by Bennett Hennessey

San José de Uchupiamonas (San José) is a small peaceful town (no electricity!) at 600 meters and the TropicalThough the forest directly around the town has been disturbed, one does not have to venture too far to encounter foraging flocks and antbirds.  In the scrubby areas around the town you can find Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Ruddy Spinetail, Fasciated Antshrike, Black-faced Antbird, Bright-rumped Attila, Saffron Finch, Blue-black Grosbeak and Palm Tanager.  Right in the town can be seen large flocks of White-collared Swifts, Dusky-headed Parakeets and Crested and Amazonian Oropendolas.

The town is isolated and does not have a hotel, but there are rooms available and a camping spot for a small fee.  Decent birding can be done along the 2 km footpath to the Tuichi river which passes through terra firme and varzea forest with birds like White-fronted Nunbird, Red-necked Woodpecker, Black-faced Antthrush, Ringed Antpitta and along the deeper forested road one can find Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Screaming Piha, Southern Nightingale Wren, Lawrence’s Thrush and

Red-crowned Ant-Tanager. This is a town nestled within a large expanse of Amazonian “rainforest” with probably the same diversity as Chalalan, including open grassland birds like seedeaters that foraging in the town.

Logistics: San Jose during a trip to Chalalan eco-lodge.  Contact Bird Bolivia for direct information and reservations (birdbolivia@birdbolivia.com).