Today was our first day at the forest reserve of Pedra D’Anta, now known as Serra da Urubu, which marked a return for us to the Atlantic Forests of the Northeast, as opposed to the Mangroves and other fragmented habitats we had been exploring over the last few weeks. This site is one reserve that makes up one of the largest forest fragments left in the Pernambuco Centre of Endemism, the other of course being ESEC Murici where we had spent ten days earlier in the year.
We had a few species to target here but unfortunately, our
birding was hampered somewhat by the weather and as such, we struggled to find
many of the birds we wanted. Fortunately the key target we did manage to
eventually find. Although known from a few fragments, the Pinto’s Spinetail is
one of the trickier regional endemics due to few of its surviving populations
existing in popular reserves. That was until a few years ago when a population was
found here. It took some effort but in the end, we were able to see two
different pairs of spinetails, although photos were difficult to manage.
In addition, we had two more new species here, the
Smokey-fronted Tody-Flycatcher and the typically uninspiring Guianan
Tyrannulet. Fortunately, these showed much better than the spinetails and we
were able to appreciate them a lot more. The Tody-Flycatcher in particular
showed quite well, and at one point we were even able to watch them copulating.
Without doubt the highlight of the day was the reserves
hummingbird garden. In total, we recorded eleven different species, including
the endangered and regionally endemic Long-tailed Woodnymph, with a couple of
males that showed exceptionally well. There were also nice bonus species such
as a Black-eared Fairy and a White-chinned Sapphire, both gorgeous males. But
the sheer number of hummingbirds was what made it so impressive, with good
numbers of Black Jacobin constantly buzzing around. There was also a quite
lively tanager feeder with Red-legged Honeycreeper being a notable visitor,
but by the afternoon they had scoffed all the bananas, and as such the activity
there died down. There was a remarkable moment in the afternoon when we spotted
maybe 10 Bananaquits all trying to feed on the same hummingbird feeder!
RPPN Pedra D’Anta: Ruddy Ground Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo, Black Jacobin, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Reddish Hermit, Planalto Hermit, Black-eared Fairy, Black-throated Mango, Long-tailed Woodnymph, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Sombre Hummingbird, Versicolored Emerald, Glittering-throated Emerald, White-chinned Sapphire, Blue-chinned Sapphire, Black Vulture, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Roadside Hawk, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Lettered Aracari, Golden-spangled Piculet, Cobalt-rumped Parrotlet, Great Antshrike, Variable Antshrike, Silvery-flanked Antwren, Rusty-winged Antwren, Scalloped Antbird, Pinto's Spinetail, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Blue-backed Manakin, White-bearded Manakin, Red-headed Manakin, Smoky-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Ochre-lored Flatbill, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Guianan Tyrannulet, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Piratic Flycatcher, Variegated Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Trilling Gnatwren, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Moustached Wren, Pale-breasted Thrush, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Yellowish Pipit, Purple-throated Euphonia, Violaceous Euphonia, Pectoral Sparrow, White-lined Tanager, Brazilian Tanager, Palm Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Red-necked Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Guira Tanager, Wedge-tailed Grass Finch, Blue-black Grassquit, Bananaquit, Buff-throated Saltator,
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