A Month In Northern Peru, Part 10: The Owlet Lodge (February 11 and 12, 2024)

February 11, 2024

Laura and I were looking forward to our one-night visit to the Owlet Lodge. Up to this point we had only stayed at cheap hotels, while we had also eaten simply, with at least two meals each day consisting of sandwiches/snacks that we prepared. For once, someone else would be preparing all of our food. We were also excited at the possibility of staying in the forest where we could go owling and set up the moth trap; a much more enticing option than the typical roadside motel with barking dogs and loud tenants. 

The Owlet Lodge is one of two places (the other being Fundo Alto Nieva which we would visit later on) where the Long-whiskered Owlet can be encountered relatively easily. This bizarre little owl with long facial whiskers was first discovered by LSU researchers in 1976 when they mist-netted one, but it remained an enigma until the early 2000s. 

Emerald-bellied Puffleg - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

We originally hoped to search for the owlet at the Owlet Lodge, but unfortunately, at this time of year the trail leading to the good habitat is closed for trail maintenance. Despite the high cost, we decided to spend one night here anyways, as many other interesting birds can be found at the Owlet Lodge. Besides, there are no other lodging options in the vicinity. It is possible to visit the Owlet Lodge as a day-visitor but the cost is still quite high for what you get. 

We arrived at the Owlet Lodge shortly after finding the Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkeys (you can read about them in the previous post), so we were still on a "rare species high" and the damp weather was not getting our spirits down. We were shown to our room, where numerous hummingbirds including a Sword-billed were attending the feeder just outside of our front door. 

Sword-billed Hummingbird - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

My first objective was to stake out the flowers around the lodge buildings where Emerald-bellied Pufflegs frequently feed. This is a scarce species that I had only seen a couple of previous times and never photographed, while it was a potential lifer for Laura. We were in luck and a half-dozen individuals were flitting around. Incredible!

Emerald-bellied Puffleg - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

For the rest of the late afternoon we did not stray too far from the lodge buildings. These clearings provided excellent edge habitat for tanagers and flycatchers. Despite the fog we had some success with a few mixed flocks, though some speculative playback for Olive Flycatcher and Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher came up empty. We had a few new trip birds, including White-capped and Yellow-scarfed Tanagers. 

That evening, we enjoyed the best meal that we had had in weeks, complete with a well-deserved pisco sour. 

We set out on the trails to see what we could find after dark. We discovered a few rain frogs and several katydids and stick insects, along with a tarantula. Our wanderings eventually brought us to the canopy tower. It was a beautiful evening above the tree tops, with the stars filling up the night sky and the only sounds being the hoots of a pair of Rufous-banded Owls and the trill of a White-throated Screech-Owl. 

Pristimantis sp. - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Our hopes were very high for a productive night of mothing. In my experience, the Andes often produce more moths than lowland areas, and the rainier it is, the better. And we were in luck this evening. 

Trosia incostata - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Each of the lodge buildings had attracted a large numbers of insects, which rested on the walls and roof near each light source. We almost didn't even need my specialized moth light! 

Rhodoneura sp. - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Diabrotica arcuata - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Halysidota roseofasciata - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Cerodirphia porioni - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

I stayed up far too late in a bid to photograph every possible species - an impossible venture, given the apparent diversity. Below are a few of my favourites. 

Hypercompe obscura - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Cissura unilineata - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Oxytenis sp. - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Lissochlora diarita - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Eois sp. - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

The following morning began with more of the same. I set my alarm at an early enough hour, so that I could scour the walls for additional moths before the morning light dispersed them and my focus turned towards birds. 

Pityeja histrionaria - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Xylophanes alexandrei - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Symphlebia fulminans - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

One of the birds that we were anticipating at the Owlet Lodge was the Chestnut Antpitta. We had only ever distantly heard this species, on our previous Peru trip in 2022. Staff from the Owlet Lodge have been regularly feeding an individual in the morning. At certain times of the year, they also feed Rusty-tinged Antpitta but that species was not on offer for our visit. 

Right on cue, the Chestnut Antpitta was waiting for us at the feeding station. There was not much light in the forest at this early hour (the heavy overcast did not help matters), but by boosting the ISO of my camera I was able to obtain a few reasonable images. This was one of the few instances on the trip where I wished that I had my 300mm lens, instead of the new 500mm lens. 

Chestnut Antpitta - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Laura and I filled up on a delicious breakfast and then hit the trails. Another advantage of the Owlet Lodge is the extensive trail system that one is allowed to explore on their own. We were looking forward to a morning of exploration, without any other people. 

Canopy tower - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

We started at the canopy tower which we had to ourselves for the whole time that we were up there. Like most birders, I am a huge fan of canopy towers/walkways as they allow you to see so much of the canopy, while also providing an excellent view of the horizon and sky. I can spend hours on a canopy tower and not get bored. Scanning distant trees with the aid of a spotting scope never gets old, while there is the possibility at any moment that a mixed canopy flock may materialize and pass right by. 

View from the canopy tower - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

View from the canopy tower - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Unfortunately, no mixed flocks appeared during our short vigil, and it was too early in the morning for raptors and other "soarers" to be visible. I tried some playback for Olive Flycatcher and White-faced Nunbird, to no avail. A top highlight was the Chestnut-crested Cotinga that decided to perch right beside the canopy tower.

Chestnut-crested Cotinga - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

It was easily the best views we have ever had of this scarce species, which is a member of one of my favourite bird families. 

Chestnut-crested Cotinga - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

The extra reach on my new lens came in handy, allowing me to photograph this Peruvian Tyrannulet reasonably well. 

Peruvian Tyrannulet - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

The action on the tower was a bit slower than we would have liked and our feet were getting itchy, so we hit the trails. 

Grallaria Trail - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

For most of the morning we slowly made our way along the Grallaria Trail. This path had been cut into the side of a hillside and accessed high quality, mossy montane forest. Again, we had the trail to ourselves all morning.

Grallaria Trail - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

As you may surmise from the above photo, the rain did not stay contained in the clouds and we put our umbrellas to good use. That being said, there were enough gaps in the rain that we were able to find some birds here and there. Besides, the birds here are used to a lot of rain and so a few morning showers didn't really slow down their activity. 

Black-capped Tyrannulet - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

One of my goals was to photograph a Rufous-vented Tapaculo and indeed, this was a common species in the mossy understory. We succeeded with calling one in to the side of the trail and it eventually settled on an eye-level branch, partially hidden from view. I very carefully shifted my position and obtained some mostly-unobscured photos. Mission accomplished. 

Rufous-vented Tapaculo - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

A fully-unobscured photo would be the ideal, but anyone who is familiar with tapaculos knows that this option is rarely on the table. Even with a leaf getting in the way, I'll take this one 10 times out of 10!

Rufous-vented Tapaculo - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Another skulker that is more frequently heard than seen is the Chestnut-breasted Wren. We found a couple of them singing from the understory. 

Chestnut-breasted Wren - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Two potential lifers for us at the Owlet Lodge, the Olive Flycatcher and Jelski's Black-Tyrant, are scarce species that one should never expect. We held out hope and prayed to the birding gods but it was not meant to be. Can't get them all. 

Flavescent Flycatcher - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

We also dipped on Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher, a bamboo-loving species with a limited range mostly in just this region of Peru. However, I was happy to photograph a Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant for the first time. 

Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

I'm always in the mood for a neat orchid. We spotted this Pleurothallis alongside the trail; according to an expert on iNaturalist, this is an undescribed species. 

Pleurothallis sp. (undescribed species) - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

We finished the Grallaria trail and slowly birded our way back up the entrance road of the lodge. We found one more mixed flock that contained Inca and Flavescent Flycatchers, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Grass-green Tanager and Silvery Tanager. 

Inca Flycatcher - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

The drizzle became a little more persistent at this time. We still had a few more hours remaining before lunch and our subsequent departure, so we stuck close to the lodge buildings to stay out of the worst of the rain. This allowed us to bird the mixed flocks that passed through, while it also gave us an opportunity to scour the walls for interesting moths and other insects. Of course, we had to stop for snacks and hot chocolate each time we passed the main building, in an attempt to get our money's worth at the Owlet Lodge. 

Poecilochlora heterograpta - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Arsenura centrocymonia - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Agylla auraria - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Arsenura centrocymonia - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Eucereon sp. - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Cerodirphia sp. - Owlet Lodge, Amazonas, Peru

Laura and I savoured an excellent lunch before heading out. We had a reservation at Fundo Alto Nieva for a couple of nights, and our hope was we would finally connect with the Long-whiskered Owlet and a few other range-restricted birds there. 

Overall we really enjoyed our stay at the Owlet Lodge, even though we were unable to search for the star bird and we dealt with a lot of rain. It is a good quality lodge with an excellent trail system and a number of interesting species present. The food was amazing, and the staff were very friendly. It was nice to get to speak English for a change. If you can stomach the high cost, I would definitely recommend a visit here. We wished that we had a second night!

Since we were still missing Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher, I did some eBird-sleuthing and planned out a couple of birding stops along the road. The afternoon wind and rain wasn't helping matters and it seemed like we would strike out at the first site. But just before leaving, I thought I heard one singing back. We crossed back over the road and there it was! 

Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher - unnamed bridge, Amazonas, Peru

The Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher inhabits dense bamboo stands at the edge of the cloud forest. It is mainly found in a small area in northeastern Peru, but there is at least one isolated population much further south in Peru. Laura and I had actually found this species in that southern population back in 2022, but only heard it singing. It was much better to put a face to the name this afternoon. 

We pulled up to Fundo Alto Nieva in the late afternoon, and our stay here will be the subject of my next post. 

A Month In Northern Peru, Part 9: Tinamous In the Amazon To Rare Montane Monkeys (February 11, 2024)

February 11, 2024

Our alarm went off at 4:30 AM and at 5:00 AM we began the long, windy drive in the dark across the Andes. The reason for our early start is that we had a date with tinamous and wood-quails at a small family-run reserve called Arena Blanca. Our contact at the reserve, Norbil, urged us to arrive before 6:45, as this is the typical time that several species come in for food, including Little Tinamou, Cinereous Tinamou and Rufous-breasted Wood-Quail. He has built a hide where one can watch the feeding take place, while still being out of view from the birds. 

The traffic was sparse at this early hour and the road was well-constructed, so we made good time as we crossed a mountain pass and began our descent down the east slope of the Andes. The dawn chorus of Andean Solitaires pierced through the car windows, and so I opened the driver-side window, enjoying the symphony. As far as the eye could see were green, forested hillsides, the only domain of the Long-whiskered Owlet and many other creatures. We would be returning to these montane slopes eventually, but first we had to descend to 1000 m in elevation at Arena Blanca, where the low elevation ensured that quite a few Amazonian species were present. 

As we pulled up to Norbil's property, he was waiting there for us to quickly usher us down the path to the bird hide. The show would be starting soon. 

The bird hide - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Laura and I picked the ground floor so that we would have eye-level views (and photos) of the birds. Norbil placed the seed down and, within minutes, a Gray-cowled Wood-Rail was the first of the breakfast crowd. 

Gray-cowled Wood-Rail - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

My new 500mm lens has a lot of advantages over my old 300mm lens, but I wished I had my old lens with me for this situation. The forest floor was quite dark (I needed all the extra light I could get), plus the birds were close enough that I had trouble fitting them into the frame. The new lens does have vibration reduction though, so even with a slow shutter speed I could obtain sharp images. 

Gray-cowled Wood-Rail - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

We noticed that a Cinereous Tinamou was sneaking around the back of the forest opening, and it soon waddled up to the seed pile. 

Cinereous Tinamou - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Laura and I have seen Cinereous Tinamous on a few occasions previously, usually on a quiet forest trail, but this one provided us with much better views. I love how incredibly round tinamous are; they look like they would have trouble standing up without toppling over. 

Cinereous Tinamou - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

A couple of Little Tinamous (an adult and its chick) also made regular appearances during our hour-long stakeout. This was one of my main targets for the morning. Despite having heard Little Tinamou dozens (hundreds?) of times previously, I can only recall seeing this species once, and I had never photographed it.

Little Tinamou - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Little Tinamou - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

It was special to have such good views of the chick as well. 

Little Tinamou - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Little Tinamous - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

I paid attention to the birdsong from within the hide, and almost every species was a new one for the trip. The soundscape included quite a few Amazonian species, such as Speckled Chachalaca, Thrush-like Antpitta, Hauxwell's Thrush, Golden-collared Toucanet, Olive-faced Flatbill and Peruvian Warbling-Antbird. We heard several groups of Rufous-breasted Wood-Quails, but none seemed all that close to the hide. While we waited, a few Orange-billed Sparrows hopped into view, along with several White-tipped Doves. 

Orange-billed Sparrow - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

The wood-quails weren't getting any closer; they only show up about half the time, anyways. Laura and I were happy with what we had seen and besides, there were lots of other birds to look for.

In addition to the hide, Norbil's property is designed well to encourage a nice variety of bird species. He has an extensive hummingbird garden with a lot of porterweed and various feeders. The cecropia-rich edge of the clearing around the buildings is popular with tanagers and flycatchers. And several short forest trails (including the entrance trail) increase the chances of forest species. For a small property, it has a substantial species list. 

Hauxwell's Thrush - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Laura and I were able to add a new one to the all-time list when I noticed a Pale-tailed Barbthroat feeding on a planted heliconia. This hermit-like hummingbird is uncommon in the lower foothills and the Amazon basin, and it can be hard to see well. 

Pale-tailed Barbthroat - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

It only took a few minutes until we connected with one of our main targets here, the Black-bellied Tanager. This attractive species mostly replaces the Silver-beaked Tanager in several river valleys on the lower slope of the east Andes. 

Black-bellied Tanager (male) - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Black-bellied Tanager (female) - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Zimmer's Antbird was my primary target at Reserva Arena Blanca. It has a restricted range in northeastern Peru, eastern Ecuador and extreme southern Colombia, often in areas with sandy soils. Several pairs are found on Norbil's property and we found a cooperative bird after some effort. 

Zimmer's Antbird - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

We also bumped into a handsome Peruvian Warbling-Antbird in the same area. Another species that I had never photographed before. 

Peruvian Warbling-Antbird - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

For much of our visit, Laura and I hung around the hummingbird garden where we had a good view of not just the hummingbirds, but the cecropias and other trees that formed the edge of the clearing. There were fewer hummingbirds present than at other times of the year, as Norbil informed us that many species are nesting at the moment and not visiting his feeders as often. Still, we tallied eleven species. Hummingbirds are some of my favourite birds and so I enjoyed photographing them. 

Golden-tailed Sapphire - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Rufous-crested Coquette - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Blue-tailed Emerald - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Little Woodstar - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

The hummingbirds weren't just competing with each other for the nectar, but also with various bees, butterflies, and moths. 

Telegonus talus - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Telegonus anausis - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Periplacis hebrus - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Telegonus talus - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Unidentified (tribe Ithomiini) - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

This hairstreak was my favourite butterfly of the bunch. 

Thestius meridionalis - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

A walk down a short forest trail led to a scrubby area that was undergoing succession. We found a Lined Antshrike and Black-faced Tanager here, while a pair of Masked Tanagers fed in one of the cecropias. I rarely see Masked Tanagers and so it is always a treat encountering this gorgeous species. I still haven't managed a good photo of one, though!

Masked Tanager - Reserva Arena Blanca, San Martín, Peru

Laura and I left Arena Blanca with over 60 birds on our eBird checklist, while I had taken over 500 photos. We would definitely recommend this reserve. 

On our way back westward, Laura and I made a few birding stops along the side of the highway at different elevations. Ideally, we would have had several days devoted to birding the road, but there just wasn't time on this trip. A whole host of mouth-watering species exist in these mountains, and the road provides the only easy access. Unfortunately, we did not properly explore between the elevations of 1000m and 1600m where we would have had a chance of finding Ash-throated Antwren, Equatorial Graytail, Rufescent Antshrike and others. 

Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

We explored for a couple of hours near the eBird hotspot Altomayo, situated around 1700m in elevation. As we parked the vehicle beside the road, a male Andean Cock-of-the-Rock perched nearby. A good omen!

Despite it being the early afternoon, we lucked into some great birds. The key when exploring these areas is finding a mixed species flock. The forest may seem dead with hardly a single bird vocalizing. But the sounds of a few call notes can quickly transform into a wave of birds moving through the area. If you are lucky, the mixed flock will linger along the roadside for a few minutes, preferably on the downslope side. We were lucky with this flock. 

Slaty-capped Flycatcher - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

I had three semi-realistic targets at this elevation. All were tanagers that have limited ranges/elevations along the east slope of the Andes, and I had struck out with these three species on numerous previous occasions. They were the Green-throated, Vermilion and Blue-browed Tanagers. 

One of the first birds I got on was unmistakeable. A crimson tanager with black wings, tail, face and throat - a male Vermilion Tanager! 

Vermilion Tanager - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

I had wanted to see this species for years, ever since I first "dipped" on it in Ecuador five years earlier. And here was a pair of them, at eye-level, no less. Numerous excited profanities were uttered as I photographed this beauty. A nemesis conquered. 

Vermilion Tanager - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

To make things even better, a pair of Blue-browed Tanagers materialized with the flock as well! They weren't quite as accommodating for photos, but the views were amazing. What a bird. 

Blue-browed Tanagers - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

How amazing would it have been if this flock contained our other target, the Green-throated Tanager? Unfortunately, it was not to be. But we weren't complaining. Below are a few other photos from this excellent mixed flock. 

Golden-collared Honeycreeper (female) - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

Vermilion Tanager - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

Golden-crowned Flycatcher - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

If someone would have informed us that our day's highlight had not even happened yet, I would not have believed them. But it was true. 

As we were slowly driving westward up the mountain road, Laura saw something out of her car window. Monkeys! At this elevation there are not many possibilities. Could these be the Critically Endangered Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkeys? 

There was nowhere to pull over, but I couldn't hear any other traffic and so I stopped in the middle of the road. We hopped out to investigate and confirmed that they were indeed woolly monkeys! For a few glorious seconds we watched this incredibly rare species until I heard the rumbling of a transport truck. Time to move the vehicle. 

There was a pull-off after another half-kilometre and Laura and I speed-walked back to the site of the monkeys. The rain had started and our search continued with our umbrellas protecting us. Luckily, the monkeys hadn't moved far and we spent some time observing this family group. 

Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda) - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda) - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda) - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

Thought to be extinct until the 1970s, the Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey is currently listed as Critically Endangered and is hanging on by a thread. Its population is estimated around 250 individuals and it is only found in a section of the north Peruvian Andes. The forest reserve we were in, Refugio Natural Alto Mayo, was established to help protect the small population of this species. 

We stood there on the side of the road in the pouring rain, watching the monkeys do their thing. They were quite curious of us and one of the youngsters came over and shook some branches, so we made sure to give them their space. The tough lighting conditions made for difficult photography but I managed a few "record" shots. 

Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda) - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkeys are one of the largest primates in the New World and they have thick woolly fur which helps them in this cold montane climate. The male was quite distinctive with his long yellowish pubic hair tuft! Such a cool experience to watch these guys...

Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda) - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda) - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda) - Refugio Natural Del Alto Mayo, San Martín, Peru

Laura and I continued onwards to the Owlet Lodge, where we had one night booked. But that will be the topic of my next post.