ARRIVAL IN LIMA, PERU
I arrived in Lima via United Airlines at 11:00 pm on September 27, 2018. I don't know if it was because of such a late arrival, but this was the easiest airport to get through immigration I've ever encountered. Then it was into a Green Taxi to the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Miraflores. I'm a Marriott Gold member, so I sort of expected a room upgrade, but I didn't expect the triple upgrade to a two room ocean view corner suite on the 25th floor! NICE! I didn't get settled into bed until 1:00 am and I had a date to be picked up by my Lima guide Miguel José Morán Morán at 5:30 am to search for and photograph the Peruvian Sheartail Hummingbird.
The alarm? Already?? Got up, dressed and downstairs to meet Miguel José who was taking me to the Lima Highlands in search of a Peruvian Sheartail Hummingbird. This bird can usually be seen in the local gardens of Lima all summer long, but this time of the year it stays at a higher elevation in the highlands. The prior week Miguel José scoped out a place in Chosica (about 35 km from Lima) where he was able to photograph a few specimens. We entered La Cantuta, a club that has beautiful gardens with lots of flowers.
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It didn't take long for Miguel José to spot the first Sheartail. We found mostly immature males and a female. The males had their long tails but were still acquiring their gorget feathers. We also had an appearance by an Amazilla hummer. A bonus! An Oasis hummingbird made a brief appearance but was off so fast I couldn't get a picture. Next time!
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The Spanish name for the Peruvian Sheartail is the Colibrí Cora and here is a video of Miguel José explaining how this bird was so named. Apparently the bird was named after an Inca Princess.
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