Tablas Montes

Headed up to the humid Yungas forest of Tablas Montes this morning, stopping at San Isidro Lagoon where we saw White-tufted and Silvery Grebes, Andean Coot, Yellow-billed Pintail, Yellow-billed Teal, Andean Duck and our first Andean Gulls on the way up.

Tablas Montes

Once the road started to descend we took a side track into some great habitat but it was misty and raining heavily upon arrival. 

Violet-throated Starfrontlet in the mist

Thankfully within a few minutes the weather cleared and we enjoyed good weather all day. But in the mist to start with a Violet-throated Starfrontlet posed close by, quickly followed by the first of several Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanagers, Red-crested Cotinga, Azara’s Spinetail, Blue-backed Conebill, White-crested Elaenia, Spectacled Whitestart and some flyover Pale-footed Swallows.

Spectacled Whitestart

 Walking slowly downhill we came upon a Blue-capped Tanager, followed by a Sierran Elaenia, Grey-breasted Wood-Wren, Bolivian Tyrannulet, Blue-black Tanager – another potential split, Rust-and-yellow Tanager and just before our coffee break a pair of Golden-browed Chat-Tyrants skulked in the shadows. 

Bolivian Tyrannulet 

Golden-browed Chat-Tyrant

The birding slowed by mid-morning but around a clearing we picked up a flock with several Tyrian Metaltails, Barred Becard, Highland Elaenia, Smoke-coloured Pewee, Masked Flowerpiercer, Grey-bellied Flowerpiercer, and a Long-tailed Sylph also appeared. 

White-browed Brush-Finch

Walking on we had Light-crowned Spinetail and a pair of White-browed Brush-Finches, Gould’s Inca and a showy Citrine Warbler before lunch. The afternoon was only really memorable for a couple of calling and non-responsive Blue-banded Toucanets. We did see a few previously seen species but it was really hard going and we left for the drive back to our hotel in Cochabamba at 4pm, hoping to avoid the rush hour traffic.