Thursday, 20 June 2019

Brazil; Ceara, Bahia & Minas Gerais trip 19.06.2019 - 21.06.2019

Brazil Day 16 19.06.2019
Since we struggled to find many of our key targets, despite an incredible days birding, we decided to hire a local guide for the park to help us for our final morning. Even with his help we struggled for a number of species, but at the same time we did connect with most of our targets and had a lot of nice birding along the way.
First we called off at a location further away along the road than the previous day. Our main goal here was Boa Nova Tapaculo, but we had no sight or sound of the bird. We did manage a couple of our targets here; Bahia Piculette, which showed fantastically well, and Pin-tailed Manakin, although we only saw the female. Other lifers at this location included; Golden-capped Parakeet, Scaled Antbird, Chestnut-bellied Euphonia and Red-rumped Cacique.
-Scaled Antbird
Next we headed back to the magic road we had walked the previous day. This time we drove along it to a specific location, where we immediately found our target; Fork-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant. That was it for that location, as we then headed off a nearby lake which our guide knew, where there would be lots of birds. I got no new species here but it was nice to see White-cheeked Pintail, Common Gallinule and Least Grebe in large numbers.
-Fork-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant
Finally we tried for our main target in the area; Slender Antbird. At this point it was already mis afternoon and hot, but our guide was confident that they would be there and he was not wrong. We had a pair of birds showing right in front of us, so close that I struggled to take photos. It really paid off, and meant we left the park with most of our targets, as well as our first taste of fantastic Atlantic Forest birding.
-Slender Antbird

Species List:
Boa Nova National Park: Guira Cuckoo, White-faced Whistling Duck, White-cheeked Pintail, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Ruddy Ground Dove, Common Gallinule, Black-necked Stilt, Wattled Jacana, Southern Lapwing, Cattle Egret, American Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Hawk, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Bahia Piculette, Southern Caracara, Aplomado Falcon, American Kestrel, Cactus Parakeet, Blue-winged Parrotlet, Golden-capped Parakeet, Scaled Antbird, Slender Antbird, Narrow-billed Antwren,  Rufous Gnateater, Rufous Hornero, Pale-breasted Spinetail, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, Planalto Tyrannulet, Drab-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant, Yellow-lored Tody-Flycatcher, Fork-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant, Masked Water Tyrant, Cattle Tyrant, Short-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Pin-tailed Manakin, Blue-and-white Swallow, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, House Wren, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Violaceous Euphonia, Chestnut-bellied Euphonia, Red-rumped Cacique, Campo Troupial, Chopi Blackbird, White-browed Meadowlark, Chestnut-capped Blackbird, Tropical Parula, Golden-crowned Warbler, Red-cowled Cardinal, Flame-crested Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Palm Tanager, Red-necked Tanager, Gilt-edged Tanager, Green-winged Saltator, White-throated Seedeater, Grassland Yellowfinch, Saffron Finch,

Brazil Day 17 20.06.2019
Our new location was the reserve of Serra Bonita, a northern Atlantic Forest reserve. We were living in the reserve, having being taken up the track by the manager, for two and a half days with no leaving the reserve. We only had cold pizza to eat and our digs left a lot to be desired, but the birding was fantastic and well worth the cost to our living standards.
During the morning we took an eight kilometre walk through the forest, seeing a number of species including numerous lifers; Scaled-throated Hermit, Mantled Hawk, Barred Forest-Falcon, Spot-backed Antshrike, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Pallid Spinetail, Grey-capped Tyrannulet, Greyish Mourner, Sharpbill, Swallow-tailed Manakin, White-bearded Manakin, Rufous-brown Solitaire, Yellow-legged Thrush, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Green-headed Tanager, Swallow Tanager and Black-throated Grosbeak. With so many new birds it’s difficult to choose highlights, but Sharpbill was really nice, as was watching the White-bearded Manakin display.
During the afternoon we rested in the garden at the park, where a few tanagers and hummingbirds were coming in to feed. Even here there were new birds to be had; Grey-rumped Swift, Violet-capped Woodnymph, Golden-chevroned Tanager and Green Honeycreeper. In the evening we went for a slow walk along the road, where we got two more new birds, despite it being generally quiet; Black-capped Foliage-Gleaner and White-eyed Foliage-Gleaner. It really was a phenomenal days birding, with 25 lifers and a host of other truly awesome species.
In addition, the park has two semi-domesticated White-collared Peccaries which provided a lot of entertainment. We also found a small snake in the wood, and two species of monkey, a distant capuchin and a small marmoset species, the latter of which were very bold and not shy of us at all.
-Sombre Hummingbird
-Maroon-bellied Parakeet
-Yellow-legged Thrush
-Surucua Trogon
-Crescent-chested Puffbird
-Mantled Hawk
-Red-necked Tanager
-Green-headed Tanager
-Sharpbill

Species List:
Serra Bonita: Rusty-margined Guan, Plumbeous Pigeon, Grey-rumped Swift, Scaled-throated Hermit, Violet-capped Woodnymph, Sombre Hummingbird, American Black Vulture, Lesser Yello-headed Vulture, Mantled Hawk, Surucua Trogon, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Barred Forest-Falcon, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Spot-backed Antshrike, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Lesser Woodcreeper, Black-caped Foliage-Gleaner, White-eyed Foliage-Gleaner, Pallid Spinetail, Grey-capped Tyrannulet, Drab-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant, Yellow-lored Tody-Tyrant, Yellow-olive Flycatcher, Tropical Peewee, Long-tailed Tyrant, Greyish Mourner, Short-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Sharpbill, Swallow-tailed Manakin, Pin-tailed Manakin, White-bearded Manakin, Blue-and-white Swallow, Grey-breasted Martin, Yellow-legged Thrush, White-necked Thrush, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Violaceous Euphonia, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Red-rumped Cacique, Tropical Parula, Sayaca Tanager, Golden-chevroned Tanager, Palm Tanager, Green-headed Tanager, Red-necked Tanager, Swallow Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Green Honeycreeper, Bananaquit, Buff-throated Saltator, Black-throated Grosbeak, Tapeti, Wied's Marmoset,

Brazil Day 18 21.06.2019
Sadly our second day in Serra Bonita was not as sunny and warm as the first. Instead the forest and mountains were shrouded in cloud, and during the afternoon the heavens opened in full tropical storm mode, making birding impossible. That said, we were still able to enjoy a full mornings birding exploring another of the parks trails, this time further up the mountain.
The trail was more well-constructed than the previous days. As usual we enjoyed a large number of different species with many lifers; Brazilian Ruby, Black-and-white Hawk Eagle, Spot-billed Toucanet, Plumbeous Antvireo, Plain-winged Woodcreeper, White-throated Woodcreeper, Bahia Treehunter (Undescribed), Ochre-breasted Foliage-Gleaner, Bahia Tyrannulet, Grey-hooded Attila and Kinglet Manakin. It was nice to finally see Bahia Tyrannulet after trying for a number of days. And the Black-and-White Hawk-Eagle was insane, flying nice and low over the garden after our walk. We also connected with the as yet undescribed species of Treehunter that lives in the park, although our views and photos were shit.
The only downside to the morning was when we got assaulted by army ants (twice) after accidentally wandering into the swarm. It was an extremely painful experience and one I never hope to repeat. Still, in braving the ant swarm we got great views of White-fringed Fire-Eye and Kinglet Manakin that were following the swarm for food.
-Bahia Tyrannulet
-Planalto Woodcreeper
-Kinglet Manakin
-Bahia Treehunter (Undescribed form)
-Orange-bellied Euphonia
-Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle
-Sombre Hummingbird

Species List:
Serra Bonita: Plumbeous Pigeon, White-tipped Dove, Guira Cuckoo, Squirrel Cuckoo, Common Pauraque, White-collared Swift, Scale-throated Hermit, Brazilian Ruby, Violet-capped Woodnymph, Sombre Hummingbird, American Black Vulture, Black-and-white Hawk Eagle, Surucua Trogon, Spot-billed Toucanet, Spotted Piculette, Red-stained Woodpecker, Blue-winged Parrotlet, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Plumbeous Antvireo, White-shouldered Fire-Eye, Plain-winged Woodcreeper, Planalto Woodcreeper, White-throated Woodcreeper, Lesser Woodcreeper, Plain Xenops, Streaked Xenops, Bahia Treehunter (Undescribed), Black-capped Foliage-Gleaner, Ochre-breasted Foliage-Gleaner, White-eyed Foliage-Gleaner, Pallid Spinetail, Bahia Tyrannulet, Grey-capped Tyrannulet, Drab-breasted Tody-Flycatcher, Euler’s Flycatcher, Tropical Peewee, Long-tailed Tyrant, Grey-hooded Attila, Greyish Mourner, Great Kiskadee, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Sharpbill, Blue Manakin, Pin-tailed Manakin, White-bearded Manakin, Kinglet Manakin, Chestnut-crowned Becard, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, House Wren, Rufous-brown Solitaire, Yellow-legged Thrush, White-necked Thrush, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Violaceous Euphonia, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Tropical Parula, Golden-crowned Warbler, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Golden-chevroned Tanager, Palm Tanager, Green-headed Tanager, Red-necked Tanager, Swallow Tanager, Rufous-headed Tanager, Bananaquit, Ring-tailed Coati,

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