Brazil; Belo Horizonte 26.06.2019 - 27.06.2019

Brazil Day 23 26.06.2019

Since we had dropped Anton off at the airport, therefore ending our two week NE Brazil extravaganza, we had two days in Belo Horizonte to organise, see friends and do a little birding. During the morning we decided to visit a site Lia knew for Rock Tapaculo. We arrived quite late but still enjoyed some really nice birds; Pale-throated Pampa Finch and insane views of Grey-backed Tachuri. The standout from our first stop though were two Bat Falcons that I spotted perched on the wires next to the road. They just stared when I got out to photograph them, really not caring that I was there. Really awesome birds!

-Grey-backed Tachuri

-Bat Falcon

-Velvety Black-Tyrant

At the Rock Tapaculo site we found the vegetation long, and when the bird began responding it sounded distant, so we were not hopeful. But then we spotted the bird walking on the fringes of the foliage, before it went absolutely insane; walking in the open, flying into trees and sitting on the wall below us, concealed in a drainpipe with just its head emerged. Were it not for the fact that we were looking down on the bird, it might even have beat the other Tapaculo we saw on the trip.

-Rock Tapaculo

Species List:

Serra da Piedade: White-vented Violetear, Glittering-bellied Emerald, American Black Vulture, American Kestrel, Bat Falcon, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Rock Tapaculo, Spix’s Spinetail, Grey-backed Tachuri, Highland Elaenia, Velvety Black-Tyrant, House Wren, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Cinnamon Tanager, Pale-throated Pampa-Finch,

Brazil Day 24 27.06.2019

We had a number of jobs to do today, so only had the morning for birding. We decided to visit the large lake in central Belo Horizonte since it was not far and offered nice views of a number of wetland birds. As soon as we arrived we saw large numbers of White-backed Stilts and a number of duck species; Brazilian Teal, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck and Fulvous Whistling-Duck, the latter being a lifer for me. Walking around the lake there were a number of other awesome species that we saw as well; Black-crowned Night Heron, Wing-banded Hornero and Pied-billed Grebe were some of the other avian highlights.

-Fulvous, White-faced & Black-bellied Whistling Duck

-White-faced Whistling Duck

-White-backed Stilt

-Striated Heron

-Pied-billed Grebe

-Snail Kite

-Bare-faced Ibis

-Picazuro Pigeon

-Common Gallinule

But the real standout from the morning was not a bird at all but a reptile; Broad-snouted Caiman. At first I spotted two distantly submerged below the surface, and was pretty thrilled with that. But then, on the walk back, we found a female with two babies. This was amazing, and we were able to get quite close (Though obviously keeping a safe distance). These magnificent reptiles were not what I expected in central Belo Horizonte.

-Broad-snouted Caiman

Species List:

Lagoa da Pampulha: White-faced Whistling-Duck, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Brazilian Teal, Pied-billed Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Picazuro Pigeon, Ruddy Ground Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Grey-necked Wood-Rail, Limpkin, Common Gallinule, White-backed Stilt, Southern Lapwing, Neotropic Cormorant, Great White Egret, Snowy Egret, Cocoi Heron, Striated Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Bare-faced Ibis, Roadside Hawk, Snail Kite, Amazon Kingfisher, Southern Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Great Antshrike, Wing-banded Hornero, Rufous Hornero, Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Masked Water-Tyrant, Cattle Tyrant, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Black-and-white Swallow, White-winged Swallow, Grey-breasted Martin, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Shiny Cowbird, Orange-headed Tanager, Saffron Finch, Broad-snouted Caiman,