24 June: We left Leimebamba before dawn and headed for Abra Barro Negro (Band-winged Nightjar on the road), reaching a patch of forest / scrub below the pass (2300m) for Russet-mantled Softtail. Despite the rain we had some success this morning with the target birds and reached the Paramo habitat (3350m) in good time seeing Coppery Metaltail easily. Lunch was taken below the lip of the canyon (on the dry side) and we descended towards Balsas stopping in the cactus desert for inca-finches and looking for Chestnut-backed Thornbird and Yellow-faced Parrotlet. We arrived in the Balsas area where our camp was already prepared by a team from Celendin.
Today's birds included Andean Guan, Peruvian Pigeon, Yellow-faced Parrotlet, Striped Cuckoo, Peruvian Pygmy-Owl, Band-winged Nightjar, White-tipped Swifts, Spot-throated Hummingbirds, Andean Emerald, Shining Sunbeam, Mountain Velvetbreast, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Sword-biled Hummingbird, Purple-throated Sunangel, Sapphire-vented Puffleg, Coppery Metaltail, Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Black-necked Woodpecker, Andean Flicker, White-chinned Thistletail, Many-striped Canastero, Chestnut-backed Thornbird, Pearled Treerunner, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Rufous Antpitta (race obscura), Blackish Tapaculo, Red-crested Cotinga, White-throated Tyrannulet, White-banded Tyrannulet, Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Green Jay, Maranon Thrush, Mountain Wren, Tropical Gnatcatcher (race maior), Rufous-naped Brush-Finch, Plushcap (2), Blue-backed Conebill, Grey-winged Inca-Finch, Buff-bridled Inca-Finch, Superciliaried Hemispingus, Drab Hemispingus, Scarlet-bellied Moutain-Tanager, Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager.
Overnight in camp, Balsas.
