ecotourism

by Gunnar Engblom September 22, 2009 3

Interview with GrrlScientist. Official Manu community blogger 1.

GrrlScientist - Devorah Bennnu

It is a great pleasure to me to announce that Devorah Bennu – GrrlScientist will help out promoting the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, which essentially is a protected area in continuation to Manu National Park on the other side of the river. Last week I posted updates about our strategy inviting prominent bird and nature bloggers to promote community sustainable ecotourism and act as hosts for a series of special monthly blogger departures until the end of 2010. The first trip with Devorah is coming up very soon as it is scheduled for Dec 6 (new date) so the takers can join a Satipo road trip prior to the immersion in the Amazon lowland. Read the detailed Manu itinerary.

Some bio from her Grrl Scientist’s blog.

GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her “dream” research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands and published in SCIENCE (September 2009) and NATURE (August 2009. GrrlScientist has written a blog about science since 4 August 2004. That she has a profound interest in birds is shown by her frequent column called Birds in the News. Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) by GrrlScientist, is one of the most popular Natural History blocks on the net with several thousand hits daily.

The interview

Q. Who is GrrlScientst?

GrrlScientist is a lifelong student of nature and birds are my first, and best, teachers. For that reason, I’ve dedicated my life to learning everything I can learn about them. Birds inspire me to learn more about the world and for that reason, they motivate me to strive to be better than I am. Ever since I watched a large group of Waxwings perched on a fence on a cold and snowy January morning, carefully passing a bright red berry from one bird to the next, I’ve been fascinated by birds; their beauty, their behaviors and their ability to survive seemingly impossible circumstances.
Why do they do what they do?
How do they know where (and when) to go when they migrate?
Why are there different species in different parts of the world?
Do they perceive the world the same way that humans do?
How do birds communicate with each other?

Q. Tell me about your love of parrots?

Parrots have been my companions and my family for most of my life, so I have a strong emotional connection to them. But beyond that, I view parrots as ambassadors. They help people to understand birds, especially people who might never have looked at a bird as anything other than buffalo wings or an annoyance. Parrots — gaudy, outgoing and personable — are the one group of birds that people from all walks of life are most likely to recognize and are most often impressed by. As a result, parrots provide people with a window into the lives of birds and in doing so, they help sensitize people to all birds, they help us learn to appreciate the lives of birds and they teach us the value of protecting and preserving birds and their habitats so future generations can discover the same joys that we experience through them.

Q. What makes you a great host for the first blogger’s Manu community lodges?

I am a great host for the Manu community lodges birding expedition because of my enthusiasm, knowledge and desire to learn. I love new experiences, and birding provides that rare combination of connecting with a small group of my fellow explorers, learning more about the birdlife in a particular area of the world, and sharing the wonder and beauty of that with others through my words, photographs and other media. Because I have been writing the popular science blog, Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted), for more than 5 years, I have a well established platform where I can publish these articles, essays, photoessays and other media where the public can follow everyone’s adventures for free

Q: The communities have difficulties getting started with eco’tourism in spite of lodges be donated to them. How do you think this initiative with a birdwatching outfitter inviting bloggers can make a difference?

I really don’t know how to respond to this because I am not familiar with this situation. However, once I am there, I am certain I’ll learn more how the local communities can make eco-tourism work better for them and my blog can serve as a conduit for information exchange to this end between my readers and the local communities.

Devorah recently aspired an official blogging status for an Antarctica cruise by Quark Expeditions. The fact that she came in 3rd among 708 bloggers with over 2200 votes shows how extremely fortunate we are to have Devorah Bennu as our first official Manu blogger .

Once again, sign up NOW for a trip to the Manu area with Devorah Blennu and expert local guides from Kolibri Expeditions. Your participation will do a lot of good for the community and their efforts to conserve a piece of the Amazon and find a sustainable way of living that respects their mindset and traditions through true eco-tourism.

Oct 23

by Gunnar Engblom April 5, 2009 1

Birding Peru – video by Keith Blomerley, part 2

Birding Peru 2004 video clips – part 2

The first part of these clips can be found here. Here is the second delivery of Keith Blomerly’s videos from the trip he did with Kolibri Expeditions in 2004 together with Simon Wotton, Richard Winspear and Guy Shorrock. These videos cover principally the Manu road and the lowlands. The birds species seen are mentioned in order. There are quite a few butterflies filmed as well if someone want to have a go identifying them.

Manu road, Pillahuata, Rocotal and Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge

Spectacular birding on the Manu road to Cock-of-the Rock Lodge with birds showing in this order Saffron-crowned Tanager, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Golden-headed Quetzal, Woolly Monkey, Highland Motmot, Blue-banded Toucanet and Versicolored Barbet, Brown Capuchin, female Wire-crested Thorntail, Russet-backed Oropendola, Andean cock-of-the-rock, Dusky-green Oropendola, White-bellied woodstar, Wire-crested Thorntail, White-bellied Woodstar, Variable Antshrike and Hooded Tinamou.

Cock of the Rock Lodge and Manu Amazon Lodge. Blanquillo Macwa lick.

Starting at Cock-of-the-rock Lodge on the Manu Road via Quitacalzones Bridge to Atalaya. Here a boat took us to Pantiacolla Lodge. From Pantiacolla the trip went on to Manu Amazon Lodge (formerly known as Manu Camping Lodge). A visit to the famous Macawlick is the final highlight of this section.

Species in chronological order Violaceous Jay, Lanceolated Monklet and Plumbeous Kite, Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher, Red Howler Monkey, White-browed Antbird, Squirrel Monkey, a brief view of a probable Yellow-breasted Warbling Antbird (collinsi form), White-winged Trumpeter, Wood Stork, Horned Screamer, Sand-coloured Nighthawk, Scarlet Macaw, Blue-headed Parrot, Orange-cheeked Parrots Mealy Parrot and Red-and-Green Macaw.

Manu Amazon Lodge, canopy Tower at Cocha Camungo and Cocha Camungo catamaran canoe trip.

First some birding near the lodge and then on to the Cocha Camungo area with canopy tower and lake. In the afternoon birding is near Manu Amazon Lodge.

Saddle-backed Tamarin, Striolated puffbird, Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Squirrel cuckoo, Purus Jacamar, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Neotropic cormorant, Sungrebe in flight, Greater Ani, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Striated Heron, Black-capped Donacobius, Squirrel, Llesser Kiskadee, Hoatzin, Amazon kingfisher, Blue-and-yellow macaw, Crested Owl, Razor-billed Curassow and female Plumbeous Antbird duetting with a male.

Cocha Blanco Lake Catamaran Canoes.

Mainly Cocha Blanco and Manu Amazon Lodge.

Birds filmed are Wattled Jacana, Amazon Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Ringed Kingfisher, Black-collared Hawk, Swallow-tailed Kite, Muscovy Duck, Least Grebe, Horned Screamer, Limpkin, Squirrel Monkey, Giant Otter, Amazonian Antwren, Sunbittern, Sungrebe, Ladder-tailed Nightjar, Red-necked Woodpecker, Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin and Undulated Tinamou, Black-fronted Nunbird, White-flanked Antwren, Spectacled Owl and Southern Chestnut-tailed Antbird.

The remaining 5 video clips by Keith Blomerley from the Kolibri Expeditions Manu trip in 2004 will be posted shortly on this blog. Stay tuned. Want to visit Manu. Check out our Manu page and the calendar. There are many different trip options at different prices depending on comfort level, time available and specific interest.

by Gunnar Engblom January 2, 2009 5

New Bird to Peru. Northern Hawk Owl. Birdwatchers flock to see it.

Northern Hawk Owl. Peru, NY. Photo. Corey Finger

Northern Hawk Owl Peru, NY Dec 2008. Photo: Corey Finger

This bird has been seen regularly in Peru, since Dec 14 and has made birders from the US pilgrimage to see it. Few Peruvians have seen it though. It is Peru, New York that is being mentioned, but I thought I just had to write about it on a birding blog regarding Peru in South America.

Why? Well, I think it is a good opportunity, alas a bit late , to make birders in New York state aware of their “tocayo” (peruvian spanish for someone who shares the same name-namesake) – the land of the Incas and the land of the birds, here in the South. And also a opportunity for Peruvian birdwatchers to learn about birding in New York State.
Take a deep plunge into the blog of Corey Finger at www.10.000birds.com and his journey to see this bird, and the exemplary way to include the whole family in this endeavor. I owe to Corey to let me borrow his photos for this blog. Thanks!
By the way, 1000 birds is one of the most popular birding blogs in the world. It is well worth to check out on its own accord. Furthermore, the owners Corey, Mike and Charlie, organize a birdwatching blog carnival called “I and bird”, where blog articles about wild birds are selected on a bimonthly basis. I and the bird #90 is just to be released. More great pictures of the same Northern Hawk Owl can be found on Jeff Nadler’s web-site. Mouth-watering describes the pictures well. Wow!

I had the title for this blog clear for quite some time, but I needed a way to relate it a bit more to Peru in South America. I had to fish for some info. I would not really call it research or bibliography search, as I did what most people do when they need information nowadays. A google search! Two keywords! Owl and Peru. Corey’s blog scored third place, but most of the other positions were about the awe-inspiring re-discovered and mythical long-whiskered Owlet from Abra Patricia, that now actually can be seen a few 100 meters from the new comfortable lodge at Abra Patricia, The Owlet Lodge. This was the connection needed to round up this blog and take you to the REAL Peru! (Sorry, New York upstaters…you will just have to come down here to prove me wrong, if you don’t believe.)

Long-whiskered Owlet. Photo: David Gaele ECOAN/ABC

OK, we must be fair, I said the Owlet CAN be seen, but IN REALITY most groups have had to content to hear it, because of the dense vegetation. However, after recent conversations with David Guevara and Constantino Aucca of ECOAN, the Peruvian NGO that runs the lodge, trails are being put in and there are plans for a platform that in the future shall facilitate observations with minimum impact on the bird. With only 200 visitors in 2008, the very comfortable lodge could definitely take more visitors, and if managed well, there is no reason why this resource – the owlet – could become a sustainable goldmine to ECOAN’s conservation work.

The Owlet is one of the least known Owls in the world, and had not been seen in the wild until Juvenal Ccahuana and David Geale in 2007 stumbled upon one on a day perch by a muddy slippery trail a couple of hours walk from the main road.

Much of the forest around the lodge has been bought by ECOAN with funding raised by ABC (American Bird Conservancy). It is a beautiful area with many regionally endemic species such as Ochre-fronted Antpitta, Lulu’s Tody-Tyrant, Royal Sunangel, Bar-winged Wood-wren. Not far away, around 1h drive to Pomacochas, one finds the most stunning of all hummingbirds – the Marvelous Spatuletail. The lodge now has hummingbird feeders and bird tables and provides a great asset for all visiting birders. Surely Abra Patricia Long-whiskered Owlet Lodge and the other sites on the North Peru birding route, is a must for the serious birder. What is more, the lodge provides excelent shelter in luxury, in one of the wettest areas in Peru, where the die-hard birders used to have to camp out. In effect in means that the route is open to visitos all year around. You shall always expect rain and clouds at Abra Patricia, the rainiest months being December and January. But this should not hold you off. SInce you have road access to drive up and down the road with good birding habitat between 800-2500m, one can almost always drive away from the rain and fog in less than 30 minutes ascending or descending along the road. That said, plan to have ample time in the Abra Patricia areas, because it is truly one of the best birding places on earth.
I made a very early report on this area in 1998 that can be found on Worldtwitch if anyone is interested. It pleases me very much to see that the area is now finally starting to get attention. More attention from birders is needed. The challanges for conservationists lies further down the road in the Afluentes area, where a whole village practically has mushroomed up within the protected Alto Mayo reserve since 1998. Conservation, environmental education, sustainable agriculture and forestry and ecotourism must be implemented urgently here. The birders can lead the way.

What was that? What about our birding trips? I thought you’d never ask! Of course Kolibri Expeditions runs trips there. Here are three sample programs.

North Peru 2. Birding. Piura-Tarapoto via Abra Patrica. 7 or 15 day. The longer itinerary include quest for Orange-throated Tanager and White-masked Antbird.
Northe Peru 4. Birding and Megadiversity. Tarapoto-Cajamarca 9 or 15 days. The longer itinerary include a 6 day horse supported biodiversity Eco-trekk to Yellow-browed Toucanet, while we look at birds and plants (especially orchids) on the way.
Chiclayo-Tarapoto 9 days in comfort. No camping. Overnight stay at excellent Chaparri Lodge near Chiclayo

Questions? Either put down a comment here or write me a line at kolibriexp@gmail.com

Long-whiskered Owlet Xenoglaux loweryi. Photo: ECOAN/ABC

by Gunnar Engblom December 29, 2006 3

Condor watching in Santa Eulalia Canyon

Condors three hours from Lima in Santa Eulalia Canyon

Who would believe that there are condors only 3 hours from noisy metropolis Lima? Well it is true. Here in Santa Eulalia Canyon, we found on Dec 16, 2006 around 12 condors, close to the village of Huachupampa.

It is quite clear that the steep cliffs make an excellent overnight colony for the condors. Here they can easily find the thermal winds that will ascend them high enough to scan over the area of Santa Eulalia river and over the ridge to the Rimac river.

We know for a fact that there are at least 3-4 overnight cliffs in the canyon so there may be up to 50 condors in the whole area. And in difference from many other areas in Peru, they are doing well here. How do we know? Well, by establishing the ratio adults/juveniles one gets a good idea. When the ratio is >1 or more (more adults than young), the reproduction rate is low or the mortality of young is high and the population is therefore decreasing. When the ratio is 1 the population is more or less stable. When it is less than one (more young than adults) the conditions are either excellent and the population is increasing – or in some cases it can be a sign of adult mortality – but the latter would show in low overall numbers. In Santa Eulalia Canyon the population is certainly increasing. Of the 12 individuals we saw only 3 were adults.
The two individuals on the above photo are young birds

That this area has very good wildlife is indicated by the finding on our excursion of this cat. It is a Pampas Cat Leopardus pajeros. (Thanks to Javier Barrio and Eduardo Ormaeche for pointing in the right direction to its identity.)

Kolibri Expeditions has started a project of condor and wildlife watching in Santa Eulalia Canyon.

San Pedro de Casta village

Santa Eulalia Canyon

Santa Eulalia Canyon is not as famous as Colca, but it has very dramatic features. The drop in this picture is well over 1000m.

Santa Eulalia Canyon – the new Colca?

In 1995-96 when tourism to Peru started recovering around 8-10.000 people made the ardeous 10 hour trip to Chivay in Colca Canyon suffering from a dusty and bumpy road and a pass of over 5000m. In Chivay they stayed overnight at 3700m in basic hotels. Cold to the bones and altitude sickness for sure. Next day they had still a 2 hour trip on an even worse road to Cruz del Condor. But condors were almost 100% certain – and at close range. I personally doubt very much that anyone would have past through all that suffering if it was not for the guaranteed views of condors

In 10 years infrastructure has improved. Now there are first class hotels and part of the road has been sealed. Over 130.000 people visited Colca Canyon in 2006. You ask anyone in Peru, where one should see condors and they will send you to Colca Canyon. Now, one can hope for a development in Santa Eulalia Canyon similar to that of Colca. With eco-tourism the condor population in Peru could thrive and it could bring a very welcome income to the forgotten valleys along the Peruvian Andes

Please contact kolibriexp@gmail.com if you want to join us on a general natural history tour to watch for condores. This tour can be arranged at any time. The cost including transport, lodging and all food is only 99 US$/person – with a minimum of 4 people.