Day 12 Andes to Cajamarca

We headed straight to the lower slopes of the road we visited yesterday for a field breakfast. 

Breakfast in the field

Birding along the road we had brief views of a Red-crested Cotinga that refused to perch in the open for photos. A Black-throated Flowerpiercer was more obliging as was Golden-billed Saltator.

Black-throated Flowerpiercer

Golden-billed Saltator

We carried on climbing  up the road to just over 3,000 metres and saw both trainbearers, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant and Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch. Another stop added our first Brown-bellied Swallow, White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant and a flyover Andean Gull, the only one of the whole trip. A fetid roadside pool had a Plumbeous Rail that showed itself a couple of times before scurrying back into cover.

We walked along a little track where the bushes were bustling with birds including Rainbow Starfrontlet, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant and best of all, a pair of Black-crested Tit-Tyrant. It was then time to start heading back down although we stopped a few times for Cream-winged Cincloides, Rufous-webbed Bush-Tyrant and a trio of Sierra-Finches: Plumbeous, Peruvian and Mourning.

Mourning Sierra-Finch

Peruvian Sierra-Finch

All of the towns we drove through had bunting hung up over the streets for a local festival they have at the end of February. 

Peruvians re-creating the cover of Abbey Road

Motorbike taxis are the commonest transport

Hotel in Cajamarca

We drove on to Cajamarca to our last hotel, right on the edge of town complete with extensive gardens. We had time for a wander round, seeing a rather tame Great Egret on the pond, several Great Thrushes looking and behaving like Blackbirds from home, and a Spot-throated Hummingbird.

Great Egret

Great Thrush