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February 19, 2015, Chiclayo, Peru — For the first time since I left Antarctica, I’m birding in a place that I’ve visited before! Two years ago I spent a week in northern Peru, and now I’m back. Hitting some of the same sites gives an odd but satisfying sense of deja vu.
I spent the day with Glenn, a driver named Julio, and Carlos (after I last saw him in central Peru two days ago), focusing on Tumbesian birds. The Tumbes region includes the spiny dry forests of northwest Peru and southwest Ecuador and is full of endemics. We nailed many of them today, including some really delectable birds: Peruvian Plantcutter, Tumbes Tyrant, Red-masked Parakeet… The highlight was spending several hours this afternoon at a park called Chaparri with a local guide named Juan who has spent seven years birding in the park. Juan knew his birds cold, and it was fun to wander along with him, picking off new species left and right.
Gonna keep this short today because I am edging on hallucinatory sleep deprivation (maybe that will help me see more birds?); the late nights and early mornings have been stacking up lately! I am becoming a pro at power naps, even while sitting upright. Good night from Chiclayo.
New birds today: 37
Year list: 1182
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