Final Peru: Manu to Port Maldonado, Lima, Karl

 

 

Here begins the final blog for Peru  I was actually successful in posting a few videos.

It includes the Tapir trip, the long canoe and van trip to Puerto Maldonado

This has a few birds from previous days, and the time with my nephew Karl Humm in Lima 

 

 

The lake trips were on a raft consisting of two canoes covered by a platform, and propelled by two paddlers.  The first time was in full mid-day sun, and I thought my brain was going to boil over, it was so hot. The second, was much more pleasant, toward nightfall, and Gustavo managed to keep us in the shade.  Some great photos of Horned Screamers.

 

The second video is from the height of the cliff above the Pacific Ocean, at Miraflores.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trip to the Tapir blind was labeled, in my mind, the "Bataan Death March" for the length, speed, and heat of the hike.  We arrived at 5:00PM and promptly had a boxed meal and went to bed in the mats under the netting.  I was soaked.  I immediately fell asleep, and, having been poked awake by Gustavo, peeked out, saw the Tapir!  I asked at one point on the "march"  exactly why we were putting ourselves through this torture, and I believe it was Alden who said that these creatures have been hunted almost to extinction, and that they are almost impossible to see in the wild anymore.  They can be 500 lbs (!), something I did not expect. and when I did see the first one, a male, it was extremely impressive.  The two that showed appeared around 6:00 PM, about 2 hours ahead of schedule.  We watched in awe.  Of course we faced the trip back, and with just flashlights to guide us.  I was never so happy to see that bridge in my life.

Here is the second of the two Tapirs, a female.  Gustavo said he once saw a Jaguar come into the mud and haul off a tapir!

This was the female.  Look at those white wingtips on the ears.

This is a not-so-great photo of a Troupial

Masked Tityra

Third-world Taxi, cracked windshield, lots of icons hanging, and Japanese Anime

Southern Lapwing

Ah, the obsession.  Birding in the deluge. 

Arden, almost healthy again, looking for the Point-tailed Palmcreeper, which we saw

"Mad dogs and Englishmen, etc"  I stood on the asphalt for about 20 minutes and then retreated, cowardly, to the bus.  The heat was not to be believed

The last bird, at the Puerto Maldonado air terminal, before departing back to Cusco, and onward to Lima
Identification, anyone?

A full day in Lima before my evening flight back to Boston. Mostly photos of some of the marvelous architecture to be found.

Some kind of festival event in front of the presidential palace.

Something not to be found in the US, a marching harpist!

Here is Karl, and since I don't see Kalishnikovs on the street in the US, Karl agreed to
pose.  His Spanish was ideal for dealing with taxis.  What would have cost me 40 Soles Karl
got us for 7.

Here is that wonderful restaurant at Miraflores,  La Rosa Nautica.

On the rocks below the pier

Karl is here in Peru with the Peace Corps, and is living on a farm with a host family that speaks no English.  He must have been absolutely desperate to speak to a gringo, we jabbered non-stop for eight hours.  The meal was fabulous, nine courses chosen by the chef.

And, I added three birds to my life list!  This is an Inca Tern

An Oystercatcher

And here is my first Booby ever, a Peruvian Booby

Finally, last bird of the trip, a Peruvian Pelican

Now I will take a break and then work on a blog or two on my family vacation in North Carolina,
another bucket list fulfilled.

Fi