Brazil; Rio Grande do Sul & Santa Catarina - Day 3

 Having completed most of our targets the previous day, we had little left on the agenda before departing from Urupema. We decided to return to the Atlantic Forest but early morning before breakfast. In the two hours that we were there we failed to get a sniff of the Antpitta but did manage to see the Rufous-tailed Antthrush, well but through the vegetation. The highlight was a very showy female Large-tailed Antshrike that put on a nice display inside the forest, bounding between the bamboo stems.

We returned to breakfast and to have one last look at the feeders there. The Thick-billed Saltator, Chestnut-backed Tanager and Blue-and-yellow Tanagers were all there, as was our first Red Tanager of the trip. A very enjoyable final act in what had been a brilliant first few days on this trip.

Next stop was further south, about four and a half hours, to Sao Francisco de Paula on the Rio Grande do Sul/Santa Catarina border. At the end of the afternoon we found a place to stop at Parque Estadual de Tahina where there was some grassland habitat. The grassland did not yield much, presumably due to the afternoon heat, but in the early evening the marshes were fantastic.

Within ten minutes we found both of our key targets for the next few days; Straight-billed Reedhaunter and Saffron-cowled Blackbird. Although neither came particularly close for photos both looked brilliant in the early evening light. There was also a very dapper male Black-bellied Seedeater to enjoy, and a distant pair of parrots that flew over turned out to be Red-spectacled Amazon when we checked the photos, which we did not know if we would find on our trip due to the time of year, and is a very localised in this area of Brazil. A real bonus species for our trip. 

Species List:
Urupema: Brown Tinamou, Red-winged Tinamou, Dusky-legged Guan, Picazuro Pigeon, Sick's Swift, Glittering-bellied Emerald, White-throated Hummingbird, Southern Lapwing, Buff-necked Ibis, Black Vulture, Swallow-tailed Kite, White-spotted Woodpecker, Red-legged Seriema, Yellow-headed Caracara, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Large-tailed Antshrike, Variable Antshrike, Mouse-colored Tapaculo, Rufous-tailed Antthrush, Scalloped Woodcreeper, Striolated Tit-Spinetail, Olive Spinetail, White-winged Becard, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Small-billed Elaenia, Greenish Tyrannulet, Swainson's Flycatcher, Variegated Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Chivi Vireo, Azure Jay, Blue-and-white Swallow, House Wren, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Blacksmith Thrush, Hooded Siskin, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Golden-winged Cacique, Tropical Parula, White-rimmed Warbler, Red Tanager, Grey-throated Warbling Finch, Diademed Tanager, Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Chestnut-backed Tanager, Green-winged Saltator, Thick-billed Saltator,
Parque Estadual do Tainhas: Red-winged Tinamou, Picazuro Pigeon, White-tipped Dove, Eared Dove, Great Dusky Swift, White-collared Swift, Sick's Swift, Glittering-bellied Emerald, Southern Lapwing, Great Egret, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Savanna Hawk, Campo Flicker, Red-legged Seriema, Crested Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, Chimango Caracara, American Kestrel, Red-spectacled Amazon, Rufous Hornero, Freckle-breasted Thornbird, Firewood-gatherer, Straight-billed Reedhaunter, Spix's Spinetail, Sooty Tyrannulet, Bran-colored Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Tyrant, Grey Monjita, Black-and-white Monjita, Great Kiskadee, Variegated Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Azure Jay, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Brown-chested Martin, White-rumped Swallow, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Hooded Siskin, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Chopi Blackbird, Saffron-cowled Blackbird, Yellow-rumped Marshbird, Diademed Tanager, Saffron Finch, Lesser Grass Finch, Pampa Finch, Black-bellied Seedeater, Double-collared Seedeater,

Brazil; Rio Grande do Sul & Santa Catarina - Day 2

 Today was our first, and only full day in Urupema, and although we could have most of the following day if need be, we had a list of destinations to visit and about 14 hours of daylight in which to fit them all in.

First was finding the birds around the Pousada, featuring the number one target of the trip; Planalto Tapaculo. Normally Tapaculos are difficult and elusive but this one was beyond easy. During the morning we found four individuals, the first of which perched right out on the road without any encouragement, allowing for some excellent photos. Next we tried our other targets here, the range restricted Mottled Piculette and Striolated Tit-Spinetail, both of which we found before 10:00am.

Next stop was an area of upland marsh called Morro do Combates. It was about a half-hour drive from the eco-pousada and there were a few small stops on the way for odd bits that increased this time. Once we arrived it was already very sunny and quite breezy. Consequently, there was not a huge amount of activity but we found a few of the regions marshland specialities; Lesser Gras-Finch, Long-tailed Reed-Finch and the stunning Black-bellied Seedeater, a migrant breeder in this area.

Next on the agenda was lunch, after which we headed up into an area of Atlantic Araucaria forest behind Urupema itself. The birding here started quite slow but as the afternoon wore on we started picking up nice bits. A couple of Mouse-coloured Tapaculos were nice, but not as showy as their compatriot in the morning. Greenish Tyrannulet was only my second ever, and there were heard-only for both Speckle-breasted Antpitta and Rufous-tailed Antthrush, which hopefully we will find when we return tomorrow.

At the end of the afternoon we headed to the marsh opposite the Pousada in preparation for the night-birding. In the last hour of light we added Black-and-white Monjita and Freckle-breasted Thornbird to our list of regionally endemic marshbirds. There was also a nice showy Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch and almost all of the same species we has seen earlier in the day, including many Black-bellied Seedeaters.

As dusk drew in three others birders arrived, including an internet acquaintance of Lia’s, Gustavo Pinto who was working as a bird guide. With his help we managed to see both of the birds we failed to find the previous night. The Giant Snipe we only saw fly-in, as a silhouette against the sky, but the Sickle-winged Nightjar showed very well, and it would not have been possible without Gustavo’s help. When we finally arrived back at the Pousada, we quickly tried for the Long-tufted Sceech-Owl that lives in the garden, and mercifully it showed very quickly, rounding off a day when we managed almost every-single target bird.

A truly phenomal days birding. 

Species List:
Urupema: Brown Tinamou, Red-winged Tinamou, Spotted Nothura, Picazuro Pigeon, White-tipped Dove, Eared Dove, Short-tailed Nighthawk, Sickle-winged Nightjar, Sick's Swift, Glittering-bellied Emerald, Purple-crowned Plovercrest, White-throated Hummingbird, Plumbeous Rail, Rufous-sided Crake, Southern Lapwing, Giant Snipe, Whistling Heron, Buff-necked Ibis, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Swallow-tailed Kite, Roadside Hawk, Long-tufted Screech Owl, Surucua Trogon, White-eared Puffbird, Green-billed Toucan, Mottled Piculet, White-spotted Woodpecker, Yellow-browed Woodpecker, Campo Flicker, Red-legged Seriema, Crested Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, Chimango Caracara, American Kestrel, Monk Parakeet, Pileated Parrot, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Dusky-tailed Antbird, Speckle-breasted Antpitta, Planalto Tapaculo, Mouse-colored Tapaculo, Rufous-tailed Antthrush, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Planalto Woodcreeper, Scalloped Woodcreeper, Long-tailed Cinclodes, Striolated Tit-Spinetail, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, Freckle-breasted Thornbird, Firewood-gatherer, Olive Spinetail, Grey-bellied Spinetail, Spix's Spinetail, Serra do Mar Tyrannulet, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Small-billed Elaenia, White-crested Tyrannulet, Greenish Tyrannulet, Planalto Tyrannulet, Euler's Flycatcher, Blue-billed Black Tyrant, Yellow-browed Tyrant, Grey Monjita, Black-and-white Monjita, Swainson's Flycatcher, Cattle Tyrant, Great Kiskadee, Variegated Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Chivi Vireo, Azure Jay, Blue-and-white Swallow, Grey-breasted Martin, White-rumped Swallow, House Wren, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Hellmayr's Pipit, Hooded Siskin, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Golden-winged Cacique, Shiny Cowbird, Chopi Blackbird, Yellow-rumped Marshbird, Southern Yellowthroat, Tropical Parula, White-rimmed Warbler, Grey-throated Warbling Finch, Diademed Tanager, Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Chestnut-backed Tanager, Long-tailed Reed Finch, Black-and-rufous Warbling Finch, Saffron Finch, Grassland Yellow Finch, Lesser Grass Finch, Pampa Finch, Black-bellied Seedeater, Double-collared Seedeater, Green-winged Saltator, Thick-billed Saltator, 

Brazil; Rio Grande do Sul & Santa Catarina - Day 1

  With Christmas out of the way, Lia and I decided to travel again, having not been on a real trip since I arrived in Brazil, the others both being related to Lias work. Our chosen destination was the south of Brazil; Santa Catarina and especially Rio Grande do Sul. These states encompass the more southern reach of the Atlantic Forest and its transition in Pampas. It is also the wealthiest region in Brazil, with good infrastructure and standard of living, at least compared to the rest of the country.

  We arrived in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, the previous evening, picked up our car and then headed to a hotel. Our destination for the morning was the city's Botanical Garden before we set off on a six-hour drive north to our first real stop. The botanical garden has a few common species, but notable is Scaled Chacalaca, a species with a limited distribution that we wouldn’t encounter elsewhere on our trip. In the two hours we search we didn’t find the bird, but the weather was cold and rainy. There were some nice birds though, especially very habituated Slaty-breasted Wood Rail. The small lake in the park was filled with turtles; both Hilaire’s Side-necked Turtle and Pond Slider. Monk Parakeet was also a new species for my Brazil list.

  At 11:00 we headed north. The drive was long and with limited stops, but a small marsh we visited did produce our first lifer of the trip Black-and-rufous Warbling Finch. The wind kept them low in the vegetation and they were difficult to see. There were also two Brown Hares chasing each other around the adjacent fields and Chimango Caracara was another new bird for my Brazil list.

  Our destination was the small town of Urupema, in the state of Santa Catarina, surrounded by stunning Araucaria forest. Our lodge was set up especially for birders, with small chalets and a brilliant feeding station. Once we arrived at 18:30 we had around half an hours’ worth of light to explore and made the most of it with Chestnut-backed Tanagers visiting the feeder, our first new bird here, plus Araucaria Tit-Spinetail common and Long-tailed Cincloides nesting in the roof. The proprietor was extremely friendly, and his optimism and excitement about the birds left us extremely excited for what the following days will bring. 

  In the evening we searched a small marsh across the road for night birds, and were rewarded with a pair of very confiding Scissor-tailed Nightjars. Night birding would be a strong feature of our stay here, as there were a few species on our hit list!

Species List:
Jardim Botânico de Porto Alegre: Picazuro Pigeon, White-tipped Dove, Eared Dove, Sick's Swift, Grey-cowled Wood Rail, Slaty-breasted Wood Rail, Striated Heron, Bare-faced Ibis, Black Vulture, Roadside Hawk, Green-barred Woodpecker, Monk Parakeet, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Rufous Hornero, Spix's Spinetail, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Small-billed Elaenia, Great Kiskadee, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Streaked Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Blue-and-white Swallow, House Wren, Pale-breasted Thrush, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Purple-throated Euphonia, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Shiny Cowbird, Tropical Parula, Golden-crowned Warbler, Red-crested Cardinal, Sayaca Tanager, Bananaquit,
Urupema: Sick's Swift, White-throated Hummingbird, Whistling Heron, Buff-necked Ibis, Turkey Vulture, Swallow-tailed Kite, Chimango Caracara, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Long-tailed Cinclodes, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, Tropical Kingbird, Blue-and-white Swallow, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Chestnut-backed Tanager, Saffron Finch,