The day has finally arrived! I am in Peru for 2 weeks! Wow! This is a huge adventure for me. In preparation for this first trip to South America, I purchased a couple of heavy bird books to bring on the trip. Despite the added weight, I knew I would need them plus ebird to try to identify species of birds that I have never seen in my life! There are a handful of birds I know I hope to see on this trip - Inca Terns, Paradise Tanager, Toucans, Trogons, Hummingbirds, etc...
Hotel Castellana has been our home for 2 nights. It is an affordable, extremely quaint hotel. Highly recommend it if you find yourself in Lima, Peru!
I got my souvenir shopping done at the really colorful Inca Market. Be forewarned, it is full of great items for sale!
Shopping was great but I came to see new birds. While eating lunch at a restaurant overlooking this park, I noticed that birds were busily flying back and forth between the trees. Time to start birding!
I don't know the name of this tree but it reminded me of the Bottlebrush flower I have seen in the south. After checking out the park, I parked myself at this one tree for over an hour trying to get photos of 2 birds.
This Amazalia Hummingbird is like all dominant hummers. He spent 90% of his time chasing off the other hummers. Look at that red beak and rufous belly. His tail is rufous as well.
The Bananaquit, another nectarivorous bird, was chased off by the hummer as well.
Luckily, I got the photos just before a flock of these Red-masked Parakeets landed in a tree on the other side of the park. I dashed over to get a photo before they flew off. Yeah!
Santa Rosa Nautica is an absolutely beautiful restaurant located in Lima. It jets out in the Pacific Ocean. Surfers are trying to catch waves; brave people are flying overhead in wind kites; colorful crabs are crawling all over the rocks.....
...and the Inca Terns are hanging out!!!!! Wow! If you remember, that was one of the birds on my list that I wanted to see when I arrived!!!
No more wining, dining or shopping...birding will continue tomorrow in the Amazon.
Buenos Noches!
Happy Birding!
Click on photos to enlarge.
Photos and content by Robin Roberts.
