This is a Trip report of a Pelagic birding tour in Arequipa – Peru, part of a whole 16-days birding trip, tailored to fulfill specific targets and find missing species from a previous trip we had in South Peru. It was a private tour with one of the youngest and most skillful birders we’ve had the pleasure of traveling with.
Danny Vargas was our bird leader. The dedication and knowledge of both, guide and client ensured that we made the most of every birdwatching opportunity,
In the final tally, our birdwatching expedition yielded an impressive count of 542 bird species, 14 seen Owls, 5 seen antpittas, 52 seen hummingbirds in 16 days covering 7 Regions in Peru and over 200 sp. were lifers for the client. Each day brought new and exciting encounters, leaving us in awe of the incredible diversity of birdlife in Peru. Hard to choose the trip highligts but Peruvian Plantcutter, Marañon and Tumbesian specialities, Buff-fronted Owl; Peruvian, Foothill, White-throated & Koepcke´s Screech-Owls; Long Whiskered Owlet, Marvelous Spatuletail, Elegant & Marañon Crescentchest, Pale-billed Antpitta, Jet &Painted Manakin, Cock-of-the-Rock, Scarlet-banded Barbet, Cordillera Azul Antbird, Burnished-buff Tanager, and a large etc.
You can find the detailed Trip Report with every checklist and species here
Keep reading below to accompany us through this incredible Pelagic birding Tour – Trip Report:
Day 01: Arrival in Lima and Journey to Punta Lomas, Arequipa
We arrived in Lima early in the morning, and after enduring heavy traffic during rush hour, we made our way south towards Punta Lomas. On our route, we made a stop at Pucusana for a short boat ride around the island, preparing ourselves for the upcoming pelagic birding tour. Almost immediately, we were treated to some fantastic sightings, including Humboldt Penguins, Red-legged Cormorant, Belcher’s Gull, Peruvian Pelican, and Surf Cinclodes
After a quick lunch, we continued our drive for the rest of the afternoon.
Night near Puerto Lomas
Day 02 – Pelagic birding tour and Return to Lima
We set out early from Punta Lomas on our boat, and it didn’t take long before we spotted Gray-hooded Gulls, Gray Gulls, and Inca Terns perched on the boats or gliding above us. Soon, a sizable group of Peruvian Diving-petrels emerged from the water, and in the distance, we could see Sooty Shearwaters. Not much later, we were thrilled to spot Wilson’s Storm-petrels, and a flock of Chilean Skuas gracefully flew past our boat.
Punta Lomas proved to be an excellent choice for our pelagic birding tour in Peru, as the Continental Slope is closer to the shore here than anywhere else. It didn’t take us long before we encountered our first Albatross; Salvin’s Albatross graced us with its presence, and after a while, Buller’s, Waved, and Black-browed Albatrosses also soared overhead. White-chinned Petrels and Cape Petrels appeared later, along with Wilson’s, Wlliot’s, Ringed, and Markham’s Storm Petrels. Just as we were about to leave, a surprising Swallow-tailed Gull made a breathtaking appearance. It was undoubtedly an excellent pelagic in Peru!
After a typical coastal lunch, we began our journey back to Lima.
If you want to know some basic tipping guideliness during Birding and Photography Tours, see here.
For our recomendations about which Field Guides you should use for Birding in Peru see here.
See more birding trip report here.
