As a result
of the developing Coronavirus situation we had to decide our next steps
carefully. In the end we continued with our original plan of trying to see the
Brazilian Merganser in the Serra de Canastra national park. Unfortunately the
park itself closed due to the virus but the duck should be possible to see
outside the park according to our guide. We arrived at the park late afternoon
and birded a small marsh near the town we were staying in. We managed a long
list but it was mainly common birds, except that I finally, FINALLY, connected
with the stunning Streamer-tailed Tyrant when a pair of birds showed extremely
well close to us displaying. It was a fantastic end to a day that was otherwise
just driving.
-Streamer-tailed Tyrant
Species
List:
São
Roque de Minas Marsh: Pale-vented Pigeon, Picazuro Pigeon, Ruddy Ground Dove, Smooth-billed
Ani, Sick's Swift, Grey-necked Wood Rail, Buff-necked Ibis, Black Vulture, Rufous-tailed
Jacamar, Toco Toucan, Southern Crested Caracara, Aplomado Falcon, Yellow-chevroned
Parakeet, Blue-winged Parrotlet, Peach-fronted Parakeet, White-eyed Parakeet, Rufous
Hornero, Rufous-fronted Thornbird, Spix's Spinetail, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Crested
Black Tyrant, Streamer-tailed Tyrant, Long-tailed Tyrant, Great Kiskadee, Social
Flycatcher, Piratic Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Blue-and-white Swallow, Chalk-browed
Mockingbird, Pale-breasted Thrush, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Creamy-bellied Thrush,
Crested Oropendola, Giant Cowbird, Chopi Blackbird, Golden-crowned Warbler, Sayaca
Tanager, Palm Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Saffron Finch, Blue-black
Grassquit, Bananaquit, Green-winged Saltator,
Brazil
Day 36 20.03.2020
We had one full
day in Canastra to try and find the critically endangered Brazilian Merganser.
We hired a local guide who monitors the birds for a living, and set off to scan
the lower courses of the Sao Francisco river. Heavy rainfall overnight had put
something of a dampener on the whole day, as cloudy water would mean it would
be harder to find the birds. Still we drove up and down the river checking
various access points hoping that a duck might be showing. Alas it was not to
be. Even with our guide leading us to former nest sites and usual locations for
sightings we were unable to find any Mergansers.
The birding
along the river was still fun and we saw a few nice species along the way.
Black-throated Saltator, Plush-crested Jay, Sooty Tyrannulet and Green-billed
Toucan were all highlights for me. It was just unfortunate that we could not
find a Merganser to round the day off nicely.
-Green-billed and Toco Toucan
-Red-legged Seriema
-Rufous-tailed Jacamar
Species
List:
Sao
Francisco River: Rusty-margined
Guan, Pale-vented Pigeon, Picazuro Pigeon, Ruddy Ground Dove, Scaled Dove, Guira
Cuckoo, Smooth-billed Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo, White-collared Swift, Black Vulture,
Turkey Vulture, Savanna Hawk, Roadside Hawk, Ringed Kingfisher, Amazon
Kingfisher, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Toco Toucan, Green-billed Toucan, Red-legged
Seriema, Southern Crested Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, Aplomado Falcon, Peach-fronted
Parakeet, Pale-legged Hornero, White-bearded Manakin, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, Sooty
Tyrannulet, Crested Black Tyrant, White-rumped Monjita, Streamer-tailed Tyrant,
Masked Water Tyrant, Social Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Plush-crested Jay, Blue-and-white
Swallow, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, House Wren, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Crested
Oropendola, Chestnut-capped Blackbird, Yellow-rumped Marshbird, Sayaca Tanager,
Blue Dacnis, Saffron Finch, Blue-black Grassquit, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Black-throated
Saltator,
Brazil
Day 37 21.03.2020
We decided to
spend our final morning in Canastra checking over the sections of river that we
had visited the previous day. It would only be a quick check but since we were
already here, we decided it was worth it. We had some hope, as the weather was
nicer than it was supposed to be and the river seemed clearer but alas, once
again we were unable to find the Merganser. The other birds in the area remained
much the same as the previous day which helped make our post lunch departure
easier, although an Armadillo that scuttled across the road was a nice surprise. From Canastra we headed back to Itatiba, where we would spend the last
week of our trip safe from any potential lockdown or state closure.
-Cliff Flycatcher
Species
List:
Sao
Francisco River: Picazuro
Pigeon, Ruddy Ground Dove, Scaled Dove, White-tipped Dove, Guira Cuckoo, Smooth-billed
Ani, Planalto Hermit, Blackish Rail, Grey-necked Wood Rail, Southern Lapwing, Black
Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Roadside Hawk, Ringed Kingfisher, Toco Toucan, Red-legged
Seriema, Southern Crested Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, Blue-winged
Parrotlet, Peach-fronted Parakeet, Rufous Hornero, White-bearded Manakin, Cliff
Flycatcher, Crested Black Tyrant, Yellow-browed Tyrant, White-rumped Monjita, Masked
Water Tyrant, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Curl-crested
Jay, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Variable Oriole, Flavescent Warbler, Sayaca Tanager,
Burnished-buff Tanager, Saffron Finch, Blue-black Grassquit, Yellow-bellied
Seedeater, Bananaquit, Black-throated Saltator,
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