While we were with Alex Mesquita looking at the Atlantic Royal Flycatcher, he casually mentioned that he had been to visit the recently discovered nest site of the Cherry-throated Tanager in Espirito Santo, the only known place for this critically engendered species, that Lia and I notably dipped in 2019. As a result of this conversation, Lia decided that we were going to try.
The reserve
is a solid 12 hour drive from Sao Paulo, but the rarity of the bird and the special
nature of the encounter was too good an opportunity to miss out on. The drive
was long and grueling but we eventually arrived in Espirito Santo battered and
exhausted. It did not get any better though, as we were heading out at 04:30 when
the researchers would pick us up, so that we could be with the Tanagers for the
full day.
The
previous day the nestlings had a premature fledgling courtesy of a toucanet
that had attempted to predate them. However they were still very recently out
of the nest and as such we were able to find them very quickly being attended
to by all six of the known adult birds at the site. For the first few hours
they were faithful to the same area, with the fledglings taking refuge in thicker
areas of the canopy. However, as the morning wore on the adults began to move
the fledglings through the canopy, leading us on a wild chase to follow them.
Throughout
the rest of the day we followed the group of nine birds to observe their behavior
and ensure the safety of the fledglings. This was often hard work involving
cutting through thick areas of bamboo with a machete and climbing the steep
banks of the valley. However, we were able to stay with the birds all day,
following them until they roosted in the evening.
It is a
great privilege to have been able to visit this reserve and see the nest site.
With a global population of just 14 individuals, and having missed it so painfully
in the past, this really was an opportunity that could not be missed. The birds
themselves were absolutely stunning and it was a pleasure to be able to spend
all day with them, observing and recording their behaviors with the team working
to keep the species from going extinct.
In addition,
we had other good birds here. White-bibbed Antbird was a species that we had
seen on our last visit here, but it does not occur at many sites and its
strikingly beautiful. It was good to connect with it again while we were here.
At the end of the day we returned to the road and heard a distant parrot
calling. I mused that it sounded not too dissimilar to Golden-tailed Parrotlet
which occurs at this site but in low numbers. I played the call and got an
immediate response from the bird, which flew over us calling loudly before perching
in a nearby tree where we were able to spend some time watching it. This was a
new species for both of us and was an excellent bonus for the day. And then, as
we were driving out of the reserve we had a Long-trained Nightjar sat in the
middle of the road. Although it did not sit still for long, it came back once
with tape and we got fantastic views as it flew over our heads. This was yet
another new species for both of us. And then, to wrap it all off, we had a Common
Potoo perched on a roadside fencepost.
There was
another addition to the day, when in the early evening we took a short break from
the tanagers to look for an endemic toad in another area of the reserve. The toad,
Vargem Alta Flea Toad Brachycephalus alipioi is endemic to the remaining
forest fragments in this area and is sneaky and difficult to find in the leaflitter.
Thankfully we had the sharp eyes of the Tanager researchers who found us one of
these stunning golden amphibians. And the site is also home to the critically endangered Buffy-headed Marmoset, which we saw breifly, to really top off an outstanding day.
Reserva Caetés: Brown Tinamou, Dusky-legged Guan, Plumbeous Pigeon, White-tipped Dove, Black Jacobin, Brazilian Ruby, White-throated Hummingbird, Black Vulture, Surucua Trogon, Channel-billed Toucan, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Barred Forest Falcon, Crested Caracara, Golden-tailed Parrotlet, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Star-throated Antwren, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Scaled Antbird, White-bibbed Antbird, Cryptic Antthrush, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Scaled Woodcreeper, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Pallid Spinetail, Rufous-capped Spinetail, Blue Manakin, Pin-tailed Manakin, Hooded Berryeater, Bare-throated Bellbird, Black-tailed Tityra, Greenish Schiffornis, Chestnut-crowned Becard, Sharpbill, White-throated Spadebill, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, Drab-breasted Bamboo Tyrant, Yellow-olive Flatbill, Euler's Flycatcher, Tropical Pewee, Sibilant Sirystes, Streaked Flycatcher, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Pale-breasted Thrush, Chestnut-bellied Euphonia, Red-rumped Cacique, Golden-crowned Warbler, Cherry-throated Tanager, Gilt-edged Tanager, Rufous-headed Tanager, Crab-eating Fox, Buffy-headed Marmoset,
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