Lima highlands

Diademed Plover, I have seen this species earlier, but these are my first photos of this species. I could maybe have gone somewhat closer, but decided not to disturb the birds more than necessary.
Diademed Plover

White-bellied Cinclodes

Rufous-bellied Seedesnipe

Black-breasted Hillstar

All since I got "Birds of the High Andes" back in 1991, I have been interested in seeing many of the scarce Andean birds. I saw many of them back in 1997 visiting Abra Malaga. Just to mention Royal Cinclodes and Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant. But still I hadn't seen several of the highland species from Lima, among them White-bellied Cinclodes, Dark-winged Miner & Olivaceous Thornbill (the Thornbill is not only a speciality for this area, but easily seen here), all of them target species on this trip (I saw them all!). Unfortunately I didn't manage to take to many good photos, mostly because the battery was almost flat, and I hadn't my second battery in the bag either :-(. I just took some photos without checking the result. However, some of them are good enough.

Chiguata 14.03.09

This and the next post shoves 10 of the 34 species observed during an early morning walk (06-08 AM) in the grassland and scrub above Chiguata.

Black-hooded Sierra-Finch, male
Mountain Parakeet

Dark-winged Canastero

Chiguanco Thrush

Cream-winged Cinclodes

Mejía & Matarani 21.07.08

The endemic Peruvian Seaside Cinclodes or Surf Cinclodes, Matarani
Band-tailed Gull (Gaviota Peruana with a Peruvian flag), Matarani
Matarani is a nice place to see Sealions, and Peruvian Pelicans as well
Harris Hawk (Imm), Mejía


Red-backed Hawk, Mejía

Some pictures from a short trip to costal Arequipa with my family.

Sillustani 4

Chullpa at Sillustani
Andean Flicker
Bar-winged Cinclodes
Puna Hawk, soaring high above the ruins.
Rufous-collared Sparrow, immature

Crucero 28.01.08

Bare-faced Ground-Dove, at 4124 m.
Andean Flicker in the town, at 4124 m.

Bar-winged Cinclodes, ssp. albiventris, at 4200 m, Crucero area

Bar-winged Cinclodes

Bare-faced Ground-Dove

I had a job related trip to Crucero 28. January, were I visited several churches. Here are some birds from the trip. Crucero lies 3,5 hours northeast of Juliaca along the road to Limbani.

Chiguata above Arequipa 31.08.07

The Red-backed (Variable)
Hawk, regular in Chiguata
(3000 m.). In my opinion this
is a valid species.


Black Metaltail, I saw four of this endemic today!









The two last birds: White-thoated Eartcreeper (above), and Bar-winged Cinclodes (under). The White-throated Earthcreeper is rang resticted, however it is quite easy to see this species in Chiguata. It is possible to enlarge the photos.