Chigger bites are driving me crazy. They itch like hell.  They are worse than Scully/Stanton chiggers. My ankles and waist are covered in bites from the jungle trip. Worth every bite! What an adventure.  Went with http://www.wildwatchperu.com/en/   and Luis Zuñiga whose family owns property around Pillcopata, Perù. He had to pick up a Belgian family at the airport at 6:30 am so he sent his assistant Simon to fetch me at 6am and we went to a lake 30 minutes from Cusco. Aplomado falcon was one of my first birds. Puna ibis, many colored rush tyrant, Cinerious harrier, white tufted grebe, Puna teal, Giant hummingbird, on and on. The Belgies joined us, Luke, Vivian and their 22 year-old son Ramses (the first). He was a good photographer. They weren't real birders but they had enthusiasm and never slowed  the birding. Bearded mountaineer hummers are a fantastic find. On our way to Cock-of-the rock lodge we found red and white antpitta. Damn hard bird to see. Toward dark, Lyre tail nightjar and Andean potoo. From 11,000 ft down to 4,000ft and dinner at the lodge. My cabin was comfortable. There was only candle light to shower by. They started a generator for the dinner hall briefly. I slept to the sound of a river ( Guadeloupe?).  5 am out the door to go see cock-of-the-rock. I am not impressed by that bird as much as most are. Highland motmot was more impressive, as was Yungas manakin. Versicolored barbets are a treat. We drove to the next lodge in Pillcopata. This is the gate to the Amazon and as such there is little accommodation. Our lodge was merely comfortable. The birds were amazing. Blue and yellow macaw, scarlet macaw, chestnut-fronted macaw and blue-headed macaw. Went to a pond on Luis's family property and saw about 10 hoatzins. Beautiful place where they farm pineapples and pacu and tilapia. A lot of coca growers in the area also. There were fragrant balsa tress which are like magnolias on steroids. The scratching started that night. Up at 5:30 and down the road for bluish fronted jacamars. Lots of them around. Araçaris and black fronted nunbirds. Thick with birds. 87 new species on this trip and I am officially over 1,000 on my life list. At one point we walked a stream that became a narrow cave with bats. Fascinating as they whizzed by my face. Found a nesting Lyre-tailed nightjar on a roof along a river. That's impressive.
The drive back was spectacular. We drove up above the clouds to a cloudless sky. Pre-Inca burial silos. I bought some bracelets off some local young girls. Full moon rose above the snowy peaks of the Andes. Wow.
The local people make their own bricks with straw and mud for houses. The Andean flickers build nests in holes in the house so they set wires to trap them. Very strange to see flicker corpses hanging from the houses.
My guide Luis Zuniga liked to stalk single species and play back their songs to bring them in. It got a little annoying and after lunch I took off on my own. He sent the van to pick me up.  He finds the birds but I am not a fan of his tactics. Nice guy but he could learn a lot from Luis Alcivar. Smile, Luis, you are the best.
Arrived at Hotel Ruinas at 7 pm and went to Inca Grill for dinner. Met the Belgians there, very nice folks through the whole trip. I was stopped by a 10 year-old boy wanting to sell me a knitted hat for 10 Soles.  As he followed me he recited the presidents of the USA backward starting with Obomber. I gave him 10 Soles and told him he was smart, and keep the hat. I have never liked kids until I came to Ecuador and Perù. They aren't spoiled brats here.
I met a 30-something black woman at the train station this morning and we started chatting. She was doing volunteer work in the jungle and with a group going to Machu Picchu. As we boarded the train we discovered her seat was next to me. She had a cough and took a lot of homeopathic shit. Why does anyone get on a Vistadome train through the most scenic area you can imagine and go to sleep?
She wasn't very interesting but she sure as hell learned a lot about birds while she was awake! She wrote it all down too!  About 10 middle aged gay guys from the USA got on the train at Ollantaytambo and misbehaved. I wanted to throw "Joey" from the train- Miss Thang. Oh, I just love birdth too!
Aguas Calientes is very tourist filled. Damn Germans won the Mundial. Too many of them here. Beautiful area but the town is a tourist trap. Might get back on the train tomorrow afternoon and go to Ollantaytambo bird lodge called Apu Lodge. It's only a 2 houre ride.
Off to Machu Picchu tomorrow. I may go for sunrise. Moon setting and sun rising over the Sacred Valley.  Buenas noches.