Laguna Alalay - La Paz

We visited Laguna Alalay this morning and spent a very pleasant couple of hours birding around this huge lake. 

Laguna Alalay

At our first spot we saw several Rosy-billed Pochard, Red Shoveller, Puna Teal, Andean Duck,Yellow-billed Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, White-cheeked Pintail, White-tufted and Silvery Grebes, Andean Coot, Spotted Sandpiper, several Wilson’s Phalaropes, Puna Ibis and in the sedges were quite a few Wren-like Rushbirds. A Giant Hummingbird hovered right in front of us and a couple white-morph Little Blue Herons were a surprise.

Andean Duck

Giant Hummingbird

Plumbeous Rail

Wilson's Phalaropes

Wren-like Rushbird

We drove up into the hills and saw Brown-backed Mockingbird, Glittering-bellied Emerald and a few Grey-crested Finches but it was pretty quiet, so we dropped back down to a different viewpoint at the lake. Here there were numerous White-backed Stilts, Pectoral Sandpipers,Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Andean Lapwing and a Collared Plover. 

White-backed Stilt

In the reeds a flock of Yellow-winged Blackbirds showed well, whilst a flock of Grassland Yellow-Finches were present. From our vantage point in the hills we also we scoped 3 Fulvous Whistling-Ducks– a scarce Bolivian bird.

After lunch in a restaurant we drove to Cochabamba airport and took the short flight to La Paz where our bus met us, complete with luggage.

Mountain Toucans and Sunbeams.....

We birded Tablas Montes again this morning, leaving the hotel early doors as usual but this time took a new side track that led us into some fantastic habitat. 

There was a beautiful sunrise today....

Our search for Hooded Mountain-Toucan to-date had been frustrating to say the least and everyone scanned the hillsides intently for any signs. Walking along the track produced flyover Scaly-naped Parrots and 3 Barred Parakeets, this latter species very tricky to find anywhere. 

Scaly-naped Parrots

An Amethyst-throated Sunangel perched up nicely for us, and Black-throated Thistletail once again showed very well. 

Black-throated Thistletail

We had our usual field breakfast before continuing walking further along the track and eventually we heard the distinctive sound of a Hooded Mountain-Toucan calling close by. Sure enough there it was, moving around a large tree behind us and we enjoyed fine views of a pair before they flew off downhill. 

Hooded Mountain-Toucan at last....!!!

We dallied a little while at the same spot, watching some Pale-footed Swallows flying around and perching on a tall snag above us, before another Hooded Mountain-Toucan was spotted and this one gave even better views. Walking back to the coach a Maroon-belted Chat-Tyrant was only seen by me but an Orange-browed Hemispingus was seen by several of the group. And that was our cue to leave and head down to the Miguelito Track once again.

Upon arrival we hadn’t walked very far when a pair of Andean Guans appeared beside the track. We then spent quite some time trying to obtain views of Bolivian Tapaculo, which never really showed satisfactorily but there were several glimpses of a constantly calling individual. A Yellow-whiskered Bush-Tanager was something of a surprise, as was a pair of high flying Solitary Eagles. Lunch was enlivened by a few Greater Yellow-headed Vultures flying up through the valley and a cracking Versicolored Barbet appeared close by.

From here we drove back up to the higher areas and almost immediately on leaving the coach nailed the endemic Black-hooded Sunbeam, which appeared three times giving great views. At the same spot a Great Sapphirewing fed around some flowers in front of us, Grey-bellied Flowerpiercers fed unobtrusively and a few other common species were seen.

Tablas Montes - Miguelito Road

Left at 4am and drove a couple of hours back up to Tablas Montes where we took a different side track and enjoyed another field breakfast. A calling Rufous-faced Antpitta was ‘encouraged’ to cross the track in front of us, whilst Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanagers fed around us. The key species here was the endemic Black-throated Thistletail and we nailed this sucker pretty quickly thanks to some good spotting by The Dungeonmaster! 

Black-throated Thistletail

The open area held the rare Rufous-bellied Bush-Tyrant, as well as Sierran Elaenia, several Red-crested Cotingas, White-browed Brush-finch,Citrine Warbler, Masked Tityra, and Hooded Mountain Tanager.

Then we drove lower to about 1650m approx. and followed another side track that led us to many new species. First up was some Russet-backed Oropendolas nesting beside Dusky-green Oropendolas, a Grey-breasted Wood-Wren was watched building its nest and a Golden-crowned Flycatcher adorned a nearby treetop. Then a Slaty-capped Flycatcher flicked along the track in front of us and a singing Yungas Warbler was tracked down and showed very well. We followed this with decent views of Andean Solitaire and finally a Blue-banded Toucanet just wanted to be seen by our appreciative group! 

Blue-banded Toucanet

The forest opened out from here and became quite degraded but in one small pocket of habitat a Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher had taken up residence and was reasonably confiding. So we drove to the next patch of good forest where a flyover Plum-crowned Parrot was followed a little later by a Red-billed Parrot scoped at the top of a tree. A Crested Quetzal was called in and we had eye-level views of this stunning bird, and we followed this with a diminutive Hazel-fronted Pygmy-Tyrant flicking around a bank right in front of us. 

Crested Quetzal

Hazel-fronted Pygmy-Tyrant

Our great morning continued when we walked up a steep incline and could scan the treetops and found a Saffron-crowned Tanager, quickly followed by some treetop hugging and exceedingly rare Straw-backed (Green-throated) Tanagers– what a bird! Behind us a Versicolored Barbet came in to take a look at us, but it was just a  shame the calling Bolivian Tapaculo wouldn’t play ball. However, we then had a close Deep-blue Flowerpiercer, followed by a pair of close Chestnut-tipped Toucanets, which was very pleasing considering the poor views we had at Los Volcanes some time ago.

Versicolored Barbet

Lunch was taken in the field where a calling Yungas Tody-Tyrant called invisibly from a dense area of bushes and bamboo. So we drove out of here and birded the noisy main road back up to the pass, but Lady Luck was on our side today as we called in a rufous-morph Yungas Pygmy Owl that gave fine scope views. 

Yungas Pygmy Owl

There was a distant calling Hooded Mountain Toucan that some of the group saw in flight, several Hooded and Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanagers around as well, and a flyby Southern Mountain Cacique to round off a great day. 

Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager

We headed back to the hotel at a little after 4pm for an early dinner.

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.

Cerro Tunari

Our day began after a later breakfast and a Sparkling Violetear feeding in a large flowering tree outside the front door of the hotel. Then we headed up into the high hills of Cerro Tunari where the first bird as we left the coach was a Bolivian Blackbird. Pretty soon after a Bolivian Warbling-Finch was teed up in the scope but it flew away before everyone in the group could lay eyeballs on it, and we were left with flocks of Rufous-sided Warbling-Finches to sift through to no avail. Overhead, we saw Andean Swifts, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle and a few Mountain Caracaras. Moving higher up we came across a Yungas Dove walking along a channel below the road, Collared Warbling-Finch,Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant, Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant, White-winged Black-Tyrant, Peruvian Sierra-Finch, White-tipped Plantcutter and an Andean Hillstar.

Andean Hillstar

Around some bushes near a small settlement a Cochabamba Mountain-Finch showed well, as did Rufous-bellied Mountain-Tanager (Saltator), a pair of Streak-fronted Thornbirds gave good views. Our picnic spot beside a patch of Polylepsis forest turned out to be very good with a flock of Greenish Yellow-Finches, Tawny Tit-Spinetail and a Giant Conebill.

Cochabamba Mountain-Finch

Rufous-bellied Mountain Tanager (Saltator)

Tawny Tit-Spinetail

Giant Conebill

Greenish Yellow-Finch

After lunch we drove to just over 4000m and into the puna zone where Taczanowski’s Ground Tyrant was seemingly common. 

Cerro Tunari

There was a flock of Ash-breasted Sierra-Finches, several White-winged Diuca-Finches and Cream-winged Cinclodes to keep us entertained. Driving back down a random stop to look at some Bright-rumped Yellow-Finches produced walk-away scope views of a pair of stunning Ornate Tinamou feeding and walking across an open area opposite the road. Wow! 

A phonescoped Ornate Tinamou

We also saw Black-winged Ground-Dove, a Black Siskin in a flock of Hooded Siskins, and a Red-crested Cotinga. As we drove further downhill a flock of Mountain Parakeets flew across in front of the coach and landed nearby. 

Fulvous-headed brush-Finch

When they flew off we got out of the coach to search for them and had good looks at Maquis Canastero and a huge surprise in the shape of a pair of Fulvous-headed Brush-Finches to round off another good day. 

Siberia Cloud Forest - Cochabamba

Headed back up to the higher reaches of Siberia Cloud Forest after another 4.30am breakfast, arriving just after daybreak. The forest here is amazing with moss encrusted trees all around, but it was unfortunate that the infamous Bolivian roadworks have reached here and roadside birding was tricky. At our first stop a couple of Crimson-bellied Mountain-Tanagers tried their best to sneak by us as they fed in some low bushes. A Tyrian Metaltail was scoped, a Golden-headed Quetzal eluded almost everyone, a few Bolivian Brush-Finches appeared, Spectacled Whitestart posed at the top of a tree, as did a pair of Masked Flowerpiercers, Scaly-naped Parrot flew over and a White-browed Chat-Tyrant was also seen.

Our office this morning

Up at the pass a few Yellow-billed Teal, several Andean Lapwings and a Wilson’s Phalarope adorned the pool, but roadside birding again proved fruitless. However a Hellmayr’s Pipit was scoped, and as we drove a away a Red-crested Cotinga was spotted. 

Red-crested Cotinga

A few kilometres downhill and we began walking along the road, which turned out to be fortuitous as a pair of Plushcaps were seen feeding in the bamboo here. Then we had a mad few minutes with a pair of Light-crowned Spinetails showing uncharacteristically well out in the open, Azara’s Spinetail, Sierran Elaenia, Rusty-browed Warbling-Finch, and a Buff-browed Foliage-Gleaner showed really well.

Rusty-browed Warbling-Finch

Moving on the scenery became much drier and arid with cactus dotting the hillsides. A Great Pampa-Finch seemed a little out of place at our next stop and was a different race to the ones seen in Trinidad. 

Birding and scenery along the way to Cochabamba

A Black-winged Ground-Dove was more expected, and a Green-barred Woodpecker was also found. A little further on we checked out some roadside scrubby areas and found a Wedge-tailed Hillstar, quite often a tricky species to find. Also here was a Band-tailed Seedeater, Andean Swift and a Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant. We had lunch here in the shade of some tall Eucalyptus trees. 

Grey-bellied Flowerpiercer

Rock Earthcreeper

Our last stop of the day at a side valley was mind-blowing! We began walking along a dirt road beside a stream and came across a Grey-bellied Flowerpiercer feeding beside the track, and as we watched this a Rock Earthcreeper began calling and we had great views. On the slope above us there was a lot of activity and after a little consternation we nailed a pair of Brown-capped Tit-Spinetails, one of which came right down to take a look at us. Then a Giant Hummingbird appeared, followed by a stunning Red-tailed Comet. 

Brown-capped Tit-Spinetail

A couple of Rufous-sided Warbling-Finches were then picked out above us and we also found a pair of nest-building Creamy-breasted Canasteros. We also had another pair of these beauties further along the valley which showed particularly well. 

Creamy-breasted Canastero

Around the corner 3 Bare-faced Ground-Doves were feeding on the track in front of us, a Grass Wren sang its heart out, Miguel and Jules had a Rust-and-yellow Tanager, and a field was alive with Band-tailed Seedeaters and a few Plain-coloured Seedeaters. As we watched them a pair of Cochabamba Mountain-Finches appeared and gave absolutely awesome views. 

Cochabamba Mountain-Finch

Then a Rufous-bellied Mountain-Tanager (Saltator) flew into a bush next to us, a Tufted Tit-Tyrant appeared, and a flock of Grey-hooded Parakeet flew over and landed in a tree. The weedy fields were alive with seedeaters, Hooded Siskins, Golden-billed Saltators and it was a real pleasure to have lots of birds all around us. A White-browed Chat-Tyrant was next up at the same spot, and we scoped the parakeets, whilst an Olive-crowned Crescentchest sang behind us and looked stunning in the scope. 

Rufous-webbed Bush-Tyrant

Overhead we picked out a few Brown-bellied Swallows amongst the Blue-and-white Swallows and we finished with more Great Pampa-Finches and a pair of Rufous-webbed Bush-Tyrants.