At Playa Makaha/Waikki in Miraflores, central Lima, a restaurant (‘La Rosa Nautica’) and some shops are located on a pier. During the non-breeding season, the roof of the restaurant and the pillars of its foundation, function as an artificial bird rock. Inca terns are plentiful as are other seabirds, feeding in the nutritionary waters of the Humboldt current. Other typical Lima birds are also found close-by.

A Gray but not so dull Gull, shining in all the colors of the Inca flag, close to the Inca terns!

Perhaps returning to the breeding grounds of the Atacama desert in Chile, the absolute opposite to this wintering place.

The trip in the Cuzco Andean region begun at the Huacarpay wetlands, close to Cuzco. From here, it continued along the Rio Vilcanota to the Machupicchu town and citadel. Finally, a visit was paid to the Condor Valley at the Apurimac river.

An Andean gull feeding in the Huacarpay lake.

After having left the Huacarpay wetlands, an American Kestrel was spotted along the road

A pair of Chiguanco thrushes (Chiguancotrastar) at the Rio Vilcanota

Yellow-billed teals (Gulnäbbad kricka), other ducks, and some other birds were present in and along the Rio Vilcanota

and Yellow-billed Pintails (Gulnäbbade stjärtänder)

Most birds were not found up at the Citadel but along the river in the Machupicchu town

Among the few butterflies seen in the Machupicchu area, this metalmark was caught on camera

This particular observation platform, overlooking the Apurimac river, is situated close to the Chonta village and Limatambo town,

From the platform the Apurimac river is viewed on one side, and the Andes on another

The expedition continues to the Manu Biosphere Reserve (B.R.). These Band-tailed pigeons in the Cloud Rainforest don’t bother about a shower!

and Booted Racked-tail, female (Flaggkolibri, hona)

Right name for the right bird!

Many photos of both birds and butterflies were taken along the Madre-de-Dios-River, where also most of the lodges are situated, and where I stayed in the Hummingbird Lodge and the Manu Birding Lodge. Here, I photograph butterflies on the stony sand banks of this river.

at the Blanco Oxbow lake

This former race is now a species of its own, being separated from Festive Coquette (Festkokett) and renamned as Butterfly Coquette

A Hoatzin at the Oxbow lake as well as the other ‘water birds’ below

This stare makes you feel checked and wonder if you are alive enough!

Having the colors of the Swedish flag, this ara could be renamed as the ‘Swedish’ Macaw (Svensk ara)!

at the Tapir Clay Lick

These green parrots of the family Psittacidae were the first to arrive at the Macaw Clay Lick in the morning. After having licked for about two hours, they left and the macaws arrived

This parrot is found at the bottom of the picture, to the right, – together with Southern Mealy Amazones and Blue-headed Parrots.

These macaws were arriving at the scene in large numbers

They first landed in the trees to rest and await their turn to lick

There was also time for some love!

After a while, the macaws left for the clay banks

The licking party has begun

Satisfied with what they found in the dirt, they left the Lick