Brazil; Serra do Arrepio

I was very excited about today's birding location, as it was another area that we had not visited before with potential for a few new species, but also some species we were familiar with but hoped to see again. The dry forest habitat is something we have visited just a few times previously, so it is always good when we are able to visit it.

Alas, our day did not unfold how we desired. We got lost multiple times trying to find the footpath into the forest, and by that time it was already mid-morning. We then struggled to find any of our target birds, although a few other species that we wanted but had seen before did play ball. That said, in the end we managed to find both of the key target species. The Reisers Tyrannulet showed well for all of about two seconds, and proved a real pain in the arse both before and after this sighting. The Wieds Tyrant Manakin was much better behaved but we had to wait until we were leaving before we saw the bird. However, once we found it we had phenomenal views of an individual singing and perching in the open.

But really the day was saved by a pair of Thin-spined Porcupine that we found sleeping in a tree above a quite lively ant swarm. We only stopped to admire a White-bibbed Antbird, but spotted two brown blobs sleeping in the mid-story that we had otherwise written off as termite mounds. On closer inspection one of the animals woke up and began to move around, allowing us to study them in more detail. Their faces especially were adorable, and I say that as someone who avoids trying to cutify wild animals.

By early afternoon we decided to call it a day and made tracks to the coastal Atlantic Forest for our next targets….

-Melanis xenia

-Narrow-billed Antwren

-Rufous-chinned Sapphire

-Thin-spined Porcupine

-Weid's Tyrant Manakin

-Silvery-cheeked Antshrike

Species List:
Serra do Arrepio: Ruddy Ground Dove, White-tipped Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo, Sombre Hummingbird, Rufous-throated Sapphire, Black Vulture, Grey-headed Kite, Roadside Hawk, East Brazilian Pygmy Owl, Caatinga Puffbird, Spotted Piculet, Yellow-headed Caracara, Cobalt-rumped Parrotlet, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Caatinga Parakeet, Silvery-cheeked Antshrike, Barred Antshrike, Planalto Slaty Antshrike, Plain Antvireo, Stripe-backed Antbird, Caatinga Antwren, Narrow-billed Antwren, White-shouldered Fire-eye, Slender Antbird, White-bibbed Antbird, Rufous Gnateater, Scaled Woodcreeper, Band-tailed Hornero, Rufous Hornero, Rufous-fronted Thornbird, Ochre-cheeked Spinetail, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Wied's Tyrant-Manakin, Blue Manakin, Greenish Schiffornis, Southern Antpipit, Hangnest Tody-Tyrant, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher, Mouse-colored Tyrannulet, Large Elaenia, Reiser's Tyrannulet, Planalto Tyrannulet, Bran-colored Flycatcher, Euler's Flycatcher, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Grey-eyed Greenlet, Chivi Vireo, Tropical Gnatcatcher, House Wren, Long-billed Wren, Purple-throated Euphonia, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Variable Oriole, Tropical Parula, Golden-crowned Warbler, Flavescent Warbler, Yellow-green Grosbeak, Red-cowled Cardinal, Black-goggled Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Saffron Finch, Bananaquit, Green-winged Saltator, Thin-spined Porcupine,