Tropical Birding tour report - Brazil June 2006
At
REGUA, we once again failed to reach the waterfall on the Waterfall Trail due to
the number of birds we ran into along the way. We did particularly well on
foliage-gleaners, getting nice scope views of a singing White-eyed
Foliage-gleaner and seeing the smart Black-capped along with Ochre-breasted and
Buff-fronted in the mixed-species flocks we found along the way. A Ringed
Antpipit showed well, coming up to several higher perches, and we had our first
endemic antbirds, with the nice-looking Star-throated Antwren and Scaled Antbird.
Definitely the best find of the day was a fantastic Shrike-like Cotinga that
came into playback giving its distinctive series of downslurred whistles, though
the cracking male Black-cheeked Gnateater was likely a close second.
Our
morning on the higher trail was a lot quieter, but certainly had its moments.
Early on we saw three different parrots perched: Plain Parakeet, Maroon-bellied
Parakeet, and Scaly-headed Parrot, much more satisfying than the usual quick
flyovers. Nearby was an active pair of Eared Pygmy-Tyrants, and farther up
the forest we found flocks with Yellow-eared Woodpecker and Thrush-like
Woodcreeper as well as our first group of Spot-breasted Antvireos. Later we
birded our way back down the track watching neck-breaking canopy flocks with
poor views of Streak-capped and Rufous-winged Antwrens (fortunately we saw both
much better later in the trip), and finally, the endemic Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant.
Walking
around the wetland gave us the usual set of birds plus our only White
Woodpeckers, a nice soaring Rufous-thighed Hawk, and the endemic Long-billed
Wren. Sunset was beautiful from the new tower/hide overlooking the swamp, and we
enjoyed some Biscutate Swifts flying low enough to see their broken collar. As
dusk fell the spotlight came out an we managed to beam some Pauraques, a Common
Potoo (rare here!), and a Tropical Screech-Owl, when a Giant Snipe started
calling. We gave a brief chase before it became obvious that it was too far away
and it was now too dark to have any chance to see it. Later that night a pair of
stunning Tawny-browed Owls called in - luckily for those who were asleep, they
came in again as we were getting up early on the morning we left.
Our
day at Maca?? de Cima was surely one of the most memorable of the trip. The
weather was not promising - a chilly, windy morning with periods of drizzle.
After a brief spurt of great birds like Shear-tailed Gray-Tyrant, Red-eyed
Thornbird, and Gray-capped Tyrannulet, it became really difficult, with few
birds singing, and the few that were simply not coming in. Frustration was
running high as a big flock came blasting through so fast that we hardly
identified anything in it, and a Hooded Berryeater called a few times and
vanished without a trace. Things were not looking good - a lot of these birds we
would have few if any chances to see again. But miraculously the weather
improved and the birds came out, with a fantastic series of some of the best
birds in the Atlantic Forest. A singing male Black-and-gold Cotinga started it
all followed by a nice Sharpbill, then the incomparable Spot-billed Toucanet.
After enjoying some hummers at the feeders, our string continued with a flock
full of (among other things) Rufous-backed Antvireos and Sharp-billed
Treehunters. Later a Giant Antshrike put in a brief appearance and a beautiful
Bertoni's Antbird finally came out into full view. A calling Barred
Forest-Falcon drew us farther down the mountain and led us straight to an
amazing Hooded Berryeater, feeding on berries low to the ground, not worried
about the 7 birders only 15 feet away, or even the bird-eating falcon calling
nearby. To cap off the day, the fierce forest-falcon finally came in (and
fortunately did not become a Barred Berryeater-eater). |
