Guess Blog Post: Photographing Inca Terns & Northern Peru by John Meragias

From the first time I saw a photo of an Inca tern, I knew they would be next on my list of crazy looking birds I had to photograph. After doing a bit of research I decided to reach out to Alfredo, as he has vast experience with these birds and has guided photographers to shoot many of the best known photographs of them throughout the years. Alfredo made the whole process easy, from hotel recommendations to transport in Lima.

We ended up spending many hours photographing the Inca terns, and it turned out to be easier than I thought to get close to these amazing birds. We saw them doing courtship rituals and grabbing fish all in just a few hours. I also got the iconic Inca tern photo that I always wanted: a head on portrait with a strikingly perfect moustache. This proves that when you have a great guide it just makes everything much easier to achieve.

While shooting the terns I jokingly mentioned the Rufous-crested Coquette, another species that had been on my list without any plans to see one. Alfredo spent the next two hours booking last minute flights and lodging in Tarapoto to do everything possible for me to see this amazing bird. The next day we flew out and I got to see this bucket list bird that I didn’t think I’d be able to on this trip.

I cannot recommend Wild Andes Tours enough for professional and hobbyist wildlife photographers. Alfredo was successful in making a three day stopover in Lima a true highlight of my year. I look forward to travelling with him again to discover even more of what Peru has to offer!

This blog post was written by John Meragias, you can follow his work at his website, and on his instagram profile @jmeragiasphoto.