chestnut-tailed Antbird - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Antbirds were the theme of the day and we encountered some good ones including Manu Antbird, Black-spotted Bare-eye, and Brownish-headed Antbird (what colour is brownish, anyways?). 

Black-spotted Bare-eye - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Flycatchers were well-represented and included our first McConnell's Flycatcher, Large-headed Flatbill and Dusky-tailed Flatbill. Another bamboo specialist remained heard-only: the Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher. 

Large-headed Flatbill - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Without a doubt, the most beautiful bird in the entire Amazon basin is the Flammulated Pygmy-Tyrant. It just radiates with colour...

Flammulated Pygmy-Tyrant - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

At least some of the birds actually contained colour, such as this Black-tailed Trogon. 

Black-tailed Trogon - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Laura and I briefly crossed the river to explore a trail on the other side. This particular contraption allowed you to self-propel yourself across the watercourse. I guess it is a bit cheaper to build and easier to maintain than a bridge! 

The trail on the far side of the river was in poor condition due to a relative lack of recent maintenance. We slogged uphill for a bit before cutting our losses. The only bird I photographed was this Yellow-breasted Warbling-Antwren. The wide trails through the bamboo on the lodge side of the river provided a much easier setting for birding, though I would imagine that a higher diversity of species could be found here on the far side of the river since the forest seemed more mature and diverse. 

Yellow-breasted Warbling-Antwren - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

As the birding slowed in the late morning, Laura and I partially diverted our attention in search of insects, and in particular, Lepidoptera. 

Therinia sp. - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Catoblepia berecynthia - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Panacea prola - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Last evening’s haul of ridiculous caterpillars continued into today.

Another welcome diversion was caused by this South American Sipo, a new species for Laura and I. With some deft maneuvering I was able to apprehend it and avoid being bitten. 

South American Sipo (Chironius multiventris) - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

This snake was looking rather thin, possibly due its reduced vision as it appeared to be blind in one eye. Sipos are diurnal snakes that rely on vision for detecting prey. 

South American Sipo (Chironius multiventris) - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

This caterpillar is called Euphobetron cypris. Upon first noticing it, I wasn’t sure what exactly was going on. Upon closer inspection, it almost looks like this caterpillar made a suit out of smaller caterpillars! 

Euphobetron cypris - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Euphobetron cypris - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

While the birding along the trails was highly productive, the best bird photo opportunities presented themselves in the open areas near the lodge buildings. Hummingbird feeders were attended by nine different species, while the fruit feeders proved popular with the oropendolas, tanagers and Red-capped Cardinals. 

White-bearded Hermit - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Sapphire-spangled Emerald - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Red-capped Cardinals - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Black-throated Mango - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

While a high diversity of mammals can be found in the surrounding forests, one cannot expect to photograph too many during a short visit. Toppin's Titis and this Brown Capuchin were the only monkeys that I photographed here. 

Brown Capuchin - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

That evening was a repeat of the previous. I turned on the moth light and Laura and I set off on a short night walk after dinner followed by a check of the sheet. I finally managed a photo of one of the resident Tropical Screech-Owls. The Tawny-bellied Screech-Owls remained out of sight, though their frequent calls accompanied us on our walk as well as from the area surrounding our cabin. 

Tropical Screech-Owl - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

This leaf frog, of which we found several individuals, was the highlight of our night walk. Leaf frogs look like tree frogs and indeed, they are closely related. But leaf frogs are in the family Phyllomedusidae while tree frogs occupy Hylidae. 

White-lined Leaf Frog (Phyllomedusa vaillantii) - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Leaf frogs are often big targets for herpers as many of the species are incredible in appearance, while others are quite rare. The famous Red-eyed Tree Frog of Central America is, contrary to its common name, in the leaf frog family. 

White-lined Leaf Frog (Phyllomedusa vaillantii) - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Below are some of the other species I photographed that evening. 

The sheet was relatively unproductive for a second straight night. I often find many more moths attending the sheet in mountainous areas, while lowland forests always produce fewer. I am not sure why that is. 

That being said, there were still many novel species to marvel at this evening. 

September 5

Our final morning at Manú Biological Station had arrived and I was determined to make the most of it. Though I had found most of my target bird species to this point, there were still some holes in my list including Peruvian Recurvebill, Scarlet-hooded Barbet, Amazonian Antpitta, Dusky-cheeked Foliage-gleaner, Fine-barred Piculet and several other more widespread species. 

Caeruleuptychia aetherialis - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

The morning started off well with decent looks at a pair of Dusky-cheeked Foliage-gleaners and a heard-only Peruvian Recurvebill during the dawn chorus. Laura joined me just after sunrise and we spent the rest of the morning exploring the trail system on the near side of the river. Though we had walked each of these trails several times already, new birds continued to appear. 

Yellow-bellied Dacnis - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Tinamous are common by voice at Manú Biological Station but seeing them is a whole other matter. However, today would be a good tinamou day. Laura spotted a Little Tinamou on the path when she was on her way to meet up with me. Later, once we were birding together, we found this Cinereous Tinamou on a path. 

Cinereous Tinamou - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

A distant vocalization snapped me to attention. Could it be the barbet? A tense few minutes of waiting, and there it was – a male Scarlet-hooded Barbet. This colourful gem of a bird has a limited range, mainly in southeastern Peru as well as adjacent portions of Brazil and Bolivia.

Scarlet-hooded Barbet - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

We encountered several other new species before finishing up for the morning. First up was a Fine-barred Piculet that played hide and seek with us for a while. Next was a Razor-billed Curassow vocalizing somewhere off the trail. Their deep hoots are felt more than they are heard. 

Pectoral Sparrow - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

More ridiculous caterpillars made appearances as well. 

A quick scan of the river did not result in any hoped-for tapirs. We had to settle for poor looks at a Sunbittern, instead. 

Sunbittern - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Laura and I enjoyed one final delicious meal and then checked out of the lodge. Before heading into town, we birded the entrance road for a bit. This proved to be an excellent decision as we found several more life birds: Large Elaenia and Red-billed Tyrannulet.

Large Elaenia - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

Despite its drab appearance, the Red-billed Tyrannulet was a personal highlight as I have been hoping to pick out this uncommon species for a while now. This east-slope specialist is rather scarce in many areas, a somewhat surprising fact since it prefers secondary and degraded forest. This was the first eBird record for the Manú Biological Station hotspot. 

Red-billed Tyrannulet - Manú Biological Station, Cusco, Peru

And with that, we continued on to our accommodations in the nearby town of Pillcopata. This would be our base for four nights as we explored along Manú Road. 

Manú Road: Introduction and Wayqecha Cloud Forest Research Station

There is a level of giddy anticipation that comes with researching a country and its species for the first time. Opening a field guide published about an unfamiliar corner of the globe reveals a treasure trove of information about the exotic and unique creatures which call that place home. By completing a baseline amount of research - perhaps by perusing a trip report, or by scanning eBird for the reddest (and therefore most bird-diverse) hotspots in that country, or by hearing a friend regale you with tales of a previous adventure - one begins the journey of discovery, the thrill of learning something new and exciting about a tantalizing destination. 

I initiated this baseline level of research for Peru around seven years ago, in anticipation for a tour that I was scheduled to lead. Unfortunately, the tour fell through and I put Peru on the back burner for a little while. But during this bout of research, one place was referenced time and time again: Manú Road. 

Manú Road

Over the years, whenever I came across anything bird-related about Peru, Manú Road was inevitably mentioned at some point. And for good reason! Some say that it is the most biodiverse road on Earth and it is hard to quibble with that assessment. Beginning high in the mountains east of Cusco, Manú road descends from above the tree-line to the Amazon lowlands, passing along the mega-biodiverse east slope of the Andes. It transects an altitudinal gradient of well over 3 kilometers. 

Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle - Manú Road, Cusco, Peru

Much of the length of Manú Road runs adjacent to the Manú Biosphere Reserve and other protected areas, such that the scenery along its upper and middle reaches is some of the most magnificent in the world. There is just unbroken forest as far as the eye can see. The east slope of the Andes holds some of the rainiest forests on earth, since humid air over Amazonia condenses as it passes westward over the Andes. Turn on the taps, and you turn on the biodiversity. 

Nearly 1000 species of birds have been reported along the length of Manú Road, a staggering number indeed. Of course, this insane level of biodiversity is mirrored with all other organisms that reside in Andean or Amazonian ecosystems. 

Laura and I saved the best for last during our trip, and we budgeted for almost three weeks to explore various sites in the Amazon basin as well as Manú Road. Needless to say, we were excited. 

September 2, 2022

Before journeying to the beginning of Manú Road, Laura and I detoured to an alpine lake, often visited by birders. While we had already encountered most of the birds targeted by birders at Laguna de Huacarpay, the Streak-fronted Thornbird had eluded us. Our dawn arrival was timed perfectly to search for the thornbird. 

Laguna Huacarpay, Cusco, Peru

Unfortunately, the thornbird was nowhere to be found but we had an enjoyable morning, anyways. Many-coloured Rush-Tyrants put on a show, we spied several Cinereous Harriers over the reedbeds and we had our best views ever of Rusty-fronted Canastero. We did not linger too long since Manú Road awaited. 

Rusty-fronted Canastero - Laguna Huacarpay, Cusco, Peru

The rest of the drive to the upper reaches of Manú Road was largely uneventful. We passed areas of farmland, Eucalytus copses and small towns through the series of inter-Andean valleys that stretch between Cusco and the east slope of the Andes. Road works derailed our plans somewhat as we had to follow a confusing detour, but asking some locals for directions put us on the right path. We crested the final ridge just before noon. The sunshine from the dry valleys disappeared behind us as we were met with a wall of clouds. We were definitely on the east slope.

Laura and I had plans to spend the night at Wayqecha Biological Station, giving us a couple of hours to kill along the uppermost reaches of Manú Road. We attempted to drive down Carretera a Tres Cruces, but the guards manning the gate at this reserve would not let us through without charging us a pricey day-use fee. We passed on that. 

Grass Wren - Paso Acjanaco, Cusco, Peru

My main target down that road was the range-restricted Scribble-tailed Canastero, the only one of Peru's nine canasteros that Laura and I had not yet found. We resolved to return to Carretera a Tres Cruces later on in the trip when we had more time available to justify the entrance fee. 

But that would not be required after all. We lucked out with a pair of 'scribblers' a few kilometers further down Manú Road! 

Scribble-tailed Canastero - Upper Manú Road, Cusco, Peru

We tried birding at various points between here and Wayqecha, but heavy fog had ascended up the slope and blanketed our position, making birding very difficult. The afternoons can be tough up here, with fog and rain practically guaranteed during parts of the year. 

Luckily, Wayqecha was clear of the fog, giving us hope that we could have some productive late afternoon birding. 

Though Manú Road provides physical access to a ridiculous amount of biodiversity, it can be difficult to explore it cheaply. Most birders hire local guides to take them around and they stay at various ecolodges which are strategically placed at certain elevations. This was out of our budget; we resolved to visit Manú Road on our own via a rental vehicle. 

Band-tailed Fruiteater - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

In the lower parts of Manú Road it is possible to stay at a number of hotels or homestays in the town of Pillcopata. There are no budget options in the middle elevations of Manú Road, just a handful of very expensive ecolodges. Laura and I planned to complete day trips to these middle elevation areas from our base in Pillcopata. In the upper reaches of Manú Road, there is basically only one option: the Wayqecha Biological Station. 

Run by Amazon Conservation, Wayqecha doubles as a biological station as well as a lodge for birder/naturalist types. While it is far from inexpensive, Wayqecha is cheaper than the various ecolodges along Manú. Laura and I chose the dormitory option which cost us $70 USD each per day. This included all meals and full access to the trail system (and guides were not required to use the trails). Laura and I booked only one night at Wayqecha. It was a welcome surprise when, upon arrival, we were informed that we had been upgraded to our own chalet, as opposed to staying in the dorm with the researchers (we were the only tourists here during our stay). 

Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

During our first afternoon we explored part of the trail system, choosing Trocha Zorro (trocha is a Peruvian term for trail) which explored some of the higher elevations roughly parallel to the main road. The birding was good in spite of the heavy overcast conditions, and we quickly tallied our first Rufous-capped Thornbill. 

Rufous-capped Thornbill - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Several mixed flocks before dark produced a few more firsts - Black-faced Brushfinch and Band-tailed Fruiteater - along with Barred Fruiteater, Rust-and-yellow Tanager, Golden-collared Tanager and more. 

Andean Guan - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Since we only had one night at Wayqecha, Laura and I resolved to make the most of it. Even though Wayqecha's elevation ensured that the evening temperatures were rather cool, this did not hamper the moth diversity. I set up my sheet next to the chalet and we marveled at the diversity that appeared during the evening hours. Below is a small selection of the goods. 

September 3, 2022

Laura and I spent the morning on the trail system at Wayqecha. Though the system is extensive, Wayqecha's location along the side of a ravine means that you are either walking up or down. There is very little flat ground! However, some of the trails are cut into the side of the valley, running parallel to the river, helping to minimize the constant elevation changes. 

Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

One advantage of exploring the trail system instead of walking along Manú Road is that the trails provide a chance to observe rare skulkers like tinamous, wood-quails, antpittas or antthrushes. And while we struck out with the former two groups (only hearing Brown Tinamou and Stripe-faced Wood-Quail) we lucked out with the latter two. We spotted an Urabamba Antpitta early on in the morning, while we later played hide-and-seek with a Barred Antthrush that provided brief views. Several other antpittas remained as heard-only including Red-and-white and Leymebamba.

Urubamba Antpitta - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

The birding was slow at times, but with some effort our species list for the morning grew. Mixed flocks contained a nice variety of tanagers and flycatchers. 

Hooded Mountain-Tanager - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

The only lifer of the morning came in the form of a Fulvous Wren. 

Fulvous Wren - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Laura was feeling under the weather and so she followed the main road back to the station, while I stayed out and birded along the Canopy Trail, eventually reaching the canopy walkway. 

Canopy Walkway - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Fog had descended at this point, minimizing the chances of flyby raptors or parrots. Luckily for me, a mixed flock passed through below eye-level. 

Black-capped Hemispingus - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Grass-green Tanager - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

White-banded Tyrannulet - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Masked Flowerpiercer - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

The Canopy Trail produced a few more gems on the way out: a Maroon-belted Chat-Tyrant, a Golden-browed Chat-Tyrant, and several Puna Thistletails. 

Golden-browed Chat-Tyrant - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Golden-browed Chat-Tyrant - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Puna Thistletail - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

The variety of orchids and other plants along this stretch of trail provided a strong distraction.

Epidendrum secundum - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Cyrtochilum sp. - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Gaultherium sp. - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Cyrtochilum aureum - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Bejaria aestuans - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Monnina sp. - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

The rain threatened but ultimately held off during the walk along the road back to the lodge. Obtaining my first good views and photos of a Rufous-capped Thornbill was a big highlight along here. 

Rufous-capped Thornbill - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Rufous-capped Thornbill - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru

Laura and I packed up and left Wayqecha, having made the most of our 24 hours here. Our next destination: the Villa Carmen Biological Station in the lower foothills.

Andean Guan - Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Cusco, Peru