BOLIVIA 7–23 September 2009 Extension to 27 September Leaders: Nick Acheson and Vaughan Ashby

In Bolivia one can to have breakfast by an Andean lake at 4500m, lunch in cloud-forest and supper in sweltering Amazonian foothill forests. This fabulous diversity of habitats is refl ected in its avifauna: more than 1400 species have been recorded. Our tour takes us from lowlands to mountains and focuses on the dry and humid forests of the Andes where many of Bolivia’s endemics and restricted range species occur. We also offer an extension to the Beni department, in search of the critically endangered and endemic Blue-throated Macaw.

Day 1 Overnight scheduled flight from London to La Paz.

Day 2 We take a scheduled internal flight to Santa Cruz, which arrives mid morning. After lunch at the airport, we will bird the local savannahs and forest islands to look for Greater Rhea, Red-legged Seriema, Red-winged and Small-billed Tinamous, Long-winged Harrier, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Blue-winged Parrotlet, Guira Cuckoo, Thrush-like Wren, Masked Yellowthroat and Chopi Blackbird. If time allows, we will make an evening visit to the Piraí River in search of Collared Plover, Golden-collared Macaw and Yellow-browed Sparrow. Overnight in Santa Cruz.

Day 3 We will spend the morning birding at the Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz. The dry forests here are home to Blue-crowned Trogon, Blue-crowned Motmot, Buff-bellied Hermit, White-wedged Piculet, Red-billed Scythebill, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, Stripe-backed and Mato Grosso Antbirds, Plush-crested Jay and many other species. After lunch in the city, we drive for two to three hours to Los Volcanes, a spectacular lodge on the south side of Amboró National Park. It lies where the dry forests to the east meet the humid and dry Andean forests to the west, and consequently has a very diverse and fascinating avifauna. We should arrive in time to see Red-billed and Turquoise-fronted Parrots and hordes of Mitred Parrots flying over the lodge on their way to their roosts. Two nights Los Volcanes.

Day 4 We spend the whole day today in Los Volcanes. Our attention will be focused on hard-to-see species including Short-tailed Antthrush, Bolivian Tapaculo, Slaty Gnateater and the endemic Bolivian Recurvebill. However, we also hope to see some good flocks containing Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Black-capped Antwren, Dusky-capped, Pale-edged and Slaty-capped Flycatchers, Sclater's and Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulets, Marble-faced Bristle-tyrant, Black-goggled Tanager, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Golden-rumped Euphonia, Two-banded Warbler and Slate-throated Whitestart. The birding in the clearing around the lodge is excellent and here we will look for Andean Condor, Black-chested Buzzard-eagle, Bat Falcon, Military Macaw, Streak-throated Bush-tyrant, Planalto Hermit, Channel-billed Toucan, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Chestnut-tipped Toucanet, Blue-browed Tanager, Thick-billed Euphonia and Dusky Green Oropendola.

Day 5 After early-morning birding in Los Volcanes, we head west to the Valles region, where the dry, cactus-dominated vegetation has many fascinating birds. Our lunch stop in Samaipata may provide our first Glittering-bellied Emerald, Blue-and-white Swallow and Blue-and-yellow Tanager. As we head west and the fierce sun dies, we will make several stops along the road in search of Blue-crowned Parakeet, White-fronted and Striped Woodpeckers, Stripe-crowned Spinetail, White-bellied Tyrannulet, Greater Wagtail-tyrant, Pearly-vented Tody-tyrant, White-tipped Plantcutter, Ringed and Black-capped Warbling-finches, Grey-crested Finch, Red Pileated Finch and Golden-billed Saltator. In the evening, we hope to reach the dry streams at Tambo, a good site for the endemic Bolivian Earthcreeper as well as many other birds of the dry Valles. Two nights in Comarapa.

Day 6 Today we search for the spectacular, endemic Red-fronted Macaw. We will set off early for San Rafael, where the macaws are often seen in the morning, as are countless Mitred and Blue-crowned Parakeets. Nearby, in agricultural land and natural scrub, we will look for Spot-backed Puffbird, the handsome Cream-backed Woodpecker, Masked Gnatcatcher, Black-and-chestnut Warbling-finch and Dull-coloured Grassquit. In the evening we will make a second visit to Tambo.

Day 7 Early this morning, we leave Comarapa for Siberia, our first cloud-forest site. Here, we will look for Red-tailed Comet, Scaled Metaltail, Montane Woodcreeper, Pearled Treerunner, Olive-crowned Crescent-chest, White-throated Tyrannulet, Andean Tyrant, Rufous-breasted Chat-tyrant, Scarlet-bellied and Chestnut-bellied Mountain-tanagers, Blue-backed Conebill and the newly-split Rufous-naped Brush-finch. After our morning visit to Siberia, we drive for the rest of the day to Cochabamba. We will make stops along the road for Red-backed Hawk, Streak-fronted Thornbird, White-browed Chat-tyrant, Yellow-billed Tit-tyrant, Brown-capped Whitestart and Fulvous-headed Brush-finch. In the evening, we may have time to visit a lake on the outskirts of the city where we should see a range of Andean waterbirds. Four nights Cochabamba.

Day 8 This morning we will bird the higher reaches of the cloud-forests in the Chapare east of Cochabamba. Species seen here could include Black-winged Parrot, Golden-headed Quetzal, Blue-banded Toucanet, Hooded Mountain-toucan, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker and Hooded Mountain-tanager as well as a host of commoner birds in psychedelic flocks. If time allows, in the afternoon we will visit Laguna Alalay, which is home to Many-coloured Rush-tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird, White-cheeked Pintail and Fulvous Whistling-duck. At this time of year it may also have Rosy-billed Pochard, Silver Teal, Red Shoveler and Spot-billed Ground-tyrant.

Day 9 Today, we return to the cloud-forest in the Chapare but at lower elevation, where, with luck, among many commoner species, we may see Crested Quetzal, Speckled Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Booted Raquet-tail, Versicoloured Barbet, Saffron-crowned, Straw-backed and Beryl-spangled Tanagers, White-eared Solitaire and Green Jay. Andean Cock-of-the-Rock is rare, but nonetheless possible here.

Day 10 A full day on the Cerro Tunari above Cochabamba will see us birding the lower slopes at sunrise in search of Grey-hooded Parakeet, Brown-backed Mockingbird, Grey-bellied Flowerpiercer, Band-tailed Seedeater and the endemic Bolivian Blackbird. At slightly higher elevation, on the lower edge of the Polylepis forest, we will look for Giant Hummingbird, Rock Earthcreeper, Rufous-bellied Saltator, Rufous-sided Warbling-finch, Giant Conebill and three endemics: Bolivian Warbling-finch, Cochabamba Mountain-finch and Wedge-tailed Hillstar. High up, at the top of the Polylepis and in the puna, we will look for Andean Hillstar, Tawny Tit-tyrant, the endemic Maquis Canastero, Plain-breasted Earthcreeper, White-winged Cinclodes, Plumbeous and Black-hooded Sierra-finches, Bright-rumped Yellow-finch and several ground-tyrants.

Day 11 Today we leave Cochabamba en route to the altiplano city of Oruro. En-route, we will look for Cinereous Harrier, Mountain Parakeet, Golden-spotted and Black-winged Ground-doves and a selection of ground-tyrants, pipits, yellow-finches and sierra-finches. Near the city of Oruro, we will visit Lake Uru Uru, which is an excellent site for Crested Duck, Andean, Puna and Chilean Flamingos, Andean Avocet and Puna Plover. Overnight in Oruro.

Day 12 Today a drive of several hours takes us to the wonderful city of La Paz, through beautiful altiplano habitats that are home to Puna Snipe, Spot-winged Pigeon, Giant Hummingbird, Andean Swift, Plain-mantled and Brown-capped Tit-spinetails, Rusty-vented Canastero, D'Orbigny's Chat-tyrant and Bolivian Warbling-finch. Overnight in La Paz.

Day 13 Early this morning, we leave La Paz and head up into the Cordillera Real. We will stop at the top of the road to Chulumani, where exciting and multicoloured flocks can hold Moustached Flowerpiercer, White-browed Conebill and Mountain Cacique. Here we may see numerous hummingbirds, including Great Sapphirewing, Violet-throated Starfrontlet and the amazing, endemic Black-hooded Sunbeam. Our next stop at Cotapata may yield Rufous Antpitta, Diademed Tapaculo, Golden-collared Tanager and the endemic Black-throated Thistletail. We then make the long descent of the notorious Yungas road to the warm foothill town of Coroico, where we hope to see Plum-crowned Parrot, Versicoloured Barbet, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Smoky-brown Woodpecker and Upland Antshrike. Overnight in Coroico.

Day 14 This morning we will bird near Coroico, in the hope of seeing Torrent Duck, White-capped Dipper, Stripe-chested Antwren and a host of tanagers and flycatchers. We then drive back up the Yungas road, stopping to check the swallow flocks for the scarce Pale-footed Swallow, and stop at Pongo. This high-altitude site has Stripe-headed Antpitta, Puna Tapaculo, Scribble-tailed and Line-fronted Canasteros, Tufted Tit-tyrant, Brown-backed Chat-tyrant and Peruvian Sierra-finch. Two nights in La Paz.

Day 15 Today we visit Lake Titicaca and, in addition to admiring the lake's great beauty, we have a good chance of seeing Titicaca Flightless Grebe, White-tufted Grebe, Puna Teal, Andean Ruddy Duck, Andean Negrito, Black Siskin and Yellow-winged Blackbird. From Titicaca we drive on towards Sorata, in the hope of seeing Giant Coot, the endemic Berlepsch's Canastero and several ground-tyrants.

Day 16 On this, our last morning of the main tour, we visit the little town of Mecapaca in the valley below La Paz. Here Puna Ibis, Mountain Caracara, Plumbeous Rail, Giant Hummingbird, Andean Swift, Red-tailed Comet and Rusty-vented Canastero are commonly seen, and many other species are present. Those not taking the extension to the Beni fly out of Bolivia today from La Paz International Airport.

Day 17 Arrival back in the UK.

Extension

Day 16 This extension to the savannahs and forests of the Beni department in search of the critically endangered, endemic and highly beautiful Blue-throated Macaw, begins with a scheduled flight from La Paz to Trinidad, capital city of the Beni. If time allows, in the evening we will look for Golden-collared and Chestnut-fronted Macaws, White-eyed and Dusky-headed Parakeets, Unicoloured Blackbird and Rufous Cacholote around the city. Overnight in Trinidad.

Day 17 Today we drive to the Blue-throated Macaw site, several hours outside Trinidad, through open savannahs, which are comparable to the Pantanal in the wonderful abundance and visibility of their birds and wildlife. Here we may see Capybara, Spectacled Caiman, Anaconda, Greater Rhea, Southern Screamer, Laughing Falcon, Savannah and White-tailed Hawks, Southern Lapwing, Peach-fronted Parakeet, Toco Toucan, White Woodpecker, Great Rufous Woodcreeper and truly impressive concentrations of storks, herons, egrets, spoonbills and ibises. In the evening we will visit a roost site for the macaw, where, in addition to our target species, we have a good chance of seeing Chestnut-fronted, Blue-and-yellow and Red-and-green Macaws. Two nights on an estancia near the macaw site.

Day 18 In case we missed the macaws the previous evening, this morning we revisit their roost. The rest of the day will be spent exploring the fantastic savannahs, wetlands and forest islands in the area in the hope of seeing Black Howler Monkey, Hoatzin, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Rufous Cacholote, Plain Softtail, Hudson's Black-tyrant, Gray, White and White-rumped Monjitas, Spectacled Tyrant, Black-backed Water-tyrant, White-headed Marsh-tyrant, Red-crested and Red-capped Cardinals, Velvet-fronted Grackle and Scarlet-headed Blackbird, among many other species.

Day 19 We drive back to Trinidad this morning stopping along the way for roadside birds, and to watch the capybaras and caimans, which crowd around every roadside pool. In the afternoon we take a scheduled flight to Santa Cruz. Overnight in Santa Cruz.

Day 20 The extension ends today with a flight from Viru Viru International Airport.

Day 21 Arrival back in the UK.

General Information The climate is highly variable, from very cold in the mountains to hot and humid in the lowlands. Though the tour works slowly up in altitude, we do reach very high altitudes of up to 4500m. A suitable mix of clothing should be brought, including stout walking shoes. There are a number of special health requirements, so please consult your GP. The pace of the tour is moderate, with a basic degree of fitness required. Accommodation will be in moderate to good-quality hotels, all with en-suite facilities. On the Blue-throated Macaw extension, accommodation will include staying on a comfortable private ranch.

Group Size Minimum number for tour to go ahead: 4; maximum group size: 10 with 2 leaders.

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