Peruvian Martin and Cordillera Blanca Extension

Day 1. Chimbote to Caraz.
Recently, Peruvian Martin has been found nesting on islets off Chimbote. The report says they leave the nest site and fly inland every morning and back again in the afternoon. Though it has not been tried yet, a reasonable strategy would be to be positioned at the marshland south of Chimbote overlooking it and the sea in the early morning. This is what we will do this morning. There will also be marshbirds like Plumbeous Rail, Many-colored Rush-Tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird and many American migrants
In mid-morning we continue driving to Caraz with a stop at Huaylas for Great and Rufous-backed Inca-Finch. Night in Caraz.

Day 2. Cordillera Blanca. Llanganuco lagoons
We shall make an early start for the Polylepis forest near the Llanganuco lagoons. Keybirds of which all are quite common are: White-cheeked Cotinga, Ancash Tapaculo,
Plain-tailed Warbling-Finch, Rufous-eared Brush-Finch, Giant Conebill, Tit-like Dacnis, Stripe-headed Antpitta, and Striated Earthcreeper. In the late afternoon we will look for the yet undescribed form of Pale-tailed Canastero, which quite likely is a separate species. We will stay overnight in Caraz.

Day 3. Caraz-Lima
Sometimes it is windy in the afternoons and we may have missed the Canastero. If needed we will spend the morning trying to see this species. Additionally in the area we pick up birds like Spot-throated Hummingbird, Drab Seedeater and Peruvian Meadowlark as well as Rufous-backed Inca-Finch. We will continue south over the pass at Conococha where Green-headed Hillstar, Giant Coot, Cordilleran, Streak-throated and Streak-backed Canastero can be found. We may make a short stop at Lomas de Lachay or Paraiso lagoon on the way back to Lima to sample additional species, such as Peruvian Tern, Cactus Canastero, Thick-billed and Grayish Miner.