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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pbjosh" data-source="post: 3592835" data-attributes="member: 117939">I would not be scared of a car rental, and would recommend it, you will really increase your ability to get around and be flexible and pick up more birds.Nov 2. Afternoon flight from Lima. Overnight in Tarapoto.Nov 3. AM bird along the Cordillera Escalera (easier with rental car but doable with taxi?), afternoon travel to Moyobamba, with stops along the way (if driving). Overnight at Wakanki Lodge or in Moyobamba.As other's have said, hit the Koepcke's station for the hummer. Dotted Tanager and Plumbeous Euphonia are past the station at the metal tower. Park at the tower and check the road for 100-200m for a flock which usually has your birds. Playback for both is actually really effective.Nov 4. All day Wakanki - hike to see Ash-throated Antwren, other targets = Rufous-crested Coquette, Fiery-capped Manakin, Black-bellied Tanager, Mishana Tyrannulet.Waqanki is some of the best birding in Peru. Black-bellied Tanager is a gimme. The Coquette should be at the feeders. Just an aside, FC Manakin is at the Koepcke's Station as well and as easy/easier to see there, really common actually. Mishana Tyrannulet is commonish at Waqanki but you need to focus on voice and I'd take a good recording. I had it along the start of the trail near the gardens. The Antwren requires the hike and once up on the ridge you take a tiny side trail. -6.092 -76.991 more or less is the area to look for it. Another two birds to target there are the auripectus Striped Manakin which is most certainly a good species. Along the zig-zag trail around -6.079 -76.980 I had it. Also Waqanki is one / perhaps the best site for Varzea Thrush, actually in the gardens and around the lodge. Definitely ask Jose or Carlos for up to date gen on all the targets as soon as you get there.Nov 5. Morning birding at Wakanki or Moyobamba surroundings (e.g. Indane wetlands for Masked Duck, crakes). Stop at Afluenta area if possible. PM arrive at Fundo Alto Nieva, stay overnight.km148 area is a good stop for Pale-eyed Blackbird and Black-billed Seedfinch. Afluente and Reserva Arena Blanca is a fantastic stop but need to be there in the morning for the Tinamous and Wood-Quail. Good hummer feeders, and if your ears are tuned up for Swifts and Parrotlets, a good site for White-chinned Swift and Spot-winged Parrotlet (the Parrotlet is seasonal I believe).Nov 6. All day at Fundo Alto Nieva. Many targets, incl. the owlet, Royal Sunangel, Johnson's Tody-Tyrant, White-capped Tanagers, Ochre-fronted, Chestnut, and Rusty-tinged Antpittas, plus more.I think others have said but Johnson's Tody-Tyrant and Chestnut Antpitta are higher up, at Puente Sin Nombre, the last trail on the south side of the road along a creek (can be muddy as hell, gumboots mandatory) before the Owlet Lodge. You can get Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant pretty readily at FAN as well. The Owlet can be hard. Try morning and night, as much as they will let you, it took me 4 tries but that was spread out over a longer visit to the general area. 70 soles / person / try but I think the price is quite fair as it is their big draw and they do try to limit the use of playback and abuse of the birds. There is a restaurant about 200m along the road from FAN for a food option, not sure what food is like there now. I car camped at the restaurant, cooked mostly for myself, and just paid entrance fees to FAN.Nov 7. Morning birding at Fundo (or nearby areas if have car), afternoon drive to Huembo for Marvelous Spatuletail. Overnight at new Huembo lodge or in cheap hotel in Pomocochas.Nov 8. Morning/afternoon at Rio Chido/San Lorezno for Pale-billed Antpitta, Russet-mantled Softail, and some other targets. Evening back at Huembo or Pomocochas.As others have said no need to stay at Huembo and the Spatuletail should not take very long. Give yourself an early start at San Lorenzo for the PB Antpitta and Softtail. They will probably charge you a small community access fee, just FYI. One other thought - if you don't pick up Emerald-bellied Puffleg in the area, it comes to the feeders at Owlet Lodge. I dropped in just to see the lodge for 5 mins and saw it by chance. It's pretty common along the Puente Sin Nombre trail. That area around the lodge and Puente Sin Nombre is also the spot, from what I have ever gathered, for Jelski's Black-Tyrant, but that is a hard bird and I couldn't find it in many days' effort.Nov 9. Return to Tarapoto for pm. flight to Lima.One other thought is the Upaquihua area (S of Tarapoto) can be visitied in a day and has Rufous-capped Nunlet, Chestnut-throated Spinetail, Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, Mishana Tyrannulet, and some dry forest birds that are scarce in that part of S America like Rufous Casiornis, Ashy-headed Greenlet, N Slaty Antshrike, Planalto Hermit, Rusty-backed Antwren and more. As well there is Plataforma, but that would require a longer trip.</blockquote>

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