South India & the Andamans Day 2

After a short transfer to the airport we took off pretty much on time on the flight to Port Blair in the Andamans, passing over numerous forested islands on the way. Upon arrival we headed straight to our accommodation, at the rather wonderfully named Megapode Nest Resort where we found all of the rooms to contain just the one double bed. A bit of a problem if you have two guys sharing! After a bit of creative logistics it all worked out in the end though! So after a nice lunch we set off at 2.30pm to a nearby forest where we walked along the road and notched up our first endemics in the shape of Andaman Drongo and Andaman Green-pigeon, to add to the Andaman Coucal a few of the group saw in the gardens of the lodge. Flocks of Alexandrine and Red-breasted Parakeets were flying over the canopy, and we also had several pale-headed Brown Shrikes of the Lucionensis race and a Dollarbird. But the birding was rather slow, that was until the sun set and we managed to see an Andaman Nightjar flying overhead. 

Andaman Hawk-owl - record shot

Walden's (Oriental) Scops-owl

Andaman Hawk-owl

Then we called in a Hume’s Hawk-owl which didn’t stay very long, totally opposite to the Andaman Hawk-owls we had perched on telegraph wires at a couple of places. We finished with a Walden’s Scops-owl (one of these Rasmussen splits from Oriental Scops-owl) accidently picked up in the spotlight when searching for another hawk-owl. What luck! So a great end to our first day on the Andaman Islands indeed.

South India & the Andamans Day 1

Following an overnight flight from London via Dubai we landed in Chennai and were picked up in a small coach and made our way to the interestingly named Hotel Velacity, arriving late in the morning. After a good lunch and a quick look at our first Yellow-billed Babblers, and both Purple-rumped and Loten’s Sunbirds in the garden, we decided to head out and try and find somewhere to go birding for a few hours and after a tip-of about Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary it seemed like a good idea to go there! Not knowing anything about the place, except that it was apparently a forest, off we went. Of course, after a 90 minute drive we discovered that it was a wetland reserve with pride of place going to a huge colony of Spot-billed Pelicans and we estimated around 300 pairs were present. Amongst this colony were hundreds of Asian Openbills and Black-headed Ibis, a few Eurasian Spoonbills and Glossy Ibis, and numerous Little Cormorants and Indian Shags as well. We could view the area from a concrete tower hide and it was very pleasant to be able to look down on all these birds and just watch all the action. Overhead, lots of Asian Palm Swifts were present, as well as flotillas of openbills and pelicans continually streaming over. An immature Montagu’s Harrier drifted past a few times, whilst a large flock of Green Bee-eaters and a few Blue-tailed Bee-eaters were seen in the distance. A pair of Indian Spot-billed Ducks showed well amongst the islands of vegetation below us, but a flock of Northern Pintails and Lesser Whistling-ducks were a bit more distant. Walking along the bund back towards the coach produced 4 Yellow-wattled Lapwings amongst a load of Wood Sandpipers in some recently flooded rice paddies, whilst an Indian Golden Oriole showed nicely and at least three Coppersmith Barbets posed nicely in a leafless tree. So not a bad little session, although rather unexpected, and we headed back into the city eventually arriving back at the hotel a little later than expected due to the crazy traffic!

Lake Titicaca

So this was our last day and what a place to be huh? But we started with an abortive attempt for Berlepsch's Canastero - because the local villagers had blocked the approach road to our site over some damn dispute. So we did get a few birds down at a little lake, with more Andean Geese and a few Giant Coots.

Andean Goose

Giant Coot

Then we spent the rest of the day at Lake Titicaca and quickly found the endemic Titicaca (Short-winged) Grebe.

Titicaca Grebe

There were also lots of Andean Gulls, Andean Ruddy Ducks and Andean Coots, as well as Wren-like Rushbird and Yellow-winged Blackbirds in the reeds.

Andean Coot

Andean Gull

Andean Gull

Andean Ruddy Duck

We then moved on to a different arm of the lake and found Many-coloured Rush-tyrant and Plumbeous Rail, as well as a flock of Black Siskins. All that remained was a little bit of phaffing, some shopping and then we drove back to the hotel for an early finish. Job done!

Black Siskin

Posing at Lake Titicaca

La Cumbre Pass & Coroica Road

We visited La Cumbre Pass just after dawn which at 4650m or thereabouts was just a little bit chilly – believe me!

La Cumbre Pass

It was a slow start with Plumbeous Sierra-finch and Variable Hawk the only noteworthy sightings, until we crossed over the pass and stopped to scan the lake. A pair of Andean Goose looked really nice but there was else new here so we dropped down and took a lane off into a side valley. 

Andean Goose

This area proved to be a goldmine and was full of birds, starting with flocks of Ash-breasted Sierra-finches, Andean Flicker, and a pair of White-fronted Ground-tyrants. We took a slow, steady walk around the area and had really cracking views of White-winged Diuca-finch, Cinereous Ground-tyrant, several Andean Hillstars, Peruvian Sierra-finch, and a Puna Ground-tyrant. 

We birded this road just below the pass

A flock of Black Siskins flying around looked quite spectacular and were even better when perched on a mossy stone wall, whilst D’Orbigny’s Chat-tyrant was totally overshadowed by the sighting of a Short-tailed Finch that flew in and landed on the wall right in front of us. 

White-winged Diuca-finch

Andean Hillstar

Peruvian Sierra-finch

White-winged Cinclodes

Short-tailed Finch

So leaving here we drove down the road and walked a short trail where a Diademed Tapaculo was called in for a brief view, a Violet-throated Starfrontlet was perched up nicely and Sierran Elaenia showed very well. Then we headed down the famous Old Coroica Road (better known as the road of death!) – but it’s much safer now. Unfortunately, as with any cloud forest if you have clear blue skies and sunshine it simply kills bird activity. And this was us! 

Coroica Road

But we started off with the endemic Orange-browed Hemispingus skulking in the roadside vegetation and then spent the next couple of hours walking down the road, driving a few kilometres lower and then walking again. It was slow going. So we had lunch and saw a few birds during the expected ‘quiet time’ of early afternoon such as Grass-green Tanager, Cinnamon Flycatcher and Common Bush-tanager. 

Cinnamon Flycatcher

Common Bush-tanager

Then we finally got some response to the pygmy-owl tape when a bunch of Three-striped Warblers  appeared. All of their commotion attracted a Slate-throated Whitestart, and then a Mountain Wren and Slaty-capped Flycatcher popped up for a look. 

Three-striped Warbler

A Grey-breasted Wood-wren then gave itself up for unusually prolonged views before we drove down several more kilometres. With welcoming clouds obscuring the scorching sun things then took a very different vain and all of a sudden the valleys and hillsides were full of birdsong. When a superb male Blue-naped Chlorophonia flew into a nearby bush, we then saw a calling Golden-crowned Flycatcher over the road and an immature male Long-tailed Sylph fed on flowers right in front of us. 

Long-tailed Sylph

Some Dusky-green Oropendolas had decided to nest just 10 feet off the road and as we walked by cold hear young inside. Another short drive took us even lower and we spent the next couple of hours here as birds just kept appearing. When a family party of White-throated Quail-doves walked across the road, I kind of thought we were on for something good! 

White-throated Quail-dove

Then an incredible kaleidoscope of feathers turned into a male Versicolored Barbet which just kept on asking to be watched, followed by a pair of Bar-bellied Woodpeckers, Saffron-crowned Tanager,  and finally a female Crested Quetzal. 

Versicolored Barbet

Crested Quetzal

Saffron-crowned Tanager

Of course it had to hammer down with rain which then gave us an excuse to turn around and drive back to the hotel. I would have stayed but it was 4pm and we had a 3 hour journey….! 

And the rain came...!

Anyway, approaching the top of the road I saw a Sword-billed Hummingbird fly close past the bus and shouted for the bus to stop. But it must have kept on going and I felt a bit silly, but then a raucous call from the forest above the road had me thinking it must be White-collared Jay so everyone jumped out of the bus and sure enough there were a pair of jays working their way across the hillside. More bird calls and movement in the misty treetops delayed us further and careful scrutiny revealed the stunning image of a Golden-collared tanager. It was in a flock consisting of Chestnut-bellied and Scarlet-bellied Mountain-tanagers, Blue-backed Conebill, Citrine Warbler, Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher and Superciliared Hemispingus, with an Amethyst-throated Sunangel joining in the fun as well. Wow! As if that wasn’t mind-blowing enough we then had the icing on a very good cake, with a Plushcap posing nicely for a few seconds on a bare bamboo stem. So that was it and we dragged ourselves away and finally reached the hotel in downtown La Paz around 8pm. 

Lake Oruru

An early doors exit from Cochabamba saw us departing the city and heading up into the hills once more, this time on our way to La Paz. We were heading to Lake Oruru but made a few stops along the way, the first of which was caused by a distant bird perched up on some rocks in the puna zone. After a slow walk closer it turned out to be the first of two Black-billed Shrike-tyrants seen this morning and the same area also gave us Cinereous Ground-tyrant. 

Black-billed Shrike-tyrant

The road then wound its way down into more arid country and we made a short walk around an old church where we were lucky to get a couple of Mountain Parakeets flying over. There was also a pair of Andean Hillstars and a male Black-hooded Sierra-finch here as well. 

Andean Avocet

By late morning we were approaching the large town of Oruru and beside a smallish area of water we had great close views of Andean Avocet, Andean Gull, White-backed Stilt and dozens of Mountain Caracaras, plus a few Baird’s Sandpipers. 

Andean Gull

Baird's Sandpiper

After a chaotic time crossing the town we eventually reached the lake which was very dry and had to drive several more kilometres to find any water at all. Eventually around the far side we found some ‘agua’ and a congregation of flamingos. The majority of the flock comprised the yellow-legged Andean and rosy-legged Chilean Flamingos. 

Chilean Flamingos

After double-checking in the field guide it became apparent that there were several James’s Flamingo’s here as well – a big result for us. There were also plenty of ducks here and amongst the Puna and Speckled Teal we picked up a single Yellow-billed Pintail and a pair of Crested Ducks. An Andean Negrito was then spotted, and a Yellow-winged Blackbird perched up nicely in the rushes nearby and began to sing. A quick search for more open water drew a blank so we returned to the same area and had lunch which was interrupted by at least 4 Puna Plovers feeding out on the mud flats. 

Brown-backed Mockingbird

The last goodie of the day was found as we were driving back to the town when a Brown-backed Mockingbird appeared beside the road and prompted a hasty exit from the coach. All that was left was the long drive to La Paz and the ensuing traffic chaos but finally we arrived at a lovely hotel where we’d be staying for the next 3 nights.