Thursday, 7 February 2019

Brazil 07.02.2019 - 09.02.2019

Brazil Day 28 07.02.2019
There was a thick layer of fog shrouding the gallery forest this morning, but it seemed to bring out the birds and other animals. On our way to the nets we found a giant snail, the shells of which we had seen frequently, but finally saw the live animal. Imagine then, our devastation to learn that these are in fact African Giant Land Snails, an invasive species. Still cool to see despite this disappointment.
The mornings banding was decent, I got to ring two Plain Antvireo, and we also caught another Helmeted Manakin male. The morning ended shockingly, when a tree fell onto one of our nets. Fortunately there were no birds in the nets, and after some deft work with the machete, we were able to retrieve the net. Still not an ideal circumstance to find ourselves in. On the drive back to the field center we picked up a new bird along the road, a Rufous Casiornis. A rather smart, if not monotone, bird. In the afternoon we set up nets in a new location. We managed to dodge the afternoons thunderstorms. But we did not see any birds.
-African Giant Land Snail
-Grey-hooded Flycatcher
-Helmeted Manakin
-Southern Caracara

Species List:
Brasilia: Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Roadside Hawk, Southern Caracara, Southern Lapwing, Ruddy Ground Dove, Picazuro Pigeon, Blue-fronted Amazon Parrot, Smooth-billed Ani, Burrowing Owl, Sick's Swift, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Glittering-throated Emerald, Rufous-capped Motmot, Variable Antshrike, Plain Antvireo, Grey-hooded Flycatcher, Euler's Flycatcher, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Rufous Casiornis, Short-crested Flycatcher, Helmeted Manakin, Black-goggled Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Blue-black Grassquit, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Buff-throated Saltator, Tropical Parula, White-bellied Warbler, Flavescent Warbler, House Sparrow, 

Brazil Day 29 08.02.2019
We set out to open the nets that we had erected the previous day. It was another grey and overcast day but at the same time very warm and awfully humid. We caught just a single bird, an Olivaceous Woodcreeper, but did see a new species in a tanager flock that moved through; Planalto Tyrannulet, a small flycatcher. The highlight of the morning was when we found a bat roosted up in the trees. It had a crazy shaped nose, and after we initially flushed it, not seeing it roosting, it hit me on the head with its wing as it flew past. 
-Bat sp.
As has been the theme for the last few days, the afternoon had a number of shot downpours. As a consequence we did not head back to field, but spent the afternoon around our digs. I decided to set up my scope on the tall pink flowering tree outside our landing, and as a result got a new species of hummingbird; Amethyst Woodstar, a cracking male.
-Red-legged Seriema
The day was rounded off nicely when the Maned Wolf put in another appearance just before dark, as we were setting off to go for a night out in Brasilia. It looked a lot bigger this second time, a truly awesome animal to be able to witness. 
-Maned Wolf

Species List:
Brasilia: Black Vulture, Roadside Hawk, Southern Caracara, Red-legged Seriema, Picazuro Pigeon, White-eyed Parakeet, Blue-fronted Amazon Parrot, Smooth-billed Ani, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Amethyst Woodstar, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, White-wedged Piculette, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Planalto Tyrannulet, Tropical Kingbird, Helmeted Manakin, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, White-lined Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Guira Tanager, Rufous-collared Sparrow, White-bellied Warbler, House Sparrow, Maned Wolf,

Brazil Day 30 09.02.2019
Having been out in Brasilia last night we had a rather late start to our day. We got out birding at around 14:30 and headed over to a site an hours drive away, a large dam, where we hoped to see one of my three remaining target species; Yellowish Pipit. Although we heard an individual, we did not see it, and our walk round was cut short by one of the most insane rainstorms I have ever seen.
We did get a few nice birds on our walk round. My 200th bird in Brazil was Neotropic Cormorant, possibly the worst species it could have been. I got another lifer with Wattle Jacana and Copper Seedeater, recently split from capped seedeater, and a trip tick with Striated Heron. Were it not for the weather, it would have been a very enjoyable walk, with many cool species; White-faced Whistling Duck and Amazon Kingfisher
-Copper Seedeater

Species List:
Brasilia: White-faced Whistling Duck, Brazilian Teal, Feral Pigeon, Picazuro Pigeon, Ruddy Ground Dove, Scaled Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, White-vented Violetear, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Southern Lapwing, Wattled Jacana, Neotropic Cormorant, Great White Egret, Striated Heron, Burrowing Owl, Ringed Kingfisher, Amazon Kingfisher, Aplomado Falcon, Rufous Hornero, Pale-breasted Spinetail, White-rumped Monjita, Masked Water-Tyrant, White-headed Marsh Tyrant, Tropical Kingbird, Grassland Sparrow, Blue-black Grassquit, Copper Seedeater, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Double-collared Seedeater, Common Waxbill, 

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